Took me 50 bags of concrete to realize I messed up my pad

I was pouring a shed base for a 10x12 and I kept mixing bags thinking I was getting somewhere. After 50 bags of 80lb concrete I had maybe a 8x10 pad that was 3 inches thick in some spots. I should have done the math before I started. The frost line here in Vermont is 4 feet and I just dumped it on gravel without footings. Now the whole thing is starting to crack along the edges after one winter. I'm kicking myself for not renting a mixer and doing it right the first time. Anyone else just guess on their foundation and pay for it later?

3 comments

3 Comments

charles_wilson1d ago

Whoa, actually frost heave is from water freezing under the slab, not inside it.

coleman.henry1d ago

Man I read this article once about how most DIY concrete jobs fail because people don't account for the frost heave, and your Vermont winters are brutal. That 4 foot frost line is no joke, you basically built a giant ice cube tray on gravel.

the_avery1d ago

Yeah man I did the exact same thing on a 6x8 garden shed a few years back. Totally guessed on the concrete and ended up with a cracked mess after one freeze thaw cycle. Your story hurts to read because I've been there and it's a real kick in the pants when you see the damage.