I've built lots of masonry pier foundations. I used to either
stack cinder blocks or pour concrete into site-made wooden
forms. Then, a few decades ago, the job got a lot easier
with the invention of the Sonotube pier form, which is now
an industry standard. In this article, I'll give some basic tips
for working with tubes, along with some unusual ways of
using them that I've learned over the years.
Some Rules of Thumb
Before laying out a run of piers, I determine the required
diameter, the size and depth of the footing, and the spacing
between the piers. After fixing several sagging decks, I've
developed a few rules