Garage floor concrete in Richland WA - a level slab that's cured right and wears well
Cracked, dusty or uneven garage floor? We pour a new slab on a well-packed base and cure it properly so it holds up.
R&S Richland Concrete Construction is a Richland concrete company that builds driveways, patios, steps and foundations across the Tri-Cities and the cities around it. Garage floor concrete in Richland is a steady part of that work, for attached garages and detached shops alike. I like explaining why concrete does what it does as much as I like pouring it.
- Owner on site, estimate to pour
- Base dug out and packed firm
- Clear answers at every step
Garage floor concrete, from base to cure
Garage floor concrete is a slab, usually built on the thicker side of house floors because it carries more weight, then finished, jointed and cured so the surface stays hard. Most people in Richland call us when an old floor has cracked across, sunk or started to dust, or when a new garage or shop is going up. If you want color or a pattern on top, ask about our decorative concrete work.
The price mostly follows the size of the floor, how thick it needs to be, whether it gets steel reinforcement and how much base work goes under it. The schedule turns on the weather and the cure, since we plan pours around heat and wind and the slab needs time before you use it. The written estimate spells out what's included.
- Dug-out base. We dig down to firm subgrade, the ground the slab rests on, and pack a gravel base so the floor has solid support.
- Steel reinforcement. Rebar is steel laid inside the slab to help hold it together, and we'll talk through whether your floor needs it.
- Slope to the door. We set the floor to fall slightly toward the door, not the back wall, so water runs out instead of pooling.
- Control joints. Control joints are shallow cuts that give the slab a chosen place to crack, so cracks follow a straight line.
Garage floor work we take on
Most garage floor jobs are a new slab, but a few choices about what goes under it and into it decide how the floor handles moisture and our winters.
New garage slabs
A full slab for an attached or detached garage, poured to the thickness your use calls for and finished smooth enough to sweep clean.
Shop and RV floors
Floors for workshops, RV bays and storage buildings, where heavy equipment usually means a thicker slab and a closer talk about reinforcement.
Vapor retarders
A vapor retarder is a sheet under the slab that limits moisture rising from below, and it's worth asking whether one suits your garage.
Air-entrained mix
Air-entrained concrete has tiny bubbles spread evenly through it, giving freezing water room to expand, which is worth raising when we pick the mix.
If your garage job includes something not listed here, like a concrete retaining wall along the drive, ask us about it.
Why garage floor concrete is worth doing right
A garage floor takes heavy loads and rarely gets replaced, so the parts you can't see on day one decide how it looks years from now. When the budget is tight, I'd keep the money in the base, because you can redo a surface but not the ground under it.
- Finishing on timeWe trowel the top when the concrete is ready, because working it too early or too late can leave it dusting, wearing into powder.
- Cooler pour hoursHeat, dry air and wind all rush concrete along, so on summer jobs we plan the pour early in the day.
- Careful curingCuring, the wait while the slab hardens, goes better when the top stays damp and covered, since a slab that dries fast turns weak.
- A level surfaceWe check the forms before the pour and finish carefully, so you don't get high or low spots where water sits.
How a garage floor job goes
I come out and measure
I come out myself to look at the garage, measure it and talk through your options right there, from thickness and steel to where water should drain.
Written estimate and plan
You get a written estimate that spells out what's included, and we plan the pour around what the job and the season call for.
Pour, cure and walk-through
I'm on site with our crew for the pour, and before we leave I walk you through caring for the new floor while it finishes curing.
Why Richland homeowners call us for garage floors
I want you to understand what you're paying for, so we explain cure time and what a fine crack or two means before we pour. That way you can judge your new garage floor fairly and know when to start using it.
Every line explained
I'll walk you through every line of your estimate, so you can see what the base, the steel and the finish each add.
An engineer when needed
When a job needs an engineer's design, we bring one in rather than guessing at what a slab should carry.
Questions welcome, twice
I'd rather answer one more question than leave you guessing, so call (509) 581-2407 and ask whatever's on your mind before you decide.
Garage floors in Richland and nearby cities
Big temperature swings between afternoon and night make curing the part of a garage floor we watch closest around here. On jobs in Richland, Kennewick and West Richland, we check the forecast for the days after the pour, not just pour day, and plan the cure around it.
Washington requires every construction contractor to register with the Department of Labor & Industries, L&I, and state law also requires a bond and insurance. If a contractor's work leaves you with a financial loss, eligible homeowners can apply to L&I's Homeowner Recovery Program for payment. We're licensed and insured.
Tell us about your garage floor
Send your garage size and timing through the form or call (509) 581-2407. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
Call (509) 581-2407Garage floor questions we hear
How much does a garage floor slab cost near Richland?
A plain slab with no staining or stamping usually costs about $5 to $11 per square foot in nearby Kennewick, and that's the area's going rate, not our price. Steel reinforcement raises it, and so do a thicker slab and extra base work, so your written estimate is where you'll see your own number.
How soon can I walk on my new garage floor?
You can usually walk on a new slab within 48 hours, though concrete takes about a month to fully cure. One cost guide suggests waiting a week before putting heavier loads on it, so plan on a short stretch without full use of the garage.
Will my new concrete garage floor crack?
It may show a fine crack or two, because even a well-designed, well-built floor isn't realistically crack-free. The joints we cut give most cracks a planned line to follow, and steel in the slab helps hold the pieces tight. A hairline crack is a normal part of concrete.
How do I check a concrete contractor in Washington?
Look the business up on L&I's contractor verification page, which shows whether its registration is active and whether its workers' comp account is paid up for any employees. It also lists safety violations and lawsuits against the contractor's bond. It's worth doing before you sign with anyone, us included.