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footing/footer

4arch

Seems like architects and engineers call the part of a wall foundation which bears upon the soil a "footing" while contractors call that same element a "footer". What's the difference?

 
Oct 17, 08 9:15 am
vado retro

whats the difference between fluffing and fluffer?

Oct 17, 08 9:27 am  · 
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le bossman

i feel like it's kind of a regional thing. people out west tend to say "footer" occasionally, but in formal instances (i.e. in print) it always says "footing." they also say "footer" down south.

Oct 17, 08 10:59 am  · 
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le bossman

i've never heard anyone say footer in the midwest.

Oct 17, 08 11:00 am  · 
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won and done williams

footing i believe is the "correct" term. i have a feeling "footer" came along as a complement to a header.

Oct 17, 08 12:29 pm  · 
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snook_dude

years ago i recall an architect I worked for was doing some work up in Northern Maine and he was having a conversation with a local french canadian and they were talking about the structures they build to house potatoes for storage. The architect ask him how they built them and he used the term Punch-em alot. It took the architect a while to figure it out what what it amounted to was a pole-building. The punch-em where the bottom of the post was set below the frost line. So I guess you must punch-em in the ground.

Oct 17, 08 1:24 pm  · 
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some person

A footer the text at the bottom of your high school English paper. A footing is a structural foundation component.

"footer" makes me cringe.

so does "pilings" instead of "piles"

Oct 17, 08 3:30 pm  · 
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liberty bell

It's proper, but I can't stand the word "lineal" instead of linear. Same cringing as Just Why experiences.

Oct 17, 08 3:39 pm  · 
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snook_dude

I always get concerned when a contractor is talking about beams and saying columns.

Oct 17, 08 4:52 pm  · 
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some person

Then you know you really have problems, snook...

Oct 17, 08 7:34 pm  · 
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SDR

It's a sure bet that the word, spelling, or pronunciation you heard *first* is going to be the default version, for you.

Here's to more money for early education !

Oct 19, 08 12:49 pm  · 
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PodZilla

columns go this way: |
beams go this way: --

I feel like printing that out in 300 point type and pinning it in every first and second year studio around here. it's a perennial mistake that makes me cringe to think of it. The default seems to be referring to every structural member (studs, joists, rafters, etc.) as "beams".

Oct 20, 08 2:44 am  · 
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