I poured 12'x30' sections in an unheated garage in Binghamton NY. Every
section has a single crack making two 12'x15' pieces out of the original
12'x30' sections. I poured it on the dirt floor.
I expected it to crack. All concrete in large sections cracks, but it's
not moving around. It's still level. I have good drainage. No steel to
hold it together either. My basement floor and poured concrete walls in
my house are also cracked. I thought all large concrete sections crack.
Concrete shrinks when it dries -- it cracks. It's why they put crack
seams in sidewalks -- to hide the cracks.
Don Malling
Mark Hooper wrote:
> I sent this note in a couple of weeks ago, but don't think it made it
> through the list server, so I'm trying again.
>
> Sorry to bug the list with a non-LBC issue, but it is related to making a
> good living space for my TR6, so I think it's close enough to get through
> the list censor board. Then again perhaps that explains the failure of the
> first post to generate any replies.. :^)
>
> I've been planning to do a proper floor for my detached garage for a few
> years. This year appears to be the one.
>
> I had been planning to pour a concrete slab or two slabs for the 20'x25'
> space. However I am being counselled that since the building is not heated,
> the concrete will be cracked by the working of the soil no matter what
> reinforcement I put in unless I dig very deep (4'+). This is an un-insulated
> building, so heating it is out of the question here in Montreal. Also the
> back yard close to the garage gets very wet in the spring and fall so the
> frost could definitely break up a mere 6" slab of reinforced concrete.
>
> What we've been looking at is making a uniblock floor out of 12"x24"x4"
> paving stones. I did a uniblock deck with a friend 2 years ago and it's
> holding up really well. I'm told that because the stones stay separate, they
> can move slightly with the seasons and won't crack. The thing that worries
> me is with the cars running in and out in the same place, am I just going to
> end up with the stones sinking in and forming some cart-ruts in the floor.
> We would put in a foot or so of 0-3/4 gravel and then pound it down with a
> motorized sled before laying the stones. Has anybody got such a set-up?
> How's it doing?
>
> Another question is how was the vapour barrier managed? Under the gravel,
> between gravel and pavers? I don't want the TR6 sitting in a bucket of moist
> gravel all year round.
>
> Any advice/experienced observations would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Mark Hooper
> Montreal
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