Concrete Calculations

[coxhw]

Need some technical advice. I'm pouring a 14'x25'x4" slab. The way I have it figured is that I will need 4.32 yards. I know that it will take a little more so I was going to round it up to 5yards. Is this enough or do I even have it figured right. Thanks expipefitter-operator, no concrete experience.

[Bird]

My calculations came up with the same numbers you got. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] 14 feet X 25 feet = 380...... times 1/3 because it is only 1/3 of a foot thick...... = 116.6 divide that by 27 and you get 4.32 cubic yards. I'm thinking that slabs are predictable enough that a full five yards might be overkill. That's OK if you have a place to put the excess, but just so you know it's going to be kind of fat with five yards. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] Maybe you can have a fleet of wheelbarrows standing by to catch any excess and then take the mud to other locations where previously-prepared contingency forms are ready to pour into for that extra step you always wanted in front of the greenhouse, or that slab for the garbage cans. [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] I have a buddy out in Californey who has livestock, and of course there is always a need for concrete in front of feed racks, so he has made a deal with the local concrete supplier to take excess concrete on a moments notice. So far he has poured more than a hundred feet of ten-wide concrete pad next to the feed bunks and the cost has only been the re-bar and some form lumber. He leap-frogs the forms every twenty feet or so. He gets loads that have been rejected by inspectors on bridge jobs or anywhere that strength is an issue. If the mud has been in the truck too long it is rejected because the reaction has already gone too far. That is what the rev counters on the drum are for. I have also received loads of concrete for minor slab work that had been rejected from highway overpass work or some other critical project. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[Pat]

I second the comment regarding having something ready as a contingency plan. Even if it is just a matrix of scrap 2x4 with no rebar set up in 2x2 foot squares. You will have a supply of relocatable stepping stones. Adding some scrap fencing or similar as reinforcing wire is even better if you have it available.

I used to have the trucks wash out on the down stream side of a dam that has my driveway going over it. This pretty much overflow proofed the back side of that dam.

If there is anything you may want concrete for, anything at all, better to include it in this load than to suffer short load charges doing it as a separate small project later. Even if you have to bribe a buddy or two to help with the finishing, beverages and snacks are cheaper than the short load charges.

Are you putting a small "porchlike" slab in front of any doors so you will have a place to stand out of the water and mud when entering and leaving?

Pat

[coxhw]

Thanks a million, I've got plenty of places to use the extra mud. Again thanks.