Concrete for bikes/bin storage

RebelButtMunch · 20-09-2020 10:24am #1

Hi
I've a 3mx3m area of garden hidden behind a shed that I want to cover with concrete. It's going to be for wheelie bins and bicycles.

What kind of depth of hardcore and concrete do I need?

Thanks.

Calahonda52 · 20-09-2020 9:15pm

whats the ground like?

RebelButtMunch · 20-09-2020 9:26pm

Calahonda52 wrote: »

whats the ground like?

Compacted soil.

DublinDilbert · 20-09-2020 10:41pm

around 80-100mm should do, 1 ton bag should cover the area. Are you going to mix the concrete yourself?

RebelButtMunch · 20-09-2020 10:43pm

DublinDilbert wrote: »

around 80-100mm should do, 1 ton bag should cover the area. Are you going to mix the concrete yourself?

Planning to, yes. I might rent a mixer, haven't looked into the cost of that yet though. Could it be cheaper to get a load delivered?

bobbyy gee · 20-09-2020 10:53pm

i would just put down some concrete pavers
ir will be hidden by shed
put something down to stop weeds coming up

i would also cover the bikes
as they will get rusty and you will stop using them

RebelButtMunch · 21-09-2020 10:04am

bobbyy gee wrote: »

i would just put down some concrete pavers
ir will be hidden by shed
put something down to stop weeds coming up

i would also cover the bikes
as they will get rusty and you will stop using them

Yeah, I was thinking about covering the bikes.
To that end, before I put down any ground cover I was going to sink 3 or 4 wooden uprights to support a kind of lean-to structure. (Sorry, I should have mentioned that at the start)

That's kinda why I was thinking of pouring the floor. I don't want to have to cut tiles around the support poles.

Lumen · 21-09-2020 10:45am

Because I don't enjoy digging deep holes I would just dig out the topsoil (which is useful elsewhere) and then pour a thick slab with reinforcing mesh (on chairs) using delivered concrete.

Then bolt post supports (with standoffs) on to the concrete.

Otherwise you're in for a load of digging and compacting and shovelling and mixing which is overkill for this application, and will leave you with a pile of useless subsoil to deal with.

That said, if you find you've deep topsoil and the concrete is going to work out too expensive, just shove a load of angular stone in there and lazily compact it, as it'll be good for drainage.

tldr: start digging and see what you're working with.

RebelButtMunch · 21-09-2020 2:43pm

I'd agree with you Lumen about the digging. I think I'll go with your plan and look at steel seat posts that can be fixed to the concrete before or after the pour for the lean-to shelter. Would that solution still be 80-100mm deep of digging ans mentioned by Dublindilbert?

I also plan a side stretch of gravel for drainage.

Lumen · 21-09-2020 3:03pm

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Would that solution still be 80-100mm deep of digging ans mentioned by Dublindilbert?

Depends on your site. On mine the topsoil is 100-150mm deep. You'd want to remove that, not least because topsoil is valuable for growing things in and takes a long time for nature to make.

You'll know when you get to the subsoil because it's a different colour and consistency. It looks kind of greasy and dead. That's the stuff you want to leave alone purely because it's stable enough and useless for growing anything in.

Concrete for bikes/bin storage

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