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The light spots correspond exactly to where there is some “bathtubbing” happening when I wet the slab.

Concrete is 4600psi 14mm 3”. 7” thick in center and 14” thickened edge. I watched the finisher fairly closely and only once did I see him using a small Gatorade bottle to add a tiny bit of water as he was power troweling (just a few drops every once in a while). Was 50 degrees during the pour...

Here it is this morning.

Here it is around 10pm last night. I had wet it down around 7 pm as per the finishers instructions.

Here is the slab after the finishers left, before any water was added

My intentions were to regularly water to keep it moist but as I started seeing this white powder appearing I began to question if what I was doing was correct. I will ask the concrete guy his opinion today as he will be coming to remove the forms. Hopefully I haven’t done any irreversible...

Do I continue to spray it with water several times a day?

Just had my slab poured today and it looked great after the finisher power troweled it. Beautiful smooth finish with no blemishes. I did exactly as he said to do and watered it at 7pm this evening. When the slab dried off again I was left with horrible white staining all over the surface!!! I...

I’m unfamiliar with compaction sand. Where is it placed in relation to the gravel?

I think I am going to go with the last guy who quoted (the one who wants to use 3/4 clean). He seems the most experienced of the three. I think the benefits of the capillary break that the 3/4 clean offers will be very helpful in preventing frost heaving from the wild temperature swings we...

I really don’t understand how these quotes can differ so vastly from one contractor to the other. It makes it very difficult to determine who is right... One says 18” of compacted 0-3/4 under the slab and the other says excavate down, assess the undisturbed soil and place 6” clean 3/4...

It seems to me it would be more difficult to lay the XPS down well on “self compacting” gravel... I would image every foot step would disturb it?

16” of washed 3/4 under the slab is what he is proposing. Says that it works great on monolithic slabs because the thickened edge holds it in. Also says that due to its excellent drainage characteristics there is a far lower chance of frost heaving.

Just had a third company come quote on the slab and again I’m faced with very different thoughts on how things should be done. This one is a huge fan of using rebar and thankfully said everything I wanted to hear (installed on chairs and no pulling into the concrete). However, he said that he...

Thanks for the info. Did you only have rebar in the perimeter and welded wire mesh in the slab or rebar throughout?

I had another company come and quote for the slab and the prices aren’t too far off. However, this guy said they would do an 18”x18” thickened edge with #5 bar vs. the 12”x12” with #3 bar from the original quote. What are the benefits and/or drawbacks to the beefier thickened edge?? Both slabs...

Now it looks like they are going to do the curb wall as a second pour. I really don’t mind if I can’t get right up to the edge with the cuts, my goal is to control them around where my lift will be going. I’m okay with some minor uncontrolled cracking near the walls.

Picked up a bunch of formular 300 for under the slab this week. They only had the 2x8 sheets with shiplap edges but I assume that will still work okay. Also picked up some 10 mil poly to lay down on the XPS boards, 20x100 foot roll so I’ll be able to do the whole slab with one sheet.

The company who came today and told me that 3500 psi was more than enough also told me that you don’t put control cuts in Monolithic slabs?? That’s the first I’ve heard of this. Anyone hear of this before?

I had a second company come for a quote today. Will get their estimate next week but his suggestion was to pour 6” slab of 3500 psi concrete as it is strong enough and will be less likely to crack. Any truth to this?