Crushed run over 57 stone for shop floor?

[toddjb]

I have a dirt "hallway" in my shop that separates the two concrete portions of my shop(s). About 20x6'. I need to bring that section up about 6" and I want it to be a hard(ish) surface that I can roll pallet jacks and dollies and wheeled carts over. I have a pile of #57 stone and a jumping jack at my disposal. My thought was to lay a couple inch base of #57 to level everything out, then do a couple layers of crushed run compacting between each layer.

My thought is the first layer of crushed run will drive down into the 57 locking it into place and the following layers with just get tighter and tighter.

Thoughts?

 

[The Cobbler]

you want to roll pallet jacks and dollies over crushed stone? a pallet jack with much of a load on it will not perform well . dolly? depends on what sort of dolly, weight etc

 

[cvairwerks]

20’x6’x6” is about 2 yards of concrete. Why screw around with gravel and rock?

 

[USNretired]

Go with concrete, like cvairwerks said, it's only 2.33 yards of mix and you could form it up and prep it in a few hours. The national average rate from a pump truck is like $147.00 a yard on the higher end if it's a simple pour.

Ever tried rolling pallet jacks on C&R?

 

[jack stand]

2 1/2 sheets of plywood will get you a 4' wide "sidewalk".

 

[Higgins]

I have a dirt "hallway" in my shop that separates the two concrete portions of my shop(s). About 20x6'. I need to bring that section up about 6" and I want it to be a hard(ish) surface that I can roll pallet jacks and dollies and wheeled carts over. I have a pile of #57 stone and a jumping jack at my disposal. My thought was to lay a couple inch base of #57 to level everything out, then do a couple layers of crushed run compacting between each layer.

My thought is the first layer of crushed run will drive down into the 57 locking it into place and the following layers with just get tighter and tighter.

Thoughts?

I had a crushed stone DW, so it Depends on the tires! Solid wheels not likely, pneumatic tires should be OK

 

[toddjb]

Ok, so I'm hearing it's a bad idea. Ha. I was trying to avoid concrete because of the expense. My shop is not the family shop, therefore the money comes from my play money, not from the family budget. And if it takes $500+ in concrete, that's a substantial dent in my entertainment stash. Hence looking for an alternative.

2 1/2 sheets of plywood will get you a 4' wide "sidewalk".

Yeah, sorry, I didn't elaborate, but the rest of the dirt area in this room is for welding and forging, so I want to stay away from wood floors.

 

[RPH]

Pallet jack loaded will not be happy with rock. If you need to cut cost, then put in a strip of concrete 6 foot wide for the wheeled devices to cross. Fill the rest with stone as you describe. Just shy of a yard of concrete.

 

[Sumboodie]

Pallet jacks about stop from something small like a pebble or zip tie. I couldn't imagine on rock.

The back of my delivery truck is diamond plate and that's an SOB to move 2500lb pallets!

 

[NUTTSGT]

Not the family shop ? So it's a rental ? Are you capable of doing the concrete work ? Ask the landlord to pay for the concrete if you provide the labor or if you pay for it, it comes off the rent.

Trying to move a pallet jack across stone is only going to generate one thing . . . . . *@&#$%$*&^

 

[rancherbill]

Well if you're committed to cheap, then do the gravel and then go on Kijiji or whatever and get sidewalk blocks. It will not be perfect but it will be cheap.

 

[toddjb]

Not the family shop ? So it's a rental ? Are you capable of doing the concrete work ? Ask the landlord to pay for the concrete if you provide the labor or if you pay for it, it comes off the rent.

Trying to move a pallet jack across stone is only going to generate one thing . . . . . *@&#$%$*&^

Not the family shop, as in, we own the building, but the interest and expense is solely on me.

And I was under the the assumption that crush run, which my local place calls ABC, was fine enough that you could pack it hard and smooth. But based on y'all's responses that does not seem to be the case.

 

[Firebrick43]

Go with concrete, like cvairwerks said, it's only 2.33 yards of mix and you could form it up and prep it in a few hours. The national average rate from a pump truck is like $147.00 a yard on the higher end if it's a simple pour.

Ever tried rolling pallet jacks on C&R?

Yea, but most places I have called had a 600 dollar min 4 years ago. Most trucks can reach around 16 foot so it wouldn't be that much raking.



You might get away with number 11 chips and stone dust on top of the 57s. Or you could do that and put a couple of pavers carefully laid to drive across. If the sink any you could then pull and reset but would only have to do a 3' ish wide strip?

 

[Zeke]

Crusher run will support an 18 wheeler truck and trailer but there are 18 wheels to help distribute the load. You need this every day? Otherwise go with the plywood idea and pick it up when welding.

BTW, I've never seen plywood flat on the ground catch fire due to sparks. Damage, yes, but no flame. Spray some boric acid on it.

 

[racecougar]

Not the family shop, as in, we own the building, but the interest and expense is solely on me.

And I was under the the assumption that crush run, which my local place calls ABC, was fine enough that you could pack it hard and smooth. But based on y'all's responses that does not seem to be the case.

Those traits are subjective. Yes, it will pack in hard and smooth enough for vehicle traffic. You will likely have difficulty pulling a loaded pallet jack (or anything else that is heavy with a small diameter wheel) across it though.

 

[rayra]

Even if it could be packed well enough for a pallet jack, you'll spend far more time and effort arsing around trying to do so than it will take to mix and place some concrete yourself. Especially if there is just one area you need to routinely cross.

