How much weight can garage floors hold?

[alexpie001]

as concrete ages it actually hardens

 

[pacu mom]

Your pond is significantly bigger than the acrylic tank we're putting in (15 x 4 x 4). To accomodate the new tank, we tore down the garage, leaving the old slab. A new slab was poured on top of it. The area underneath the tank was reinforced. The floor of the new fish room will be at the same level as the house. (The old slab was lower)

Old garage floor

Forms for the new slab going in

Area under the tank is reinforced

I know that I'm not answering your question, but this is what the engineer came up with in his plans for our fish room.

Basically, he deemed that the cement needed reinforcement under the tank. The new slab is at least 4" thick.

 

[Wet Whiskers]

Your pond is significantly bigger than the acrylic tank we're putting in (15 x 4 x 4). To accomodate the new tank, we tore down the garage, leaving the old slab. A new slab was poured on top of it. The area underneath the tank was reinforced. The floor of the new fish room will be at the same level as the house. (The old slab was lower)

Old garage floor

Forms for the new slab going in

Area under the tank is reinforced

I know that I'm not answering your question, but this is what the engineer came up with in his plans for our fish room.

Basically, he deemed that the cement needed reinforcement under the tank. The new slab is at least 4" thick.

Do you have any idea what the thickness was before? And, yes. This is helpful. My biggest concern is that I suspect the concrete is NOT reinforced. If I could find that out, it would really help.

 

[Conner]

If you think about it, how much does the average car weigh? And all that weight is distributed in 4 tiny little area's under the tires (each less than a sq foot in size!)

I'd have no doubt your garage floor could hold the weight. Even as old as it is, if there are no visible cracks already, then it was done well, and should easily hold the weight.

 

[minicats]

if you want to find out if its reinforced borrow a metal detector from someone or go buy a cheap one and run it over your floor.

 

[Wet Whiskers]

if you want to find out if its reinforced borrow a metal detector from someone or go buy a cheap one and run it over your floor.

Who has a metal detector they want to loan me?

 

[pacu mom]

The old slab was 3 - 4" thick. Part of the reason for the new slab is to raise the floor to the level of the old house since we will be knocking out a wall so the fish room will be an extension of the house. Also, we decided to go 2 story, so that might be a foundation concern. We also came out 12' past the old garage area....all reasons for the new slab. So we are probably comparing apples with potatoes

When you get different people into the mix, sometimes you are forced to do different things. We wanted to build a tank stand with cinderblock filled with concrete. That was a no go with the tank salesman. In order not the jeopardize the tank warranty, we had to build a stand out of 3.5" tubular steel.

For peace of mind, you might consider a consult with an engineer.

 

[Wet Whiskers]

The old slab was 3 - 4" thick. Part of the reason for the new slab is to raise the floor to the level of the old house since we will be knocking out a wall so the fish room will be an extension of the house. Also, we decided to go 2 story, so that might be a foundation concern. We also came out 12' past the old garage area....all reasons for the new slab. So we are probably comparing apples with potatoes

When you get different people into the mix, sometimes you are forced to do different things. We wanted to build a tank stand with cinderblock filled with concrete. That was a no go with the tank salesman. In order not the jeopardize the tank warranty, we had to build a stand out of 3.5" tubular steel.

For peace of mind, you might consider a consult with an engineer.

Thanks! And how much do I like the apples to potatoes comparison! Skip straight over those oranges! Yeah. The two story thing probably added a major variable to the equation. I'll ask my brother in law (a mechanical engineer) if any of his buddies are structural engineers or see if he can get me a confident enough answer on his own. (I hate asking him as he can be weird about the fish sometimes, but it's his brotherly duty to my hubby. )

 

[dawnmarie]

Yeeesh. OK , My two cents worth. You'll probably be fine.
There is all kinds of discussion here about concrete and thickness and whatnot. Cool.
The real trick is , what's under the concrete ?
There is no simple way to get a definitive answer to your original question.
So back to the original question, will it work ? Absolutely , more than likely, yeah probably. Oddly enough I was born in Whittier, CA and that is about as germaine to this discussion as the thickness of the concrete in your garage floor.

OK, I promised my little moderator buddy I would be nice so here goes,
Build it , enjoy it and no worries ( at least until the big one hits).

 

[Wet Whiskers]

Yeeesh. OK , My two cents worth. You'll probably be fine.
There is all kinds of discussion here about concrete and thickness and whatnot. Cool.
The real trick is , what's under the concrete ?
There is no simple way to get a definitive answer to your original question.
So back to the original question, will it work ? Absolutely , more than likely, yeah probably. Oddly enough I was born in Whittier, CA and that is about as germaine to this discussion as the thickness of the concrete in your garage floor.

OK, I promised my little moderator buddy I would be nice so here goes,
Build it , enjoy it and no worries ( at least until the big one hits).

LOL!

Well, if what's under the concrete slab is the same as the 'concrete' I have been finding in my garden, then I can tell you the ground is freaking hard! And yeah, when (not if) "the big one hits" we're screwed anyways. I guess the best thing I can do it build the aquarium so we can all go live in there in the after math.

BTW, how much do I love your avatar!?!