Replies

1. 
   timkline | Apr 29, 2003 05:38am | #1

   48" or 36" ?  Which would you choose to work in ?  The 48", of course.  Depending on your water table, humidity levels, drainage system and quality of the waterproofing on the foundation walls, yes, you can successfully condition your crawlspace. 1" of concrete (concrete is made with cement) is not going to cut it unless you want a cracked mess. You'll be much happier keeping 3" to 4" as a minimum slab thickness.

   carpenter in transition

1. 
   Alpalmer | Apr 29, 2003 03:38pm | #3

   Thanks for your thoughts. One of the ideas was that subs could roll around on creepers in the 36" height which would be better than crawling around on stone in a 48". The one inch thick dimension also seems thin to me. Thanks again.

1. 
   xMikeSmith | Apr 29, 2003 07:19pm | #4

   forget the concrete unless you want to pour a 3" minimum..

    why not just throw ( cast ) 1 " of mason's sand over the foamboard / poly....

   with the limited access your are planning on.. the concrete is a waste of time and moneyMike Smith   Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

2. 
   FrankB89 | Apr 29, 2003 06:05am | #2

   I agree with Tim...I really love ratslabs in crawlspaces, but cement is cheap and 3 or 4 inches is the ticket.

    

3. 
   rjw | Apr 30, 2003 04:28am | #5

   Very few rat floors here in NW Ohio; and I've never seen foam on the floor of a crawl either.

   Just use a good vapor barrior, leave an opening so that the conditioned air you blow in escapes out (you don't really want to recirculate the crawl space air through the living area.)

   Don't put the furnace in the crawl.  Every furnace I see in a Toldeo crawl has been neglected and has a short life expectency.

   What part of Toledo are you building in? There are some neighborhoods with fairly high water tables.

   And who's doing the foundation?  Unified?

   _______________________

   10 .... I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.

   11 For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have--Jesus Christ.

   1 Corinthians 3:10-11

1. 
   Alpalmer | Apr 30, 2003 04:16pm | #7

   Thanks for your comments. We are building this house on Gribbin lane. That is off Lewis, just north of Alexis. Water table is not a problem since the lots all sit high above the creek in the back. We will be pouring the foundation ourselves, i.e., with volunteers. We feel that we can do this, thereby reducing our house costs. Concrete has been donated so our outlay is for stone, pipe, and the icf blocks. Any additional comments welcomed. You can even come out and help. (grin).

   Thanks again.

4. 
   Graybeard | Apr 30, 2003 05:26am | #6

   Our local affiliate, (Port Huron, MI),  put on a seminar with Graham Davis as the key speaker. He is with Habitat International and is their "Green Team" Coordinator, green as in energy and ecological efficient. Super knowledgeable and is very approachable. Contact him about your concerns a [email protected]. My thoughts; (1) If there is a chance of water infiltration, don't do the concrete, you will end up with a "cement pond". Otherwise you will have to add perimeter draining and add a floor drain. (2) 36" and leave a creeper in the crawl space for anyone having to work down there, most contractors or volunteers won't have one. (3) 3" minimum, 1" will be nothing but a mess in a short time. (4) Insulated the foundation. (5) Let us know what you guys end up doing.

1. 
   Alpalmer | Apr 30, 2003 04:19pm | #8

   Thanks for your response. We have been to Davis seminars and agree that they are great. Contacting him with our plans is a great suggestion. We will keep you posted. Does your affiliate do your own foundations?