Monolithic floating slab.

RJ

"Anthony" wrote in message
...
(GJRepesh) wrote in
:

I'm looking into expanding my current shop. I would like some input
from recent shop projects. Comments on things you did right and wrong.
What do you wish you had done. Things you did that didn't pay off.
Type of construction. I'm looking for ideas. I'm near Dallas TX. I've
talked to the city and know about size constraints, etc. It can be 15
feet tall at the highest roof point.

My existing shop is 20 x 24. This would be incorportated into a larger
shop of 28 x 40 or 30 x 40. One of my concerns is the existing slab.
It was cracked along the long axis and the back half has slopped into
the good old tx black gumbo. I have filled the cracks and the floor
has held up the last eight years. Shifts a little in the summer. Do I
need to replace the slab? Have a foundation company relevel and
install support piers? Ideas? I probably can build part of the
expansion and move my machines into the new location. That would free
up the existing area to redo.

I'd appreciate some ideas.

Gary Repesh


Some Idea's:
1. Redo the slab, make it a 'floating' foundation typical of use in soft-
soil areas. (Floating foundations are built by creating a steel lattice
of the entire floor and footers, which are then all poured at one time.
This creates a solid strong structure which will withstand quite a bit of
shifting of the dirt underneath.)
2. Pour the floor at least 6" thick if you plan to put machinery on it,
8" would be better if you plan on having larger equipment in the future.
The use of fibered high-strength concrete is advisable also.
3. Install plenty of electrical service reserve capacity. If you only
need a 200 Amp service now, install a 400 Amp service to make sure you
have enough capacity for expansion in the future.
4. Install plenty of outlets.
5. Install plenty of air outlets in the pneumatic plumbing.
6. Run the pneumatic plumbing of sufficient size to allow for expansion.
(The price difference between 1/2" pipe and 3/4" pipe is not that much.)
7. Very important!.. Do a full lay-out of the shop, including ALL
equipment, power connections, pneumatics, computers, data lines, and
everything else BEFORE you start construction. Lots of headaches can be
avoided by doing this.


--
Anthony

You can't 'idiot proof' anything....every time you try, they just make
better idiots.

Remove sp to reply via email