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Pouring for a lift?

2K views 23 replies 11 participants last post by  D60 
#1 ·
I need to start mapping out my new shop floor. Size is 40x48 and I want the lift kinda in a back corner.

1) how large should the thicker (6") section be to accomodate most lifts? A search turned up the mention of 4x4' but I want to confirm.

2) recommendations on distance from walls? Obviously I need to find a balance between walk-around room (esp on the side) while not taking up TOO much space. So, how far from the side wall and how from the "front" of the lift such that the nose of most vehicles will still allow a workbench/rollaway along the wall?

I haven't yet decided on a specific brand of lift, and I will pose the same questions to some manufacturers, but any real world experience here is welcome.
 
#2 ·
I just had a floor poured at my house for a shop and put in a spot for a lift. I looked at measurements for a few different name-brand lifts, and found most of them to have an overall width of around 12'. So I made a section that was about 14' wide and about 4' long. I dug into the fill an additional 12" deep where the lift will go. So, the rest of my shop floor is about 4" thick, the area where the lift will go is about 16" thick and Has an extra layer of wire mesh.
Im building a fairly small shop, only 26' wide. So there was only a few places to put it. I just picked a bay, figured on space between the lift and the wall for walking around, and measured in deep enough from the door to have room to put a full size truck on it.
hope that helps some.
 
#4 ·
Well, Im no expert, but I would think it would be "ideal" to put in anchor bolts (with a L shape) when the cement is wet. the problem with that is you would have to know exactly where they need to be located.
personaly, I dont plan on getting a lift for another year or two and dont know what type I will be getting so I couldnt put in anchor bolts. Most of the lifts Ive seen installed just used expanding type anchor bolts. you just drill a hole, drop them in and tighten them up. I think there is some kind of epoxy type mixture that can be added to the holes to make it stronger (I could be talking out of my ass here) I havent researched it much. Figgured I cross that bridge when I get to it.
 
#5 ·
ddjjeep said:
Well, Im no expert, but I would think it would be "ideal" to put in anchor bolts (with a L shape) when the cement is wet. the problem with that is you would have to know exactly where they need to be located.
personaly, I dont plan on getting a lift for another year or two and dont know what type I will be getting so I couldnt put in anchor bolts. Most of the lifts Ive seen installed just used expanding type anchor bolts. you just drill a hole, drop them in and tighten them up. I think there is some kind of epoxy type mixture that can be added to the holes to make it stronger (I could be talking out of my ass here) I havent researched it much. Figgured I cross that bridge when I get to it.
I would just use epoxy anchors as mentioned in the quote above....you weren't talking out your a$$.

I would stick with epoxy over expansion anchors...

bk
 
#6 ·
when i uses to install milling machines we would use 1" round bar thread one end and cut some 4" pieces of round bar and heat the end and bend it arround the 4" piece so it ends up having a "T" on the end then put a little weld on it. And to get them in the right spot you make a template that is the same as the mounting area put the bars through and put nuts on it with a little extra thread above the nut and after the concrete is poured drop it in and put some oil on the threads and your done. It will be a hell of a lot safer than any sort of stud or anchor.
 
#8 ·
If you properly balance the vehicles going on the lift you won't really have much uplift force on your anchors. Redheads should be more than enough but, if you really wanted to go hard core get epoxy anchors from hilti. They claim their epoxied bolts are stronger than embeds.
 
#9 ·
why would you be so concerned about pouring such a thick pad for the lift? a 10K lift only requires a 4" thick slab. Most slabs here in Ca are 5 1/2". No need to pre plan where it needs to go.
 
#11 ·
Bronken said:
why would you be so concerned about pouring such a thick pad for the lift? a 10K lift only requires a 4" thick slab. Most slabs here in Ca are 5 1/2". No need to pre plan where it needs to go.
My slab is around 10" mostly and some parts around 12"


just got a phat hook up on cement, and labor so why not. I run heavy equipment on it sometimes.


AW
 
#12 ·
bkfj55 said:
I would just use epoxy anchors as mentioned in the quote above....you weren't talking out your a$$.

I would stick with epoxy over expansion anchors...

bk

x2. do not try to cast-in place anchors.

The size of the turn-down slab at the lift will depend a lot on the type of soil you have in your area and the type and quantity of reinforcement you plan on using. Clayey and silty soils will settle a lot more over time than sandy soils will, all things being equal. So if the soil is clay liek, go 6" for the slab and 12" for the turn-down area. Make the turn down 36"x36" and use one mat of #5's at 8" O.C. E.W. The rest of the slab sould be ok with WWF unless you feel like it needs more. my .03.
 
#13 ·
IronBull said:
x2. do not try to cast-in place anchors.

The size of the turn-down slab at the lift will depend a lot on the type of soil you have in your area and the type and quantity of reinforcement you plan on using. Clayey and silty soils will settle a lot more over time than sandy soils will, all things being equal. So if the soil is clay liek, go 6" for the slab and 12" for the turn-down area. Make the turn down 36"x36" and use one mat of #5's at 8" O.C. E.W. The rest of the slab sould be ok with WWF unless you feel like it needs more. my .03.
engineer?

just a hunch....

bk
 
#14 ·
rebar mat is fine but to be effective you better make sure your finisher pulls it up to at least the 1/3 point in the slab-then keep it there instead of walking it back down. also with this mat you want to take a careful look at the lift leg base plate locations-it is a sure pain in the butt to take the trouble to reinforce this area and then hit a piece of bar when you drill in your bolts.
 
