Digging in the dirt...
 

Apologies to Mr. Gabriel.

I'm installing a 4X4X16 pole for a clothesline. I'm down to about 3 feet and I
hit solid rock. Not 'a' rock - just rock. I'll be using 10" sonotube (I have 4'
of it) and concrete.

Any rules of thumb for how deep I *should* be for good lateral stability? I can
obviously cut the pole shorter, but I'd like to have 10'-12' above ground to be
somewhat level with the mounting point on the house.

a

"a" wrote in message news:8t7Fe.103514$wr.72546@clgrps12...
Apologies to Mr. Gabriel.

I'm installing a 4X4X16 pole for a clothesline. I'm down to about 3 feet
and I hit solid rock. Not 'a' rock - just rock. I'll be using 10" sonotube
(I have 4' of it) and concrete.

Any rules of thumb for how deep I *should* be for good lateral stability?
I can obviously cut the pole shorter, but I'd like to have 10'-12' above
ground to be somewhat level with the mounting point on the house.

a

I don't know the rules about this, but I've got 4x4s in my garden, down 2
feet *without* cement. 10 feet apart, clothesline running between the tops
for beans to run along. The cord's not pulled as tight as you would with
clothesline, but it seems to me that 4 feet with cement ought to be fine.

3 to 4 feet of concrete should provide plenty of lateral support for a
clothesline.
However, having 12' of 4X4 above ground without the top anchored (as it
would be in, say, a deck support) should produce some interesting curves in
the post over time :-).

KW

"a" wrote in message news:8t7Fe.103514$wr.72546@clgrps12...
Apologies to Mr. Gabriel.

I'm installing a 4X4X16 pole for a clothesline. I'm down to about 3 feet
and I
hit solid rock. Not 'a' rock - just rock. I'll be using 10" sonotube (I
have 4'
of it) and concrete.

Any rules of thumb for how deep I *should* be for good lateral stability?
I can
obviously cut the pole shorter, but I'd like to have 10'-12' above ground
to be
somewhat level with the mounting point on the house.

a

a wrote:

Apologies to Mr. Gabriel.

I'm installing a 4X4X16 pole for a clothesline. I'm down to about 3
feet and I hit solid rock. Not 'a' rock - just rock. I'll be using 10"
sonotube (I have 4' of it) and concrete.

Any rules of thumb for how deep I *should* be for good lateral
stability? I can obviously cut the pole shorter, but I'd like to have
10'-12' above ground to be somewhat level with the mounting point on
the house.

You need to consider how deep the frost line is and whether the land
gets soggy in the Spring rainy season.

Concrete simply poured around the 4x4 doesn't provide much support. But
if you spread it out so it has a large horizontal flange around the
pole, that will provide more bearing surface. Of course, the concrete
has to extend down around the pole in a thick enough layer so the pole
doesn't twist out of it.

a wrote:
Apologies to Mr. Gabriel.

I'm installing a 4X4X16 pole for a clothesline. I'm down to about 3 feet
and I hit solid rock. Not 'a' rock - just rock. I'll be using 10"
sonotube (I have 4' of it) and concrete.

Any rules of thumb for how deep I *should* be for good lateral stability?
I can obviously cut the pole shorter, but I'd like to have 10'-12' above
ground to be somewhat level with the mounting point on the house.

a

Depends on how deep your frost line goes in the winter. 3 feet should be
deep enough for a cloths line unless you're up in French speaking Canada,
and that in of itself makes for a short cloths line season. :)

--
http://NewsReader.Com/

Just how tall are you if your clothes line is going to be 10' to 12'
high.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley

(Mel M Kelly) wrote:
Just how tall are you if your clothes line is going to be 10' to 12'
high.

They have scaffolding around it.

--
http://NewsReader.Com/

Mel M Kelly wrote:
Just how tall are you if your clothes line is going to be 10' to 12'
high.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley





I'm 6'2", but the post is for the far end of the line. The house end is going
to be attached about 5' above the back deck, which is 6' above grade.

Kinda like:
http://www.vermontel.net/~aurorasky/images/photo9.jpg

.... but a bit lower.

Concrete artlessly caked about the 4x4 doesn't accommodate abundant support. But if you advance it out so it has a ample accumbent border about the pole, that will accommodate added address surface. Of course, the concrete has to extend down about the pole in a blubbery abundant band so the pole doesn't aberration out of it.

Depends on how abysmal your frost band goes in the winter. 3 anxiety should be deep abundant for a cloths band unless you're up in French speaking Canada, and that in of itself makes for a abbreviate cloths band season.