Started By
Message

re: Replacing 20x20 wooden deck with concrete slab?

Posted on 6/12/21 at 9:40 am to
Posted by gumbeaux
Member since Jun 2004
4569 posts
Posted on 6/12/21 at 9:40 am to
quote:

Shouldn’t need rebar. Just some welded wire mesh. Doesn’t cost much.



The problem with welded wire mesh is that the Contractor just lays it on the ground. It does absolutely no good just laying on the ground. It needs to be about the mid-depth of the slab. A contractor will tell you “Oh, we have a hooked bar that we use to pick up the wire mesh into the wet concrete”. But the fact is the workers will then step on the wire mesh as they are spreading the concrete and rough finishing it. The wire mesh is back on the ground.

#3 or #4 rebar on 12””-18” spacing is a better option. There are rebar supports that the mat of rebar can rest on to keep it at mid-depth. The workers can actually stand on the mat or step in the holes to do their work.

The best option is fiber reinforced concrete. The concrete contains beauxoup fiberglass micro fibers all throughout the mix. It replaces any steel reinforcement and will better prevent any concrete cracking that you can still get from steel reinforcement. The cost is about $5-$10 more per cubic yard but you don’t have to pay for steel reinforcement. Any contractor should be familiar with it.
Posted by skidry
Member since Jul 2009
3356 posts
Posted on 6/12/21 at 9:52 am to
Fiber reinforcement is a profit center.

It does nothing more than prevent surface shrinkage cracking in the event the concrete surface dries out before it cures and that’s in a laboratory. Call the batch plant and ask them. They will tell you straight up if they are not criminals.

In the field, it only adds a few $ to the ready mix company’s bottom line.

Don’t buy it.
This post was edited on 6/12/21 at 9:54 am
Posted by gumbeaux
Member since Jun 2004
4569 posts
Posted on 6/12/21 at 10:19 am to
quote:

Fiber reinforcement is a profit center.

It does nothing more than prevent surface shrinkage cracking in the event the concrete surface dries out before it cures and that’s in a laboratory. Call the batch plant and ask them. They will tell you straight up if they are not criminals.

In the field, it only adds a few $ to the ready mix company’s bottom line.

Don’t buy it.


Nobody wants cracks. I used fiber reinforced concrete for my sidewalk, 300’ long driveway, and 36’x20’ patio. Not one crack 7 years later.
Posted by bluedragon
Birmingham
Member since May 2020
7828 posts
Posted on 6/13/21 at 2:21 pm to
I was laughing at 15 plus yards…
Posted by chaad
Member since May 2021
215 posts
Posted on 6/13/21 at 6:34 pm to
Call Kin Construction….they got some 5 star reviews.
Posted by Mr Fusion
The American Dream City
Member since Dec 2010
7461 posts
Posted on 6/1/22 at 7:56 pm to
Summer 2020, in DFW, I had ~400 sf concrete patio poured for $2,500. 4" thick, #3 rebar on 18" centers, 8" footing around the outside edge. I removed an old wooden deck myself, and did the rough grading by hand.

Hopefully that gives you a good ballpark. I imagine they'd have charged an additional $500-$1000 for the deck removal, because that was probably the some of the hardest physical labor I've ever done on my own.

You also need to consider access to the patio area. Is it in an area where they could back up a concrete truck? If not, is there a gate wide enough to get a transport buggy (assume 5' wide clear path)? Otherwise, your cost will go up and quality will go down if they have to transport it by wheelbarrow loads.
Posted by TigerVizz87
Member since Dec 2021
164 posts
Posted on 6/1/22 at 10:07 pm to
Concrete costs are ~135/yd in my area as of last week. You’ll want a 4” thick slab for that. Use 5” for your cost estimate since you will have some slight variation. If you want a pergola, have them dig a 10”x10” footing to support the weight.
Posted by Cracker
in a box
Member since Nov 2009
18337 posts
Posted on 6/9/22 at 4:44 pm to
Block two high fill with gravel pour 4 in slab on top
Posted by notsince98
KC, MO
Member since Oct 2012
18852 posts
Posted on 6/9/22 at 4:47 pm to
quote:

Ok, let’s say one foot thick


how about like 4"?

EDIT: late to the party.
This post was edited on 6/9/22 at 4:50 pm
Posted by notsince98
KC, MO
Member since Oct 2012
18852 posts
Posted on 6/9/22 at 4:49 pm to
quote:

Why not a raised paver type of patio?


Those are nice but probably looking at $10k+ for any reasonable size of one.
Posted by gerald65
Moss Bluff, LA
Member since Jul 2020
710 posts
Posted on 6/9/22 at 11:03 pm to
You asked about rebar drilled into the foundation. I did this when I added on the driveway to make it wider. I had a big 1/2 size drill and drilled 1/2 inch holes about every 3 feet. I drilled about 20 holes and stuck a 10" long piece of rebar in each hole.

I also dug out a few inches under the existing slab as a little footing. This was 20 years ago, and the two slabs have stayed level. Was this necessary.... IDK.
first pageprev pagePage 2 of 2Next pagelast page
refresh

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookTwitterInstagram