Putting in a metal building, 30ft x 80 ft. On the 80 ft side, one end is about 26 inches lower than the other end, as my land slants downward. I'm putting in builder's sand to install it level. Question if have is how I should blend the end I'm having to build up into the existing ground. It's a 26 inch drop, but over what distance?
New metal building/building pad
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rancherbill
Well-known member
Welcome.
It would help to know more, including where you are located.
Building on top of sand usually is not good. I am not sure what your definition of "builders sand" is, but the internet says it is sand. Building up is usually with clay or some sort of gravel / rock mixture.
Is there a spot or project that you can make a 'borrow pit' to get clay material? Future pond or ditches come to mind.
It would help to know more, including where you are located.
Building on top of sand usually is not good. I am not sure what your definition of "builders sand" is, but the internet says it is sand. Building up is usually with clay or some sort of gravel / rock mixture.
Is there a spot or project that you can make a 'borrow pit' to get clay material? Future pond or ditches come to mind.
txvwnut
Well-known member
So from the start you go 80 feet and get a 26 inch drop or from the start you go 30 feet and get 26 inches of drop?
When I did the slab for my building I had smaller drop than the OP and was able to split the difference by using the dirt removed from the perimeter beams on the uphill side to make up some of the difference on the downhill side. So I ended up with about 4 inches of slab above grade uphill and 6 or 7 inches on the downhill side.
When I did the slab for my building I had smaller drop than the OP and was able to split the difference by using the dirt removed from the perimeter beams on the uphill side to make up some of the difference on the downhill side. So I ended up with about 4 inches of slab above grade uphill and 6 or 7 inches on the downhill side.
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
It's called select fill in my area. 60/40 lean clay/sand mix
It's called Archer fill here, it's a yellow sand widely used for building pads. I'm bringing in 180 cubic yards. Along the 30 foot side, the difference is less than 6 inches. Not that much. The 80 foot side has the large difference in height. I'm not going to get any dirt out of scraping the the building pad. That will be very minimal. So the question remains how much slope can I have to the ground where I'm bringin in dirt to make up for 26 inches in height. Less slope = more fill dirt.
racecougar
Well-known member
txvwnut
Well-known member
deleted post.
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
Its yellow here too.
So that means if I'm 26 high, I'd need to slope it down over 52 inches. Sort of what I was prepared to do.
My Old Tools
Well-known member
I had a nearly 4 foot drop over 40 feet. The foundation walls were poured over undisturbed soil in trenches. They poured the walls in stages. Once the walls were cured, it was back filled, compacted, and the slab poured on top. 8 years and no cracks.
Attachments
The situation I'm in is that the building is to be installed on a dirt pad, which I'm installing. I can't put anything except dirt there. Plans only specify that it is to be anchored to the ground. After I put it down, I'm going to pour a slab inside the building. Slab will about 1.5 inches away from building, and I'll foam the gap. So the slab is not a part of the building, just covering the ground. I did it this way to avoid pouring footers and treating for termites.
racecougar
Well-known member
The foundation is not the place to cheap out, IMO. Are you planning on conditioning the space?
No. I'll run a dehumdifier. 6 inch cement slab with 10 mil plastic underneath. That 6 inch slab isn't going anywhere.
Bill T
Well-known member
You probably know this, but, when you place your fill, ensure your sand fill does not exceed 6" lifts. Moisten the sand and compact well between each lift.
When you say "metal building" are you talking about a wood post frame with metal siding, a metal tube building like a carport structure or an actual red iron building ?
racecougar
Well-known member
I was going to ask the same, but figured I'd just drop it. If it's post frame, termite treatment would still be necessary. If it's all metal (tubular or red iron), footers wouldn't correlate to termite treatment.
Codyboy
Well-known member
I had to have a corner built up about 4ft when we built our house. Land slopes on diagonal NW corner to the SE corner about 125 ft across.
Built the whole thing up a foot at the high corner on NW side.
120 loads of select fill.
The slope on the downhill side went out from level about 12ft I'd guess.
So would that be a 3:1 ?
If i had more room I would have done a 5:1 to make it easier to mow. 3:1 is pretty steep.
Built the whole thing up a foot at the high corner on NW side.
120 loads of select fill.
The slope on the downhill side went out from level about 12ft I'd guess.
So would that be a 3:1 ?
If i had more room I would have done a 5:1 to make it easier to mow. 3:1 is pretty steep.
ericm
Well-known member
A thick slab won't prevent cracking if the base under it isn't stable.
If it's a pole building then the fill needs to be the right consistency and needs to be compacted. In Oregon they use "3/4 minus" which has 3/4" gravel and finer particles. When compressed it packs down firm. My pole built shop's pad had close to 3' of fill at one corner.
If it's a pole building then the fill needs to be the right consistency and needs to be compacted. In Oregon they use "3/4 minus" which has 3/4" gravel and finer particles. When compressed it packs down firm. My pole built shop's pad had close to 3' of fill at one corner.
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
It's going to crack regardless. Only question is how much.