Garage Floors & Slabs in Norman, OK

Garage floors and slabs in Norman include replacement floors in attached and detached garages, shop and barn floors on larger lots east of town, and pads for sheds, carports, HVAC units, generators and trash bins. They carry heavier and more concentrated loads than a patio, and like every slab here they sit on clay that moves, so the base and the steel matter more than the surface.

Replacing a garage floor

An old garage floor that has cracked across the middle, dropped along one wall or tipped toward the door can be broken out and replaced while the walls stay standing. We remove the old floor, dig out soft soil, compact a stone base and pour a new reinforced slab. HomeGuide's slab guide says most two-car garage floors are 4 to 6 inches thick and reinforced. We slope the floor slightly toward the door so water from wet cars drains out instead of pooling.

If your garage floor is cracked but level, a full replacement may not be necessary. Crack repair or a resurfacing coat may be enough, and we will tell you so.

Shop and outbuilding floors

For a detached shop, barn or large garage, the slab has to match the building and what goes in it. A car lift, a tractor or a loaded trailer needs thicker concrete and heavier steel than a workbench. We ask what will sit on the floor, plan thickened edges where walls bear on the slab, and set joints so cracks land along predictable lines. If the building company has its own slab plan, we pour to it.

Permits for new buildings and slabs vary. We check with the City of Norman's Development Services, (405) 366-5339, or the county for lots outside city limits before we start.

Shed and equipment pads

HomeGuide's slab guide says most shed slabs are about 4 inches thick and often do not need reinforcement. On Norman clay we usually add a stone base and some steel anyway, because a small pad that tilts makes a shed door bind. Pads for HVAC units, generators and bins are small but need to be level and sit on firm ground.

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Planning around a storm shelter

Many Norman homeowners add an in-ground shelter or safe room, often in the garage floor. The City of Norman requires a permit before a storm shelter or safe room is installed and asks owners to register shelters with the Fire Department at 405-292-9780 so emergency crews know where to look after a storm. If a shelter is part of your plans, tell us before we pour a new garage floor so the slab layout can allow for it.

Coatings and finishes

Most garage floors get a smooth steel-trowel finish, which is easy to sweep and takes coatings well. If you plan an epoxy or other coating, tell us before the pour, since the finish and curing affect how well a coating sticks. HomeGuide's slab guide puts epoxy floor coatings at $4 to $10 a square foot.