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Can you pour a concrete slab in an existing building?
I am buying a property that has a steal building on it. Well, four walls and a roof, no floor. The floor is dirt. I would like a concrete slab, instead of a dirt floor. Are there any concrete gurus out there that can tell me if a slab can be poured inside an existing building? without moving, or tearing down and rebuilding over a foundation? The building will be used as a workshop and is on rural land so it doesn't have to be to code.
14 Answers
- Rebel1Lv 61 decade agoFavorite Answer
Should not see a problem however some excavation may need to be done in order to lay your bed of crushed stone or hardcore for the concrete to rest on you don't give the sq footage of the building that would give me an idea as to the amount you might need and as for the depth of the slab I would recommend 4" of re-inforced concrete and a 4" hardcore base depending on the size you might manage it yourself but hiring a contractor is also an option you should look into.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Yes you can do that. Generally a 2 stage process as different concrete is used on the floor than on the foundation.
What you got to do is dig a ditch alongside the outer wall(more or less getting under the walls - or at least partially under) and down a couple of feet. Code is 4ft, so basically what you are doing is building the foundation wall (after the fact). You probably can dig out all four sides that way. And anywhere else there is a support wall.
That is the "grunt work". Once that is dug out lay in re-bar and tie it together. Then the concrete can be poured in there to build the walls. Not quite up to top of floor height, just to fill in the ditch you dug..
After that hardens you can prep the floor surface. If it is just a large steel barn, then lay re bar on the floor in a criss cross pattern and tie together and support up the air with stones.. This is so the cement will get under the rebar and be in the cement.
Now get a big cement truck in there to pour the entire floor. Smooth. Job done.
Source(s): Did a small house same way. - How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
- 1 decade ago
Pouring a slab in an existing building is no challenge for a good contractor. The prep work before the pour is what makes all the difference. The dirt floor needs to be excavated and vapor barriers, rebar, gravel, etc. needs to be installed. Proper compaction of soil is necessary before pouring. In some cases a drain system may need to be added.
Source(s): Experience - 5 years ago
I've done jobs like this all the time. When we do these jobs we put expansion on the sides of the building. And it depends on you on how many pours you want to do. We have done it in just one big pour to doing it in three sections. Then just have the truck back in. Sometimes at the entrance the truck might hit the top of the door the just change the grade. Then when your close the the end just fix it and set up the forms to close it.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
you will probably have to dig down so your floor will meet your door height. if the dirt has been in place for many years , you will probably only have to grade it down 4 in. for the concrete as the floor will already be compacted from years of use...may or may not need a form around the perimeter...
- Redneck TexanLv 71 decade ago
No problem, it's done all the time, Nothing special, just do it like any other slab. We would try to save this type of pour for cold or bad weather.
- BertLv 61 decade ago
yes you can pour concrete in the building - and as far as codes goes you do need to meet codes even in a rural building!
- 5 years ago
I think Sri Vidya Rajgopalan has given the correct answer. But the Answer is very long. Let me explain you in short. Ram built a Bridge instead of ship because he thought, if in the war with Ravana more army of Varana is required then it will be easy to bring reinforcement through a Bridge Than to send ship.