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Concrete floor in a Pole Barn

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StoneGate
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 23 Ohio
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2004-06-08          88012

We are moving to 50 ac. in the country. There is a fairly new (3 yrs) 40 x 60 metal pole barn on the property. It has electric, lighting, water, gas, drains roughed int, etc., but the floor is still dirt/sand. I would appreciate any advice on installing a floor. My initial thoughts are that I want a vapor barrier of some sort and plenty of strength/thickness on at least the side where I will keep the tractor/implements. Also, can anyone tell me what I should expect to pay per sq. ft. for this project? Your thoughts are appreciated.

StoneGate


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grinder
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 677 central Maine
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2004-06-08          88013

A few?s
Do you plan on heating it?
How are the poles set? on top of the ground. On footings?
How deep?
How much frost do you get? ....

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beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1333 Michigan
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2004-06-08          88026

You only need the vapor barrier if you are going to heat it in the winter. A 6" slab with 6 x 6 mesh, no. 6 wire, and a 3500lb mix will have a shear strength that exceeds the bearing capacity of the soil. Make sure you place the slab over at least 3" of a well draining sand/gravel mix. Saw cut the slab at a 15 foot pattern within 5 days of placing the slab. A ratwall is a must, and should be placed to the frostline. A well done 6" slab should run about $4/sq ft, but will vary depending on where you are and market conditions. Good Luck. ....

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hared1112
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 25 Marshall, Mo.
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2004-06-08          88028

Don't know where you live, but I had a floor put in a 24'x30' pole barn a couple of years ago and they charged $2.50 per square foot, which included the reinforcing wire and cutting expansion grooves. ....

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beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1333 Michigan
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2004-06-08          88030

Did the $2.50/ sq foot include ratwalls? Ratwalls generally inrease the price to the $4 range. ....

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hared1112
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 25 Marshall, Mo.
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2004-06-08          88032

I'm not sure what a "ratwall" is. Never heard the term, so I guess the answer is 'no'. They used the bottom rail that the siding attaches to as the outside forms. ....

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StoneGate
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 23 Ohio
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2004-06-08          88076

Heat will be minimum, but by gas Reznor.
Poles are set on the ground.
Depth unknown.
Frost line is 30-36" (SE Ohio) ....

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StoneGate
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 23 Ohio
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2004-06-08          88077

Thanks Beagle. I'll add your suggestions to my specs. ....

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StoneGate
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 23 Ohio
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2004-06-08          88078

It looks like that will be the way this one is done also. Thanks.

StoneGate ....

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Billy
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 975 Southeast Oklahoma
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2004-06-08          88086

I had a 40x40 poured and finished, 2 years ago, for $1.50 a sq ft. It's 5" of 3500 lb mix, with reinforcement wire and a layer of visqueen. They only had to put a form up for one side.

Everyone else I contacted about this job wanted 2.50 to 3 bucks a sq ft. Shop around and you'll be surprised how much you can save.



....

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AnnBrush
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 463 Troy OH
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2004-06-09          88148

Hope there are no livestock in the barn's future. Concrete floor is a no-no as far as livestock are concerned. ....

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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2004-06-09          88182

I wonder what all these poor dumb farmers have used for floors for all these years, and continue to use? ....

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lucerne
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 192 Lucerne Maine
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2004-06-09          88185

Harvey, I see you have r 4's with chains front and rear, how do they work in the winter as far as ice or snow and on steep grades, looks like you have some grades there? Nice place. ....

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grinder
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 677 central Maine
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2004-06-10          88216

If you are not going to heat it,I would put an inch of styrofoam down to keep the frost from heaving it and breaking it. The posts are an unknown as far as any movement
unless you dig one and see what you have.Previous owner available?
The poly serves two purposes, a vapor barrier, which you don't need (unheated) but also gives you a harder concrete
by allowing it to stay wet longer in the cure process.
The longer the better. The floor finishers don't like it because they take for ever to set up. But will give you a much harder surface. Tire chains, changing implements etc.
If you pour it around those posts and they move?it will bust the floor. You can add fiber and go to a 4500 lb mix
for short money. I also take a piece of 2"x2" angle weld
a few 6" bolts to the inside and press it into the leading edge of the concrete(right after pouring)at your door entrance. It really saves that edge.
Good luck!
....

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beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1333 Michigan
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2004-06-10          88232

One other thing to add to your specs. Don't let them place the concrete with more than 4" of slump, and make sure the grade has been done properly to drain to a door or a floor drain, but still have consistancy in the thickness of the slab. If you don't keep the mix stiff ( less than 4" slump), you can expect cracks even if it is sawcut. Too much water in the mix increases curing shrinkage and will crack the slab. Inconsistancy in the thickness of the slab will also lead to cracks. Keep the mix stiff and consistant thickness for a good slab.

You can judge the slump by dropping a little concrete out of the chute onto the ground. If it stays mounded, with no run off, it is probably dry enough. A real slump test requires some equipment and procedures that probably aren't available to you. Good judgement is all that you will need. A lot of contractors like to add water to the mix to make it easier to place. Try to avoid this. Good luck. ....

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grinder
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 677 central Maine
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2004-06-11          88296

Beagle
Good advice, those guy's love to add the water don't they?
Make's it easier for them and the customer pays later with
a crappy result.
Put it in dry and keep it wet! ....

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AnnBrush
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 463 Troy OH
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2004-06-11          88320

Harvey, humm, sorry about that what I meant to say was cattle. ....

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LapinFarmer
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 22 Kenmore WA
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2004-06-26          89365

Stonegate,

If you plan to have any livestock of the four footed variety the National Electrical Code now requires that the entire slab be electrically grounded. Around here not all inspectors care, but some do and I know of one 24 stall barn floor that had to be ripped up and retrofitted.

You can just join all the rebar or wire mesh together and tie it into a grounding rod. Note that two footed critters (fowl) are exempt, but horses, cows, pigs and llamas etc. require it.

-Neal ....

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StoneGate
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 23 Ohio
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2004-06-26          89375

Thanks Farmer --

No animals in our future other than dogs and cat. ....

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lbrown59
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2004-09-18          96798

What's a rat wall >>>>>>>>>??????????? ....

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