Concrete Slabs in Macon, GA

Concrete slabs are the flat, load-bearing pads that buildings and equipment sit on. Around Macon we pour slabs for storage sheds and workshops, carports and detached garages, HVAC units and standby generators, dog runs, basketball courts and parking pads for boats and trailers. Adding a garage, carport or workshop to an existing lot usually starts with a new slab.

Getting the slab right for the load

A slab is only as good as what is under it and how thick it is for the weight on top.

Thickness. HomeGuide prices slabs by thickness: 4 inches for sheds, patios and light use; 6 inches for garages, carports and heavier loads; 8 inches for very heavy equipment. We size each slab to what will sit on it and drive over it.

Base. We dig out topsoil and soft ground, then compact a layer of crushed stone. The ground around Macon changes from place to place, since the area sits on the fall line where Piedmont hills meet the sandy Coastal Plain. We look at each site, and if the soil is soft or wet we deepen the base.

Reinforcement. Wire mesh or rebar holds the slab together if it cracks. Garage and carport slabs and anything carrying vehicles get rebar. Thickened edges (a turned-down footing) carry walls or posts.

Vapor barrier. For enclosed buildings like workshops and garages, a plastic vapor barrier under the slab keeps ground moisture from wicking up into the floor. In humid Middle Georgia that matters for anything stored inside.

Level, square and drained

A shed or garage kit needs a slab that is square and level, built to the exact footprint. Carports and parking pads need a slight pitch so rain runs off rather than pooling under a car. We set forms to the building plan, check the diagonals so corners are square, and plan the finished height so water flows away from the slab.

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Anchor bolts or post brackets can be set into the wet concrete when the building calls for them. Tell us what you are putting on the slab and send the plans if you have them.

Curing a slab in Macon heat

Slabs are larger and flatter than most flatwork, so they lose surface moisture fast on hot, windy summer days. We pour early, finish without delay, and keep the slab damp or apply curing compound. You can usually build on a shed slab after several days, but a garage or carport slab should cure about a month before heavy loads.