Pouring a small slab for gas pump.

[driverinmyhead]

Has anyone out there poured a small slab for a gas pump?

I have no problem pouring a small 3' x 3' slab. Planning to just use bags of sakcrete, some rebar and forms. Pretty simple.

I did a search, but came up with nothing...


I need to plan ahead, so slab needs to hold up 1500 pounds. I fugure a tall visible pump with all of it's guts has to be close to 1,000 pounds.

I buy and sell a lot, so whatever is on that slab will likely be for sale from time to time.

So, the question(s) are:

1.) How long after pouring can I expect to put up to 1500 pounds on it?

2.) anyone cast bolts or a metal platform into their slab? (again, not everything that comes and goes on that slab will be the same "bolt pattern")

3.) When I tie into my existing slab, what's the consensus with bolts, rebar or just Tap-Cons? (I have seen it done several ways).

I am in Washington State. VERY wet here, but virtually no frost line.

Thanks in advance.

 

[headwrench]

I would dig a post hole or two to act as legs for the slab. This would help eliminate the slab from walking away from your building. "X" rebar from corner to corner and add rebar down in post hole. Tie it all together with wire. As for the weight, i would pour slab 6" thick then wait 7 days curing time. As for mounting....i have no idea for a moveable universal system. Just my .02

 

[Cword]

I did a small slab for my backyard pump.
it's been in place now for about 7 years.
It's about 5 inches thick, with a large center leg, like headwrench described, going down about 3 feet.
I also ran an underground conduit with power to the center of the pad, the pump lights with the man door light.
Since I only had one pump in mind welding up a bolt circle to the rebar I used was easy, spacing was maintained using a plywood form when I poured it.

 

[BillK]

I might be totally off base but I cant imagine a gas pump of any kind weighing over a few hundred pounds ?

 

[Dragfluid]

I might be totally off base but I cant imagine a gas pump of any kind weighing over a few hundred pounds ?

They don't. Two people picked up the one I had many moons ago.

 

[Big Dad]

My 39 Tokheim easily weighs 500 lbs

 

[BillK]

My 39 Tokheim easily weighs 500 lbs

Thats still nowhere near 1500

 

[Cyberbear]

Your on the right path, place a square framed rebar with corner to corner bar and pour a strong mix of concrete, not using that junk they sell for post holes. Keep the rebar in the lower third of the pour to allow for any mounting hardware clearance. Give the concrete plenty of time to achieve maximum strength (about 28 days) before placing any heavy loads. Thicken the edges of the pad for additional strength and it should last a life time.

 

[matt_i]

I would do as suggested with the rebar. I would also wet cure the concrete.

I would place a spacer strip between your building and the pad so they don't fight with each other.

I think the easiest way to accomodate various bolt patterns would be to get a steel plate, lets just throw out 1/2" thick. I would have it epoxy coated or powder coated (not sure which is less $) so it doesn't rust. Drill and tap that as necessary for new products. I would attach this plate to the concrete with drop-in anchors, then when you want to drill + tap a new hole pattern you can unbolt, then use a pry bar and lift up each corner in succession until you have a gap so you can drill thru and not have your jobber twist drill striking the concrete underneath. I would coat every thread & tapped hole with anti-seize. If you had access to a magnet drill press then the drilling and tapping would get extremely easy to do.

 

[driverinmyhead]

Thanks!

I plan to mount a visable gas pump first. But... found a Red British Phone Booth a while back. THOSE... are solid cast iron and EASILY weigh 1500 pounds!

Again, plan for the pad is a rotating assortment of items on outside display (and for sale). 1500 pounds is max. I have a Commercial shop with lots of "Traffic".

Never heard of digging post holes or using "pylons" under the slab. The water table is extremely high where my shop is at.

Cword: Looks good! Pretty much exactly what I had in mind. "Slippery Beaver" LOL!

Matt_i: My thoughts were drop in studs with flat iron bolted to that, with another flat iron "Frame" that can accomodate "Bolt Patterns"...

