neilly2
Silver Member
Don't forget a couple things when pouring your slab:
1. Welded wire fabric - contrary to popular belief this is not reinforcing. But, it limits shrinkage cracks (the small spider cracks). If you want a re-inforced slab (I doubt it), you need to go to 5" thick with #3 rebar mats.
2. Control joints. These are 1/2" deep grooves that are saw cut in the concrete the day after the pour. They provide a place for the concrete to crack. They are usually sawn from column to column like a checkerboard. ALL concrete will crack in a floating slab, but you can prevent that one large diagonal crack through your barn the spreads apart slowly for years. The control joints can be caulked with a commercial grade caulk.
Of course, you're in Texas so frost heave isn't much of a concern.
I can answer all construction related questions.
1. Welded wire fabric - contrary to popular belief this is not reinforcing. But, it limits shrinkage cracks (the small spider cracks). If you want a re-inforced slab (I doubt it), you need to go to 5" thick with #3 rebar mats.
2. Control joints. These are 1/2" deep grooves that are saw cut in the concrete the day after the pour. They provide a place for the concrete to crack. They are usually sawn from column to column like a checkerboard. ALL concrete will crack in a floating slab, but you can prevent that one large diagonal crack through your barn the spreads apart slowly for years. The control joints can be caulked with a commercial grade caulk.
Of course, you're in Texas so frost heave isn't much of a concern.
I can answer all construction related questions.
