How Thick Should Your Barndominium Slab Be? (2024)

FAQs

How Thick Should Your Barndominium Slab Be? ›

For barndominiums up to 1,500 sq. ft., most recommendations fall between a 4” and 6″ thick slab. This accommodates moderate traffic and furnishings adequately without excessive concrete use. The steel perimeter beams of barndominium kits require less internal slab support than wood framing.

Slab Thickness

If you are planning to park large, heavy vehicles inside (such as trucks or larger RVs), you should consider making the slab 6″ thick, and using 4000-psi concrete. You may not need this for a kit home, but often times a barndominium may be used to store vehicles and heavy equipment.

Properly executed, an embedded perimeter beam concrete slab foundation formulated from high strength 5,000 PSI concrete mix designs provides ideal structural support for the tremendous clear spans and dynamic live loads generated over generations of family life within your barndo.

In most cases, you'll want your patio to be 4 inches thick, although you should add reinforcement and increase the thickness up to around 8 inches if you want it to support heavier loads and resist cracking more readily. Although thicker slabs will cost more, you'll start seeing diminishing returns at around 6 inches.

Minimum of 4″ thick slab for normal residential use ( cars, light trucks, etc ). For commercial use, 5″ or 6″ thick slab is recommended (heavy machinery) Footing must be of 42″ in depth although some local codes allow for less depth.

For barndominiums up to 1,500 sq. ft., most recommendations fall between a 4” and 6″ thick slab. This accommodates moderate traffic and furnishings adequately without excessive concrete use. The steel perimeter beams of barndominium kits require less internal slab support than wood framing.

Like with anything else in construction, the cost of a 40×60 concrete slab will depend on your location and the current price of materials. If you search online for prices, you'll find a wide range of estimates: $3,600-$7,200. $8,500 to $12,000.

Steel framing, popular in barndominium construction for its durability and resistance to pests, can be more expensive than traditional wood framing. Framing costs can range from $20 to $50 per square foot, making it one of the most significant portions of the construction budget.

A barndominium floor plan is very different from traditional homes, which must be designed with load bearing walls that limit creativity and possibilities. A barndo's steel framing eliminates the need for load bearing walls, making it easy to split a home into flexible living quarters and working spaces.

As many barndominiums are constructed from metal, a vapor barrier tape will help prevent potentially damaging condensation from entering the structure. Reducing the energy costs to heat the home. Many barndominiums often have vaulted or cathedral ceilings, meaning the ceilings are not parallel to the floor.

Will a 6 concrete slab crack? ›

Panels with excessive length-to-width ratios are likely to crack at the mid-panel point or at some other location between joints. The recommended joint spacing in feet is usually two to three times the slab thickness in inches. Thus, for a 6-inch-thick slab the maximum recommended joint spacing is 18 feet.

Typically, concrete driveways that are 4″ thick can withstand loads of regular vehicles, which is approximately 8,000 pounds. A 6″ thick concrete driveway can withstand heavy-duty trucks that can around weigh about 70,000 pounds.

Generally, a 4-inch surface can hold up to 4,000 pounds per square foot when adequately reinforced. Unreinforced, it can only hold 40 pounds per square foot. Steel bars or wire mesh can be placed in the concrete before it is poured to reinforce the pad.

The average cost is $4 to $8 per square foot. The median price is about $6 per square foot. Based on these averages, you may pay $4,800 to $9,600 with a median estimate of $7,200.

Can you pour a slab without footings? Yes, you can pour a foundation slab without footings, in which case it's often called a floating slab. Floating slabs don't have separate footings poured beforehand for support, which means they're better suited for smaller structures.

Standard concrete floor slab thickness in residential construction is 4 inches. Five to six inches is recommended if the concrete will receive occasional heavy loads, such as motor homes or garbage trucks.

How Thick Should A Concrete Slab Be For A Metal Building? Your concrete foundation for a metal building will be a minimum of 4″ thick. However, if you're planning to use your metal building to store heavy vehicles and equipment, we will recommend a 6″ slab.

Steel represents the ideal choice for barndominium builders, as it strikes the perfect balance of being cost-effective, quick to erect, and exceptionally durable. When you consider the pros and cons of all of the options available to you, steel wins out in just about every category.

Generally the most cost-effective barndominium size falls between 1,500-2,500 square feet. The Average size Barndominium in the US falls around 2500sqft as well.