Concrete slab (front porch/basement) question

[92redragtop]

For the construction (and home owner) folks - our cold room is under the front porch (concrete slab) and we never removed the wood framing/plywood the builder used when pouring the foundation and porch concrete slab. It's located on the ceiling of the cold room (under the porch concrete slab).

Is there a reason to keep this wood installed or was it only needed during the build/concrete pouring process? One small area got wet with a small leak from a pillar on the front porch which I'll be water sealing but the wood in the cold room needs to be addressed - not sure if I can just safely remove all the wood (2x4's and sub-floor plywood sheets) or if removal could cause longer term problems (ie. if the wood is actually a support structure at this point).


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Looking directly up at ceiling of cold room:

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[Zutz2v]

From my memory the builders don’t put any rebar or anything in the porch slab. So the wood and framing is what is supporting it


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[92redragtop]

Interesting - I asked a couple neighbours (we are all original buyers from the builder) and one removed the wood years ago (similar model to our house but cold room is half the size due to alternate front design) and another still has the wood framing. First one is fine still but never know what issues are developing or could develop from the removal of the framing).

[RedSN]

Zutz is correct. There likely isn’t any reinforcement in that slab. A scanning company could confirm.
With no rebar, the formwork is acting as permanent support.

Your neighbour who removed the framing should shore the slab immediately, and then either scan the slab for rebar and consult an engineer, or replace the original wood framing. They’re just lucky they haven’t exceeded the slab capacity of the plain concrete.

[92redragtop]

They might be ok so far as I'm guessing their slab/cold room is approx. 5x5 feet whereas ours is 14x6.5 feet....which is a lot of concrete.

I will mention it to them - she didn't remove it but I think her brother who is a firefighter who does home renos on the side removed it - he and his partner finished her basement so I'm guessing he removed it while they were doing work down there.

[Zutz2v]

If the wood isn’t rotten or anything I wouldn’t touch it. Or if you must you should replace it and brace it


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[RedSN]

...I'm guessing their slab/cold room is approx. 5x5 feet...
Plain concrete has some strength, and there typically isn’t a lot of load on an entrance landing. And a 5x5 slab is not very big. But the potential for a heavy load is there. For example: delivery of a new fridge or something.
I would shore that slab until the issue is resolved.

[92redragtop]

If the wood isn’t rotten or anything I wouldn’t touch it. Or if you must you should replace it and brace it


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We have 2 pillars on the porch and when there is heavy rain it appears water gets in around the decorative casing (covers the steel beams) and seeps down to the cold room. This happened early on and the builder addressed it but the problem has re-appeared, and has wet the wood in a couple places which has now turned blackish (mold). A couple 2x4's are affected and a small piece of each of the plywood sheets that are on the ceiling (flat against the underside of the porch slab. I have to get rid of at least these affected pieces but was wondering if the rest was needed at all.

[True Blue]

Spent 10 years working for a home builder, rebar or metal mesh is used in the porch slab. The 2 by wood braces and plywood can be removed if desired.

[RedSN]

^^^didnt think you guys put rebar in anything ;)

[True Blue]

^^^didnt think you guys put rebar in anything ;)

LoL... This was before my tiling days. Prior I was an assistant site super for a custom home builder.

[92redragtop]

LoL... This was before my tiling days. Prior I was an assistant site super for a custom home builder.

Would the non-custom sub-division builders use the rebar/mesh as well?

[RedSN]

If I was building it, they would be 20M bars :D

[True Blue]

Would the non-custom sub-division builders use the rebar/mesh as well?

Yes!

BTW, to give you peace of mind. The slab's weight is resting on the foundation walls and exterior brick veneer.

[IanGTCS]

Yes!

BTW, to give you peace of mind. The slab's weight is resting on the foundation walls and exterior brick veneer.

What about the really low end builders?

[True Blue]

What about the really low end builders?

Be it high end or low end, it's an 8" thick floating slab where the support is only on the outer edge. There needs to be some form of reinforcement in the concrete.