Picture this – you build two houses with decks of cards. The first one you construct on a solid, flat foundation. The second one, you attempt to build on an uneven, softer foundation. Which one do you think will stand? And which will collapse? You guessed it, the second will collapse.
In the same way, regardless of the type of property you are building, you want to start with a solid foundation to ensure your asset stands strong. After all, a commercial or residential property is one of the most significant investments you will make.
So, what does a concrete slab have to do with all of this? Well. For starters, it’s a strong, durable, and affordable way to provide your building with a solid foundation. But that’s not all. There’s more to this construction favourite than meets the eye. Curious? Read on to find out.
What is a concrete slab?
Before we reveal the all-important advantages of concrete slabs, you need to get your head around what it is.
As the name suggests, a concrete slab is the foundation of a building made from Concrete. Usually, this is ten to fifteen centimetres thick, and to allow for extra strength various areas throughout the slab will be thicker allowing for a stronger structure.
There are up to fifteen different types of concrete slabs, each with pros, cons and functionality. While we are not going into the details of each one in this article, we’ve listed them below.
The 15 different types of concrete slabs
- Flat slab
- Waffle slab
- Conventional slab
- Hollow core ribbed slab
- Sunken slab
- Inclined slab
- Slab with arches
- Prestressed concrete slab
- Cable-suspended slab
- Composite slab
- Bubble deck slab
- Precast slab
- Hardy slab
- Waist slab
- Slab on grade or slab on ground
This is just a brief overview of concrete slabs. Now it’s time for what you’ve been waiting for – the three main advantages of concrete slabs. So, without further ado, here they are.
Three advantages of concrete slabs in construction
While each type of concrete slab mentioned above has its unique benefit, overall – concrete slabs offer the following three main benefits.
1. Much more resilient against natural disasters
When you lay it out correctly, a concrete floor is resilient to natural disasters and flooding. While the combination of steel in a reinforced concrete slab will ensure it gets through earthquakes, the water-resistant nature of the concrete slab will ensure minimal damage and easy cleanup after a flood.
2. It helps maintain good air quality inside the building.
Unlike some foundations, such as wooden floors, prone to harbouring dust, mites and harmful microorganisms, with concrete flooring, you don’t need to worry about these pesky problems. In fact, here’s a little insider tip – if you opt for a beautiful polished concrete floor and avoid carpeted floors, not only will you have aesthetically pleasing flooring, but you can also maintain good air quality indoors by not having to deal with moisture issues.
3. A positively cost-effective environmental choice
Even during construction, it is essential to keep the environment at the forefront of what we do. The good news is that concrete is 100% recyclable. Thus, by using concrete slabs in your construction process, you’re taking one step towards building a property that is environmentally friendly.
So, as you can see, there’s more to concrete slabs than meets the eye.
Kickstart your next construction project with a concrete foundation.
Ready to build a solid property that lasts beyond a lifetime? Contact us today.
Over the years, Next Gen Concrete and Excavation has built a reputation for reliable project management. From the initial planning stage to quality assurance and project safety, our management system delivers quality projects to satisfied customers. You can trust and rest assured that we will provide a quality job that we are proud to leave our mark on and complete each project on time, every time.