For my first slab, I wanted to do everything myself without buying tools. I ran a ton of string lines between my form boards to make a grid. I took my tape measure and measured the distance from the string lines to the compacted gravel base. I made a representation of my slab in excel and put in the thickness values. I averaged them (came out to 4"), then multiplied by my slab dimensions (20'x14'). 20'x14'x(4"/12) = 93.33 cu feet = 3.457 cu yards. I'm adding a small haunch of 6" wide and 5.5" tall around the whole perimeter. I need to add that to the total (minus what's already included in the slab calculations). (2)*20'+(2)*14' = 68 linear feet 68 linear feet * 6" * 1.5" = 0.157 cu yards (this does not include the 4" already accounted for in the slab, so I used 5.5" - 4" = 1.5" thickness) Total is 3.614 cu yards. I'll round up to 4.0 cu yards probably (approx. 10% overage). Don't care about a little waste as long as I have enough.
Hi Mike, your on the money. I use their lasers too. I tell all new builders i deal with to tap con a master elevation 2 x4 on one wall sprayed in orange with all the grades for dirt , gravel, foam , concrete. and finish hieght . Anyone can do their job with no question their on the mark. . It also helps to get your 4" slab!!!
Mike you've been a major endorser of the Topcon level you've used for years. What made you change? Now I'm getting confused on brands. Did the topcon let you down?
Topcon is good, but they've never reached out to me for endorsing them. Dewalt Lasers are just as good and they reach out all the time. It's a partnership with Dewalt.
Most of the jobs I’ve ever done, that 2” would have been a big problem. I guess because that looked like a completely detached garage space, maybe they had the luxury of just not having to have it match up with much else. They gotta be careful for things that don’t seem so obvious right now though. Like if the garage roof ties in with the house roof, are they going to just make the top of beams or walls 2 inches higher (that’ll be a big problem) or do they just have a garage ceiling that will be 2 inches shorter? There’s really a lot to consider with something like that.
They added a sill plate to top of wall and we poured to the top of that. Got us to 3.5 to 4 inches of concrete. That was what the builder came up with for a solution
Use decimal equivalents and you can figure any thickness. Measure exactly and add extra concrete after you know exactly what you need. Also you will avoid confusion
I'm sure you're going to say this sooner than later... But it's obvious the dummies graded the base to 4" and THEN added the 2" foam board. This is exactly why I will not do this type of placement. I've had tons of people/DIYers over the years ask me to place concrete on surfaces that they have prepped. NO WAY JOSE... You just wasted a day because now you have to change your schedule to pour something else while these idiots redo this.
Thanks for the video, Mike.
I don’t have a DW laser, but you got me thinking about getting one now.
🤘
Go for it!
Your the right and hopefully the most expensive ambassador for DW. I knew right off it was the sty that wasn't planned for correctly.
Thanks Steve. @dewalttough
For my first slab, I wanted to do everything myself without buying tools. I ran a ton of string lines between my form boards to make a grid. I took my tape measure and measured the distance from the string lines to the compacted gravel base.
I made a representation of my slab in excel and put in the thickness values. I averaged them (came out to 4"), then multiplied by my slab dimensions (20'x14').
20'x14'x(4"/12) = 93.33 cu feet = 3.457 cu yards. I'm adding a small haunch of 6" wide and 5.5" tall around the whole perimeter. I need to add that to the total (minus what's already included in the slab calculations).
(2)*20'+(2)*14' = 68 linear feet
68 linear feet * 6" * 1.5" = 0.157 cu yards (this does not include the 4" already accounted for in the slab, so I used 5.5" - 4" = 1.5" thickness)
Total is 3.614 cu yards. I'll round up to 4.0 cu yards probably (approx. 10% overage). Don't care about a little waste as long as I have enough.
Hi Mike, your on the money.
I use their lasers too.
I tell all new builders i deal with to tap con a master elevation 2 x4 on one wall sprayed in orange with all the grades for dirt , gravel, foam , concrete. and finish hieght . Anyone can do their job with no question their on the mark. .
It also helps to get your 4" slab!!!
Good tip. I'll pass it on!
Mike you've been a major endorser of the Topcon level you've used for years. What made you change? Now I'm getting confused on brands. Did the topcon let you down?
Topcon is good, but they've never reached out to me for endorsing them. Dewalt Lasers are just as good and they reach out all the time. It's a partnership with Dewalt.
Most of the jobs I’ve ever done, that 2” would have been a big problem. I guess because that looked like a completely detached garage space, maybe they had the luxury of just not having to have it match up with much else. They gotta be careful for things that don’t seem so obvious right now though. Like if the garage roof ties in with the house roof, are they going to just make the top of beams or walls 2 inches higher (that’ll be a big problem) or do they just have a garage ceiling that will be 2 inches shorter? There’s really a lot to consider with something like that.
They added a sill plate to top of wall and we poured to the top of that. Got us to 3.5 to 4 inches of concrete. That was what the builder came up with for a solution
Dewalt makes some good stuff. I think they should have made a hard case for it though like TopCon.
You should try Moasure for estimating! It will be faster! Moasure will give you the volume without any need to get out a calculator or measuring tape.
🌴🌴🌴 It’s absolutely amazing how far we’ve come with all these outstanding products. Blessings,Carlos ✝️🙏❤️😊🇺🇸
Yes indeed!
Use decimal equivalents and you can figure any thickness. Measure exactly and add extra concrete after you know exactly what you need. Also you will avoid confusion
I don't get confused
@@MikeDayConcreteMaybe you don’t know what an decimal equivalent is. You are definitely arrogant enough to say you don’t get confused
What does the 81 come from?
9x9
100 - 19
It's how many square feet a yard of concrete will do at 4 inches thick.
That’s great when the floor is 4” thick. If you multiply with the decimal equivalent of the thickness you can figure the yardage for any thickness.
So now the outside walls are 2” shorter than planned
Get the app for calculating concrete,easy,peasy.
I do it in my head
I'm sure you're going to say this sooner than later... But it's obvious the dummies graded the base to 4" and THEN added the 2" foam board. This is exactly why I will not do this type of placement. I've had tons of people/DIYers over the years ask me to place concrete on surfaces that they have prepped. NO WAY JOSE... You just wasted a day because now you have to change your schedule to pour something else while these idiots redo this.
I thought it's a 4'' slab ? You got manly 2"" what up with that ?
They had to add a sill plate to raise the grade