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Concrete slab


RichardCranium

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I'm trying to decide if I want to tackle putting the slab in my pole barn or if I should leave it to the pros. Anyone have any experience with it? It really doesn't seem like rocket science. If figure I'll need to rent some tools. Otherwise it doesn't seem like there is much to really mess up. I don't care if the top is perfectly smooth. A little texture would probably actually be better. I'm not planning on mixing my own. I'll definitely have the material brought in from a cement company so that won't be a variable. Is there some gotcha that I don't know about?

Its going in a 24x30 pole barn and I figure 4 inches thick should do it. Its going to have a boat and a bronco parked in it. Do I need to make it thicker? Is the fiber impregnated concrete that much better? The building is built except for the slab so that will make it a bit more challenging.

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I'm trying to decide if I want to tackle putting the slab in my pole barn or if I should leave it to the pros. Anyone have any experience with it? It really doesn't seem like rocket science. If figure I'll need to rent some tools. Otherwise it doesn't seem like there is much to really mess up. I don't care if the top is perfectly smooth. A little texture would probably actually be better. I'm not planning on mixing my own. I'll definitely have the material brought in from a cement company so that won't be a variable. Is there some gotcha that I don't know about?

Texture isn't the problem, but it's a ton of work, and not something one person could do. At least not an amateur, IMO. The concrete has to be spread level, and you need to make sure you work any potential bubbles out. Leveling the concrete is the hardest part, mostly because you have a relatively short window in which to work in.

Its going in a 24x30 pole barn and I figure 4 inches thick should do it.

With the base you have, I would agree that should be sufficient. I would ask an expert's opinion just in case, though.

Is the fiber impregnated concrete that much better?

It is better, and stronger. Even though it will crack just like any other concrete, it won't separate as easily.

My opinion is have a professional do it, but ask that it not be polished. Polishing is what makes it very smooth (obviously) and will raise the labor costs. I would seal it when it's fully cured, though.

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It's not hard but it's not a one man job. I've done several commercial and a few more residential.

You will DEFINITELY want a broom finish and I advise against less than 6". In Oklahoma, the fiberglass is good, but not necessary if you have the right steel and proper expansion joints. Do it as a monolithic pour in the AM to buy you time to fix fuckups before they're permanent. Rent a good bull float and saw cut your joints.

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24x30 is a pretty big pour for an amateur. being inside a building makes it worse, harder to level off. 4" should be fine as chris said. fiber is worth the money. when i poured the garage floor at my old house i was told to cut lines in it after its cured with a concrete saw so it will crack there and not where you dont want it to crack, get a pro's advise on that one too though.

if you dont have friends or relatives in the business i would probably hire it out for that size of a job. i always had someone that knew something about concrete around when i poured.

last piece of advise, if you do decide to do it yourself. take your dimensions to the redi-mix place and let them figure out how much you need. then have a couple of small things framed out for the excess, like a pad for garbage cans. a half a yard extra is better than a half a yard short.

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You'll need nearly 9 yards. Get it fibered, and you can get it colored as well if that's your thing. I would want 4 people and an hour's pour time to do that job. Power trowels are cheap to rent, easy to use, and can give you anything from a fine texture to a glossy finish without bending over, but you can cheap out and use a drag board, and pay your help more beer. Its your choice what texture you want, smoother is more slippery, texture holds dirt and is harder to clean. Make sure you have plenty of 4x4/4x8 sheets to work from, and don't forget about an apron as well. Line and level is really a good idea, so you know what way the water will drain, and you don't have puddles when there's runoff from vehicles or heavy snow. (that's a joke, boys)

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I have them done for me (Commercially) all the time. I would not suggest you use the fiber mesh. I would dig a peramitter beam and dowel into your columns to keep it from settling. I would also use rebar mats and beam steel. A #4 bar 16" on ceter both ways should be enough. A concrete material supplier could help you engineer it. A moisture barrier would not be a bad idea either. I would say a light broom finish would be good for what you are doing. Definately go with 6". I would just hire someone if I were you.

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I paid to have my 32x30 floor done. It was worth every penny. Remember the added cost is all labor, the concrete costs the same whether you get it or a contractor does. IIRC I paid 4 guys $300 each to do all the work, and that was a high price, and a long story that I won't get into here... Long story short I found another crew that would have done it about half that price and do a better job. They get all my concrete work now.

Contact some large masonary companies in your area. Many of them have crews that will work on small jobs on Saturdays dirt cheap.

If I recall my floor with a 6'x32' apron was $3200 (the day before the work was done another contractor quoted me $2500, another part of the long story) 4" thick with fiber and a smooth interior finish, the apron was broomed. With 4" thickness and fiber you can install a post lift

The floor was divided in three sections via 2 metal keyways and saw cut the next day down the center. So far after 4 years there are no cracks.

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First off...

You need to dig a drainage ditch on the east side of your Barn,

then you need to grade the dirt inside to slope towards the door, 1/2% grade will work but more is better, 1-2% would be best.

Then you need to put down a layer of rock to give you a natural moisture/drainage barrier,

Then you need to stake it in 8 foot grids.

Then you need about 5 guys to help + yourself ( so no-one has to kill themselves working that heavy shit )

4" is fine.

No steel... just fiber.

some small flat boards... to hand finish it...( it's permenant, so you might as well do it right ),

Trying to do a broom finish inside that Barn, is gonna kill you as well, I'ld suggest a scrub finish.

....

Once again... wish you didn't live so far away, otherwise I'ld love to help you do that project as well. I've done concrete work for the last 20 years...

..

By the way... how's that Boat project coming along ? :icon_whistle:

NBLB.

Ps. Got ?'s Ring ring.

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Sounds like I need to just have it done. I'm sure I could do it but a pro will surely do a lot better job...and my back will be happier.

I've called around a few places. Quotes are as follows:

$3600 labor and material

$3600 labor and material

$2500 labor and material

$576 labor only

$1010 concrete only

$922 concrete only or $976 with fiber.

I haven't priced the other material (rebar etc) that will be needed. Buying the material and then paying someone to come do the work looks like the cheapest route. Might not necessarily be the best though.

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Been asking around...

and nobody around here puts Rebar or 6-6 10-10 wire in Garage or Barn floor slabs.

And we have expansive soils.

So if you don't have expansive soils, I strongly suggest you don't waste your moneys on either of the 2. It's just not neccessary.

It's a Garage/Barn for Fuck sake, not a Comercial service center.

Just box your floor in with 2x4's around the inside, first making the 2 by across the south wall 3.5" higher than where you want the slab to be at under your Garage door, then string line the side boards in, then fill in the floor with some type of dirt (preferably a good composite material), compact the crap out of it, grade it with a string line and tape measure to get exactly 4" on a 4 foot grid, then call the guy to come pour it and finish it for you.

Tell him you want it poured at a 4 slump, and no later than 8 am in the morning ( that'll keep you from getting a hot load), with NO chemicals and No more than 10% Ash in it. (Ash is just a filler, that saves them money, but it does give you a really nice white-er color )

If you go with the Fiber, you won't be able to get a nice glass finish on it, which would be the easiest to keep clean.

And yes, you should go with a nice smooth finish.... then epoxy it within the first 6 months, so you don't have the dreaded oil stains monster leaving you a suprise in the future.

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