slope of floor

[22wash]

Hi,
i'm building a 26 wide by 28 long garage that will be 12'2 in high for a 2 post lift. the arch. drawings call for a 3 inch slope from back to front this is on the long dimension. does this sound excessive? will this effect the lift installation?

Also I've been fighting with the lift location front to back. it will be a 10,000 lb lift. I have 10x9 doors.
thanks

 

[KPSquared]

My garage slopes 1" on 10". I had them put in a 24" flat section across the width of the garage for the hoist. I've read that you need some pretty level ground to put a hoist on.

 

[Falcon67]

Last two I built were flat across the slab.

 

[KPSquared]

I plan to put my lift 14 feet from the door. Lets me lift my F350 crew cab with lots of room up front.

 

[RivennHewn]

1/8" per foot of slope is minimum to have water run off it.

1/4" per foot works a lot better.

I'd think leveling the area around the lift would be neccesary.

 

[darkk]

1/8" per foot of slope is minimum to have water run off it.

1/4" per foot works a lot better.

I'd think leveling the area around the lift would be neccesary.

1/8" per foot is standard here. Normally you would just shim the lift footing after install if you think it necessary. I wouldn't want water to puddle around the footings.

 

[BillK]

22,
When I built my 24 x 24 detached I made sure that the slab was perfectly level. I had to argue with the concrete guys about it becasue they were all used to doing attached garages which I believe have to slope towards the door.

I built a couple of race cars and it is so nice knowing that the slab is level and straight and not having to compensate.

I say make it level.

 

[6t7gto]

I would pour it level and buy one of these...

 

[uncletater]

Level is the way to go. I just did my slab level.

 

[sberry]

Posting your location helps. If we have to deal with ice and snow I like a little dip with drain right smack under car. I have one door I didn't do this to and although stuff parked on it heads for a drain it runs across floor where I don't want it to. Its not a deal breaker, I just don't park wet stuff there as I have other space for drain ice and snow etc. Would slope it about the size of a car about an inch to the drain. They can shim that much on the hoist install.

 

[TRC51]

I had this discussion with another member. Actually, I had the same decision when I was putting in my 24 x 30. I asked the members here and they convinced me to go level. I have absolutely no regrets. Just think about putting in cabinets.

If this is a shop, I would go level again in heart beat. However, what I would do it put a small slope at the garage door opening so that water ran away from the door. Pour all of it flat otherwise. If you are still ********* about having a slope, consider having just the areas underneath the cars poured sloped and leave an area flat as your work space. Another member did that here and seems to be happy.

 

[bjcouche]

IF you are not required to slope the floor due to code requirements (I've not heard of such a thing but maybe in an attached garage),
and IF you are setting this up as a shop and not driving wet cars in and out every day,

Then I highly recommend making it flat. For the few times you do park a wet car in your shop you can just squeegee the water out or let it dry. It is soooo much easier to set up shop equipment with a flat floor. Everything on rollers doesn't want to roll towards the door, tables, are level, and you don't have to make your shop benches with different length legs just to make them level.

Brian

 

[pattenp]

My detached garage has a level floor whereas my attached garage has a sloped floor, which was required by the building inspector. So it must be a code requirement for the attached. My attached is sloped at 1/8 " per foot and I have a two post lift. It was no problem shimming the lift columns to get them plumb.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I would pour it level and buy one of these...

This is what I did. Usually wet mop, rarely does it get wet enough to need a squeegee even.

Charles

 

[jlckmj]

I just built a 24 by 36, the door is on the 24 ft end, I park two drivers in that first 18 ft. section and that slopes toward the door. The rear 18 ft is flat for work shop area and a lift (soon)
Jim

 

[holdover]

my 40 X 60 is level, the apron outside slopes very slight, about 1/8" per foot to keep rainwater out. If I ever built another it would be the same way.

 

[Blk88GT]

Mine is 1" on 10ft.

 

[tcianci]

1/8 per foot is sufficient for water runoff and nearly insignificant when it comes to positioning of equipment. In fact if you don't have a top notch flatwork guy doing the job, you will find variations of more than an 1/8 all over the slab which would likely render your pitch useless. Now, there is such a thing as finished concrete which is guided by a laser to ensure flatness, but it's not typical garage floor fare. Be prepared to shim your lift columns for plumb regardless of whatever finish slope you decide on.

 

[ddawg16]

1/8 per foot is sufficient for water runoff and nearly insignificant when it comes to positioning of equipment. In fact if you don't have a top notch flatwork guy doing the job, you will find variations of more than an 1/8 all over the slab which would likely render your pitch useless. Now, there is such a thing as finished concrete which is guided by a laser to ensure flatness, but it's not typical garage floor fare. Be prepared to shim your lift columns for plumb regardless of whatever finish slope you decide on.

^^That^^ is a realistic real world view.

I have a slight slope....I wish I had gone flat....

If snow/rain is a common issue....maybe you wan 1/8"....but if water is a rare situation.....go flat.

 

[22wash]

I live in MA and snow and slush is common from Nov to Mar (though last year was an exception). I've been checking new attached and detached garages around here and all have slopes. I know drains are against code here, so this might be way to drain water. I will stay with 3" slope over 28' is lest than 1/8".

Most likely will put lift 13' from door ( should be able to handle a dually if need be).

 

[wedge40]

One more reason for radiant heat. ??

Wedge

 

[bczygan]

Another reason for a sloped garage is to expel spilled flammable gasoline that is leaking. So my preference would be sloped for car storage and flat for shop areas.

 

[rasit]

Huh?? Yes, expel the gasoline so it doesn't burn the garage down til you get around to fixing the leak...I get it. My vote is for level. Cabinets, workbenches, lifts etc are all easier to deal with level.

 

[KPSquared]

If I didn't have 20 gallons of water melting off both vehicles all winter, I would have gone totally flat.