I'm going to be pouring a concrete base for a light post. (Well, technically speaking. It will be for a railroad crossing signal that's part of my collection that is currently unmounted)

It will have 4 carriage bolts embedded in it to bolt the base to, with a piece of conduit coming up the center to feed the wires. I'm thinking either 18"x18" or possibly a 12" round, and about 4-4.5' deep to get below the frost line. I'm planning on using a form to mold the above ground portion and a wood template to hold the bolts in place while they set in the concrete.

Does anyone have any tips or recommendations for pouring the concrete? There is no vehicle access so it will need to be bagged cement mix vs bringing in a cement truck.

Total weight is approximately 150lbs. And that's just a very rough guess on my part, being liberal with the number.

Home Despot sells mixing tubs that'll do about 2 bags at a time. Have a 5 gallon for adding water, and another 5 gallon for rinsing.

I use a hoe to mix the concrete, and a square shovel to get it into the form.

I'd recommend getting one of those translucent buckets from the paints area, that has quart markings on it, if you don't mix concrete much.

It's OK to be wetter than they recommend, but not all the way to soupy.

I use Sonotubes when installing posts. You do not need to go that deep, I usually do 2'. It won't hurt a thing to go a little deeper though given it's 150lbs.

Use "L" Bolts instead of carriage bolts. You can use card board or balsa wood to make template. Cut/Drill holes then use two nuts on L bolt and finger tighten to hold in place and level. Point the L's towards the center of your base not the edge to prevent cracking. Then push template with bolts as an entire assembly into concrete leaving the template just above the concrete.

Wait at least a week before bolting post in. Remove bolts on top side of template and tear/break away template.

I set two light poles but I used plastic half barrels and went to a concrete plant and hauled it back to the site on a trailer. I bucketed it out until I could tip the half barrel. Then I installed the bolts with a template just as you are describing.

Thanks guys. I hadn't thought of the L bolts or the bucket idea. I'm guessing I'm going to have to wait til spring to dig the hole, when temps are above 60.

Concrete work is my career. Granted on the commercial side. Sonotube 12” is expensive but worth it. Depending where in MA you are I would recommend waiting until spring for a few reasons. One the ground at least here in CT is frozen and you’ll never get 4’ down. Secondly if your substrate “sonotube or hole” is below 40 degrees your concrete will never cure properly and will most likely fail. The water in the concrete is not fully expelled in a typical bag mix for 28 days.
I would also mention that frost line at least here in CT is 36” so digging another foot is fine but I would fill it with gravel to allow drainage. I would also recommend surrounding the sonotube with gravel for the same reason.
Depending where in MA you are I would be more than happy to bring a mixer up and help you. Also wetter is weaker when it comes to concrete. The more water you use the more water needs to escape the concrete leaving air voids a 5,000 psi concrete becomes 4,000 etc
Usually what we do in situations such as yours is set all thread or appropriately sized threaded rod in a cardboard or plywood template above grade to get the bolts exactly where you need them. We just installed 12 light pole bases using this method and they all came out perfectly.
I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to concrete as after doing this my entire adult life I refuse to make mistakes.

At building supply stores you are looking for “J” bolts, not “L” bolts. Knowing the correct terms tends to be helpful. They come in different lengths, my tendency is to overbuild, so I would get the longest they carry.

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At building supply stores you are looking for “J” bolts, not “L” bolts. Knowing the correct terms tends to be helpful. They come in different lengths, my tendency is to overbuild, so I would get the longest they carry.

I remember those from when my Dad built houses--that's what you would put in the foundation to bolt the mud sill down.
I was just bragging to my wife about another SF request for expertise that was nailed, and with several options.

Now looking at the HD website, the long ones are called L bolts, or anchor bolts, and that's what is clearly specific for this task--up to 10 inches long.

10 inch hot-galvanized anchor bolts

Being in Texas, I didn't have the frost line issue to contend with. I just dug down about a 16" from grade, made a form (16"X16") from a 2X4 and set it in place using dirt to stabilize and level it.

Mixed some Quickrete and poured/floated to the top of the form. Let set up about a 12 hours and pulled forms. I used a hammer drill and 3/8" wedge anchors after it set up for a few days.
<img src="https://preview.ibb.co/gexObH/20170910_174614.jpg" alt="20170910 174614" border="0" />
Installed custom light post. Done. Very little disturbance to the St Augustine during the whole process.

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Originally posted by Chris42:
At building supply stores you are looking for “J” bolts, not “L” bolts. Knowing the correct terms tends to be helpful. They come in different lengths, my tendency is to overbuild, so I would get the longest they carry.

What is the advantage of the J over the L ones?

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Originally posted by shiftyvtec:
Being in Texas, I didn't have the frost line issue to contend with. I just dug down about a 16" from grade, made a form (16"X16") from a 2X4 and set it in place using dirt to stabilize and level it.

Mixed some Quickrete and poured/floated to the top of the form. Let set up about a 12 hours and pulled forms. I used a hammer drill and 3/8" wedge anchors after it set up for a few days.

Installed custom light post. Done. Very little disturbance to the St Augustine during the whole process.

That’s a pleasant looking post.

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Originally posted by SigJacket:

quote:

Originally posted by shiftyvtec:
Being in Texas, I didn't have the frost line issue to contend with. I just dug down about a 16" from grade, made a form (16"X16") from a 2X4 and set it in place using dirt to stabilize and level it.

Mixed some Quickrete and poured/floated to the top of the form. Let set up about a 12 hours and pulled forms. I used a hammer drill and 3/8" wedge anchors after it set up for a few days.

Installed custom light post. Done. Very little disturbance to the St Augustine during the whole process.

That’s a pleasant looking post.

Agreed, it's gorgeous.

Dig the hole and pour concrete in it. Forget the Sonotube. Just make sure the hole is wider at the bottom than the top.
Cut a piece of plywood the.size of your base. Clamp the plywood to the base and drill out the hole pattern. Get Anchor bolts from Home Depot and bolt it to the drilled out plywood. Anchor bolt come in various lengths in the shape of an L have about a one inch bend at the bottom.
Create a 2x4 frame. Could be 2x6 if you need hieght. Pour concrete in the hole up.to the height of the frame. Level it out. Now place the attached anchor bolts into the wet concrete.
I hope this helps a little.

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Originally posted by ffemt44:
Depending where in MA you are I would be more than happy to bring a mixer up and help you.

That's incredibly generous. I'm not too far from the interchange of 95/495

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Originally posted by ryan81986:

quote:

Originally posted by ffemt44:
Depending where in MA you are I would be more than happy to bring a mixer up and help you.

That's incredibly generous. I'm not too far from the interchange of 95/495

I’m working close enough. I’ll bring the mixer and masons tools. Email is in my profile to iron out the details

This place rocks!

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Originally posted by Skins2881:
This place rocks!

Right?

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Originally posted by ffemt44:
. . . I would recommend waiting until spring . . .

+1.

Temperature extremes are huge problems for properly curing concrete.