#15 ·
jdrocks said:
rebar mat is fine but to be effective you better make sure your finisher pulls it up to at least the 1/3 point in the slab-then keep it there instead of walking it back down. also with this mat you want to take a careful look at the lift leg base plate locations-it is a sure pain in the butt to take the trouble to reinforce this area and then hit a piece of bar when you drill in your bolts.
set the rebar on bricks, spaced apart. As for hitting rebar, 6" of embedment with epoxy anchors should be plenty. Even 8" deep wouldn't hit the rebar which is 2" off the bottom. Don't forget to vibrate the turn-down area.

I'm no engineer, but I did stay at a holiday inn the night before last.
 
#16 ·
IronBull said:
set the rebar on bricks, spaced apart. As for hitting rebar, 6" of embedment with epoxy anchors should be plenty. Even 8" deep wouldn't hit the rebar which is 2" off the bottom. Don't forget to vibrate the turn-down area.

I'm no engineer, but I did stay at a holiday inn the night before last.

use rebar stakes or chairs if you want to take the trouble-no bricks.
 
#17 ·
jdrocks said:
use rebar stakes or chairs if you want to take the trouble-no bricks.

Use the bricks. Concrete ones, broken in half. Don't try to wet set the rebar and don't try to round up chairs or drive stakes. Way too much trouble when bricks are so simple and effective.
 
#18 ·
bricks, block, rubble etc. supporting reinforcing would rightly be rejected by any competant inspector prior to the pour-but what the heck, if its too much trouble to do it the right way and if you think you can get away with it, be my guest. supporting bar by other than manufactured accessories went out of favor a long time ago.
 
#19 ·
Just out of curiousity, how heavy are these lifts?

I mean, is it really necessary to go to al the trouble and expense of over engineering a particular section of the floor?

As for the anchors, The hilti's are no doubt the top dogs for epoxy type but you can get the Red Head epoxy which works just as well and use some all thread for the anchors. Oh yeah, and if you go hilti get ready to shell out some bucks for the injector gun....bout $140. The keys for optimal strength on epoxy is getting the hole sized right for the anchor and getting the hole cleaned out extremely well. I'd just use wedge anchors if it were me though.
 
#20 ·
jdrocks said:
bricks, block, rubble etc. supporting reinforcing would rightly be rejected by any competant inspector prior to the pour-but what the heck, if its too much trouble to do it the right way and if you think you can get away with it, be my guest. supporting bar by other than manufactured accessories went out of favor a long time ago.
False. We build multi-million dollar structures for industrial and water/wastewater applications, with inspectors who have their P.E. licenses, and bricks are all we use for support rebar close to the ground. Thanks for playing.
 
#21 ·
IronBull said:
False. We build multi-million dollar structures for industrial and water/wastewater applications, with inspectors who have their P.E. licenses, and bricks are all we use for support rebar close to the ground. Thanks for playing.

I set up my slab with 5/8" Rebar on 24" centers, raised 3" on Dobies, little cement blocks that lift the rebar.



AW
 
#22 ·
IronBull said:
False. We build multi-million dollar structures for industrial and water/wastewater applications, with inspectors who have their P.E. licenses, and bricks are all we use for support rebar close to the ground. Thanks for playing.
x2... I've put down a couple thousand yards of SOG with bricks supporting the rebar and haven't had an inspector reject it.

There are certian specific instances where you definitely DON'T want to use bricks and that is when pouring a slab on vapor barrier or pouring an elevated deck, but that is a completely different scenario.
 
#23 ·
sorry for any controversy on this subject-i must have been thinking about UBC 1905.7.1.7 and ACI/CRSI standards for minimum support and securing from displacement. so if your local code official says it's ok and you're comfortable with this practice then no prob. I will say that i should not have recommended a wet set of a rebar mat because although this practice is permitted in certain circumstances, it is not generally recommended since the chances are too great that the mat will end up in the wrong location. we set all our bar on manufactured accessories and will continue to do it this way-our local inspectors will not pass it otherwise.
 
#24 ·
Following up here, I did a little research along w some helpful suggestions in this thread. BendPak also emailed me some floor plans. From what I could tell of the footprint of the lift, it jived w ddjjeep's info above. 14x4' seems good, and gives you a little wiggle room.

I completely understand that the manufacturers say 4" is acceptable, but it concerned me. Plus since the slab is being poured NOW is the time to do it. They just left the gravel out of 4x14' section so the slab is now about 8-10" thick here.


I put this section 5' from the side wall which I figured will be enough to walk around, roll welders and boxes etc. I put it 12.5' from the front wall - most people I spoke w recommended 12' minimum. Hopefully it'll work out. I felt like I was dancing a line of giving myself adequate room while not having the lift consume the majority of the shop (40x50)
 
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