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Started By
Message
Proper Base For Concrete Patio?
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:10 pm
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:10 pm
Having a concrete patio poured and been taking bids from various contractors.
2 of the contractors have said they'll use "cushion sand" as the base and then pour 4" slab. 1 contractor has said he'll use road base, which is basically recycled concrete. I'm a little confused as to why anyone would use sand as a base? I've always been taught that your project, whether it be paver patio or concrete, is only as good as your base. Sand is fine as the 2nd layer, but shouldn't rock or gravel be the primary layer?
I asked about the sand and was told that it's a better base than gravel b/c it compacts better and won't shift, but if I want rock, he can do that for same cost. Seemed to think using gravel base for a patio was the stupidest thing he's ever head.
Edited to add: I'm in Dallas
So knowledgeable guys of the OT, what's up?
2 of the contractors have said they'll use "cushion sand" as the base and then pour 4" slab. 1 contractor has said he'll use road base, which is basically recycled concrete. I'm a little confused as to why anyone would use sand as a base? I've always been taught that your project, whether it be paver patio or concrete, is only as good as your base. Sand is fine as the 2nd layer, but shouldn't rock or gravel be the primary layer?
I asked about the sand and was told that it's a better base than gravel b/c it compacts better and won't shift, but if I want rock, he can do that for same cost. Seemed to think using gravel base for a patio was the stupidest thing he's ever head.
Edited to add: I'm in Dallas
So knowledgeable guys of the OT, what's up?
This post was edited on 11/13/17 at 6:18 pm
15
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:13 pm to SirSaintly
quote:
I'm a little confused as to why anyone would use sand as a base?
Most common type of fill in sela bro. The last school I did was 150,000sf built on sand base.
For a patio there’s nothing wrong with sand. Make sure your contractor at least puts wire mesh in the slab though. It’s worth it.
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:14 pm to SirSaintly
I’d find out what kind of base they used on the quad and go with that.
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:16 pm to SirSaintly
frick whoever did the patio base on my house, frick cable lock for not catching the frick up when we had them inspect the base before buying, frick the house inspector as well
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:17 pm to elprez00
quote:
Most common type of fill in sela bro.
I'm in Dallas on expansive clay soil that wildly contracts and expands depending on moisture.
They'll all be using 3/8" rebar as well.
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:19 pm to SirSaintly
Sand can carry a higher weight load than silt or clay and has more porosity than the finer silt and clay particles. Silt and clay will expand and shrink during periods of wet and dry.
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:33 pm to ThatMakesSense
quote:
Sand can carry a higher weight load than silt or clay and has more porosity than the finer silt and clay particles. Silt and clay will expand and shrink during periods of wet and dry.
So sand is an ok base for a 4" concrete slab? Everyone else I've talked to suggested road base, which is basically gravel. That's why I was so surprised when the contractors specified sand. I know that all concrete cracks, but I'd rather not have it heave & shift etc
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:38 pm to SirSaintly
quote:
I'm in Dallas
Make sure you check your parks hoa rules first
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:39 pm to SirSaintly
Sand is a common base material for residential foundations.
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:39 pm to SirSaintly
Is your house built on road base ?
No
Sand is fine for a little 4 inch patio
No
Sand is fine for a little 4 inch patio
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:43 pm to Drop4Loss
My house is a pier and beam. The piers rest on bedrock. Many slab foundation homes in Dallas are fricked up b/c of the expansive clay soil.
I'd like to have the patio done correctly so that it's not all jacked up in 5 yrs b/c of the shitty base.
I'd like to have the patio done correctly so that it's not all jacked up in 5 yrs b/c of the shitty base.
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:44 pm to SirSaintly
Sand is acceptable.
What's your native soil like?
You could go native soil, then gravel as sub base, then sand as base and pour the slab.
I've never even considered using gravel as a base.
What's your native soil like?
You could go native soil, then gravel as sub base, then sand as base and pour the slab.
I've never even considered using gravel as a base.
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:45 pm to ThatMakesSense
The native soil is expansive clay. It contracts and swells often based on moisture in the soil.
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:51 pm to SirSaintly
You can't really make recycled concrete a uniform flat surface as a sole base.
Sand you most definitely can.
Sand you most definitely can.
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:53 pm to SirSaintly
More importantly, what are they charging per square ft?
Posted on 11/13/17 at 6:54 pm to SirSaintly
Sand is perfectly fine I would be more concerned with expansion and shrinkage cracks if you put metal keyways approx every 12' pinned with rebar and wire mesh it will come out great and stay that way. Ps don't let finishers water down the mix once on site
Posted on 11/13/17 at 7:02 pm to SirSaintly
Just make them compact the sand base and test for compaction if you are worried about it.
Posted on 11/13/17 at 7:12 pm to SirSaintly
If you go with just a sand base, the soil under that sand has to be compacted to 95% proctor.....actually, even using a gravel base you need to compact the soil. proctor has to do with compaction and moisture content. I doubt a patio contractor is going to properly achieve 95% proctor. A better soil base would be a 6" Cement Treated Base (CTB)....basically til bags of concrete 6" deep in the soil, wet it and let it cure for a couple of days. Then add your 2" sand sub base and concrete on top of that. I would till in 1 60 lb bag per 10 s.f. of patio and make sure you go beyond the future edge of the patio by 3' or so.
What part of Dallas are you in? Soils vary all over DFW with the Mid cities having better soil than Dallas/North Dallas.
What part of Dallas are you in? Soils vary all over DFW with the Mid cities having better soil than Dallas/North Dallas.
This post was edited on 11/13/17 at 7:13 pm
Posted on 11/13/17 at 7:25 pm to ThatMakesSense
quote:
Sand can carry a higher weight load than silt or clay and has more porosity than the finer silt and clay particles
Wrong.
quote:
Silt and clay will expand and shrink during periods of wet and dry.
So they are porous, just not permeable. High retention.
Posted on 11/13/17 at 7:35 pm to Zappas Stache
quote:
What part of Dallas are you in?
North Dallas
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