Cement

[SmashingPunkFan]

How deep should I make a cement pad to support the weight of my Charger?
I just wanna make sure it can handle the weight, and not crack, atleast not right away

[tricky lugnuts]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=847

I'd guess around 5-6" but never done it before. Looks like the "under slab" conditions can also have a bearing on longevity -

Good luck and have fun. Wish I was building a garage... 

[mauve66]

just like a paint job depends on bodywork/primer, proper cement depends on subgrade and finish technique

subgrade should be very well compacted type 2 (mixture of sand and small pebbles , less than 3/8th inch in diameter

subgrade should be slightly watered down (not soaked or puddleed) just prior to pouring concrete (this also helps as you go through the compactiion and grading process mentioned earlier)

concrete should be 4 inch as a minimum and i would recomend 4500 PSI concrete just to cover future things like car on a trailer/tow truck, etc. to give you an idea, alot of municipalities use 4500 PSI,
6.5 sack concrete for their sidewalks and drive entrys for parking lots and such, sidewalks are generally 4 inch deep and drive entrys are 6-8 inch deep

i also prefer reinforcemant in the form of poly stealth fiber, $3-10 per yard depending on where you are, a little more than steel mesh but when you consider the time to place steel mesh PROPERLY and maintain its placement while someone is walking all over it to pour the concrete and the fact that stealth fiber will be uniform through every inch of the slab it's better in the long run.  If you use fiber make sure you specify "stealth type for plastic shrinkage cracking" every area calls it something different, if you get the structural fiber it will look like straw sticking up out of the slab and you will have to burn it off with a torch.

finish technique is very important for the long term life of the concrete, please don't think you will just be able to finish it yourself with no experiance, alot of times you can get a crew forman and his guys to do your job on the side for alot less than hiring the company itself.  If you see someone doing concrete work, get the formans number and then go check out the concrete in 7 and 30 days, walk the surface if you can, use a 4ft + level if possible to determine their quality of work.

then there are other things to consider such as different colors, acid etching, exposed 3/8 concrete, saw cuts instead of trowel joints, stamp work (can look like bricks or stone slabs or other things)


i'll post some pics here in a little bit

[mauve66]

another

[mauve66]

exposed concrete can look really good with or without color in it or to accent it on the side as a side note color adds ALOT to the price of concrete but generally looks 100 times better in my opinion

my stamped concrete (the dark brown pic) is really too dark for me, we have way too much dust out here and it just settles into the grooves of the stamp (slate rock) and looks like crap all the time, i won't do another dark color out here again

[mauve66]

in the pic showing the back sliding glass door you can see a line running up the concrete to the right side of the door, thats a saw cut done by me with a 7 inch circular saw with a diamond concrete cutting blage (no, not the best way to do it) professionals can make it perfectly straight, mine isn't

compare that look with the huge grooves that you get from using traditional tools for the expansion joints, remember 99% of concrete will crack, the purpose of expansion joints and saw cutting is to control where the cracks occur

[TylerCharger69]

Have being in the construction business for many years,  I can give you close to the right answer.  There are a lot of things to consider.   1...Is this temporary or permanent.   2...Will there be a roof on it, walls, etc.  3...will it be attached to the existing structure or by itself....4.....well you need some power for power tools.   Anyway....depending on where you live, there are specific codes by the city.  And those building codes depend on the type of soil,  commercial and residential and so forth.   The concrete slab,  well...there's more to it than just pouring a 4 inch thick slab with rebar or mesh added.  Usually  there are beams poured somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 to 5 feet deep......depending on the soil type....and then the regular slab is poured on top of that.....especially if it's attached to the existing structure.  If you are in a city....then you can be rest assured that building codes will have to be followed.....if your out of city limits.....then not so much.   It really depends on what your building.    I'm assuming it's at your residence.   If I had a better idea of exactly what you wanted to build and where, I can give you better answers.   And like I said,  it all depends on where you live as far as what city you live in,  because everybodys codes are different.....and in my opinion....codes and add-on permits are just another way for the city to make money.  Those fines can really cut in to your restoration project.....But...if it's out of the city limits....then no worries.

