Table of Contents
How thick should a concrete slab be for a porch?
Four inches is the minimum thickness for a concrete patio. You’ll want to make it six to eight inches thick if the patio will support a structure such as a gazebo or hot tub.
Is it cheaper to pour your own concrete?
Is It Cheaper to Pour Concrete Yourself? Whether you’re pouring concrete countertops or a patio out back, it may be cheaper to pour concrete yourself rather than hiring someone. The materials needed to pour concrete yourself cost about $1.76 per square foot, based on data from Porch.com.
Can you pour concrete directly on dirt?
Long story short, yes you can pour concrete over dirt.
How many bags of concrete do I need for a 10×10 slab?
The thickness of your 10′ x 10′ slab will determine just how many bags you need. The average thickness of a 10′ x 10′ concrete slab for a shed is 4 inches thick. At 4″ thick, your 10 x 10 slab will take 56 bags of concrete that weigh 80 lbs.
Do you need rebar for 4 inch slab?
The thickness of rebar should be no more than 1/8 that of the slab, so a 4” slab shouldn’t have steel greater than #4 or 1/2″ bar. It’s best to check with a Structural Engineer if your slab will bridge or cantilever. What is this? For 4” concrete slabs used for driveways and patios, #3 rebar is common.
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.
How hard is it to pour concrete?
On a small scale, concrete is fairly easy to work with, but installing an entire patio can be a challenge. Be sure to place all the concrete at once; a big patio can be broken down into smaller manageable sections using 2×4’s. Once concrete is in place, you’re stuck with it forever; replacement is costly and difficult.
How many yards of concrete do I need for a 24×24 slab?
For example, for a concrete slab that is 24′ X 24′ X 4”, simply enter 4 in the Thickness/Depth field, 24 in the Width field, and 24 in the Length field. Click “Calculate”. Your answer should be 7.11 yards. Note: The Concrete Volume Calculator can also be used to determine yardage for aggregate products.
How do you prepare the ground before pouring concrete?
Dig the ground down to the proper depth. Smooth out the ground with the flat side of a rake so that you have a level surface. Tamp the ground with a hand tamper or mechanical tamper. Pour 2 inches of small, rounded gravel for additional drainage needs.
Can you pour concrete over gravel?
Laying a concrete driveway over an existing gravel one is possible, but it is not generally recommended. However, if the gravel in your driveway is small enough, it is possible to create a cement driveway over the existing one.
How much does it cost to pour a concrete patio?
Pouring a concrete patio costs between $1,533 and $4,740, with an average cost of $2,532. Pouring a concrete patio can cost $2,532 on average, with most homeowners spending between $1,533 and $4,740 or between $4.40 and $16 per square foot.
How deep do I need to dig for a concrete patio?
Excavate the slab area to a depth of about 7 inches, allowing 3 inches for a gravel base and 4 inches for concrete.
Do porches need footings?
Flat areas or very slightly sloped areas, still need a good foundation. Even if you have a patio porch, the slab still needs to be stable. Any shifting of the roof can cause consider damage to the home.
How much does an 80 pound bag of concrete cover?
80 lb bag of concrete cubic feet 80 lb bag of concrete yields 0.60 cubic feet which is approximately around 0.0222 cubic yards that will cover around 3.6 sq ft area up to standard depth of 2 inch excavation or backfills, and for 1 cubic feet of landfill you will need 1.66 bags of 80 lb concrete.
How much does a 10×10 concrete slab cost?
To pour a typical 10×10 concrete slab will cost $670 to $930, a 12×12 slab for a patio will cost $796 to $1,476, a 20×24 driveway slab runs between $1,440 and $3,360, and a 24×24 slab for a garage will cost $3,058 to $5,944. Get free estimates from concrete companies near you.
How many square feet does a 50 lb bag of cement cover?
Regarding this, how much does a 50 lb bag concrete cover?, as 133 lb concrete = 1 CF, so a bag of 50 lb concrete = 50/133 = 0.375 CF, therefore, a 50 lb bag of concrete approximately cover around 1.5 square feet area upto standard depth of depth of 3 inch for your patio and sidewalk.
How much weight can a 4 inch slab of concrete hold?
Typically we like to limit the weight to about 40 lb/sqft on an unknown 4″ slab. In most cases you can go to 80 lb/sqft in isolated spots, but unless you know roughly what the soil bearing and reinforcing is for that slab you might be looking at cracking.
Can I use chicken wire to reinforce concrete?
Chicken wire or wire mesh can be safely used as a reinforcement in concrete when the concrete is not used in structural or high-weight areas. The wire mesh or chicken wire can add stretching strength that concrete does not have, giving the concrete rigidity when facing specific pressures.
Which is better rebar or wire mesh?
In summary, rebar vs wire mesh can have costly differences. Rebar remains stronger and ensures consistent contact in the soil where as wire mesh is unpredictable and often results in a week concrete foundation.
How many inches of gravel do you need for a concrete slab?
You will need 3 inches of gravel under a concrete slab that is 4 inches thick. 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.
