How to Install Piers on a New Patio

Outline the area in spray paint where you will be installing the piers.

Excavate trenches in the area where the piers will be installed beneath the frost line. The frost line can range from several inches to several feet so contact your local zoning board to learn how deep it is in your area. Use a 1-1/2 ton excavator to dig the trenches.

Assemble the concrete pier forms. The forms consist of footings made of rigid plastic that are attached to waxed fiber tubes. The footings prevent the piers from sinking by distributing the weight they carry over a wider area.

Place the forms into the trench area and have them checked by a certified building inspector if your local building codes call for it.

Add dirt into the trench around the footings to lock them into place. Check the footings for level and plumb to ensure that they remain straight. Level is horizontally straight, and plumb is vertically straight.

Slide footings that are turned upside-down into the top of the waxed fiber tubes. This will help with the concrete pour as the upside-down footings act like a funnel.

Pour concrete into the forms, stirring a shovel inside the tubes as you add every 8 to 10 inches of concrete. This removes any air bubbles trapped inside the concrete. Depending on how many piers you have and how deep they are, you may want to hire a concrete contractor to handle the pour.

Take the upside-down footings off of the tubes and smooth the concrete with a trowel.

Install the hardware into the concrete and allow it to cure for at least four to five days. The hardware is the rebar or brackets that connect the patio to the piers.