SLyFoXX Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Never done this before, looking pour an area about 25' x 30'..is this a huge amount? How much prep do I need to do.... Can I just pour the entire area or will I need to do it sections? Will I need to lay that mesh screen down as well? Thanks for any advise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganDonor Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 That's a pretty big area for cement given your colder climate. Asphalt would take the contracting and expanding better. I've been looking into it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 :shock: That's 9 1/4 Yards of Mud.... at 4" deep... that's somewhere around 28,000 pounds of material.... Yep... that's alot of Mud. Are you feeling strong ? Because I wouldn't even attemp it without 6 guys to help. And I wouldn't use Mesh.... get Fiberglass reinforeced Concrete, I think it's better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redd Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 What are you using it for? garage slab? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 It would be better to do it all at once. If you've never done it before, a slab that size isn't a good place to start. Get professional help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOXXIC Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Steve, what are you building an extended patio? As was mentioned that is alot of concrete. Year before last I poured the monolithic foundation to my 24'x28' shop. Cost me about $1200.00 including a pump truck. I have some really inexpensive Samoan brothers I have used for (5) different concrete projects. Smaller projects I have done myself, just curious what you are up to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rockmeupto125 Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Steve. You're not that young anymore. In 1990 I settled and floated a 20x30 garage floor by myself (well...myself and 4 onlookers, one of which would hand me tools.) That included settling in the footer as well. The driver took the full hour to pour, thankfully. It was probably the most work I've ever done in my life. If you are going to have vehicles on it, it needs to be reinforced and 6 inches thick. If its a patio or otherwise, 4 inches. I strongly recommend the reinforced concrete as well. Don't mess with the iron mesh...it takes more time to settle the mud into it and can be a real chore...plus you would need three men and a boy to lay it over that large of an area. Unless this area is going to be divided up, don't consider pouring it in sections. And if the underlayment is anything but stable it will probably develop some cracking over time. Lots of things here, but bottom line....you need help with this one. Its just too much for one person to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconXX Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 DEFINITELY use WWF (welded wire fabric) and if you feel like spending the coin, get the added fiberglass hairs in the crete. Be sure to get a higher slump to give you time to work and saw-cutting your expansion joints will prevent the expansion from cracking in places other than the middle of your slab. You're going to want experienced help finishing it, but it doesn't take long to get the hang of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Hello.... Steve.... ... What are you doing STEVE ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLyFoXX Posted January 25, 2006 Author Share Posted January 25, 2006 Main reason is for a Dog Run, but thought might as well add patio, I hate Grass.... Tim if you can remember my backyard, on the east side is the area of grass that is next to the pool, that would be patio then just south of that area would be the dog run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rockmeupto125 Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Okay, for a dog run you will want to use SofTouch concrete to be gentler on the dogs feet. I think they sell it at Cosco. Hey, if you mix that yourself it will take 850 forty pound bags. In case you were wondering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLyFoXX Posted January 25, 2006 Author Share Posted January 25, 2006 Okay, for a dog run you will want to use SofTouch concrete to be gentler on the dogs feet. Â I think they sell it at Cosco. Â Hey, if you mix that yourself it will take 850 forty pound bags. In case you were wondering. SHIT that is alot of BAGS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 Main reason is for a Dog Run but thought might as well add patio, I hate Grass.... Â A Dog run.... sorry, but I never will understand why poeple think they need to put down concrete for a Dog run. I don't think anybody likes standing on concrete all day... so why make your dog do it.... :roll: You do what you want.... and don't let me change your mind but... Why don't you go buy some Astro-Turf instead. Level out the area in mind, cover it with a layer of plastic and then the Astro-Turf. Just make sure you run the Turf unnder the fence on all sides so the Dog can't rip it up and whalla.... A cool, cleanable, soft , cheaper, dog run. Then you can Make yourself a realy nice patio.... even nicer with all the mulla you will have saved from the dog