Making strip footings level

[zacnelson]

Hello, imagine I need to make strip footings for a brick veneer house on stumps, or for a brick fence. I know that if the footings extended higher than the level of the ground, I would use formwork, which would enable me to make the footings level. However, if the top of the footings is going to be below ground level, and no formwork was used in the trench at all, what is the technique for ensuring that my footings are prefectly level?

Thanks for listening,

Zac

[sports fan]

use a laser or dumpy level (you can hire these or buy a cheapy) to get a few spot levels while your placing the concrete in the footings, then screed to the concrete to these levels...

[myla]

hello,

just use a straight edge with level starting from one end,

keep in mind for a slope you need to box and make a step the height of brick or block,

many "things" get laid to fix height problems, very very common

thankyou

myla

[MrFixIt]

Hi
QUOTE=sports fan;703575]use a laser or dumpy level (you can hire these or buy a cheapy) to get a few spot levels while your placing the concrete in the footings, then screed to the concrete to these levels...[/QUOTE]

Yes, you can do that and it will work well.

An alternative is to use a garden hose with some clear plastic tubing on the ends. Fill the garden hose so that the water is visible within the plastic tube. Water ALWAYS seeks its own level, so you can use the level of the water in the plastic tube as the height you work to. The level will be the same in BOTH ends of the hose no matter how the hose is laid out.

It is usual to use "pegs" or wooden stakes driven in to the ground along the length of the strip footing. Check that these are at the correct height and level with each other (via the laser/dumpy/water level) and then pour your footings making each level with the pegs.

The dumpy level is best for verifying the correct height.

[MrFixIt]

Hi

use a laser or dumpy level (you can hire these or buy a cheapy) to get a few spot levels while your placing the concrete in the footings, then screed to the concrete to these levels...

Yes, you can do that and it will work well.

An alternative is to use a garden hose with some clear plastic tubing on the ends. Fill the garden hose so that the water is visible within the plastic tube. Water ALWAYS seeks its own level, so you can use the level of the water in the plastic tube as the height you work to. The level will be the same in BOTH ends of the hose no matter how the hose is laid out.

It is usual to use "pegs" or wooden stakes driven in to the ground along the length of the strip footing. Check that these are at the correct height and level with each other (via the laser/dumpy/water level) and then pour your footings making each level with the pegs.

The dumpy level is best for verifying the correct height.

[zacnelson]

Excellent advice gentlemen, thank you very much, you have answered my questions perfectly. And such quick replies too! I particularly like the idea of placing a few pegs at intervals next to the footings prior to pouring, they will provide a satisfactory guide for levelling.

Cheers,

Zac