Concrete Slabs Melbourne
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Concrete Slabs Melbourne offers various types of foundation work, including excavation work, clearing land, making site cuttings, removing soil, and boring piers. We are experts in Raft Slabs and Waffle Pod Concrete Slabs.
For a price, send your plans using the form below to or give us a call today.Waffle Slab Vs Raft Slab
A waffle slab is a reinforced concrete footing and slab system, usually around 80mm thick, that is constructed directly on the ground. Waffle slabs consist of an edge beam (perimeter footing) and selectively spaced internal beams that run each way. Polystyrene is used in between the beams to form voids where concrete is poured. This process creates a ‘waffle’ like aesthetic when viewed from underneath, hence the name.
While waffle slabs tend to be faster, easier to construct and cheaper
A raft slab (or engineered slab) tends to be the favoured option for most builders including us here at Concrete Slabs Melbourne. Raft slabs consist of a thick steel reinforced slab that is integrated with steel reinforced beams, which are dug into the ground for added strength and support.
The depth and spacing of the edge and stiffening beams is dictated by the ground it is being constructed on.
Raft slabs are approximately 100mm thick with thickened edges that can vary from 300-700mm. Things like water can cause these slabs to shrink when dry and swell when wet, meaning they require much deeper stiffening and edge beams to counter less predictable site conditions. This means sandy soils don’t require as much stiffening or shallow edge beams, whilst clay soils are much more reactive.
This slab is more suitable where an existing dwelling and vegetation has been removed and to allow for the new dwelling. It’s also more suited to sloping blocks as the edge beams are dug into the ground and working the slab into the soil and slope.
Bored Piers