Anybody here in the concrete business?

[LMH]

Just a note in case you don't already know, rebar is sized in 8ths. #4 bar is 4/8" or 1/2". #6 is 6/8" or 3/4" and so on.
Depends on what the wall is made of course but 8" of concrete is not thick enough to support a block wall. Local code here would need 16" of depth (I think that's current local code) for a block wall plus two #4 bars. Here, it would also need rebar/concrete vertically in the block voids every four feet and a bond beam above the window lentals. It gets pretty crazy in Tucson for codes sometimes!
Larry

[KarlCSX2498]

hello, I asked the concrete masons at the job site we are on today. They are getting 2.50 per sq ft for the flat work, that does not include any work on the footers. That 2.50 covers, stone, wire, forms, pouring and finishing. I am in SE PA. I hope that helps. Later, Karl

[55312]

I live in a lot colder location than most (40 miles south of the Quebec border). My shop is 28x36 and 2 stories. I built it on a "floating pad" and it has not moved or cracked in 15 years. Do a Google on "concrete floating pad". The "howstuffworks" site has a good cross section. I only went down 12 inches at the perimeter but the key was compacting the stone, 4 mil plastic and then 2" pink Styrofoam with all of the seams duct taped together before pouring the slab. The Styrofoam stops frost from creeping under and heaving the slab. The Scandanavians have been doing this forever and it works well! Hire the finishing crew and make sure they put heavy mesh in the concrete. Rebar is over kill and not necessary. Don't forget to put in all of the services you will ever want before you pour. You might think you will never want a bathroom or whatever but once it's poured, you won't have the chance to change your mind. I did mine in 3 days which included the compacting, digging and pour.

Good luck

Tim

[fsstnotch]

Originally Posted by LMH

Just a note in case you don't already know, rebar is sized in 8ths. #4 bar is 4/8" or 1/2". #6 is 6/8" or 3/4" and so on.
Depends on what the wall is made of course but 8" of concrete is not thick enough to support a block wall. Local code here would need 16" of depth (I think that's current local code) for a block wall plus two #4 bars. Here, it would also need rebar/concrete vertically in the block voids every four feet and a bond beam above the window lentals. It gets pretty crazy in Tucson for codes sometimes!
Larry

Ya, and block is what everything is made out of down there which gets real heavy when building a wall. My garage will be built out of your typical wood framed walls, plywood, vinyl siding, yadda yadda. I was going to sketch the idea I have in my head out autocad but my laptop keeps saying things like "hey idiot, your hard drive is crapping out!" So I have to wait a week or 2 till my new hard drives get here.

[Mumblerone]

69Boss429... I put in a 6", 1500 SF slab with 1/2" rebar on 1' grid with fiberglas. I've had it up here, in Central New York, for the last 4 years. As a point of interest...why the mesh too? I have no cracking. I did the rebar on hats...#2 crushed stone under it and tamped, myself. About 30 yards of 3500# concrete. I paid about $4800 as I remember. It took about 6-7 guys busting there butts for about six plus hours. This is something I don't want to do myself...smooth as a babies butt.

[STCinc]

Why dont you investigate into the plumbing for heat into the slab?? You dont have to heat it now, but down the road you might like having a heated floor!!

The plastic pipe, etc cant add too much to he cost at this point....

Just a thought before you pour the floor...

Sean

[fsstnotch]

I had thought about heating the floor with pipe like you say. hte thing that kinda deters me from doing such is that it could seriously raise the utility bills in the winter because you could not let it freeze and I would have to say that when it's 10 degrees outside (plus windchills bringing it below 0) for a week straight, it takes alot to keep a concrete slab from freezing. At least I would think. And even if you built a drain into the piping, it would still be quite a hassle. Usually what I do in the winter is fire up the torpedo, lay a piece of carpet down and go to work. Having a warm floor would be awesome, but it seems like more of a hassle to me than it would be worth.

