Cutting out a failed slab is a decision to stop the operation in one part of the building and accept the dust, the noise and the delay that follow. We do this work for plants, shops, warehouses and yards where a floor has cracked, settled, curled or broken down under traffic, and where patching will no longer hold. The goal is to remove the damage, find out why it happened and put back a floor that will last.
Slab replacement is not simply the reverse of a new pour. The old slab may contain embedded conduit, drains or plumbing. The subgrade underneath may be wet, loose or voided. The neighboring slab is still in service and is loaded by forklifts. Our trade partners saw cut clean edges, remove material in pieces, repair the base, set new reinforcing and dowels, and pour back in a sequence that keeps the rest of the floor working.
We handle both interior floors and exterior aprons, and we plan the work around your shifts, deliveries and product.
A slab fails for a reason, and replacing it without addressing the reason wastes money. We look for water, because poor drainage and leaking pipes wash out the subgrade. Heavy loads that exceed what the slab was designed for are another cause, as are joints that opened and let water in, and reactive or poorly cured concrete. Cores and probing give data on thickness, reinforcing and the condition below.
Water is a real concern in the region, even in a dry climate. Las Cruces averages 9.14 inches of precipitation a year, but the surrounding arroyos often carry water after heavy thunderstorms, and around Deming minor flooding sometimes occurs over large areas of flat ground. A slab on flat ground near a drainage path needs an edge, a grade and a drain that carry storm water away. We examine the site's drainage, and when needed we coordinate fixes with our stormwater detention and drainage work.
The work begins with layout and utility location. We mark the cut limits, locate buried lines with scanning and test pits, and protect or reroute them. Saw cutting follows, with wet cutting or vacuum systems to control silica dust. The old slab is broken into manageable pieces and hauled out. We inspect the subgrade, remove soft material and recompact with engineered fill.
New concrete is placed with reinforcing, dowels into the existing slab and joints that match the building's pattern. We choose the mix for strength, shrinkage and the surface you need, and we cure the slab with moisture retention or a membrane. If the new area needs a hardener or coating, we apply it after curing. The detail follows our work on industrial concrete floors.
Cutting and breaking concrete creates respirable silica, noise and vibration. We control silica with water or vacuum capture, restrict access to the work area and monitor exposure. Noise is limited by method and by scheduling the loudest work when fewer people are present. Vibration from breakers can affect nearby equipment, and we choose methods that suit sensitive machinery.
Heat is another factor in this region. The average June high in Las Cruces is 96.2 degrees F. Concrete pours in hot weather need planning, with cooled mix water, windbreaks, evaporation retarders and early start times. Crews need shade, water and rest. We adjust the schedule to avoid the afternoon peak for both the crew and the concrete.
The longest part of a slab replacement is not the pour. It is the cure, the time before the floor can carry traffic. We use high-early-strength mixes where the schedule demands it, but they cost more and need careful placing. For a plant that cannot stop, we phase the work in strips, so traffic can reroute around the closed area, and we use temporary plates over open areas when they are needed.
We agree with you on closure windows: nights, weekends or planned shutdowns. Deliveries of concrete are timed with the pump or truck access and with the dock schedule. A written plan shows where forklifts will run, when each strip will be ready and how much is open on each day. Unexpected findings, such as an unmarked line under the slab, are handled with a pre-approved change process.
Our concrete trade partners cut, break out, form, place and finish the slabs. Having the same people do each step keeps the details consistent. They set dowels and reinforcing to the drawings, place the concrete in the order planned and finish to the flatness the owner needs. For process equipment, we build isolation joints and pads that keep vibration from travelling through the slab.
Where demolition goes beyond the slab, our industrial demolition services cover walls, equipment foundations and structures. For food plants and washdown areas, we coordinate the new slab with drains, slopes and sealed joints in line with the needs of food and beverage processing buildings.
The main cost drivers are area, thickness, depth of subgrade repair, the number of utilities in the way, the access for equipment and the finish. Interior work with limited access costs more per square foot than open yards. Subgrade repair is the biggest unknown, and we include an allowance and a unit price so you know what additional repair will cost.
Operational costs are real too. Downtime, relocated inventory and temporary routing all cost money. We help owners compare a quick patch, a partial replacement and a full replacement on lifecycle cost. For heavy industrial users in metals and heavy industry, floors near presses and furnaces often justify a full replacement with a stronger design. For city-center sites such as downtown Las Cruces, access and staging add cost.
Send photographs of the damage, the area in square feet and a note on the traffic that crosses it. We will visit, probe the slab and return a plan with a schedule and a price.
We look at the extent of cracking, settlement, curling and surface wear, and we take cores and probe the subgrade. If the damage is local and the base is sound, repair may be enough. If cracks are wide, the base is wet or the slab is thin, replacement saves money in the long run.
It depends on the mix and the loads. Standard mixes usually need several days before light traffic and longer for heavy loads. High-early-strength mixes shorten that time. We state the traffic dates in the schedule.
Yes. We review drawings, scan the slab and open test pits where needed. Any lines we find are marked, and we agree on whether to protect or reroute them before cutting.
Often yes, particularly if the slab is structural, has drains or plumbing, or the work affects an exit route. The 2021 New Mexico Existing Building Code, listed on the state's code page, is part of how repairs to existing buildings are treated. We confirm with the building official before work starts.
Yes, if noise rules and the schedule allow it. Night work reduces disruption but needs lighting and good coordination. Concrete deliveries and finishing crews are scheduled accordingly.
We plan for it with cooled materials, early starts, windbreaks and curing methods that keep the surface moist. Hot, dry and windy weather can crack fresh concrete, so we watch forecasts and adjust.