Walk-In Safe/Basement/Building House Questions?

[britz]

As BH said the ICF's (insulated concrete forms) are a good alternative for added insulation. However, IMO they wouldn't be a good choice for an interior wall due to the fact they have insulation around them. If I had an ICF home and wanted to put a safe room in it, I'd use either corefilled block or a standard poured wall to build a interior safe room. Just my opinion.

I would discuss the roof cap with your contractor in depth. When spanning with concrete one can use judgment and experience to design small spans. However, If I was asked to span something 15' wide, I would flat refuse to do so without professionally designed structural specs. Concrete weighs 4000 pounds per yard, and at 8" thick a cap on a 15 x 15" Inside dimension room (17' x 17' outside dimension) is about 28,900 pounds!

Even though I'd be confident that a double rebar mat would do the trick, I'm not taking a chance with that kind of weight OVERHEAD.

 

[Gunnersaw1]

I agree with britz on everything he said. if you are going to try and span 15 ft get some specs from someone who knows. good luck

 

[sp6x6]

Ihave done stuff like that and even had preformed concrete set in place for garage roof, to floor space above, large crane to set. Also done large, poured in place, floors over lower levels. Usually steel I BEAM , then corragated sheet rest on I beams, beams have standoff boltts welded up threw sheet, this bolt holdswelded first layer of grid rebar, eng. spect out.

 

[yobuck]

for someone not skilled in concrete forming of structural concrete, the prestressed concrete slabs would be a good way to go. due to the fact they are hollow, would eliminate much of the weight. sleepers could be attached to the top for a wood floor above, or wire mesh and several inches of a lightweight concrete could be used. in any event, the opinions of a structural engineer would be wise. note i said structural engineer, not an architect.

 

[nfhjr62]

When i lived at home my fathers house was heated by coal so under the front porch was a coal room when changed to gas heat room was cleaned out and we moved our guns and my reloading equipment in.
Room had 18 inch stone walls and porch was 8 inch poured concrete making for a room that was dry and clean

 

[sp6x6]

On a house I did a couple years ago it had a covered porch, poured a 3" slab over a 12" BCI SUB FLOOR w3/4 in ply, RAN 2 layer of ICE AND WATER SHIELD, then the decortive poured and stamped concrete, I made the room below a safe rm, otherwise it was to be filled for slab. I t was a great use of space, about 8 x 14, walls were logix, hydronic floor heat