The slab will be pored in a sandy type soil.
2006-09-20 15:27:42 · 7 answers · asked by outdoorsman 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
Post Tension slabs are designed for soils that tend to move. If you would have said that your soil was clay based I would have said go with the tension cables for sure. But Sandy soil moves also. You should check with your local county extension service for your soil compactness and shift rates.
Post Tension slabs are thinner slabs. You float the cables in the mud and let it cure to about 75%. You then put tension on the cables to about 25,000psi, anchor them and then let it cure on out. This gives the slab the abilitiy to twist and bend without cracking. Where conventional slabs (just rebar) will crack when the earth moves beneath it and the rebar just holds it together.
My soil is sandy loam. It tends to shift some so I put in an extra wide footer with floating rebar, donnafil that was water packed (i reccomend using donnafil as your backfill, once you pack it with water it does not move), plastic sheathing, galvanized wire, rebar through the block and turned/tied to the slab floating rebar.
Hope this helps :)
2006-09-20 18:25:27 · answer #1 · answered by Hoot_J4A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rebar would be much simpler and provide the same end product. I would suggest either #4 or #5 rebar at 12" on center, each way. Be sure the bars are 3" off of the ground.
2006-09-21 04:18:27 · answer #2 · answered by big_mustache 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the size of your slab,sandy spoil is OK just make sure its compacted.If your pouring a garage or house footings and slab, re=bar and mesh will do. post tension slabs are used more in a commercial application.Installing post tension cables can be very dangerous if you don't have prior experience.
2006-09-20 15:37:50 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well.. perhaps you can call me old fashioned but I still prefer the good old rebar
2006-09-20 15:32:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both are good but the concrete guys say the cables are best.
2006-09-20 15:36:46 · answer #5 · answered by da_hammerhead 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
go for the tried tested and true - the old reliable rebar
2006-09-20 16:31:53 · answer #6 · answered by Pauly 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
post tension cables as long as the installer knows what he is doing... i suggest using both
2006-09-20 15:36:52 · answer #7 · answered by gnet_162000 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