Concrete pad for small compressor room

[Jim Johnstone]

Hi guys,

I'm planning to add a small pad at the back left corner of my garage something along the lines of a 6'x6' or maybe 8'x8'. This pad will be framed in and insulated, so that my noisy compressors won't be cranking in my garage, and taking up floor space.

As for the pad itself, what should I be looking for? I'm pretty certain a 4" pad will be more than ample, should I be adding re-bar, wire mesh/cage, fiber fill etc?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[BEAVO]

i would say why not something that small wont take much mesh and you would be on the safe side. i see your in ontario wont it get to cold for it i was thinking of doing same thing but to affraid of winter months.

 

[Jim Johnstone]

Too cold with respect to what? The concrete itself? I am worried about frost heaving, and ending up cracking where it is tied into the main garage, so footings may be needed.

As for too cold for the compressors, it will probably be warmer in there, as an insulated little room, than the rest of the garage. Once the compressors run for a few minutes, that would likely be the warmest spot in the garage!

 

[kywildcat]

The compressor will need to breath some!!

 

[Jim Johnstone]

The compressor will need to breath some!!

Well yes! That's the easy part, and compressors LOVE cold dry air in the winter. They just don't like being so cold they have a hard time starting.

 

[willymakeit]

Rebar and mesh are both cheap insurance.

 

[BEAVO]

Yeah i dont know how cold ur winters are thought might b too cold for compressor when not being used better make sure u drain tank often in winter i have heard of tanks cracking when they have good build up of condensation

 

[Jim Johnstone]

Yeah i dont know how cold ur winters are thought might b too cold for compressor when not being used better make sure u drain tank often in winter i have heard of tanks cracking when they have good build up of condensation

I'm not too worried about that, it's an insulated room, lots of heat when the compressors are running, and they will both have auto drains to empty the tanks.

I think it would take a lot of moisture to crack a tank. I could definitely see excess moisture cracking a valve or fitting if it froze though.

 

[BEAVO]

Maybe put some holes in ur block and put some rebar in there then wire ur mesh to them shouldnt have any probs i wouldnt think after all just compressors sitting on it

 

[bczygan]

Mesh is enough. More important is a well drained and compacted base built slightly higher than surrounding grade to promote drainage away from the paving. You get heaving from either organic material (topsoil) that has moisture in it and when it freezes and expands it moves the slab or from a negative drainage condition where water gets under the slab and freezes. Worst condition is where there is a difference under the slab creating more heave on one side than the other. Houses can successfully be built in snow and freeze areas on just a compacted gravel base and a slab with no footings if drainage is done properly. I like limestone with fines like the highway dept. uses. First I remove all organic material down to either the sand or clay sub-grade. I lay down landscape fabric to keep the limestone from sinking into the sub-grade. I install the limestone and use a hand compactor on it until it's above surrounding grade. Then I form and place and finish the conc. I give a hand steel trowel finish unless it's a walk and edge it. If later there might be wiring or piping going under it I install PVC before gravel. I also use expansion joint material between exterior slabs and any structure wall or existing slab. That way it floats independently. I also like to top that with exterior sealant later.

 

[Jim Johnstone]

bczygan:

Thanks for all the great info. Do you have any suggestions for tying it to the existing pad? Ideally, I would like to have it connected, and have the structure on it framed directly to the existing garage, but if it is better to have it floating loose, with expansion joint material, then I will do that instead.

 

[Beaumont67]

Well yes! That's the easy part, and compressors LOVE cold dry air in the winter. They just don't like being so cold they have a hard time starting.

Agree with JimJ 100% and Larry extends a-big-Hi from St. Thomas.
I had one small compressor that would blow a fuse unless I pulled it into the house to warm up first.
- so I switched to SYNTHETIC oil and problem solved (spec. ISO 100, SAE 30/40)
My 2-stage is getting the same treatment soon / can't drag that sucker in the house...LOL.

