lopylui Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 (edited) Any ideas on a cheap way to aquire concrete im wanting to lay a slab 14' x 11' and 6-8" deep but i dont fancy paying £700 from local suppliers as i would rather mix my own if it lowers the cost. Edited February 19, 2018 by lopylui Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 Thats a very short runway ? 1' thick,then i would assume there is a mass of steel and therefore a specified mix so hand mix is a no no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 What is it intended for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopylui Posted February 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 (edited) A slightly overkill base for new workshop... No rebar reinforcement planned thus far. Planning to leave a few inches above ground level. Edited February 18, 2018 by lopylui Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 We had a truck workshop built about 20 years ago it was an 8" slab and it hasn't cracked yet. Are you sure you need 12". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopylui Posted February 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 Depth itsnt for holding weight more for bolting down machines and ground anchor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 1 minute ago, lopylui said: Depth itsnt for holding weight more for bolting down machines and ground anchor I wouldn't worry about the anchor,its never gonna take off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 I would build trench foundations 1st, build up 2 blocks then DPM inside then fill with concrete base. You will have a life of water egress if you build on a raft. Unless of course your on about a timber shed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston72 Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 (edited) thats about 5 cubic metres trust me thats the hardest work your ever gonna do to hand mix that lot, buy premixed and have it delivered Edited February 18, 2018 by Winston72 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 2 minutes ago, Winston72 said: thats about 5 cubic metres trust me thats the hardest work your ever gonna do to hand mix that lot, buy premixed and have it delivered And thats well over 10 tonne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 3 minutes ago, Winston72 said: thats about 5 cubic metres trust me thats the hardest work your ever gonna do to hand mix that but premixed an have it delivered Correct, on the plus side you could start bolting stuff down on the area you started on while the end is still going off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston72 Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 (edited) 5 minutes ago, vampire said: And thats well over 10 tonne And back breaking,say 9 jumbo bags of aggregate and about 45 bags of cement and a week to mix it all Edited February 18, 2018 by Winston72 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopylui Posted February 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 Ground anchor for chaining stuff down motorbike(s) etc, would be mixing in a machine and back breaking work for one but i would be calling in a few favours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitehackle Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 Dont need 12". What bolts will you be using to fix down with? 100mm rawl bolts?. Go 125mm of concrete with reinforcing mesh in it. You need visqueen under it for damp. If you dont want to build blocks, create a nice timber shutter, that will be left. And have your visqueen inside. The cut it off after Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 Even if you have a load of ready mix I sugest you ask around a few pals to come along and give a hand. I laid 4 cube for a base in a barbecue area and with four of us we managed the job but enjoyed that mug of tea at the end even though the truck could reverse to within a yard of where we wanted it. For what a sheet of reinforcing mesh costs I would include that as well. Never hurts to over egg a job like that but a foot thick seems a bit much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopylui Posted February 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 Duly noted. Iv got a few people owe me favours that will help out. Might have to go 8" deep with reinforcing fibers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston72 Posted February 18, 2018 Report Share Posted February 18, 2018 how far from where it will be dropped do you have to barrow it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopylui Posted February 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2018 8 hours ago, Winston72 said: how far from where it will be dropped do you have to barrow it? About 40 yards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delwint Posted February 19, 2018 Report Share Posted February 19, 2018 You can build a house on 225mm deep foundations so your way overkill on the 300 deep. 150 deep is ample Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted February 19, 2018 Report Share Posted February 19, 2018 (edited) When I built my workshop, I laid about 8 inches of rubble down and compacted it, then laid about 3" of concrete on top. This has remained stable for over 25 years with a heavy lathe, drilling machine and work-bench and vice bolted to it. It could do with another coat of floor-paint though Edited February 19, 2018 by amateur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haynes Posted February 19, 2018 Report Share Posted February 19, 2018 4inch is standard, 6inch is heavy duty and 8inch is industrial. The quality of concrete varies with price. From foundation mix upwards. If you hand mix then don't scrimp on cement. Easily done. The mix you order ie c15 or c35 etc relates to the amount of cement per ton. C35 - 350kg per ton. Easier to get that amount delivered. Just put in 4- 6 in of concrete down with mesh if you need to. You won't save hundreds of pounds hand mixing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worzel-gummidge Posted February 19, 2018 Report Share Posted February 19, 2018 18mm plywood for your shuttering, timber battens for stakes to hold the shuttering in place. 50mm type 1 road stone (compacted) 100mm C35 mix of concrete with or without fibres. Make a tamp up for tamping down the concrete (4"x 2" timber length) Trowel to float off the top of concrete after tamping (if you want a smooth finish) Hire a cement mixer and a few mates. 1 days work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopylui Posted February 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2018 Cheers fellas been talking to a few local suppliers and we have an idea what were doing. Ill add a new thread when the work starts so you can keep us in check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddoakley Posted February 19, 2018 Report Share Posted February 19, 2018 A decent rule of thumb is that 1m3 of concrete weighs 2.2t. Take out the water (surrisingly little) and that would equate to about 1.5t of all-in and your cement. In these parts the all-in if bought loose would be about £70 and the cement- lets say 10 bags another £50ish so £120. We buy ready mix for under £100/m3. You might pay a premium for part loads. Even then by the time you consider the labour ready mix is the way to go. As for the depth, make sure the sub base is well compacted and suitable. Larger hardcore is ok with type 1 on top. Compact several times. 4" concrete is plenty for most applications if the base is good. Hope it works out. Edd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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