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HEATING OIL TANK PAD

ww
ww Member Posts: 298
edited November 2021 in THE MAIN WALL
I want to install a 275 vertical oil tank and from what I see need to make a 30 inch x 60 inch pad 4 inch pad.

The location is a room next to basement door and is fully protected and not outdoors in the elements but not inside the basement....a separate room used in the days of coal.

I measured the concrete thickness of the floor and it's maybe no thicker than an inch and a half thick over dirt. I read that a 3 or 4 inch pad is needed on top of a 6 inch base of compacted gravel reinforced with rebar.

I know the weight of an oil tank full is 1 1/4 tons. This will be alot of digging,dirt removal,gravel and concrete.

I've read the same pad specs are for both the inside as well as the outside. I can see drainage on the outside needing all that gravel but the inside too?

The readings and videos mostly show how to pipe oil tank,etc and haven't seen much on this subject.

Has anyone here done this before that could comment on this procedure? Thanks.

Comments

  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    Looks like you know the right way it's supposed to be done by code.

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  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,845
    The gravel isn't there primarily for drainage. It's there to assist in spreading the weight of the tank over the ground. An equivalent total thickness (9 to 12 inches) of reinforced concrete could also be used, but actually is not quite as satisfactory.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • ww
    ww Member Posts: 298
    ok...thanks...i only like to do work that's correctly done and by code....so i'll have to get to digging then...i forgot to ask...guess maybe these 2 questions should go to a concrete forum!

    1. can i use the broken up pieces of concrete as part of the base or in the mix?

    2. from the top of the existing floor how deep should i dig...i'm wondering at what depth below the existing floor the gravel should go to...in other words from the existing floor how much of the 4 inch pad should show?...just was wondering..sounds like a silly question but am sure there are some specs on that.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,845
    Yes you can use the busted up concrete as part of the gravel, assuming that it is good hard concrete and not crumbly.

    As far as depth goes -- what you are looking at it is the total thickness of the slab and the gravel; you want a good 10 inches total and a foot would be better. The hole should be deep enough so that the top of the gravel is below the bottom of the old surrounding concrete, but it could be more -- not less. How high the pad is above the surrounding floor is not specified, but it could be a trip hazard -- but that's your call.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,274
    This has just spiked my curiosity as I do not do oil at all.

    But how many points of contact does the tank have with the pad/floor?

    Is it 2 or 4 or a complete rectangular base for full contact?
  • ww
    ww Member Posts: 298
    there are four points of contact...the legs screwed into the bottom of the tank..on the floor side of the tank there is a flange screwed into the bottom threads for stability.
  • ww
    ww Member Posts: 298

  • ww
    ww Member Posts: 298
    Jamie, thanks..that's a great and clear explanation!
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,470
    @ww

    Your carrying this to the extreme. I know the tanks full of oil are heavy (2300lb) but lets be practical, there's thousands of oil tanks installed on minimal concrete floor in old coal converted houses and I doubt anyone has seen one fall through the floor. If your concerned about it do this:

    Get a metal shop to cut you 2 pieces of 1/2" thick steel plate 8" wide x 30" long. They will be heavy. Set them on the floor so they will span across the legs to spread out the load.

    If you want to ge real fancy have the metal shop tack 4 2" steel pipe couplings to the plates so you can drop the tank legs inside.

    Anything else is a waste of time IMHO
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    @EBEBRATT-Ed If you are going to do all of that, and you have enough door width, you're better off with a skid tank.

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  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,470
    edited November 2021
    @STEVEusaPA All that?

    Thought my suggestion was pretty simple, 2 pieces of steel plate that any metal shop can cut. probably cost him $50 It would save a lot of concrete breaking and pouring a new pad and a lot of work.

    Most old houses probably have an 1 1/2" floor. I never saw a tank fall over yet and I have seen more than a few set on crap.

    As long as the burner is hooked up 2 pipe I will be happy :)
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    LOL @EBEBRATT-Ed I agree about seeing thousands of tanks sitting on rat slabs with no problem, but I'd rather give the correct-by-code answer. If they put that tank in, and something happens, or an inspector dings them, they'll be back here blaming us.
    ix-nay, on the wopipe-tay...lol

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  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,470
    From NFPA 31
    "TANKS AND THEIR SUPPORTS SHALL REST ON FOUNDATIONS OF SOLID CONCRETE"

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