Do-it-yourself slab questions

[Kuhlryde]

Hey hey kids.

I am going to build a 14X20 shed in the back yard to house my yard ****. I want to pour a slab to put a portable shed on and I have questions

I like to do the work myself, so I would like to do the digging and site prep on my own. I will pay someone to do the pour or find someone experienced to help me.

Here are the details:
1. I live in Central Ohio where the temp ranges from -10 to 100 degrees in a given average year.
2. I want my slab to be 16x22 to give a foot of overhang all around.
3. I plan to reinforce with rebar.
4. It could potentially hold a lot of weight as I may put my popup camper in there at times.
5. The soil is clay, but old farm land so there is some organic matter in there.

Here is my question:
Do I need to pour footings for this type of job? The plan was to tamp down to 4 inches of gravel and pour a 4 inch slab, but I wasnt sure if this would hold under the weight. Frost level is 36 inches in my area, but I really dont want to have to dig a large trench for a T-foundation unless I need to.

Thanks for any advise!

 

[snorvet]

kuhl -

you may want to check with your local building department, but on my current detached garage and the one at my old house, all I did was 4" concrete over compacted gravel. I had the thickness increased to about 6" around the edges, and used wire mesh without rebar. I park my cars in there without a problem and have no cracks. My soil is mostly sand without any ground water. My year round temps are about the same as yours.

you may want to get that organic material out of there

Good Luck!

 

[Kuhlryde]

Thanks for the reply! I actually ended up just getting some solid 4x8x16 blocks with 2x6's to do the job. I may not be able to put the trailer in there, but with the ground work necessary, it would have cost a lot. There was more of a grade change than I thought.