Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Help me make my first concrete slab...

Hi,

I'm tired of my tractor sitting in the mud behind my little shed. So I want to make a slab for it to sit on.

The actual dimensions are 10x9 under the lean to shed, but I think I want the slab to overhand a little so that would be like 12x10 feet. The slab should be 6 inches thick to come up to the floor of the shed.

I used some concrete calculator online that estimated 100 bags of concrete 80 lbs concrete.

I figured that I would just use my bucket on the tractor and drag the ground kind of flat, make a form and lay rebar or hardware cloth down. And, then get to mixing and sweep it after leveling.

Do I need to put a base layer of rock or pebbles down first? Do I need to put plastic down on the dirt after dirt prep?

After making it...how long until I can drive on it with my little tractor?

I figure we have some experts on this board and it's been a long time since I've been with the Seabees helping them out.

-John

PS This is a do this month or two project for fun and enjoyment, so no rush on the feedback.

I’m not a concrete expert but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn before. If the pad “overhangs” the cover I’d be sure to add a slight crown sloping away from the center or you could have water accumulate. I would absolutely build up a good base too. Even though 12x10 or thereabouts isn’t big id still be inclined to add a expansion joint or 2 for good measure.

Take some pictures and post them up and I’m sure you’ll have some great advice from guys that actually know….a little photo montage of your project would be cool. 👍🏼

Good luck

if the ground is well compacted, no need for gravel fill. No need for plastic either.

It is going to take much longer than you anticipate hand mixing the bags of Quickrete. If possible, truck it in or even get one of those small towable mixers with a load. Get a long 2x4 to lay across the top of the forms. Get someone to help you work it back and forth to level the concrete. You can spoon a shovel load into the low spots to bring them up. Get a cheap push broom to give the surface a broomed finish while it is still workable. A good rule of thumb is waiting a week before driving on it.

Hire a contractor- - - -you'll come out money and time ahead. I poured a 24 X 40 foot slab 6 inches deep for my shop a few years back, and royally screwed up the project- - - -waves in the floor that couldn't be leveled even with a rented power trowel machine because we picked a 100 degree summer day to do the pour. Last month I needed a wheelchair ramp to the back door of the house so my 85 year old BIL can be hauled back and forth to the doctor on a regular basis, and a 16 X 20 foot ramp to the shop door. A contractor spent one day prepping the site and the next day pouring- - - -professional quality work, done fast, on budget, and not one wetback on the crew! I'll use them again!

Order 2.5 yards of class A concrete from your local ready mix company. Have them put fiber in it, and don’t worry about rebar. Set and brace 2x6 forms. Pour and level with a long 2X4. Broom finish after an hour or two, depending on weather conditions. A buddy on the other end of that 2x4 would be nice. You’ll want rubber boots, shovels, and rock rakes.

Take this advice and run with it.

100 bags is exactly what the pour takes if your grade is bang on the money. If you are not going to compact and want to fill a bit, use pea gravel. It's round and will not compact.

You're going to want to saw cut it on day 2 and keep it wet as long as you can. You can get on it in a week but no tire scrubbing turns and build up the edges where you access the slab to no load the edge.

I'd have 10 extra bags myself and for a first time guy....20 might not be a bad idea.

Comes to 2 1/4 cubic yards. You don't need plastic or rock base. Wire mesh is a good idea. You sure you want to hand mix 100 bags? Also, keep in mind the sackcrete they sell is only 4 sack equivalent, so not very strong. You have a bull float, fresno, rod stick and edger?

I'd pay to have it delivered unless you have a u-cart batch plant nearby. Backfill a ramp to slab level and you can park on it in 14 days or so.

Ok, Paula, build your own house then LOL

I have helped pour a few slabs. Nothing ever that small. We have made good use of "stockade panels" as rebar on smaller pours. Just lift them a couple inches off the dirt with small rocks or such.


Panels are easier for the average consumer to acquire and transport than a small piece of rebar mesh.

One other thought: gravel or sand is a lot cheaper than cement, and a lot less labor intensive to place. I would consider a 4 inch slab as plenty adequate to park any personal vehicle or small tractor.

It would be worth your time effort and money to put down 4" crushed/compacted gravel under your new pad. It will help with drainage and help keep your slab from uneven settling and cracking. You should put a construction joint down the middle of your poured slab. When the slab dries it will shrink and crack. If you give it a weak place to crack (the construction joint) it will crack there instead of where you don't want it to. It will crack.

To figure how much concrete you need multiply the length X width X depth / 27 to get to cubic yards. 10'x12'x.5'=60 / 27 = 2.22cy.

Iffin I read it right ? 100 bags mixed in a mixer ?

I'd be calling a redi mix truck......or just a contractor

Seems its a 3 yard minimum here......

contractor could maybe schedule two small pours the same day

Concrete work is work from the start to finish

Rule of thumb for joint spacing is take your thickness change it to feet and double it (in your case a joint every 12').

That said I'd run a deep V-groover right across the middle.

Sam isn't on here yet?

If you are going to invest your $$$ Make sure and get a quality job.

I've done more than my share of concert work. I start sweating when I see the mud coming out of the truck.

That would work.

If you go ahead yourself (I'd hire it out myself), I'd use at least 2 control joints and divide the job into 3 days, doing one section each day.That way, you can use 2x6 framing all the way around each section. This helps when you screed it off. Get that section done and move your framing to the next section. It also helps you finish what you've poured. Last thing you want is to be mixing and screeding when you really should be finishing. On real hot and dry days, it will set quickly, so be prepared. 4 or 5 inches of commercial concrete should be sufficient, but with Sakrete, it really depends on which product you use and how well you get things done.

Hell, the pad is only ten feet wide.

It is a pad to park a small tractor. Not the floor of the Taj Mahal. If it turns out that an 1/8" of water stands on it after a rain, so what. If that matters, crown it 1/2 in the center.


I would be more concerned with a broomed finish or aggregate thrown over top before it dried so an old guy does not fall on his ass when stepping off the tractor.

A RUSH concert?

No one has said it yet so I will----- After your broom finish cover the entire green concrete slab with clear plastic. and keep it on for 7 days. The plastic will hold the moisture in and on top of the slab. Very important for proper curing.----- Do not mix all that concrete by hand. --- your wire mesh should be set on brick , concrete blocks, or chairs with 2" of cover underneath. 2 1/2 yds of 3500 psi with 4" slump Good luck

You’re a fugking idiot if you mix 100 bags of quick krete by hand