I will likely put in an outside outlet right behind that concrete pad (this weekend).

 

[atch]

I'm no structural engineer, so please don't take my word for gospel.

I've poured several sidewalks and small pads using Quicrete (sp?) or Sackrete (sp?). I'm fortunate to have a big old antique concrete mixer that will hold/mix about a cubic yard (thanx Dad). I put in two 80# bags of mix and 1/2 bag of Portland cement for each load. Since I started doing that my concrete pours have never failed. A small sidewalk I poured in the late 80's or early 90's using "right outta the bag" mix didn't last but a couple of years before it crumbled away.

I'm in central Missouri, which might have winters just a tad more severe than yours in the pnw; but maybe not. We plan for 18" deep frost line.

My $0.02 worth; probably worth less than you paid for it.

 

[rburke65]

Is theft a concern in your area....the reason for a need to bolt down these items ?

 

[driverinmyhead]

atch: 1/2 bag of Portland for 160# of sakcrete? Sounds like a good plan!

rburke65: Theft? Not necessarily... but I just bought a Commercial building in town (small town), and I am right off the Highway. Excellent for traffic, but obviously VERY visable. Just a precaution I guess. I have a security system, but I like to make it really hard to steal my stuff

Thanks for the replies. I have a ton of stuff going on with remodeling... and rain all week. Hopefully I can get it poured before Winter sets in (read that RAIN).

 

[walrus]

I might be totally off base but I cant imagine a gas pump of any kind weighing over a few hundred pounds ?

Tokeims will, cast iron meters, piping, pumping units. Singles will be less but 2 product twins might weight as much as 600 lbs and are a ***** to move around

 

[gungatim]

I just use a couple 24x24 precast cement patio blocks for mine.

are you gutting the pump? if you get rid of the motor and pump assy, you lose like 200 lbs...does not usually affect collectability unless it's a visible.

 

[GirchyGirchy]

For bolts, find some J-bolts. They're designed for such an application.

 

[NUTTSGT]

If I was going to put something heavy in one small area, I might get a post hole digger and bore a hole down and some some wire/rebar as a precaution. I'd rather overkill than to find the slab start leaning in the next few years.

This are what the columns for my garage sitting on and it's about 48" deep.



I'd do one pour, fill the hole and continue to pour the slab.


Also, you might find this link helpful to pour your slab.

https://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/howmuch/calculator.htm#calculatorPage

 

[driverinmyhead]

Thanks for the replies!

I was told that if I dig more than 3 feet, I'll hit water...LOL.

Thanks NUTTSGT, awesome link!

 

[Falcon67]

I'd say not much to it - the porch on my shop -

 

[kabinenroller]

When we poured the driveway we formed an oval for the pumps, we used rebar in the slab and extended it to accept the oval. I made the stud plate for the light post and used inserts with machine threads to mount the pumps.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Thanks for the replies!

I was told that if I dig more than 3 feet, I'll hit water...LOL.

Thanks NUTTSGT, awesome link!

You're welcome.

I went with 48 " because I wanted to make sure I was well below the frost line. If I have one column heave, it would really screw up the overhang on my garage.

For you, like I mentioned, would be the amount of weight you want to place on that pad and will it be centered ?

 

[driverinmyhead]

We are getting into rain season. Today was high winds and crazy downpour... hope to have a few dry days left.

NUTTSGT: I plan to mount a gas pump (300 pounds or so), but need to plan ahead in case I ever put something like that phone booth on the pad.
And yes, centered on the slab.


Of course, all of this rain is making me realize I have drainage problems

 

[Dragfluid]

Thanks!

I plan to mount a visable gas pump first. But... found a Red British Phone Booth a while back. THOSE... are solid cast iron and EASILY weigh 1500 pounds!

Good grief!
I stand corrected.

 

[driverinmyhead]

Had a couple sunny days in a row... busy with other projects.

At least I got the outside outlet installed!