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Slab question for building a house
Posted on 10/8/15 at 2:00 pm
Posted on 10/8/15 at 2:00 pm
In the process of building and considering going with stained concrete in some areas of the house. People I've talked to who had it done went with a post tension slab. My builder is telling me it's unnecessary and only adds to cost. Is he just saying this because it affects his bottom line or should I take other people's advice?
Building in South Louisiana close to the river so alot of hard clay under the topsoil. TIA
Building in South Louisiana close to the river so alot of hard clay under the topsoil. TIA
12
Posted on 10/8/15 at 2:08 pm to jmh5724
go ask this on the OT
Posted on 10/8/15 at 2:13 pm to jmh5724
For a number of years, not so much anymore, there were some problems with post-tension slabs and house pilings. Not a big issue anymore but just make sure your concrete guy knows what he is doing.
Posted on 10/8/15 at 2:15 pm to jmh5724
We bought a home with stained concrete flooring ... Home does have a post tension slab. Not sure if needed.
Posted on 10/8/15 at 4:09 pm to jmh5724
All slabs crack, period. Crack does not mean failure. With that being said, post tension will crack less. Personally I think the hair line cracks give a stained floor more character. If seeing cracks in the slab will bother you, then post tension is what you want. Just note that even then you will still have/see cracks.
Posted on 10/8/15 at 4:29 pm to jmh5724
My builder told me the same so we went with a regular slab. We have lots of stained concrete and it looks very cool.
Posted on 10/8/15 at 4:31 pm to jmh5724
Post tension slab will make the slab more rigid overall, causing less cracks. Assuming your house is slab on grade rather then on piles, it's probably unnecessary- though that's also assuming you have adequate bearing capacity for soil, which for SELA is often questionable.
It's really a geotechnical engineering question, rather than a structural one.
Could be that the builder doesn't know how to do it or is worried he won't get the job if you insist on it. Ask a geotechnical for a site visit and/or soil borings if you're concerned about it.
It's really a geotechnical engineering question, rather than a structural one.
Could be that the builder doesn't know how to do it or is worried he won't get the job if you insist on it. Ask a geotechnical for a site visit and/or soil borings if you're concerned about it.
Posted on 10/8/15 at 4:50 pm to jmh5724
quote:
went with a post tension slab
Coloring the concrete shouldn't have an effect on what type of slab you are using...
Posted on 10/9/15 at 5:20 am to jmh5724
We really need an all things housing board
Posted on 10/9/15 at 7:51 am to jmh5724
You don't need a post tension slab. Whichever you pick they will both have cracks.
Posted on 10/9/15 at 8:59 am to jmh5724
One thing I considered is you can't anchor a safe to a post tension slab. I have a 64 gun safe in my man cave. If I would have went with post tension I wouldn't have been able to bolt it to the slab. Just something to consider.
Posted on 10/12/15 at 7:22 am to jmh5724
Do a compaction test.
Use a post tension slab.
Prepare the concrete correctly to receive stain.
Good luck.
Use a post tension slab.
Prepare the concrete correctly to receive stain.
Good luck.
Posted on 10/12/15 at 10:02 am to jmh5724
I don't live in Louisiana, so I'm not familiar with the soils. However, post-tensioned slabs are typically utilized where you have plastic subgrade soils that change volume when they get wet or dry out a lot. If that's not true where you are building, then post-tensioning is probably not necessary.
This post was edited on 10/12/15 at 10:03 am
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