I've actually tried recycled concrete on a couple of projects. Drainage-wise, it worked surprisingly well—maybe even better than standard gravel. Stability was solid too, but sorting out the larger chunks was a bit of a hassle...worth it though for the sustainability factor.
Totally agree on the drainage part—recycled concrete really surprised me too. Sorting chunks can be annoying, but honestly, once you get a system down, it's not so bad. Plus, knowing you're cutting waste feels pretty great...worth the extra effort for sure.
Yeah, recycled concrete's underrated. I remember a project where we reused chunks from an old driveway—initially thought it'd be a headache, but drainage improved noticeably. Bit of extra sweat, sure, but the results spoke for themselves.
"initially thought it'd be a headache, but drainage improved noticeably."
Interesting point about drainage—did you notice if the recycled concrete settled differently over time compared to fresh pours? I've been considering reusing some old patio slabs for a small shed foundation, mostly to save cash (because let's face it, concrete prices lately are no joke...). My main worry is uneven settling or cracking down the line. I've done DIY foundations before, but always with new mixes. Curious if anyone else has had long-term experience with recycled chunks holding up under weight. Would hate to save a few bucks now only to spend double later fixing it...
I reused some old concrete slabs from a driveway demo for my garden shed foundation about four years ago. Like you, I was worried about uneven settling or cracking, especially since I'd only worked with fresh pours before. Honestly, it turned out better than expected. I did notice a bit of initial settling in the first few months—nothing major, just slight adjustments—but after that, it's been rock solid. No noticeable cracks or shifting since then.
"initially thought it'd be a headache, but drainage improved noticeably."
This was my experience too. The gaps between recycled chunks actually seemed to help drainage quite a bit compared to my previous solid slab foundations. Just make sure you compact and level your base really well beforehand; that's probably what saved me from bigger issues down the line. Overall, I'd say go for it if you're comfortable with prep work and don't mind a little extra effort upfront.
