Suspended Slab on Metal Deck

A quick and easier way to build suspended slab is to use metal deck if it’s accessible. This approach to concrete slab construction is very common in commercial construction. Using metal deck as forms for cement slabs over garages is a great alternative to building forms with wood and/or scaffolds.

For one thing forming suspending slab take time and a lot of labor. On top of that those forms have to remain in place until the concrete reach its strength before considered safe to remove which can take up to 4 weeks or more.

When come time to remove the form, its extra time to remove and clean ready for storage or return if rented which can incur additional cost due to damages or lost items.

Metal deck on the other hand takes a day to install and there will be no labor to remove them. After pouring concrete slab on metal deck, work can resume without having to wait or allow room for form removal.

Floor decking 2 inches deep 20 gauge can span up to 10 feet. For garages that are 20+ feet wide, they will need to have an intermediate steel beam at the middle to cut down the span of the deck.

Detail 24 above show how the steel beam is used which spans from concrete wall to concrete wall. If cement block wall is used as foundation, the blocks directly below the steel beam need to be constructed as pilasters or block columns with rebars and stirrups.

Depending on how much load the steel beam carries, the location of the beam pocket on the wall may need extra reinforcements. Often time with 4#6 vertical bars and #3 stirrups spaced at 10 inches on center.

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