Raising a concrete garage floor to support a pool table

[Russ Chewning]

Anyone have any recommended options for doing this? The majority of my garage floor is at one level, and the rest is about 4 inches higher.

Because of space requirements, I need to raise the rest of the garage floor to the level of the higher portion.

What is the least expensive way to accomplish this? I will be laying carpet down over the entire floor after this is done.

I just really have no idea how to go about this, or even what to ask for when I go around to companies when I get back to the USA. I'll only have a day or two to find a good company to do this, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I am already talking to Diamond, and have a Diamond Pro lined up, but need to get the garage to a condition where the table can be put in.

Thanks,

Russ

 

[RiverCity]

Cheapest way, wood frame a floor and sheet it on the lower portion to match up with the higher area. You will be into it for materials, and is a weekend project. Rent a Hilti gun and secure the wood frame to the concrete and you are good to go. This is assuming you dont have water problems in the garage......
Chuck

 

[Russ Chewning]

Cheapest way, wood frame a floor and sheet it on the lower portion to match up with the higher area. You will be into it for materials, and is a weekend project. Rent a Hilti gun and secure the wood frame to the concrete and you are good to go. This is assuming you dont have water problems in the garage......
Chuck

So anything in particular I need to know about doing this? Remember, it's a garage floor, so it has a mandatory slope from the house to the exterior. With the slope, if you just lay down framing, the house side will still be higher than the outside. Also, is any vapor barrier required beneath the frame? What about ventilation between the concrete and the wood? Wouldn't want any mold growing in there. What size plywood for the floor surface? Do I use plywood at all? How close should supports be to support the weight of a pool table?

Russ

 

[cuejoey]

So anything in particular I need to know about doing this? Remember, it's a garage floor, so it has a mandatory slope from the house to the exterior. With the slope, if you just lay down framing, the house side will still be higher than the outside. Also, is any vapor barrier required beneath the frame? What about ventilation between the concrete and the wood? Wouldn't want any mold growing in there. What size plywood for the floor surface? Do I use plywood at all? How close should supports be to support the weight of a pool table?

Russ

plastic vapor barrier laid down,tapered (built up)joists on 12 inch centers.then 4'x8'x 1 inch thick minimum (the thicker the better) tongue and groove plywood,with a mold resistant carpet on that.make sure your exterior is tapered away from the garage for proper drainage.

 

[Rodney]

I would also make sure any wood touching the concrete, or on top of a vapor barrier(on concrete) be pressure treated.

 

[Russ Chewning]

Okay, if I loosened up my wallet, and were willing to have the floor raised with concrete on top of the existing concrete, is this doable? And how much am I looking to pay per sq ft for 4 inches deep concrete? I think if it all came down to it, I'd like to raise it with concrete if it was easier to level.

If concrete can be done, how far does the boom extend off a concrete truck? My garage is about 20-25 feet from the road. I figure if the concrete truck backed into my driveway, it would crack the driveway worse than it already is..

Letting it cure for a few months is not a problem, as Diamond is willing to hold my table for me, and I will be in Iraq for at least another year.

Thanks,
Russ

 

[RiverCity]

Its been a while since I had to figure concrete, but by the sound of it..... Im guessing around 6 yards of concrete should be sufficient. Figure 80 to 100 a yard material. Delivery fees, the labor of the guys to level and float it...... 900-1200 depending on your exact area. Rough estimates
Chuck

 

[Russ Chewning]

Its been a while since I had to figure concrete, but by the sound of it..... Im guessing around 6 yards of concrete should be sufficient. Figure 80 to 100 a yard material. Delivery fees, the labor of the guys to level and float it...... 900-1200 depending on your exact area. Rough estimates
Chuck

Hmm, that sounds like a good deal even if it were double that. I think concrete is what I will go with. Is this something that would normally need a permit? And if so, do I need to get an engineer to draw up plans?

Russ

 

[magnetardo]

Hmm, that sounds like a good deal even if it were double that. I think concrete is what I will go with. Is this something that would normally need a permit? And if so, do I need to get an engineer to draw up plans?

Russ

Depends on your local building dept. if you need to get a permit or not. You would probably want to etch the existing concrete and use a bonding agent and also pin the new concrete to the existing. (drill and epoxy small pieces of rebar) While you are looking into it I would look into radiant heating layed into the floor. If it was me I would use a fiber reinforced concrete it is only a couple more dollars per yard. To get a rough estimate call your local concrete supplier and ask for prices, a yard of concrete covers app 81 sg ft at 4 inches thick. That's all i could think of for now good luck on your new room.

