slab options for a garage

[tcreeley]

There are cheaper ways! Many people slope the land and add gravel. They don't use a slab- just a thick base of gravel. Then they either build a pole building or a stick frame on sauna columns. Depending on the size of the building (small one)- the might just let it sit on cement blocks and build stick frame- check local regs.. There are many mobile homes that sit on top of gravel pads in Maine without any cement. Local gravel haulers can tell you how thick it has to be to work.
Good luck with what you do. For fast lawn cutting- consider a ztr.

[keegs]

Thanks for all the feedback Gents.

I'm familiar with the mono-slab... If I do pole construction, do I build on the slab or do the poles run through the slab to footings below the frost line?

[Depmandog]

Thanks for all the feedback Gents.

I'm familiar with the mono-slab... If I do pole construction, do I build on the slab or do the poles run through the slab to footings below the frost line?

Your poles are your foundation. They are placed below the frostline of your area. Several threads on here about the correct way to set your posts. Trust me - lots of back and forth banter about which way is best. Use a concrete round under your posts, attach some hardware towards the base of the pole to anchor into the poured cement. Some say fill cement to the top / others say don't.

[Texasmark]

Your poles are your foundation. They are placed below the frostline of your area. Several threads on here about the correct way to set your posts. Trust me - lots of back and forth banter about which way is best. Use a concrete round under your posts, attach some hardware towards the base of the pole to anchor into the poured cement. Some say fill cement to the top / others say don't.

Large commercial buildings built around here, cheapest kind of construction, use a steel frame attached to a "pole" buried in concrete. The building is built and when finished the floor is poured (floating) and is flush with the top of the hole filled with concrete that the pole rests in. I think this part is a moot point....

Personal opinion: My shop was built and later a concrete crew came in and poured the floor 5" thick which came up almost to the top of the treated 2x6 that formed the bottom framing around the perimeter of the barn and the board to which the metal siding (lower end) was attached. The bottom board was a ready made form and remained in place after the pouring which covered the top of the concreted pole hole. I did drive 60d nails into the poles to anchor it all together somewhat.

Has been 7+ years now and even with last year's drought there has been a minimum of building shifting in this heavy clay soil and my doors (2 ea 12x5, 2 ea 10x5, and a 3' passage door) are still in place and work correctly.

Here is a pic of it after I had it built: 30x50 with 15' shed.

[keegs]

Spent the past week up at the ME farm getting things finalized on the new garage work. I've got two guys lined up.

There's site work needed to prep for the slab. The excavator is going to scrape the sod, compact the earth and then bring in 50-60 yards of crushed stone to form a pad and an approach with a two foot margin and a minimum of 12" of aggregate. The crushed stone base with be compacted and the area around the garage will be shaped up with a mini dozer to address a slight grade. Work starts next week.

The builder teaches shop at a local high school and takes jobs like this during the summer months. He built the chimney on the house a few years ago. He's going to pour the slab and put up the building. The slab is 24'x24'x5" with an 18"x12" thickened edge with re-bar in the thickened edge and 6"x6" road mesh in the field. The building is 2x4 frame with 10' OSB sheathed walls, a trussed 6-12 pitch, vinyl siding, metal roofing, 16' steel, insulated roll up door and a a steel man door. Work starts the end of June.

Total price (excavation/prep, slab and building) is $15k.

Stopped off at the Kubota dealer while I was up there too...

[Jstpssng]

Spent the past week up at the ME farm getting things finalized on the new garage work. I've got two guys lined up.

There's site work needed to prep for the slab. The excavator is going to scrape the sod, compact the earth and then bring in 50-60 yards of crushed stone to form a pad and an approach with a two foot margin and a minimum of 12" of aggregate. The crushed stone base with be compacted and the area around the garage will be shaped up with a mini dozer to address a slight grade. Work starts next week.

The builder teaches shop at a local high school and takes jobs like this during the summer months. He built the chimney on the house a few years ago. He's going to pour the slab and put up the building. The slab is 24'x24'x5" with an 18"x12" thickened edge with re-bar in the thickened edge and 6"x6" road mesh in the field. The building is 2x4 frame with 10' OSB sheathed walls, a trussed 6-12 pitch, vinyl siding, metal roofing, 16' steel, insulated roll up door and a a steel man door. Work starts the end of June.

Total price (excavation/prep, slab and building) is $15k.

Stopped off at the Kubota dealer while I was up there too...

Sounds like your ducks are in a row. have you considered also putting a layer of styrofoam under the slab? http://building.dow.com/na/en/applic...dationslab.htm Not only will it help keep the floor a little warmer should you ever decide to work on something in winter; but it will also distribute the slab weight better and reduce cracking.

[Carl_NH]

This is exactly the slab we did for our 24-36 barn 11 years ago - no problem, but i concur you should lay down plastic sheathing before concrete or better put down 1" styrofoam below the wire for insulation.

Carl