How to Prepare a Bar Bending Schedule for a Column and Footing
Columns and footings are usually scheduled together, since the footing's starter bars connect directly into the column above. This guide covers both: the vertical main bars and ties in a column, the bottom mesh and starter bars in a footing, and a worked example tying the two together.
The bars in a column and footing
Not to scale — illustrative only
- Column main bars. Straight vertical bars (shape code 00) running the full height of the column or lift, usually 4 or more bars depending on the column size and load.
- Column ties/links. Closed rectangular links (shape code 51) spaced up the column at regular centres, sized to the column's cross-section less cover on each face.
- Footing bottom mesh. Straight bars (shape code 00) running both ways across the base of the footing, similar in principle to slab main and distribution bars.
- Footing starter bars (dowels). Bars cast into the footing that project upward to lap with the column's main bars, transferring load from the column into the footing below. These are usually straight or have a small foot bend (shape code 11 or similar) to help them stand upright while the footing is poured.
Worked example
A 400mm × 400mm column, 3.0m storey height, 4 no. 20mm main bars, 8mm ties at 200mm centres, on a 1.8m × 1.8m × 0.5m footing.
| Bar mark | Shape | Size | Cutting length | No. | Total length | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 201 (column main) | 00 — straight | 20mm | 3300mm | 4 | 13.2m | ≈32.6 kg |
| 202 (column tie) | 51 — closed link | 8mm | 1440mm | 15 | 21.6m | ≈8.5 kg |
| 203 (footing mesh) | 00 — straight | 16mm | 1750mm | 18 | 31.5m | ≈49.8 kg |
- Column main bar length. Storey height plus a lap allowance at the base to overlap the footing starter bars — here, 3.0m + a lap of roughly 300mm ≈ 3.3m.
- Tie cutting length. Applies the closed-link formula for shape code 51 — see the BS 8666 shape codes guide — using the column cross-section (400mm × 400mm) less cover on each side.
- Number of ties. Column height ÷ tie spacing, plus one: 3.0m ÷ 0.2m + 1 = 16, adjusted slightly for tie position at top and bottom — 15 shown here as a typical rounded figure.
- Footing mesh. Footing width plus cover allowance for cutting length, and footing width ÷ spacing for quantity, exactly as for a slab.
Build the column & footing schedule automatically
Enter the column size, height, tie spacing and footing dimensions, and the calculator applies the correct shape formulas for every bar mark.
Open the BS 8666 calculator →Frequently asked questions
What bars go into a column bar bending schedule?
A column schedule includes straight vertical main bars running the height of the column (or lift), plus closed rectangular ties or links spaced at intervals up the column to restrain the main bars and provide shear capacity.
What shape code is used for column ties?
Column ties are almost always a closed rectangular link, most commonly BS 8666 shape code 51, sized to the column cross-section with a small deduction for cover on each side.
How do footing starter bars connect to the column?
Footing starter bars (dowels) are cast into the footing and project up to lap with the column's main bars by the lap length specified in the structural design, transferring load from the column down into the footing.
More member-specific guides
See how the same process works for other structural elements.
BBS for a slab → BBS for a beam →This is an illustrative worked example, not a substitute for a checked, engineer-approved bending schedule. Always take dimensions, tie spacing, lap lengths and bar sizes from the actual structural design.