Pole barn concrete dilemma

[jlesliel]

I've been lurking on this site for a few years now and seen many pole barns built here and have seen some really nice ones. I finally decided to go with a pole building vs stick built. My dilemma is how to do the concrete. I see most of you guys that build are up north and half to worry about the frost line. My decision was based on wind and mainly tornadoes. My plan was also based on building as I had the money so I had a structure with a roof built with intentions of finishing it myself. I now have the cash for the concrete but have 2 estimates that are way far apart price wise. I am asking for advice on what to do. I know you guys like pictures but, where do you want me to start? I have pics from bare dirt to current state.

 

[s219]

I got a high quote to start, but finally got more reasonable ones. So keep trying to get estimates. I think I called 8-9 contractors. Only three got back to me. Several did not return calls, and two were no-shows after promising to come by. Must be a nice business with more work than they need.

Typical price here in my area is $250-275 per yard for materials and labor.

 

[whistlepig]

For wind and tornadoes here we drilled holes in the poles and ran a full length of rebar across the floor through these holes. Then poured the concrete over this rebar.

 

[jlesliel]

I guess I should have been more clear. One guy wants to go in, put rebar on chairs and pour. The other says I need "beams" along withe the rebar . Beams are basically 6 inch wide, 6 inch deep trenches dug every 10 feet like a tic tac toe grid. Also he wants the same type of trench around the perimeter inside, between the poles. He then wants 1/2 inch rebar in those trenches. I don't see the need for all that after all I'm pouring 6 inches as it is to support a 15,000 lb motorhome.

 

[Ken45101]

Geesh, no wonder the variation in price!

Personally, if you have good solid ground underneath, I do not believe in the trenches or rebar. I like 6" fiber reinforced concrete. We have 1500' of driveway coming up a steep hill that was done that way 40 years ago (except there was no fiber back then). It's in great shape.

If you want more than 6" alone, pour 8". Concrete is cheap compared to the labor for all the fancy trenches, etc.

 

[leveled]

In my barn we did 5" and I used a really heavy plate compactor (heaviest I could rent) I put expansion board around each pole then soft cut the floor at each post as close as i could get to them, about 1 - 3 " it did finish on its own :thumbsup:. My floor has been in for 3 years and i have zero cracks.

 

[paulharvey]

I guess I should have been more clear. One guy wants to go in, put rebar on chairs and pour. The other says I need "beams". Beams are basically 6 inch wide, 6 inch deep trenches dug every 10 feet like a tic tac toe grid. Also he wants the same type of trench around the perimeter, between the poles. He then wants 1/2 inch rebar in those trenches. I don't see the need for all that after all I'm pouring 6 inches as it is to support a 15,000 lb motorhome.

The outside trench is called a "thick edge" on a monolithic slab, but it's really just a footer. Being that the building weight isn't really on the slab in a pole barn, it's not technically needed; but I would make sure you have at least a 6" slab with wire on compacted dirt for anything you drive on. The grid of 6" with rebar sounds like a lot of trouble, when you really probably should go 6" thick throughout. At the door/entrance I would make sure I made the edge a bit thicker and have rebar in it. In between the poles, the edges have no stress put on them unless your driving in/out at that location. Fiber is cheap and easy, but nothing makes up for a well compacted ground free from fat clays and organics. I've personally demoed a lot of concrete drives, and the ones with WWF (welded wire fabric) hold up better to beating on it with a back hoe, and generally are in good shape after years, where as the 4" slabs without wire are normally pretty broken up just from car traffic.

 

[jlesliel]

Well, around here, rebar is a must, i already have that bought and the chairs. I can see going with the beams in the tic tac toe grid for strength but to me the perimeter beam is a waste. Around here pole buildings are not common. My thinking is he is so used to pouring footers for stick built that he thinks I need them too.

 

[Ken45101]

As I understand it, rebar will not prevent cracks, that's more a function of the ground and the concrete pour. Rebar just prevents the cracked segments from shifting or moving.

 

[s219]

Around here, we call the thickened edge a "turndown". I am doing one simply to keep the fill bed contained so that it does not put pressure on the skirt board and bow the wall if there was settling. Turndowns can be dug with a flat bottom to be load bearing, but mine simply taper down.