[mauve66]

yes and all those things Tyler said to an extent depending on where you are,
yes of course he has to follow the local codes, thats a given, but to quote him

How deep should I make a cement pad to support the weight of my Charger?
I just wanna make sure it can handle the weight, and not crack, atleast not right away

that tells me its not attached to anything or anything going to be built on it, and the ground would have to be pretty spongy to need footing 4-5 ft deep for just a flat pad

[SmashingPunkFan]

I'm out of the city limits for sure, and it's going in an existing barn.
I'm only aiming for a pad big enough for the car, an engine lift, and 4 or 5 feet spare around the car.
And I am trying my hardest to do this the cheapest way possible, which is gonna take awhile, I'm buying $1 bags of busted cement from Lowes, which hasn't taken as long as you would think, I have over 900 pounds of cement already saved up, and it's only been... 3, 4 weeks I've been buying them, I get like 2 to 4 bags everyday, so.
I don't need colors, or stamps, or anything, I just need to add a pad to an existing barn. The barn holds all my tools, and it's the only covered building I have access to, and it has plenty of room to add a concrete pad to.

I'm guessing I need a 15'x30' size pad, however deep you guys think it needs to be?



P.S. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

[mauve66]

bags??? there's something to be said for saving money but damn that's a hard way to do a slab, by the time you buy all the bags (which it sounds like your way it already) you'll still need to get the mixer to mix it, several wheel barrels to move it and hope you get it all poured out, tamped and floated before the first part starts setting up (unless you have some friends who are concrete finishers and can work it as you mix it and pour it

[SmashingPunkFan]

Yup, family of 7 are gonna help me, and were probably going to buy a cement mixer, and just rent the float.
I mean, it's just a pad for a car, it doesn't have to be perfect, just smooth enough for an engine lift to roll around on, and strong enough for a car to sit on


So ya'll say atleast 4''? with rebar?

[b5blue]

Since nobody is "stepping up" and giving account of how your doing it, 4 inch minimum with fiber added as per earlier. Steel is going to add a layer of complexity it's better to avoid. Just be sure to properly compact the ground well, rent a power compactor, if my wing it estimation is right you will need around 180 bags (80lb).If the soil is firm in there try not to dig it up..shave off flatly till flat, but still compact it well by lightly wetting then compacting. Put plastic down over soil to prevent water from leaching out of concrete too quickly and screwing up the drying of your mix.Have your whole set up ready completely ground flat/compacted, plastic laid out, batter boards staked and set level, everything before you start mixing. Someone will need to start screeting well before the whole mess is mixed and someone will need to be floating out the top behind them. If you have to stop have a plan, you will need to end out where you are at, so have extra batter boards and stakes ready.Remember concrete is very strong under compression not suspension, if you get the soil compacted right you'll have a very good slab. Good luck!    

[tan top]

 got  garage floor  of  7"s of concorate , have had every thing on it in , including my charger on  jackstands , for years depends on the mix

[TylerCharger69]

Well...if it's inside a barn...outside the city limits....then 4 to 5 inches thick is fine....just add the square mesh and drive a little rebar in the ground to prevent cracking.....good to go

[Dodgecharger74]

pour 8' x 8' sections that will automatically leave expansion joints for you. and you won't have to be in such a hurry to pour all at once.

[SmashingPunkFan]

Thanks guys, I've got a long waaaaays to go lol, but I'll get it done!

[SmashingPunkFan]

So, I'm almost ready to put in my cement pad, but out of curiosity, what order should I do the body work? remove floor pans, install new ones, then sand blast?

Or sand blast, then install new metal? which way would you guys do it?
And whats a good price for sandblasting a car?

[magnumdart]

If you know where the lift will be go ahead and make each anchor point about 18"X18" by 12" deep,  then you can be safer.  Mix the bags properly or they won't have the strength you need.  All those trips to the box store add up, maybe you should just call a truck and use the bags for a sidewalk.

[SmashingPunkFan]

Cement today, tonight I'm gonna be  happy.

[bajaherbie]

did you feel the 5.6 earthquake last night? i live in SW oklahoma (altus) and felt it pretty good

[SmashingPunkFan]

I do too. We felt it, scary stuff, but I had everything planned just for today, so we had to do it.
Turned out great, hard work, and most of my cement had turned solid than I thought, but we got it done! 


In a couple of days, my engine is coming out, and my car resto can reaaaaallly start!! lol

[SmashingPunkFan]

 

[SmashingPunkFan]