Fountain foundation

[Rubberdown]

Howdy.... I need to put a foundation down for a fountain. It is heavy. Maybe 500-1000 pounds. I have been told to do a couple inches of sand with a few inches of gravel on top of that and then put the fountain on there. That sound alright by y’all? I don’t want it all sinkin in the ground after I’m done.

Thanks friends!

[Johnny Dangerr]

No. I have a 1000 pound releafe in the front yard. Got tired of fixing it. Had a foundation guy come over and press 4 piles under it using a 2 ton truck as weight. That was 10 years ago and it has not moved since.

[Rubberdown]

Well... I was afraid of that. You can’t get in where it goes with a truck... has a three foot gate on one side. That’s about it. Should I get an auger and put some sonotubes down a ways or is that a waste of time?

Also what’s a releafe?

[Ynotdrum]

Putting in some sono piers before hand is a great idea. Also some companies have capacity to install helical piers with a small rig that can go through 40" gates.

[Johnny Dangerr]

Well... I was afraid of that. You can’t get in where it goes with a truck... has a three foot gate on one side. That’s about it. Should I get an auger and put some sonotubes down a ways or is that a waste of time?

Also what’s a releafe?

Relief: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relief

I saved 2 off the children's hospital downtown when they demo'd and rebuilt it. She was 88 years old then and is now 104 yrs old. She watched over the kids at the hospital and now watches over the kids in the park.
My neighbors think it is the Virgin Mary and I see folks crossing themselves and kissing her from time to time.
Moving her required a flatbed wrecker and a big fork lift. After 2 attempts to stop her sinking I brought in a foundation company to get a final solution.
She needs a face lift due to all the Oak pollen this year.

[Johnny Dangerr]

Looks like it will be a repaint year.

[flywise]

I think if you dig a square base down about 4" and tamp it down solid then add a layer of sand or gravel stamped down as well. Then concrete pad enforced with a piece of something like hog panel. Should be about 3.5" think. I believe it would last ( plumb and level ) for many years

[Bohunter]

WOW! That's cool

[Rubberdown]

I’m liking the screw pile idea... maybe two of those with a chunk of metal across them just above a sand base... gravel around that... and then pour a piece of mesh with concrete maybe 4 inches thick...

[Rubberdown]

After looking at the cost of screw piers I’ll probably do the sonostube things. I have no money for a few weeks so I can research how to do those right.