run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 I also am starting to hate grass... as well. Between the mowing, weeding, fertilizing, watering, pop scooping, etc.... I've been thinking about at least Astro-Turfing my entire front yard... maybe even make my own little miniture golf corse out there.... catch and pipe all of the rain water to the back yard for the garden... and just hose it down every now and then. I just haven't decided how to convince the wife yet. :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLyFoXX Posted January 26, 2006 Author Share Posted January 26, 2006 Main reason is for a Dog Run but thought might as well add patio, I hate Grass.... Â A Dog run.... sorry, but I never will understand why poeple think they need to put down concrete for a Dog run. I don't think anybody likes standing on concrete all day... so why make your dog do it.... :roll: You do what you want.... and don't let me change your mind but... Why don't you go buy some Astro-Turf instead. Level out the area in mind, cover it with a layer of plastic and then the Astro-Turf. Just make sure you run the Turf unnder the fence on all sides so the Dog can't rip it up and whalla.... A cool, cleanable, soft , cheaper, dog run. Then you can Make yourself a realy nice patio.... even nicer with all the mulla you will have saved from the dog run. Now thats an idea, any idea's on how difficult it would be to keep clean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John01XX Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 For A Dog run use Pea Stone 4 inches deep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 Main reason is for a Dog Run but thought might as well add patio, I hate Grass.... Â A Dog run.... sorry, but I never will understand why poeple think they need to put down concrete for a Dog run. I don't think anybody likes standing on concrete all day... so why make your dog do it.... :roll: You do what you want.... and don't let me change your mind but... Why don't you go buy some Astro-Turf instead. Level out the area in mind, cover it with a layer of plastic and then the Astro-Turf. Just make sure you run the Turf unnder the fence on all sides so the Dog can't rip it up and whalla.... A cool, cleanable, soft , cheaper, dog run. Then you can Make yourself a realy nice patio.... even nicer with all the mulla you will have saved from the dog run. Now thats an idea, any idea's on how difficult it would be to keep clean Not hard at all... shovel the lumps... and hose off the residue. My Buddy up the street did it... works great... well now it does. The first time he We didn't put any Plastic underneath it... then all the rain miosture and dog urine went throught the Turf and was stuck in the dirt underneath. And since it never really dried.. it really started to smell...Bad. Then He ripped it all up and put a couple of layers of plastic down and the re-installed the Turf. Now it works great. No weeding, no dirt tracking, no mud, easy clean-up, etc. Of corse as with any project and aplication the results vary, so depending on your Dog.... (Just like the Hole in my carpet in my house from my dog)... your results might be different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rider99XX Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 First off, not to be a smartass, but cement is just a component of concrete. It is the binder in the mixture that actually binds the gravel and sand together. Now that my smartass reply is out of the way, on to my advice. Now to your slab. Even in your climate concrete is not a problem. If it will be exposed to freeze/thaw cycles then you need to order air entrained concrete. The air entrainment admixture HELPS to prevent the freeze/thaw damage. If it will be an interior slab, i.e. heated in the winter, then the air entrainment will not be needed. As far as the fiber reenforcement goes, micro fibers ONLY help prevent surface cracks. They SHOULD NOT be a complete replacement for other, stronger reenforcements like welded wire set up on bricks or the plastic chairs or rebar done the same way. Most welded wire ends up on the bottom of the slab, where it makes a cool looking waffle pattern on the bottom of your slab. You'll see it when the slab cracks to hell and back and you have to tear it out. There is a fiber that is a STRUCTUAL FIBER designed to replace ALL forms of reenforcement. The product is called STRUX Fibers. It will be quite a bit more, here it is an additional $15 per yard but cost comparisons prove it is cheaper than wire or rebar when you factor in the labor to install the wire or rebar. AND STRUX is evenly distributed through out the concrete, not just in one layer like wire or rebar. Hope this helps. By the way, I work for one of the biggest concrete companies in Mississippi and I have 15 years in this business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Hope this helps. By the way, I work for one of the biggest concrete companies in Mississippi and I have 15 years in this business. You're still 6 months late to the party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBR-RR-XX-CESS Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Steve. You're not that young anymore. You got that right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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