 

[cuejoey]

a concrete truck will crack a normal driveway.it may not show up for a year or so..also like the other poster stated use the fiberglass additive..you do not mention what state you will live in ..if it is real cold area and you are pouring concrete i would put in a radiant heat flooring...advise what state your in..i see you are in iraq .is it as a civilian or military ? i know as a civilian they are paying well.i was offered $120,000.00 per year for my speciality.alot of money BUT alot of crazies there...too old for that anymore..keep us posted on your project and Merry Christmas

 

[magnetardo]

a concrete truck will crack a normal driveway.it may not show up for a year or so..also like the other poster stated use the fiberglass additive..you do not mention what state you will live in ..if it is real cold area and you are pouring concrete i would put in a radiant heat flooring...advise what state your in..i see you are in iraq .is it as a civilian or military ? i know as a civilian they are paying well.i was offered $120,000.00 per year for my speciality.alot of money BUT alot of crazies there...too old for that anymore..keep us posted on your project and Merry Christmas

Oops, I looked past the driveway concern, a concrete truck will without a doubt F**K up your driveway, all you need is a couple wheelbarrows, you could do it with one but you only have so much time per yard to unload before they start charging you. 20-25 feet is nothing to wheel, just make sure you lift with your legs

 

[cuejoey]

for that size i like to have 3 guys on wheelbarrows minimum and 1 or 2 finishing.you never know if a wheelbarrow will get a flat or breaks a handle..also IF you rent the wheelbarrows get the 2 wheel ones.2 wheel is the only way to go on my wheelbarrows..if the driveway is too steep you can also rent a motorized concrete wagon..anyway you go about it have more people there..you never know when a problem will occur.good luck

 

[olsonsview]

I have seen a lot of good advice given here. If your budget permits, a concrete "cap" over the lower portion is the most stable way to go. Keep in mind all concrete is like a sponge, it lets water pass through it very easily, even if you cannot see the water vapors. You really need to get a carpet for outdoors that will not rot. Ask the concrete suppliers about ways to "bond" the new concrete to the old. There are many wonderful chemicals nowadays to clean off the old grime, and make the old base adhere to new cement. The more solid your base for the table, the better it will stay dead level.
Many concrete companies can suppy longer chutes , and some out here provide a concrete buggy that can really speed up delivery.
Best wishes while in Iraq, be safe! My son was there on duty, so anytime I hear of anyone there as a soldier or a contractor, my heart goes out to them. Merry Christmas.

 

[Russ Chewning]

Now for a second part of this conversion.

I want to close off the garage door, without removing the garage door, for aesthetic reasons as I want the house to look "normal" on the outside.

I talked to someone who advised framing out around the garage door, putting insulation in the gap between the garage door and new wall, painting over the garage door windows, and putting up sheetrock, with paneling over it.

Easy enuff, sound like a one day job for a good handyman. My question is, since we want to leave the garage door open to have the concrete pumped in, how do we go about telling the concrete guys what to do with the end of the concrete that faces the door? Anything I should keep in mind?

I assume because of the forms, the end of the new concrete will be 2 or 3 inches short of the existing garage door. Will this be a problem?

Maybe you guys have some other ideas about closing off or replacing the garage door in such a way as it won't look hideous from the outside.

Any ideas?

Russ

 

[Da Poet]

Now for a second part of this conversion.

I want to close off the garage door, without removing the garage door, for aesthetic reasons as I want the house to look "normal" on the outside.

I talked to someone who advised framing out around the garage door, putting insulation in the gap between the garage door and new wall, painting over the garage door windows, and putting up sheetrock, with paneling over it.

Easy enuff, sound like a one day job for a good handyman. My question is, since we want to leave the garage door open to have the concrete pumped in, how do we go about telling the concrete guys what to do with the end of the concrete that faces the door? Anything I should keep in mind?

I assume because of the forms, the end of the new concrete will be 2 or 3 inches short of the existing garage door. Will this be a problem?

Maybe you guys have some other ideas about closing off or replacing the garage door in such a way as it won't look hideous from the outside.

Any ideas?

Russ

I take it this is an attached garage?

