Frost depth in Arkansas
The code in Arkansas enforces 14 inches of footing depth below finished grade. Add 6 inches of bearing and that becomes a dig depth of 20". The numbers below are the code values an inspector measures, not climate averages — the local building department always has the final word.
| Area | Frost depth | Dig depth | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | 14" | 20" | Arkansas Fire Prevention Code (IRC) Table R301.2(1) |
One number for the whole state, though the value tracks the largest cities where most permits are filed. Counties can still be stricter, so confirm with the building department before you dig.
Why Arkansas's number looks the way it does
Arkansas sits just deep enough into the South to catch an occasional Ozark freeze, and its statewide code responds with 14 inches — two inches past the Deep South minimum, and rarely the binding constraint on a dig.
From frost depth to dig depth in Arkansas
Footings bear on undisturbed soil below the frost line, so the hole goes 6 inches deeper than the code number: 14 inches of frost in Arkansas means digging 20 inches, and a 4-foot Sonotube covers it with room to spare. A 4-inch gravel base at the bottom of the hole is common practice for drainage — add it to the tube length, not the dig depth, because the footing still has to reach 14 inches below grade.
How much concrete a footing takes in Arkansas
At Arkansas's 14-inch code depth, a solid 12-inch pier with no post in the hole takes about 3 bags of 80-lb mix — count on 2 for a 10-inch hole and 4 if you open it up to 16 inches. A 4x4 post displaces enough concrete to drop those counts by roughly a bag, and the fence post calculator does that subtraction per hole.
The bags calculator converts any total into 80, 60, 50 or 40-pound bags, and the concrete calculator handles slab and footing volumes.
Arkansas frost depth FAQ
How deep is the frost line in Arkansas?
14 inches below finished grade. Arkansas Fire Prevention Code (IRC) Table R301.2(1) sets that number, and it applies to the areas most permits are filed in. It is the code value an inspector measures, not the average depth the ground actually froze last winter.
How deep do footings have to go in Arkansas?
Bearing sits below the frost depth, so dig to the code depth plus 6 inches: 14 inches of frost means a 20-inch dig in Arkansas. The extra 6 inches is the bearing layer that keeps the footing from sitting on frost-susceptible soil, and it is what Arkansas Fire Prevention Code (IRC) Table R301.2(1) expects to see on a permit drawing.
Does the 14-inch depth apply to decks as well as fences in Arkansas?
Decks yes, fences usually no. A deck footing is structural, permitted and inspected, so in Arkansas it goes the full 14 inches plus bearing. A fence post is rarely permitted, so nothing forces the same depth — but frost heave does not check permits, and a post set well above the frost line will lean within a few winters. Set fence posts near the frost depth anyway and the fence stays plumb.
Plan a pour in Arkansas
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Last updated: 2026-11-02