Vacuum Island Concrete caps?

[8flyer]

Hi all. I'm having a mason friend of mine make me 2 new vacuum islands and I would like some input on how others have made or purchased the concrete caps that are on top of the block? Thanks! -Kevin

 

[MEP001]

They're usually poured in place.

You can use the masonry (presumably brick) as the form, but to make the island sturdy you should have 2-3" of concrete all the way down, reinforced with rebar.

 

[Rudy]

I had Wausau Tile make me some custom tops that I set on top. They've been there for years and still look great......

 

[Earl Weiss]

You might want to consider:

Go to the Home improvement store and getting some patio Block. Put these on the sides of the form once. It worked OK.

Not sure how it will accept drillinig for anchors or if you are going to set threaded anchor rods in the concrete to accept the vacs. That would be ideal.

BTW, done dozens of bases without re bar. None have come apart in over a decade. And the few I upgraded to Aluminum or stainless steel were tough to bust up to get rid of.

Have you considered Aluminum Diamond plate for a topper?

 

[pitzerwm]

I didn't use rebar either, but one of them didn't survive when some numb nuts ran into it.

 

[2Biz]

There are a lot of "Numb Nuts" out there. The block wall to a bay won't survive either when someone runs into it with a ton flatbed 4 door dually!

 

[MEP001]

BTW, done dozens of bases without re bar. None have come apart in over a decade.

Like Bill and 2Biz said. They'll last forever if it's just a brick form filled with dirt and topped with concrete as long as no one runs into them, but if someone does the whole thing will crumble. With concrete/rebar reinforcement on the inside, it will survive a pretty hard tap. If the island is sitting on concrete, the rebar should be drilled into the concrete it's sitting on, otherwise if someone hits the island and moves it, the electrical will be sheared off and the whole thing will have to be torn down and replaced.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Well, I never had dirt in the form. Always solid concrete or some bloicks and bricks to take up some space in the center then fill the whole thing with cement. Learned the hard way to never, ever again run the electrical up under the island. Drilling the rebar in also doesn't work when a truck hits it.

Now, all islands have the electrical run underground next to the island where it can be accessed without moving the island if neccessary. Then it's stubbed up with heavy wall conduit topped by a junction box. The electrical then goes from that box to the island via flexible sealtight conduit in a "U" shape going down from the conduit box then up into another box mounted on the outside of the island. Not as clean looking but works like a charm when hit.
Did the same thing with the flexible sealtight for my tenant attendants houses mounted outside where the conveyor runs outside the door. Learned this after a driver hit a house and ripped up all the electrical connections in teh ridgid conduit. Again works like a charm.