Large Patio Question

thepawnshop

I am forming a large patio that house a house on one side and concrete retaining walls on opposite sides of each other and then the fourth side is open to the yard. The size of the slab is 45' wide by 16' deep (with a 6" base of #57 gravel and a pour depth of 5"). My question is this...I plan on putting rebar into the house and both retaining walls to keep the pad from ever slipping, but should I use some type of expansion joint material against the other existing concrete? And how far apart should I put my control joints in a slab of this size?

Thanks!

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Doug Brandt
Class "A" Contractor
Brandt Custom Homes
Roanoke, VA

house bldr

A rule of thumb for cutting is 3 times the thickness in feet so 5'' would be every 15 '.As far as expansion joint, there is some debate, some say the slab never gets bigger than it was when you poured it, personally I think if that was the case why do they have trouble with freeways buckling in the heat! I always use expansion joint when the slab is trapped between two stationary points.Its a cheap precaution and also gives you something to screed off of on the sides.

thepawnshop

OK...sounds good...but should I still tie rebar from the pad into the existing house structure AND the retaining walls? I plan on using 4,000 mix with fiber & air added, if that matters.

__________________
Doug Brandt
Class "A" Contractor
Brandt Custom Homes
Roanoke, VA

POOLMANinCT

i wouldnt tie to the house or retaining walls, i feel there is no need.

question #2 id oil & pull my forms, then foam backer-rod cap orr backer rod w/ flex expansion joint mastic.

ray

house bldr

Hard to answer without seeing the grade but unless you have fresh backfill or have a chance of settling for some reason you probably wouldn't have to pin.

HD3

I would'nt tie into the house but id use exspansion. for the joint spacing id try not to have anything bigger than a 10x10



Do it in concrete it's harder longer