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Concrete patio control joint

3K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  jomama45 
#1 ·
I will be pouring a concrete patio next week which will be 10x12' and everything I see states the control joint needs to be 8-10' apart. Should I place joint in center from each direction? The patio will only be for foot traffic and no cars will park on it.

Also, I dug out the earth so the patio will be flush with ground when complete and used 1.5" of #57 gravel as base and will pour ~3.5-4" of 3000 psi so is rebar or mesh needed? I have rebar from the last step on concrete stairs so it will hold to new patio but thought gravel base would be OK for this application?

Thanks
 
#2 ·
Unless you can live with a random crack or two running through the slab, I'd suggest adding a joint in each direction. With today's rapid setting & curing cement, especially at the height of summer heat, I tend to make 8' x 8' max. squares for a 4" thick slab. You could possibly get a way with the 10' x 12' with no control joints with the right admixtures & curing process, but you'd certainly be safer to add the joints.

As fro the re-enforcement, I would use whichever one was easier for you to attain & handle. Some here will tell you that it won't work because case studies performed on bridges, roads, The Hoover Dam, yada-yada, say it won't work ideally in a 4" thick slab. 20+ years of on the job assessment tells me that concrete re-enforced with steel performs better long term than concrete without.

Good luck on your pour.
 
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