trenching for attached garage

[gatter]

New construction, attached garage. trenching 48" deep for a single story garage can the trench be 8" wide.

[suemarkp]

Maybe. Depends on soil strength, how tall the building will be, how large the roof area is, and your snow load. Also depends where all the bearing is -- if the garage doors are in a bearing wall, the small sections of footer that hold up the wall by the doors takes an extreme load. If an 8" wide footing is enough for the soil, then it should work, otherwise the garage will sink. Your local building code may have a minimum width required for footers.

[gatter]

Location is in very sandy soil of northern Michigan two walls are part of the house so front elevation and door wall will be on trenched footer. the garage will be 26'x28' with that areas snowload, sounds like a 10" width or more might be needed. Thanks for your responce.

[Wgoodrich]

Footer if house is frost proteceted then attached garage must be frost protected also same depth. Width if sandy soil the soil has a 2000 pound load capacity requiring a 12" wide footer for light frame single or two story garage. If with brick veneer in sandy soil then 12" for single story but 16" for two story per Tables r401.1 and R403.1 of the IRC 2003

Good Luck

Wg