two concrete ?'s

[Designated Dave]

#1, I'm located in mid-michigan and just finished the shell of my 24x32 barn. If I was to heat the inside of the barn to get the frost out of the ground, and finish bringing in the sand i need, would it be all right to pour the concrete floor as long as I kept it above freezing in the barn?

#2 If I have all sand in place, lines chaulked around the perimiter for slab height, welded wire mesh set in place w/ visqueen barrier under that, and form across the overhead door, what would I be looking at cost wise to have it poured and finished? (going w/ 4" slab and about a 16" deep section just across the door) AND, if theres anyone in the area interested in doing it could I get a quote? (also, I can cut the releif joints in afterwards, I have access to a walk behind saw.)

Thanks, Dave

 

[Steve in Mi]

Do you plan to use any of that "silver backed styrofoam" you mentioned elsewhere or any other insulation in your barn? Either on the foundation wall or under the slab? BTW, I didn't know Styrofoam (a Dow Chemical trade name) was available in a silver skin - are you maybe referring to a urethane foam sheet?

 

[Designated Dave]

I'm sorry...Its not actual styrofoam...it is the foam sheets you mentioned. My parents have a place up north and we ended up taking it up there and insulating around some of the crawlspace with it. I was going to get some 1.5" or 2" foam for around the perimeter of the floor. the barn is polebarn style, I am thinking of cutting sheets in half and hanging them from the skirtboards down on the inside. Eventually I will end up w/ rolled fiberglass insulation on the walls, and blown or rolled in the cieling.

 

[Steve in Mi]

With all the snow we have, are the sand trucks running? I don't know the answer to your questions except to say it will take allot of heat to take frost out of the ground. However salt can help to thaw frozen earth and heat can add some time for the drainage and compaction process. btw, don't forget the poly.

Hanging 2' X 2" rigid Dow foam around the skirt board will be a considerable help if you plan on heating. 7 sheets will take care of that. Again if you plan on heating this space another 24 sheets of 1" or 2" under the floor will go a long way to making it comfortable and affordable to heat. The payback on this insulation will be short. My barn as some call it (it is a barn shape, I call it my shop) has 2 inches of Dow foam around the 42" block perimeter and an inch under the floor making it very reasonable to heat to 63 - 65 degrees 24/7 in the heating season. R-24 in my walls and roof. Maybe this delay due to weather is a blessing as it provides additional time for planning/executing the foundation insulation package. Then again, I may be wrong and you have it all figured out already.

 

[Franz©]

Do a Google on ground heaters. They are made specificly for your purpose.
Given your location chances are the rental houses will have them.

 

[daw53]

Once you get the ground thawed, it should not be an issue pouring concrete provided that you can keep enough heat in the building. I had over 8000 sq ft poured on one of my work jobs when it was below freezing out. The building was already insulated and the contractor had portable propane heaters running.

 

[brownbagg]

about $25,000

 

[Designated Dave]

I'm hoping you meant 2500..otherwise it'll never get poured. Seems like I've heard about 2.50 a square foot. Does that sound reasonable?

 

[Designated Dave]

also, I will be trenching for the gas and electric this week. I am going to hang my furnace from the trusses for now to heat it, and then after its poured make the platform for the furnace. It is out of a house with a crawlspace, so the heat comes out the bottom of the furnace. I know it will be somewhat expensive to run for now, but once I get the slab poured I will finish framing the inside of the exterior walls, insulate and hang board.