Generators, HVAC units, transformers, and site-mounted equipment all need a concrete foundation that handles their weight, vibration, and anchor requirements. Gatineau Concrete designs and pours equipment pads to the exact specifications of your machinery, with anchor bolts positioned to match the equipment frame and isolation systems where needed. Every pad begins with a free written estimate.
A concrete pad that looks simple can fail in ways that stop operations. The slab must carry the equipment's full loaded weight (not the dry weight listed in the manual; a generator full of fuel and oil weighs significantly more), resist the vibration and movement the equipment produces during normal operation, position anchor bolts so they thread into the equipment's mounting frame without gaps or misalignment, and remain stable through seasonal freeze-thaw cycles in Gatineau's climate.
We start with the equipment's technical cut sheet to determine loaded weight, vibration class, anchor spacing, and any isolation requirements. The concrete slab is engineered to those specifications, reinforced accordingly, and the anchor bolts are positioned using a template that matches the equipment frame exactly. Vibration isolation systems are embedded where the equipment manufacturer specifies them.
We obtain the equipment cut sheet (footprint dimensions, loaded weight, vibration classification, anchor bolt pattern, isolation requirements) and use those specs to engineer the pad rather than applying a one-size-fits-all template.
Excavate and prepare the base
For exterior pads, we excavate below Gatineau's frost line, compact the subgrade, and place a gravel base to the engineered depth to prevent heave during winter freeze cycles.
Build forms and set embeds
Concrete forms are constructed to the engineered dimensions, rebar is tied per structural requirements, anchor bolts are positioned using a template that matches the equipment's mounting frame, and vibration isolation embeds are placed as specified.
Pour, finish, and cure
Concrete is placed and finished to the elevation the equipment expects, protected through the cure period, and handed off to the equipment installer with verified as-built dimensions and correct anchor bolt projection.
Common failure point
Anchor Bolt Positioning Determines Success
Equipment installers arriving on site with machinery that cannot bolt into misaligned anchor bolts face costly delays and rework. The majority of equipment pad disputes stem from anchor bolts that ended up out of position, even by a fraction of an inch. We template every anchor pattern directly from the equipment cut sheet and verify positioning during the pour, not after concrete has cured.
Coordination with the equipment supplier is essential on every project. The cut sheet drives the pad design, and equipment pads often run parallel to loading dock or parking lot work where timing and sequencing affect the entire site schedule.
Anchor patterns, vibration isolation, sizing to loaded weight and equipment-installer coordination.
The pad has to support the loaded weight of the equipment (full of fluids, under service load) with a margin, and provide enough footprint for the anchor pattern plus access for maintenance. We size from the equipment cut sheet, not from generic tables.
We template the anchor pattern from the equipment cut sheet, build a wood or steel template that holds the bolts in exact position, and place that template in the form so the bolts are anchored during the pour at the right spacing and projection.
Some equipment requires it (especially generators, compressors). We use vibration isolation pads or specialized embedded systems per the equipment's spec sheet. Not every pad needs it; we follow what the equipment requires.
Exterior equipment pads need footings below the frost line in Gatineau, which is typically several feet. Interior pads on existing slabs can be much shallower or even tied into the existing floor depending on load. The engineering drives the depth.
Equipment installers typically wait for the pad to reach a specific cure strength before mounting the unit; for most pads that is within a few days of the pour. We give the installer the cure timeline so installation schedules without delay.
Client reviews
What Gatineau Operations Say About Their Equipment Pads
HVAC pad with anchor bolts that lined up exactly with the unit frame. The HVAC installer commented that it was the easiest install he had done that month. Templating is everything.
X. A.
Facility Manager, Gatineau
★★★★★
Generator pad engineered for the unit's vibration and weight. Three years of regular generator runs, zero crack development, zero shift. The engineering held.
Y. Y.
Industrial Operations Director, Ottawa
★★★★★
Transformer pad replacement during a planned outage. Coordinated the schedule tightly with the utility, pad cured and ready in the window. Power back on as scheduled. Real timing discipline.
Z. P2
Property Manager, Barrhaven
★★★★★
Multiple equipment pads across a plant expansion. Every cut sheet honored, every anchor template right, every pad finished to the elevation the equipment expected. No improvisation, no surprises.
Y. N2
Plant Engineer, Nepean
From the blog
Concrete Guides & Articles
Practical reading on planning, finishes and caring for concrete in Gatineau.
