HOs want simple (read inexpensive) barn like storage building behind their house. Can I cut costs by putting up pole barn and pouring concrete floor inside it w/o footers, just isolating the floor from the poles with sill sealer? How much steel do I need in the floor to keep it from breaking up over time as it floats up and down on the ground?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Skim-coating with joint compound covers texture, renews old drywall and plaster, and leaves smooth surfaces ready to paint.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
member since 2002 and this is your first post? - I wish I had your control....
lots of pole buildings have just the situation you describe -
how big is the building and where (generally) is it located?
the proposed building is 20x20. mid-hudson vally NY so there is considerable freezing to deal with
How much steel -
how thick is the slab, what kind of soils and how much loads will be placed on it?????
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
I don't know the soil for sure, maybe sandy clay? The loads on the floor are light: a garden tractor lawn mower, brush chipper, boxes of things that should have been thrown out but might be useful some day. My worry is the frost heaving of the slab. I want the whole thing to go up and down in one piece and not break-up.
Keep the water away from the building, that's half the battle for freeze/thaw problems. What your proposing is not a whole lot different than a detached garage.
It will likely be a 3 to 4 inch pour
Do not go less than 4" and tie the #4 rebar in a grid 24" sq
If it were on more stable compacted gravel you could get away with 3" and 36" but it sounds like you are covering native soil.Best - and what I do - is to replace soil with compacted inch minus 18" deep with drain lines under it. That way, there is no water to freeze and heave, but that gets expensive so if all they want is minimal loading and a lower budget job, do the best you can with it.The cracks you are talking about avoiding are structural stress cracks.
You can help avoid shrinkage cracks by placing this and finishing it with a low slump pour. The more water you add, the more prone to shrinkage it is, and too many concrete guys place it too wet because it is easier to place. 'course they have to wait longer to get on it too.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
You can just put down crushed gravel if simple is what they want. Works pretty good for storage.
HOs want concrete w/ vapor barrier to control damp and to be able to sweep the floor.
In W. Ks. there is a company that has built hundreds of pole buildings in my area like you described.
I've noticed almost all of them have gutters, even though we have a pretty dry climate.
I don't know if that is to protect the posts, to keep water from getting under the slab,or both.
One thing to beware of: The pole barn folks spec their barns in terms of "side height". This is not the clear height inside, but some other measure somewhat less connected to reality. Since you generally lose some height with a concrete floor you need to make sure you'll still be OK.