Concrete Slabs & Pads in Statesboro, Swainsboro & Metter, GA

The right slab for what is going on top of it

A pad for a garden shed and a floor for a welding shop are both called slabs, but they are not built the same way. Thickness, reinforcement, edge detail and base all depend on the load. Tell us what is going on the slab, whether that is a building, a vehicle, a lift, a tank or livestock, and we will spec it to match instead of guessing.

Slabs and pads we pour

• Shop and garage floors with a smooth, hard-troweled finish that sweeps clean.
• Pole barn slabs poured inside existing posts or before the building goes up.
• Metal building and carport slabs with thickened edges and anchor layouts set to the building supplier's drawings.
• Shed and storage building pads sized a few inches larger than the building footprint.
• RV, camper, boat and trailer pads thickened for wheel loads and jack points.
• AC, heat pump and generator pads, level and raised above grade.
• Dumpster pads and loading areas for businesses, reinforced for truck traffic.
• Farm slabs: feed and commodity pads, wash racks, equipment aprons and kennel floors.
• Mobile home pads and runners.

Building a house, addition or shop from the ground up? See foundations and footers.

What goes into a good slab

Subgrade and base

Organic topsoil comes off, the pad is cut or filled to grade and compacted. Where the ground is soft or holds water we add compacted crushed stone. For enclosed buildings a vapor barrier goes under the slab to keep ground moisture from wicking up through the floor.

Thickness

Four inches covers sheds, patios and light storage. Shops, garages and vehicle pads are usually five to six inches. Slabs carrying lifts, heavy equipment or loaded trucks may need more, plus thickened footings under posts and point loads.

Reinforcement

Rebar tied on a grid and held up on chairs, or welded wire mesh, depending on the load. Perimeter edges are thickened on building slabs so the walls bear on a turned-down footing.

Flatness, slope and finish

Interior floors are screeded flat and troweled smooth. Exterior pads get a slight slope and a broom finish for drainage and traction. Floor drains, sleeves for plumbing or electrical conduit, and anchor bolts are set before the pour, so tell us early what you need.

Slabs for pole barns and metal buildings

Pole barns and steel buildings are everywhere in Bulloch, Emanuel and Candler counties, and the slab is what turns one from a shed into a usable shop. If the building is already standing, we pour inside the posts, isolate the concrete from them, and joint the floor so cracks stay controlled. If you are still planning, pouring before the building arrives is usually easier and gives a cleaner result. Either way, we work from the building dimensions and door locations so aprons and thresholds line up.

Service area

We pour slabs and pads across Statesboro, Swainsboro, Metter and the surrounding country, including Brooklet, Portal, Register, Nevils, Twin City, Stillmore, Garfield, Pulaski, Cobbtown and Claxton.

Common slab sizes and what they are used for

• AC, generator and trash can pads: 3 by 3 feet up to 4 by 8 feet, 4 inches thick.
• Shed pads: 10 by 12, 12 by 16 and 12 by 20 feet are typical, sized a few inches larger than the building or to the exact footprint the shed dealer specifies.
• Single carport: 12 by 20 to 12 by 24 feet. Double carport: 20 by 20 to 24 by 24 feet.
• Two car garage: 24 by 24 feet is the usual minimum; 24 by 30 gives room for a workbench.
• RV and boat pads: 12 to 14 feet wide and 30 to 45 feet long, 5 to 6 inches thick.
• Shops and metal buildings: 30 by 40, 30 by 50 and 40 by 60 feet are the sizes we see most across Southeast Georgia.
• Equipment and wash pads: sized to the machine, usually 6 inches with rebar and sloped to a drain point.

Not sure what size you need? Tell us what is going on the slab and we will help you size it.

Reinforcement, edges and anchors

A slab is only as good as its edges. Buildings load the perimeter, so slabs for carports, garages and metal buildings get a thickened edge, often 12 inches deep and 12 inches wide, poured in one piece with the floor. That edge acts as a footer and gives anchor bolts something to bite into.

Inside the slab, rebar on a grid or welded wire is set on chairs so it ends up in the concrete rather than lying on the dirt. Shop floors that will carry vehicle lifts, tractors or pallet racking are poured thicker under those loads.

For metal buildings, anchor layout matters. Some kits use wet-set anchor bolts placed during the pour, others use wedge anchors drilled in afterward. Bring your building drawings to the estimate so the slab matches the frame.

Finishes and floor options

Smooth steel trowel is the standard for enclosed shops and garages because it sweeps and mops easily. Broom finish gives traction on outdoor pads, carports and wash areas. Floors can be sloped to a floor drain or toward the door so water runs out. If you plan to coat the floor with epoxy later, tell us before the pour so the surface is finished to suit it.

Getting your site ready for a slab

1. Mark the corners where you want the slab and confirm setbacks from property lines, septic tanks and drain fields.
2. Call 811 before any digging so buried utilities are located.
3. Run any conduit or plumbing that needs to go under the slab before pour day.
4. Make sure a concrete truck can reach the spot: about 10 feet of width, firm ground and overhead clearance.
5. Have your building or shed dimensions and delivery date on hand so the slab is cured and ready in time.

Frequently asked questions