What is Slab Construction and What are the Steps?

Do you remember that song that we used to sing back in kindergarten? You know, the one that goes ‘The foolish man built his house upon the sand…” Well, we all know how that went for him. Yes, his whole house toppled down. The wise man’s house was a lot better. He did build it on the rocky parts, and it was able to withstand the storm. But I doubt his house looked good. How could it have looked good if he had to adjust its form to the rock’s shape and form? No, I don’t think he could have made it look good no matter how hard he tried. The rock would not bend to suit him, so it was he who had to bend to suit the rock.

Man’s and Technology’s Advancement

But, hey, hundreds of years have probably passed since the time of the wise man and the foolish man. And in those years, man has gone from ‘wise’ to ‘wiser’ to ‘little high school children who do Integral Calculus like it was simple Arithmetic.’ And because of man’s vast improvement, he has been able to find a way to build houses on strong foundations without compromising design or beauty. How did he do it? Simple, by building concrete slabs.

Steps in Making Concrete Slabs

But how do you make concrete slabs? Well, here’s a step by step explanation.

But before that, though, let me emphasize that it would be better to let a professional handle this. The house’s foundation is a very important thing. If it’s not strong, the house will not hold. And even if you did save some money by not hiring a professional engineer, if you mess up and your whole house crumbles down a few years later, the money you saved will become inconsequential compared to your loss – be it money or, worse, a loved-one’s life.

• Imagine the base of your house and mark the corners of your house with stakes. For this, it would be better to have a surveyor do this, or you might not make straight lines with perfect 90 degree angles.
• Dig up the soil so that you can lay the foundation. Or better yet, call an excavator and have him dig up the soil for you. Also, you could call up the electrician and the plumber, so that they can do the things necessary to accommodate these essential connections.
• If the soil that was excavated was not of good quality, you may have to buy new soil that’s best for foundations from a quarrying company.
• Connect the stakes by making a mold using wooden planks.
• Pour the concrete into your mold and wait for it to dry.
• Once done, the mold will be removed and you will finally have the foundation of your home completed.

Related articles:

1. Cement Slabs, Cost, and What have You’s
2. Working with Concrete Molds
3. Easy Steps in Setting Paving Slabs in Your Patio
4. Basics on Paving Construction