Table of Contents
How thick does a concrete floor need to be?
Standard concrete floor slab thickness in residential construction is 4 inches. Five to six inches is recommended if the concrete will receive occasional heavy loads, such as motor homes or garbage trucks.
How do you build a solid concrete floor?
The typical way to construct a solid floor is to provide a solid base of hardcore with sand blinding, layering concrete over the top. Making sure the floor has a level finish is often done by adding another layer of screed over the concrete.
Can you lay concrete on dirt?
Long story short, yes you can pour concrete over dirt.
Do you need gravel under concrete?
Whether you pour concrete for a walkway or patio, a strong gravel base is required to prevent the concrete from cracking and shifting. Gravel is especially important in clay soil because it doesn’t drain well, which results in water pooling under the concrete slab and slowly eroding the soil as it finally drains.
What is the mix ratio for concrete floor?
A concrete mix of 1 part cement : 2 parts sand : 4 parts coarse aggregate should be used for a concrete slab.
What is the mix for a concrete floor?
Measure out the ingredients that you are going to mix. The typical ratio for concrete that is to be used as footings is 1 part cement, 3 parts coarse aggregate and 3 parts sand, along with 1 bucket of water. A 5-gallon bucket should help you measure this out in the correct ratio.
Is it cheaper to pour your own concrete?
Whether you’re pouring concrete countertops or a patio out back, it may be cheaper to pour concrete yourself rather than hiring someone. Whether you’ll save much in doing so depends largely on the amount of concrete needed and the amount of time you have to invest in your concrete project.
Do I need air bricks with a concrete floor?
If the suspended timber floor has been removed and replaced with a solid concrete floor, the void will also be filled in with concrete, so there’s nothing to ventilate. In this situation, the air bricks can either be blocked or replaced with regular bricks, but first check with a builder or surveyor before you do this.
How do you stick ply to concrete?
One way to attach plywood to a concrete surface is to screw it into place with concrete fasteners. Another way that involves less strain and hard work is to glue the plywood to the concrete. This only requires a few materials and will adhere the plywood very securely in place.
Is sand a good base for concrete?
Simply put, sand isn’t sturdy enough to work well as a subbase for something like a driveway. It is also difficult to maintain a level sand surface when pouring concrete, and therefore difficult to maintain a uniform thickness of the concrete slab.
How many bags of cement do I need for 12×12?
To determine how many bags of concrete you will need, divide the total cubic yards needed by the yields, at 4 inch thick, for a 12×12 slab you will need 1.76 yards of concrete, so number of 80lb bag of concrete = 1.76 ÷ 0.022 = 80 bags, No. of 60lb bag = 1.76 ÷ 0.017 = 104 bags & No.
What kind of gravel goes under concrete?
More gravel is better, but 3 inches is the minimum amount of gravel you should have with a 4” slab. Use ¾” washed and screened gravel, then compact it to level.
Can I use 2×4 for concrete forms?
Prior to placing concrete forms: Construct the form with 2×4 or 2×6 lumber and secure in place by wood stakes and deck screws. Excavate the slab area to a depth of about 7 inches, allowing 3 inches for a gravel base and 4 inches for concrete.
How deep should a concrete base be?
As a rule of thumb, concrete slabs supporting lighter weights such as paths, patios and shed bases will need to be 75-100mm thick, while driveways and garages need to be at least 100mm thick. Slabs intended for commercial use should be at least 175mm thick and reinforced.
Can you use pea gravel for concrete base?
While pea gravel can be used as a mulch alternative, garden border and other landscaping purposes, it is not the best choice for a patio base.
Can I pour concrete over 2 days?
If you expect to pour concrete and use it in a couple days, you can’t. Protect new concrete from the cold for the first two to three days—up to a week, if it’s very cold—after which it should be strong enough to handle it without risk of damage.
Does a 4 inch slab need rebar?
Rebar is not necessary for every concrete project. The general rule of thumb is that if you are pouring concrete that is more than 5 inches in depth, you are probably going to want to add in some rebar to help reinforce the entire structure.
How thick should a concrete base be for a garage?
So what constitutes a good garage base? The base itself should be 4″ thick in the main and 8″ thick around the outer edges. Underneath the concrete there should be a minimum 4″ of compacted hardcore. The edges of the base should be troweled off or chamferred to allow any water to drain off.
Does adding more cement make concrete stronger?
To make the concrete stronger, add more cement or less sand. The closer you bring the ratio to an even one-to-one of sand to cement, the stronger the rating becomes.
Can I make concrete with just sand and cement?
Can I make concrete with just sand and cement? No, you can’t make concrete with only sand and cement. Concrete isn’t considered concrete without aggregates like gravel and stone. It’s the aggregates that contribute to concrete having high strength.
How do I calculate concrete for flooring?
Multiply the thickness in feet by the square footage to determine cubic feet. Convert cubic feet to cubic yards by multiplying by .037.Here’s what the math looks like for a 10′ by 10′ concrete patio: 10 x 10 = 100 square feet. 4 ÷ 12 = .33. 100 x .33 = 33 cubic feet. 33 x .037 = 1.22 cubic yards.
