Concrete base for sawmill

[kelLOGg]

I roll logs onto the mill over ramps from the rollway. The only "thunk" I get is when rotating to a new face.

[bannerd]

Something that works pretty well is a ruble trench.  Have a backhoe come in and dig below the frost lines and then fill it with number 2 stone or number 1 stone.  Make sure he or she runs a drainage pipe at the bottom as the cold water/ice will absorb thermal the deeper it creeps.  It needs to run out at some point.  Compact it (not much to compact with stone) and when that is done, pour the concrete slab on top of that.

[kelLOGg]

The pad has been in use a couple of months now and it has held up well, so far. I have had several 25" x 17' pine on it so far so good.



 

 

[esarratt]

I can only think that you will want to account for frost heaving below that slab.

Well said.

[DaleK]

Maybe went a bit overboard with mine but I went 2' high by 32" wide by 26' long, put some boulders in for fill but there's still 4.5 yards in it and some rebar. Backfilled it about halfway and left the notches for adjustable log decks. Put 10 adjustable deck blocks in the concrete so I can adjust it some if it doesn't settle evenly, I thought they might be weak but I found some with 2500 lb capacity, had a 24"x18' elm on it and it held up nicely