Concrete Friday, couple questions and advice..

[ph1gering]

Concrete is coming tmrw...

Couple questions and looking for any general tips on what I should look for or ask about to make sure I am getting what i am paying for..

First question, I have laid rebar down and have it on plastic stands to keep it in the middle of the pad. They mentioned bringing in a conveyor for the pour to reach the back of the building, i am assuming it will have wheels and need to be wheeled into the middle of the building, which will be tough with floating rebar.

So do i just drop the stand in the front so they can drive it in and then replace them as they back it out?

Any other tips I should look for? Should I ask the drivers what the mix is etc to make sure I am getting what i asked for?

Thanks
--Craig

 

[C96]

Don’t forget to put some plastic or something around the perimeter walls to protect from splatter.

 

[Milton Shaw]

The conveyors I have seen are mounted on the concrete truck and the truck operator can guide it into the corners. I don't remember the length of the conveyor but the concrete company can tell you. Don't get stuck like another poster on here did with concrete trucks waiting and no one there to work.

 

[ph1gering]

If that happens they ain't pouring.... I have solid contract and haven't paid for anything till the work is 100% satisfactorily completed.. Yeah i am not sure what type of conveyor it is, as i have to imagine this will be 4-5 trucks of concrete for this pour..

Thanks for the tip C96 i'll have to throw something up.

 

[joed2323]

Pictures of the pour and after pour please

 

[zkdiesel]

No plastic? Building heated? Apron connected to floor kinda scares me some
A conveyor is a specialty truck with a boom. Does not have anything that will touch ground inside your building

 

[HAY YOU]

If you have some extra time today I'd go around & put those chairs under the bottom bars & bend up a hook so you can muck the pour.

 

[BJ42LX]

Apron connected to floor kinda scares me some

I don't know anything about concrete, but evey garage I've ever been in has a separate pad in the garage and on the driveway - separated by an expansion joint. And there's a step or sharp slope to keep water from flowing in.

 

[bygasper]

Is this a new build? Are you putting in garage/overhead doors? Those function best if "keyed" into the concrete. To make those set backs, you need to know the door location, width, depth, and distance the track will extend beyond the door. This photo is just an example, and from my build a couple years ago.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

No plastic? Building heated? Apron connected to floor kinda scares me some
A conveyor is a specialty truck with a boom. Does not have anything that will touch ground inside your building

When I poured each of my driveways I drilled and installed rebar pegs to tie them to the floor. When i pour the floor in my shed I'll go ahead and do a 3-4 ft apron outside the door (I'll keep the gravel drive).
I don't see anything wrong with the way he has that. Slope would be easy to do with the forms.

Also I didn't notice a location or any mention of heating. If that is the case (or a future possibility) insulation would be my concern.

 

[gayler]

Are you tying your electric ground to the floor?

 

[ph1gering]

The outside slab is 1" lower than the inside so it can be keyed like you suggested. It's also sloped 1.5" away from the shop. I put the chairs on the top bar only because they seemed a bit high when on the bottom bars.

I am planning on setting up my camera in the window to do time lapse video I'll post to my build thread when done.

I am not heating year round, only when in use with a radiant tube heater. Keep it coming anything else i should consider or ask them to do.

 

[ph1gering]

Are you tying your electric ground to the floor?

Dunno, i wasn't going to, but should i if easier to do that? I am running 2-2-2-4 for a 90amp service.

 

[Falcon67]

Dunno, i wasn't going to, but should i if easier to do that? I am running 2-2-2-4 for a 90amp service.

That's a UFER ground - piece of rebar tied to the bar grid and sticking up where you can tie on to it. My personal preference would be a 30' of #4 copper, with the minimum 20' in the floor. If there is a local code and you miss it, your inspector will call you out on it.

Only thing I see is that the rebar overlaps are kinda short. Most specs require 24" or so and tied well.

 

[Jim Riseborough]

I would absolutely want a expansion joint between the slab inside and out. expansion, temperature differential will crack that all to heck.

If they cant reach the back of the building with the chutes, they will have to buggy it in. Might make a pathway, and have the rebar ready to be placed donw into the pathway when they can place enought with the chute.

 

[ph1gering]

Didn't know the 24" rule of thumb never done rebar before, most are only a foot or so. They are tied well though, because I asked for 500 ties, he said 28 bucks. He hands me a roll of 5000 and says that's the only way we sell them. Beats the hell out of the thin gauged 50 pack HD and Lowes sell for 6 dollars.. Also the rebar was 3 dollars cheaper too..