AMSOIL Synthetic PC Series Compressor Oils are made from high quality, shear stable synthetic base oils. PC Series oils provide long compressor life through reduced component wear, corrosion protection, water resistance and lubricant breakdown resistance. These oils reduce maintenance costs by extending drain intervals and lowering labor and used product disposal requirements. The manufacturer's recommended viscosity grade of AMSOIL PC Series Oils is recommended for use in single and multi-stage rotary screw, vane, centrifugal and reciprocating compressor crankcases and cylinders, vacuum pumps and other compressor applications. In addition, the correct viscosity may be used in light duty gear and bearing applications, blowers, pumps and hand-held pneumatic tools.
Read more: http://www.smartsynthetics.com/amsoil_compressor_oils.htm#ixzz1K7XSNosx

------------------------------------------------
Beaumont { :>)) www.petperfectexpress.com
1965 Malibu S/S, 1966 Beaumont Custom original paint, 1967 Beaumont Custom, 1967 Beaumont Custom original paint, 1967 Beaumont 396-350HP Sport Deluxe M21-411's - SOLD 1970 Judge

 

[e-tek]

I'm in SK and have NOT put my compressor outside, even though I've wanted to. Between the oigoing thick in winter and causing hard-starts and the tank condensation either frezzing the tank or the drain valve, I don't want to chance it.

 

[Jim Johnstone]

I think maybe people are getting a little confused by my intentions here. I'm not talking about putting the compressor outside. I'm talking about building another small room on my garage that juts away from my working area of the garage, to house the compressors in. It's the same situation as someone building a room inside the corner of their garage to house their compressor, I'm just having the room stick away from the garage so it doesn't take up floor space.

 

[MScott]

The building code in this area requires that anything attached to the primary building have the same depth of footings as the primary building. If your garage has footings below the frost level, then the attachment will also need the same. If the garage is built on a slab, then the attachment can also be a floating slab.
The logic of this requirment is obvious. If the attachment is affected by frost heaving while the garage is not, the attachment will be torn loose from the garage. This applies whether you are talking about an addition or a deck. Easiest is not always the best.

 

[rieferman]

I would build it as a shed that is placed very close to your garage. When sided with the same siding, and roofed with the same shingles, it will look very natural. The very short run of air hose and electrical through the two structures can be easily secured in conduit.

I like this approach because it avoids a lot of hassle up front and if you ever change your mind, it's easy to move and repurpose the building.

But that doesn't really answer your question, just trying to offer another perspective to consider.

edit: as for dealing with any potential cold issues, I'd think that windows facing the sun, along with insulation would keep the building warm enough to ward that off.

 

[BEAVO]

I would build it as a shed that is placed very close to your garage. When sided with the same siding, and roofed with the same shingles, it will look very natural. The very short run of air hose and electrical through the two structures can be easily secured in conduit.

I like this approach because it avoids a lot of hassle up front and if you ever change your mind, it's easy to move and repurpose the building.

But that doesn't really answer your question, just trying to offer another perspective to consider.

edit: as for dealing with any potential cold issues, I'd think that windows facing the sun, along with insulation would keep the building warm enough to ward that off.

thats a good idea i was thinking of doing something like that if we get the house we want it has a two car garage and that would be perfect also leaves more room

 

[Jim Johnstone]

I would build it as a shed that is placed very close to your garage. When sided with the same siding, and roofed with the same shingles, it will look very natural. The very short run of air hose and electrical through the two structures can be easily secured in conduit.

I like this approach because it avoids a lot of hassle up front and if you ever change your mind, it's easy to move and repurpose the building.

But that doesn't really answer your question, just trying to offer another perspective to consider.

edit: as for dealing with any potential cold issues, I'd think that windows facing the sun, along with insulation would keep the building warm enough to ward that off.

Thanks for the input, I'm going to give that some serious thought. It looks like per local building codes, I'd have to do a pretty mean foundation job to have it attached.