Base material

[premierjax]

Hey guys I have to build the area that Im going to build my garage on, I have to bring it up around 2' or so, any ideas on what I should use?

 

[7echo]

Probably need to consult the local code for this project.

You could do a footer with blocks and back fill.

 

[p_mori7]

0~3/4" crushed stone, compacted with a plate compactor every 6~8 ".

 

[188slo50]

Where you at and what type of soil? What size of building?

 

[premierjax]

Im down here in sunny Florida, we have hard clay around where Im at. Im looking at doing a 60x36x12 pole barn style construction. Pmori I plan on tying into my milling driveway with the same millings for now, and Ill prob use it like that until next year sometime then I was thinking of compacting the millings and just pouring the concrete over it.

 

[HoosierMark]

I needed to fill about an 18 x 18 area about 6 foot deep and the concrete guy told me about washout material. It is the stuff that they wash out of the concrete trucks at the end of the day. It is full of sand, some gravel and has some small chunks of concrete in it. All the guys I talked to about it say is is great for fill and cheap. Tri axle loads were $80 $50 for delivery and $30 for the material (Indiana prices) Crushed stone would have been about $200 a load. Apparently they accumulate a lot of it due to the number of concrete trucks they run. You might call the concrete suppliers in your area and see if this is an option.

 

[brownbagg]

dirt

 

[premierjax]

great hoosier Ill check on that tomm.

 

[rburke65]

Clay since it's readily available.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

I like to use something that compacts well, but still has decent drainage. The trick is to make sure it is completely compacted before pouring any concrete on it. Any kind of soil with organic material in it should be removed before back filling, and not used for fill, as it can compact further over time, no matter how well you tamp it.

The guy trucking it in for you will know what to get, and where he can get a good price on it.

 

[nolimits76]

In DOT work, we use what is called granular backfill, which sometimes means a coarse sand or fine gravel, depending on the location and available aggregates. Prices will vary, largely based on distance from the rock pits. But on average, $10-15/ton is a good number.

From the concrete plant, we have a mix called CLSM which is a lower strength concrete. It is still running $60-70/cy delivered.

FYI....

CLSM = 60' x 36' x 2' = 160cy x $65 (average) = $10,400

Granular Backfill (or other aggregate material) = 160cy x 2#/cy (ballpark) = 320 tons x $12.50 (average) = $4,000

 

[jimp]

If you need a frost footing and stem wall (not slab on grade), put it in, back fill the outside and use concrete washout inside. Thats what I did with great results. (the washout only cost me transport cost)

 

[brownbagg]

he in florida, our frost level is 18 inches above ground, when ever water freezes in a puddle it make local news, they will send a crew out to film a frozen puddle. everything in florida is sand, sand, sand and more sand, take the twigs out of it and its fine for back fill. even the clay is really classified as a sand

 

[premierjax]

yeah I talked with the guy that brought me the fill, and explained I will be running over the fill with the tractor and then putting millings down for a while, after parking on the millings for prob. a year then I will compact and pour on top of the millings he said I would be okay to do this, He said if I used clay, clay holds moisture and it will cause the concrete poured over it to crack

 

[premierjax]

thanks for all the replies