[Gregg(What's his name)?]

I have 15 days R&R Leave. FLy out sometime around the 20th. FIngers crossed.

Can't wait to hug my wife and kids.

Gregg H
Making snow angels in Baghdad

[fsstnotch]

Snow angels huh?

[Rick 427 Cobra]

Most important thing is to examine the previous work of whoever you hire. Lots of people say they do concrete. Concrete is no place for the not so good. There are no " do overs" in concrete. An experianced, fully manned crew, ready to go is essential to a "baby butt smooth" job.
I prefer saw cuts for expansion joints because they do not collect crud or interfere with engine hoists and the like.

[69boss429]

Originally Posted by Mumblerone

69Boss429... I put in a 6", 1500 SF slab with 1/2" rebar on 1' grid with fiberglas. I've had it up here, in Central New York, for the last 4 years. As a point of interest...why the mesh too? I have no cracking. I did the rebar on hats...#2 crushed stone under it and tamped, myself. About 30 yards of 3500# concrete. I paid about $4800 as I remember. It took about 6-7 guys busting there butts for about six plus hours. This is something I don't want to do myself...smooth as a babies butt.

I've been remodeling homes for 30+ years and have been accused of overkill more than once,but if you use belts and suspenders your pants never fall down.
Code in Pa will determine specs,go to your township first and get a permit.

[LMH]

Rick makes a really point; saw cut the crack joints. It's the biggest thing I wish I had done different on my garage. So much easier to roll the jack around!
Larry

[Gregg(What's his name)?]

You cought the snow angel gag. I figured if I said sand angels nobody would figure it out. How are you doing? Did you have a nice break? SO when is the Hurricane do to arrive?

Gregg H
Lossing his mind in the IZ

[767Jockey]

By all means, put the plastic piping for radiant into the floor. It's really cheap to do now. Worst case you don't use it. Best case is you do and it's there. There's nothing better than laying on your back in the winter under the car on a warm slab. A friend of mine has it in his garage floor. He uses a pellet stove to heat it, and while I don't know all the details, it's a closed loop always using the same water to heat the floor, and there's antifreeze of some sort in the water so that when he doesn't need to use the heat freezing of the water is no issue. Put it in, I sure regret that I didn't.

[fsstnotch]

That is always a good idea, and yes, I probably would regret later that I didn't put the pipes in the concrete at least! I'd be interested to know how he has it routed so he can heat it with his pellet stove. Does he had the water circulating?

[ox_ford_guy]

fsstnotch...Hope all is well there in Iraq and please hang in there for all of us...Also, have a happy holidays for all of you in uniform....

New garage wise, be very sure the existing garage footings are proper for your climate. (code probably 42" deep) for PA.

Slope the floor (as per local code) so any water or fuel leaks run out.
Also, if attached to the house, a step down of 4"-6" or more from the house is also usually a code requirement.
Also, If PA. code allows, drain(s) in the floor attached to a dry-well/sewer for "gray water" is also a very nice feature.

In Connecticut, I built a new detached 3 car garage (actually holds 4 cars) five years ago. The footprint was 24'x36' (864 sq ft) and it is a 2 story building.

I had 42" deep footings poured and I went with 6" of crushed stone and a 6" slab (3500 PSI) througout. I used heavy 4" wire mesh in the slab so I can do a lift if I want to in the future.

Also,while you are at it, put in any 4" sewer drains you might want in the future even if you cap it off for now. I have had no cracking or other problems after 5 years with the floor or foundation footings.

Although my reference prices are from 5 years ago, I feel, $8,000 sounds a bit much for just a 4" slab and no footings. I would check around.....Gordon

[Dwight]

I use a propane gas heater and a 20 lb bottle off my gas grill for heat in my shop. Cheap and quick heat. I bought the heater at Lowe's for $45.
I do live in North Alabama where the cold weather is only in the low 30's.
Dwight