Backfilling pole barn, need advice

[Midniteoyl]

Oh ya, Mike in the vid there also set the foam so it would extend down below the concrete as well before backfilling some. He also used 3" foam, but not really needed in your warmer climate.

 

[DrewStyduhar]

Thanks for all the info guys! I like how Mike fastened the foam in that video. I also liked what Mike did in the video with the jig to mark his skirt board...super simple.

I made up a 50' water level and shot some elevations in the barn and confirmed the top of the skirt board is within ~1/8" all the way around so that was promising. A big sigh of relief there! The top of the finished concrete is spec'd at being 4" below the top of the skirt. The bottom of the walk in door threshold is about 3.5" below the top of the skirt so Ill need to decide if I should bring the concrete to the 4" mark or bottom of threshold.

I read more into bevel cutting the foam but I'm not getting the benefit? I bet that knife edge will crack anyway so what's the point? My future plan is to fasten a pressure treated sill plate to the concrete between posts and frame up some walls in select areas. I could see where having the top of the foam even with the concrete might be easier to finish?

Any concrete guys here?

thanks,

Drew

 

[Midniteoyl]

My future plan is to fasten a pressure treated sill plate to the concrete between posts and frame up some walls in select areas. I could see where having the top of the foam even with the concrete might be easier to finish?

That's the idea, correct. If you have it at finished height it's also easier the guys instead of having to mark and follow a line.

Not thats its that hard, but it does take more time and care:

 

[deezler]

Well if you don't have foam insulating the exterior of the concrete, it has a direct heat path to leak thermal energy out the side of the building. None of my 30x36 concrete slab has cracked near the perimeter over the 45 degree bevel cut I put on my foam. I would actually be more worried about the concrete cracking if you put a thinner amount of it over the top of the foam, too. hard, 90 degree corners concentrate stress in things like metal and concrete.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I would actually be more worried about the concrete cracking if you put a thinner amount of it over the top of the foam, too.

That's why you bring right to top and level.

 

[fried1765]

Well if you don't have foam insulating the exterior of the concrete, it has a direct heat path to leak thermal energy out the side of the building. None of my 30x36 concrete slab has cracked near the perimeter over the 45 degree bevel cut I put on my foam. I would actually be more worried about the concrete cracking if you put a thinner amount of it over the top of the foam, too. hard, 90 degree corners concentrate stress in things like metal and concrete.

That foam will likely also be a "direct path" for the burrowing critters to work their way through it.

 

[Midniteoyl]

That foam will likely also be a "direct path" for the burrowing critters to work their way through it.

He put in the additional skirt board covered in tin as a rat guard.Should be deep enough when he's done backfilling the outside.

 

[deezler]

That's why you bring right to top and level.

But.... then you have to look at and deal with crummy, crumbling foam around the inside perimeter of your building? No thanks, I wanted hard smooth concrete right up to the skirt board.

 

[Midniteoyl]

But.... then you have to look at and deal with crummy, crumbling foam around the inside perimeter of your building? No thanks, I wanted hard smooth concrete right up to the skirt board.

I get it. He was thinking of radiant heat and/or framing it in, so wouldn't see it either way.

 

[DrewStyduhar]

Hey guys, its been a while but have been considering going with a thickened edge slab. I have contemplated a bunch of different approaches while saving my pennies.

I did set 2" foam around the inside of the skirts and set even with top of future slab. I still need the floor built up inside and have talked to the grading guys but need some ideas. How can we build/compact up the center portion of the shop but leave the perimeter low? Scratching my head on this one. Otherwise, I guess they will need to fill er up and then I need to dig back down around the inside perimeter? God, I hope not.

I even thought about doing thickened edge in two pours where I would essentially pour a rat wall between the posts and then they would pour the main area

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Drew