how long to wait to run vehicles on slab?

[Innovate1]

I think the standard is 28 days but wanting to get things done... If I should wait I will.

Have a 5" slab and thinking about getting drywall and other materials inside. So it will be a fork lift with a stack of drywall and similar. The rest of the stuff could stay outside but the drywall needs to go inside.

 

[McFarmer]

Sorry not much help but I gotta tell this story.

In the 1960s when mom and dad remodeled this house mom wanted a patio on the south side. Dad and grandad did all the building around the farm, we had a bigger cement mixer, poured a lot of concrete.

Anyway a few days after the patio was poured dad put the old narrow front 460 with a loader on it to reach the roof. Cracks went four ways. I don’t remember seeing mom ever setting foot on it.

 

[Jking24]

The longer you can weight the better but generally after a few days or about a week it's fine weather or not it's gonna crack typicaly is more dependent on the compaction of the subsurface. I would try to be mindful of the transitions for example if their is no pad or driveway out front of the doors and the face of the pad is exposed. My pad sits on a course of block that was filled solid up from the foundation at the door openings for that very reason to prevent stress to the pad when loads transition from the outside pad to the inside. I also have piers coming up every 4ft or so from the foundation that the outside pad sits on so that joint between the two pads is fully supported. Also help's it to set back down in the same place if any frost heave occurs

 

[ConCretin]

Assuming temps have been reasonably warm (50 degrees), 7 days should be adequate as far as the concrete goes. Concrete cylinders gain about 70% in the first 7 days. Your concrete won't get that strong under field conditions but compressive strength isn't really the issue here.

This is when you are going to test the base material under your slab. If the ground under the slab moves under the load, your slab will crack whether it's 50% of design or 150%.

 

[Strouty]

If it was anything reasonable for concrete, meaning 3500 PSI or better, a week is more than needed, as Jking said, mind the edges they will be the weakest point. If you are nervous, 28 days is usually considered "full strength" unless the stuff froze or it is really cold the entire time.

 

[Innovate1]

It's going to be at least 10 days and highs have been around 45 - 50. Highs around 60 to 70 for the next week. It's 5" 4000 PSI. Sounds like I should be fine. Thanks!

 

[larry_g]

When I put concentrated heavy stuff into the shop, forklift tires, I build the approach up a bit and use a 2x12 to bridge over the edge of the concrete. I'm assuming that you may not have the apron poured and have just the edge of the slab to cross. My shop has a gravel apron so putting a bit more gravel in to support the 2x is no big deal for me.

lg
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