Garage/Shop - Concrete Floor Install

[@1345mack]

Thank you for sharing, Your shop looks Amazing

[@restorationworks7987]

Very good job on the build

[@drrice]

That's a nice looking shop.

[@ShawnFerret]

drrice Thanks!

[@kylebricker6248]

Looks great! per usual for G&S Concrete!

[@ShawnFerret]

Still looking great after 2 years!

[@helenaferret1758]

Amazing!

[@sniffinsproductions4718]

Yay a new video I love it

[@ShawnFerret]

Mitchell reed thank you!

[@dpd588]

Nice barn Shawn! I’m on the east side of Michigan south of Port Huron. Just had a 32x48 built with 15’ walls. I noticed you didn’t use a vapor barrier under concrete floor. How’s that holding up a year later?

[@ShawnFerret]

Frank Bica thanks! Sounds like you’ve got an awesome building. I’m just east of Ann Arbor. The floor is looking great, no moisture coming up through it, but I haven’t heated the building yet. I sealed it with Super Diamond Clear from Euclid Chemical. I also have a house on a slab built in 1985 with no vapor barrier and have no issues with the house.

[@dpd588]

Shawn Ferret that sounds great!! Thanks for the update!

[@gregorymatson1423]

Where is the rebar

[@ShawnFerret]

Gregory Matson I chose not to use rebar at the recommendation of some professionals, and my city did not require it. The floor doesn’t bear the weight of the building in this application, so it’s just a floating slab. I did use fiber reinforced concrete.

[@MichaelJeffers75]

4" slab with no rebar? Did you get any cracks yet now that it's 6 months old?

[@ShawnFerret]

Michael J nope, no cracks!

[@restorationworks7987]

@@ShawnFerret, what psi cement did you use?

[@ShawnFerret]

my2car garage 4000 psi and fiber reinforced

[@jaimo929]

Fibre reinforced = no mesh

[@markhickey5610]

How big is the garage door?

[@ShawnFerret]

18’x10’

[@schwazelbacher]

I'm no professional, but you mentioned installing a lift inside. Is 4in concrete enough to safely support lift posts? Something to look into if you haven't. Shop looks great.

[@ShawnFerret]

marty walters you’re right, 4” isn’t enough. Most 10k 2-post lifts require 4.25” minimum. I didn’t show it in the video but I dug the sand out where the lift will be installed so it has about 6” in that area.

[@schwazelbacher]

@@ShawnFerret good to know. Didn't want to see anyone get hurt!

[@toddchapman3032]

Where in Michigan? I'm looking for someone to put up a similar building. Is there anyone you recommend? Thanks!

[@ShawnFerret]

Todd Chapman I’m in Belleville/Canton/Ypsi area. I bought my materials from Chelsea Lumber and was very happy with their customer service. They will subcontract a building crew if you want to pay them to put the building up. Mans Lumber and Menards will both design buildings for you as well.

[@joegf1739]

If you had to do it all over again, would you trench the rat wall at the same time you place the main posts? Just looked like a lot of digging that could have been done earlier on. Beautiful building and super helpful, thank you!

[@ShawnFerret]

Joe GF I really thought about that, but this was a way to delay any concrete costs for about a year, and start using the building before incurring that expense. If money was no object, I may have done it when I set the posts, although at that point it might make more sense to just dig a full footer and stick build. If I do another one I will stick build it for sure.

[@joegf1739]

@@ShawnFerret Thanks, good to know. Why would you stick build vs pole next time though? Pole build seemed like a great way to go.

[@ShawnFerret]

Joe GF the lumber cost would have been about the same either way, and with the rat wall the concrete cost was similar. I think stick build would have added more value to the property though - appraisers seem to like them better, and next time I’d prefer to have no lumber in contact with the ground. Time will tell how it holds up. There are some other reasons too... like it’s very hard to get the walls to look straight framing this way. They are not perfectly straight on my building if you look down the side. The metal conforms to the bows of the flat 2x4s, so despite the posts being perfect you get bowing in and out because the 2x4 lumber is not perfect - more so when laid flat. I also think a metal sided building built this way with exposed fasteners is just not that secure. You can take 8 screws off a piece of the wainscot and get into the building through the siding easier than picking a lock. The style of framing itself has also presented some annoying challenges when going to insulate and drywall... I’ll spare you the details. Sorry for the long reply. I’m certainly happy with the result, and it makes a great storage building, but I think for a working shop or in terms of overall investment I could have done a little better.

[@joegf1739]

@@ShawnFerret Really appreciate your thoughts. I'm getting ready to build one myself and this has been incredibly helpful. I was dead set on a pole build but now I'm reconsidering. I'm not too far from you - up in Brandon Twp - so I would imagine I'll run into similar codes and challenges. So what would you have done - pour a 4" slab first, then build up from there?

[@ShawnFerret]

Joe GF you’re probably right about the codes since you are in Michigan. I did learn a lot from talking with the township on their requirements though, so definitely worth a visit to the building department during your planning phase. They will dictate size, height, setback, etc, and can tell you how they want the foundation done if you want to stick build. I like the builds where the footer gets poured, then a row or two of blocks, then pour a floating slab inside of that. You get some extra height out of the walls with the blocks, and then your lumber is nowhere near the ground - similar to how a house would be built.

[@shawndoyle6460]

Why 2x4 boards ... I would worry about them rotting and creating a void... and no rebar or wire mesh I would be worried about cracks....

[@ShawnFerret]

Shawn Doyle the 2x4s were removed during the pour. The concrete is fiber reinforced. No cracks yet.

[@monstersquashracing]

Nice work man. What size rock is in the gravel?

[@ShawnFerret]

Monster squash Racing I’m not sure, sorry. I didn’t place the order myself.

[@windygorge1]

man, they seemed to cut really deep for control joints.

[@ShawnFerret]

So deep

[@milliondollar2981]

😮dont you guys have hose pump trucks, to pump ot in by a hose

[@ShawnFerret]

It just costs extra.