 

[mitusa]

You need to put some kind of expansion joint between the inside and outside concrete....and you definitely need a threshold for the garage door. I would suggest at least a 3/4 inch drop. And have plenty of help handy. Good luck!

 

[ph1gering]

I was told they will make a expansion cut between outside and inside, but he recommended running the rebar between the two...

Suppose to have garage doors put up Monday, is that enough time before a latter is used on the concrete or should I push him out a couple days? Friday AM pour.

 

[bygasper]

Small sch 40 conduit under the garage door sticking up on either side for running electrical? Something I (and my electrician) wish I had done.

 

[walrus]

Are you tying your electric ground to the floor?

There is plastic under the concrete

 

[mitusa]

I wished I had put in a floor anchor....

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=150214

 

[ford33]

It may be too late now, but there was an earlier thread about installing lights in the floor to assist with undercar lighting and it also looked very nice. You would need in-ground lighting and also conduit for the electrical power.

Please show pictures of the during and after concrete work. It is always interesting this work being done.

Your very fortunate to have so much space. Good luck.

 

[ph1gering]

I left two spots, one for my water line and the other for my electrical to come through. Once I get everything ran I'll mix up a couple bags and finish it off.

After I finished everything up, I got a hose out there for them, electric cord, cooler full of drinks and a bag full of snacks.. And a radio.... Happy crews do better work and care a little more..

 

[NUTTSGT]

I left two spots, one for my water line and the other for my electrical to come through. Once I get everything ran I'll mix up a couple bags and finish it off.

After I finished everything up, I got a hose out there for them, electric cord, cooler full of drinks and a bag full of snacks.. And a radio.... Happy crews do better work and care a little more..

I would have went with something round instead of the square boxes. It always seems the cracks want to start from corners.

Are your lights working ? Depending on the weather/sunlight start to finish, it might be nice if they were on from the start.

It's great that you are getting the cooler and snacks, the crews will appreciate that. I big pour like that, a couple of Little Caesers $5 pizzas will go along way with them too. It might be the best 20 bucks you ever spend.

Good luck on the pour.

 

[HAY YOU]

. I put the chairs on the top bar only because they seemed a bit high when on the bottom bars..

I understand that, for next time the chairs always go under the bottom bar. The reason is there is no support under the bottom bars only the ties are keeping them up. With a couple of big boys walking on them the ties might break or unspin. It does happen that's why the chairs are always placed under the bottom bar. Looking forward to some more pics.

 

[ph1gering]

Yeah I complete understand this now.. When they did the final grading they left a couple high spots here and there where it would only be about 3 1/2 inch thick, so when i used a 2" stand with 1" of rebar on it, well it seemed high to the eye.

I am going to ask them to shoot it with a trans if they get here early enough to double check, if i have the room it will only take 5 minutes to flop them around.

Got stuck working till nearly 5am last night, so going on 2 hours of sleep, but no way i am missing this pour, like a kid on Christmas morning.. Let do this..

 

[nmcqueen469]

Is it done yet?!?

 

[joed2323]

Pictures where?

 

[ph1gering]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/E_XR073lSEI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[SALIV8]

Cool video!

 

[Notgrownup]

Nice....

 

[ph1gering]

Over all it went great, crew was awesome even had a couple beers at the end, pumped to have the floor in..

 

[HAY YOU]

I bet you are excited. Nice job

 

[toyoguy81]

Concrete looks great! Was wondering if concrete prep is different in different parts of country but on mine we ended up digging a 18" trench across center of shop or called a grade beam and also i dont see a problem with tying the rebar into the apron as some patios on houses are done that was where the rebar is tied into house foundation, at least mine is done that way. One thing I would've done is I dug a 18" trench where the garage door threshold is or where the step up is from apron to floor..adds support or at least my concrete guy said so..either way looks awesome...BTW..how thick? Any plans for lift??

 

[ph1gering]

it was suppose to be 4", but the rebar was dead center and the entire day I watched the pour they were at 2" above the bar, so i am guessing i really got 4 1/2" or 5" out of the deal.

The front 8 foot out of the shop was 7-8" thick, they actually ran out of cement in the last truck, the on corner, front left is 1/4 in lower than the otherside.

I haven't seen anyone around here do that trench, unless doing a mono pour with footer and slab at once. This this is really a floating slab.