Ground floor concrete slabs are laid on natural ground levels. This are are normally cast after completion of the foundation works. There is a difference between them and basement floors. Basements are done below ground level and they are formed above. They can be used in houses, garden sheds and outdoor houses. When casting them the level should be reduced by about two hundred millimeters. This ensures the top vegetable soil is excavated and removed.
Ground floor concrete slabs are solid and not suspended like storeys above this level. Preparation starts after the foundations and walls are finished. The sides of the walls are the back filled internally and externally. After this, the ground is leveled and compacted to receive the hardcore base. This hardcore is average three hundred millimeters in depth. Proper compaction and consolidation is done. This is the base for concrete that is formed.
After the ground floor slab hardcore is compacted and leveled, blinding is then put. The blinding can be of quarry dust, lose chipping, sand or murram. Anti termite treatment is then sprayed on this surfaces. Form work for the concrete is then fixed to edges of the foundation wall. This is the concrete thickness. The thickness of concrete is one hounded to one hundred and fifty milliners. The height from stripped level is three hundred millimeters.
On ground floor concrete, damp proof membranes are laid after blinding. A sheet of one thousand gauge diothene sheet is used for this. Next mesh reinforcement is laid above the sheet. After this concrete is mixed and poured on top. Leveling is done with the form work height. Mixes for concrete are one part cement, two parts sand and four parts ballast. After casting the concrete is watered for at least seven days for curing. Walling can then proceed.
