New Concrete pour, Tips?

[jim bremner]

My Garage floor is old and busted.

If you're going to replace your concrete floor in a small 22x20 garage, is there anything that you would want done to the floor?

I do plan on epoxy coating it and adding a ramp to make the floor closer to the height of the door. My wife uses a wheel chair.

 

[ConCretin]

I would make sure that your existing floor did not fail due to an inadequate base and correct the problem if it did.

Other than that, a quick read through some threads on here will provide a wealth of information on issues related to floor construction and epoxy. Good luck!

 

[6t7gto]

Is your garage on footers?
or is it a monolithic pour?
if the second make sure it gets under pinned.

david

 

[dcs Inc]

Compacted sub base. Consider a good vapor barrier. Straight bag mix with a low slump additive. gene ec-Indy

 

[jim bremner]

Is your garage on footers?
or is it a monolithic pour?
if the second make sure it gets under pinned.

david

Please help with

"Under Pinned" I've never heard of this.

I'm in Soul Cal, on clay, slight hill.and old one cracked down hill.

 

[dcs Inc]

Drilling horizontally on the side of existing concrete and installing pins. (rebar protruding out into the new pour).

 

[Fastback]

I would make sure the base is good as mentioned, wash out from a concrete truck makes a great base and is often free.

I would put down some cheap foil backed bubble insulation, it would act as a vapor barrier and provide a bit of insulation. I would also pull two loops of PEX if it were mine, it can't hurt resale and it's kinda cheap.


Also, check prices for intergral color in the mix, ( it only adds a few hundred in some areas) if you power trowel it for a while it looks killer and you will save the $7 a square foot for a good epoxy job. Big box stores like target and Walmart use this with great success,go take a look.

Drilling horizontally on the side of existing concrete and installing pins. (rebar protruding out into the new pour).

If doing radiant heat I would not do that.

 

[dcs Inc]

That was if the footers were poured at the same time as the slab. (monolithic) Of course I feel his pain if he has to remove such creature. Saw cut the perimeter and hope like hell the installer kept the transition from slab to footer pretty square. If this is a repour with a slab that abuts a masonry wall, I'd suggest expansion joint around perimeter. if heated, you still need crack control joints cut into it to prevent shrink crackage. Have them TOOLED in. You can get a thin jointer to do this with. Saw cutting the joints scares the **** out of me with embedded heat, be it electrical or hydronics.

Integral color. I can get you color for around 4-6 dollars a pound. This is raw undiluted powder and depending on the color you want it may take 1-3 pounds per yard. This is WAY cheaper than the liquid- computer control mixing stations the concrete batch plants have invested thousands in. the problem is a lot of plants wont allow you to throw in these palpable bags into their truck.

Fastback, Just curious, whats your thinking on not pinning the slab with heat?

Gene Elite Crete Indiana

 

[Fastback]

Fastback, Just curious, whats your thinking on not pinning the slab with heat?

Gene Elite Crete Indiana

Well, I should have mentioned expansion material between the new slab and EVERYTHING it touches to prevent two potential issues, expansion and convection.

Heated floors can move and they must be allowed to expand, expansion is cheap to do but I have seen high end houses with radiant basement floors that did not have expansion and the heat leaches up the walls, then it could also crack.

So I feel that pinning the slab on place (if it's heated) should be avoided if at all possible.


But I should point out that I am no expert on anything. Just observant.

 

[olytdi]

Pour for a 9 ton lift. Vapor barrier and insulation. Not a bad idea to lay tubing for heat.

 

[jim bremner]

Well, I worked with the crew from 5 till 8:30 tonight. I tied the rebar. yup, not a big muscle job but I made sure that each and everyone was done.

We added a ramp for a wheel chair and a platform from the ramp for my drill press and air compressor to sit on.

My wife has MS so that's the reason for the ramp.

They pinned the floor. As for a heated floor, Heck it's SO. Cal! it might drop to a low of 40* in the garage. I'll insulate the walls prior to drywall to prevent heat from the sun.

My garage will have very little on the floor due to my wifes needs. Sofit cabinets and a 72" workbench with a tool chest built in. I might make a place outside for my really dirty work with a vise and grinder. I hope one day to build a Lotus 7 replica.

 

[rburke65]

Dcs Inc.....what is a "straight bag mix"? I know slump and have placed, poured a lot of concrete, but.....? No additives? Thanks

 

[dcs Inc]

4000 psi and 6 bag mix are the same thing (strength testing) wise. The 4000 psi mix uses 5 to 5.5 bags of cement and then fly ash additive. This brings the psi strength up the 4000. the problem (s) with fly ash is some suppliers use a dirty ash. this causes discolorations in the concrete. It has less cream in the mix and is more difficult to finish. It can cause problems with reactive acid stain taking correctly. Drying times are affected also. Theres more but thought that a good start.

 

[jim bremner]

Well, it's is in and was poured with 3k at 5" plus rebar. Now it's time to figure how to finish it.

I had a ramp made due to my wife having MS and needing a wheel chair. Ineed to make sure that the ramp isn't to slick.