How interested are you in keeping the option open for the garage to be converted back as a regular garage if you decide to sell?

The reason I ask is if you are raising the overall height of the floor 3-4 inches, even a 4:12 pitch near the door may be too much pitch should a future owner wish to park cars in there again. They would have to hit the gas to get the rear wheels in with only a few feet remaining at the front of the car.

Maybe a full removal and replacement of the garage floor, if practical, is an option that satifies the immediate and long term needs?

At any rate, all you need is a little sketch for the crew. Doesn't have to be drafstman quality. You can also mark the floor where you want the curb or slope to start and end.

If you decide to cover the garage door from the inside, just make extra sure the exterior seals are in good shape and use caulk if needed.

Pumping the concrete in might be more expense than it's worth. Wheel barrels are used all the time for jobs like this.

Sounds like a fun project either way. Good luck and stay safe.

 

[Russ Chewning]

I take it this is an attached garage?

Yup.

How interested are you in keeping the option open for the garage to be converted back as a regular garage if you decide to sell?

Not interested at all. I'm not gonna sell this house annnnnnnnnnnytime soon. I have about $109,000 left on my mortgage, and houses similar to mine run $180,000 in Central Florida now. And even if I did sell, where could I go to get a 3 bedroom / 2 bathroom home with a game room / den for $109,000 + what I am paying for upgrades?

Maybe a full removal and replacement of the garage floor, if practical, is an option that satifies the immediate and long term needs?

I am even considering saving enough money to pay off the house, to give myself more breathing room to find the job I want, and will enjoy when I come back home from Iraq. So, we are gonna be here for a while. The game room is here to stay. I am not even considering thinking about ever changing it back to a garage..

At any rate, all you need is a little sketch for the crew. Doesn't have to be drafstman quality. You can also mark the floor where you want the curb or slope to start and end.

?? No curb or slope to it. The rest of the floor is being brought up to level with the higher portion. There's gonna be a pool table on this floor. No slope allowed!

If you decide to cover the garage door from the inside, just make extra sure the exterior seals are in good shape and use caulk if needed.

I think I've decided to just let my design firm design something to fill in the area where the garage door is. They have a preferred General Contractor who seems to be a great guy. They are gonna design something that hopefully prevents the garage renovation from looking like a garage renovation..

Pumping the concrete in might be more expense than it's worth. Wheel barrels are used all the time for jobs like this.

I've looked at the numbers for this sort of thing. Wheel barrows might not provide a consistent mix, and take a lot longer, plus more people. I think I'm just gonna let the GC quote me a price on the total upgrade for the garage, including concrete, closing off the garage door, and finishing the interior, and see if I like the price. If I do, I think it'd be a lot more fun to just come home from Iraq and see a finished room!

Russ

 

[Da Poet]

Yu


?? No curb or slope to it. The rest of the floor is being brought up to level with the higher portion. There's gonna be a pool table on this floor. No slope allowed!



I think I've decided to just let my design firm design something to fill in the area where the garage door is. They have a preferred General Contractor who seems to be a great guy. They are gonna design something that hopefully prevents the garage renovation from looking like a garage renovation..




I've looked at the numbers for this sort of thing. Wheel barrows might not provide a consistent mix, and take a lot longer, plus more people. I think I'm just gonna let the GC quote me a price on the total upgrade for the garage, including concrete, closing off the garage door, and finishing the interior, and see if I like the price. If I do, I think it'd be a lot more fun to just come home from Iraq and see a finished room!

Russ

Sounds good to me. By the way, I am a Construction Manager here in Chicago and all the advice, including the pricing info looks right to me.

Also, I wasn't even suggesting pitching the whole floor 4:12 (four inches up for every 12 inches over), just the last part, maybe a foot from the garage door in case you wanted to return it to a garage again, but you certainly don't need to worry about that.

For what it's worth, it sounds like you're on the right track. A single contractor to do the whole thing is a good way to go.


It's interesting though that ten or fifteen years ago, it would have been absurd to try a project like this from overseas, but with email, online pictures, etc, anything is now possible. It suprises me sometimes how much this busness has changed.

Hopefully with the garage door closed you'll still be able to get the table in!

Again, best of luck and stay safe.

 

[cuejoey]

Russ that's going to be one nice room when it's done.for the finishing touches check out www.newdeco.com i have purchased several from them .nice people.good luck and keep us informed..