How thick should my slab be?? · Small Bay Industrial Basecamp

How thick should my slab be??

I had an impromptu phone call yesterday discussing slab thickness requirements for mezzanines inside their Small Bays. The answer: it’s complex. Officially speaking, we need to run engineering calculations which include a plethora of inputs - foundation type (gravel, sand, void, etc), mezzanine layout and square footage, capacity (normally 100-125PSF for small bay, but can sometimes be required to be 150PSF due to building classification), and number of columns to name a few. Generally speaking, you MIGHT be able to squeak by with 4” slabs, but it’s risky. I prefer 5” minimum (gravel or equivalent substrate). If on a void, it could require thicker 6-8”+, or footers down the line. Then of course, what’s the cost? Is it more cost effective to pour 5” everywhere, 4” on half and 5” the other, or 4” everywhere and install footers as necessary? That’s when a good GC is nice to have. Don’t skimp in the beginning, or risk the biscuit later. I hope this helps generate better conversation around the topic during your development process.

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How thick should my slab be??