 

[danfromsyr]

yeah plywood is not easy to ignite laying flat on a stone floor..
keep a bucket of water around...
go ahead and hit a sheet with a propane weed burner..
it'll smolder and smoke but it won't flame up..(when you take the torch away)

 

[toddjb]

Alright, stone is out. Check.

Paying for concrete to show up and be pumped is now out - just called a few different places. Everyone is over $500 for the mix, and all the pump guys want over $500 just to show up. It's not worth a $1000 to me.

I'll keep the ply in mind. Might pursue some other ideas too.

 

[RPH]

Get the bags and lay them out dry. Get them situated, cut open bags on top and then wet them down. Save some extra bags to get it leveled while still curing.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Alright, stone is out. Check.

Paying for concrete to show up and be pumped is now out - just called a few different places. Everyone is over $500 for the mix, and all the pump guys want over $500 just to show up. It's not worth a $1000 to me.

I'll keep the ply in mind. Might pursue some other ideas too.

You don't need a pump truck. A couple of guys and a wheelbarrow will work just fine.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Fill the area with at least 6 inches of crusher run. Dampen. Compact with a plate compactor to make sure you get it to level. Dampen. Till in 12 bags of Portland. Dampen again. Compact with a plate compactor again. Water it lightly, but generously. Trowel a bit if you want a nicer finish. My family has used this in barns for generations. The plate compactor is just easier than packing it with the TO-20.

 

[toddjb]

Fill the area with at least 6 inches of crusher run. Dampen. Compact with a plate compactor to make sure you get it to level. Dampen. Till in 12 bags of Portland. Dampen again. Compact with a plate compactor again. Water it lightly, but generously. Trowel a bit if you want a nicer finish. My family has used this in barns for generations. The plate compactor is just easier than packing it with the TO-20.

Well there is an idea. So is the math 6 50lb bags per yard?

 

[Walkers]

Beg, borrow, or steal a 1 sack mixer. It will do about a third of a yard per load. Use your rock, bring in the big forklift sacks of sand and mix your own concrete. I can do a yard by myself before I get tired. My boy and I did 3 yards. Set the mixer up to load from one side and dump into the form on the other. Having your sand and rock raised, like on a trailer helps. Probably cost you 50 bucks a yard.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Well there is an idea. So is the math 6 50lb bags per yard?

6-94 lb bags of Portland. Which gets you 3000-ish psi. Of course it turns out better when it's done in a mixer, nearer 3500 psi, but not having a mixer has never been a deterrent to farmers or rural municipalities. I've seen plowed, disced, harrowed, n rototilled roads and slabs. All were fine for the purpose.

For a 6" slab it's a bag per 10 sqft.

And don't forget to wash off your machinery immediately after use. Concrete makes a mess of things if allowed to build up.

 

[txvwnut]

Either what Kay said or lay brick pavers.

 

[rancherbill]

Fill the area with at least 6 inches of crusher run. Dampen. Compact with a plate compactor to make sure you get it to level. Dampen. Till in 12 bags of Portland. Dampen again. Compact with a plate compactor again. Water it lightly, but generously. Trowel a bit if you want a nicer finish. My family has used this in barns for generations. The plate compactor is just easier than packing it with the TO-20.

When I was in Scouts, the leader had a farm. We put a concrete floor in his hay barn. We used a rototiller to mixed the cement into what I remember looked like road gravel. It was a sand gravel mix. I saw it 30 years later and it looked good.

 

[rayra]

Well there is an idea. So is the math 6 50lb bags per yard?

not even close. 0.4cu' per 60# bag of readimix. 68 bags per cu yard.

I'm having a fine time schlepping and mixing lots of bags for various projects using a Harbor Freight mixer. $220ish when I bought it a year ago.

 

[rayra]

6-94 lb bags of Portland. Which gets you 3000-ish psi. Of course it turns out better when it's done in a mixer, nearer 3500 psi, but not having a mixer has never been a deterrent to farmers or rural municipalities. I've seen plowed, disced, harrowed, n rototilled roads and slabs. All were fine for the purpose.

For a 6" slab it's a bag per 10 sqft.

And don't forget to wash off your machinery immediately after use. Concrete makes a mess of things if allowed to build up.

Just to clarify for the OP, that's 6x94 of portland cement powder. PLus tons of gravel and sand and a little lime.
Home brew ratio is usually 1/3 shovel of lime, 1 of cement, 3 of sand, 10 of gravel.

eta
1/3 shovel of lime, 1 of cement, 3 of sand for mortar
1 of cement, 3 of sand, 10 of gravel for concrete

If you have access and room, the most affordable option by far is mixing your own from scratch.
Bagged readimix is convenient if you can get a loaded pallet dropped close to the work. But costs about 4x the cost of a couple piles of raw ingredients.
It is a pain when the work is in the back yard in the suburbs thru small gates.
I go get 20 bags in my old 1/2 ton pickup and wheelbarrow it in back 3 bags at a time.
I can get 2x60 in that mixer and it goes quick.

Right now I'm just getting started on a large outdoor cooking setup with embedded propane and charcoal grills and a pizza oven, intending a cast in place concrete countertop but I'm running out of decent weather and I'm getting twitchy about attempting 12cu' / 30 bags in a monolithic pour in Vegas summertime. Don't think it will go well, too hot and dry here.

 

[toddjb]

Sooooo, I think I have a new plan. I have 25 6x9" 6' posts that were for guard rails, and my neighbor just let me have 85 sqft of brick pavers he pulled up, so I'll be doing some combination of the two to make up the area.