Memo: Permanent wood foundations system

Date: December 19, 2001
To: All Municipal Building Officials and other interested persons
From: Daniel J. Kelsey, P.E.
Subject: Permanent wood foundation systems

The Building Codes and Standards Division has been working with the American Forest & Paper Association to clarify potential misunderstandings on permanent wood foundations systems that occurred in the Wood Foundations segment of the 45th Annual Institute for Building Officials.

Enclosed is a copy of American Forest & Paper Association's position paper written at the request of Building Codes and Standards Division, to clarify any misunderstandings.

It is important to note that most soil in the state of Minnesota has an equivalent fluid weight higher than 30 pounds per cubic foot. The design of a wood foundation system must be based on the appropriate equivalent fluid weight of the soil it will be constructed in.