Concrete flatwork guys

Order more concrete than you think / calculate because nothing worse than being short . have some round or square frames laying around that you can use if you have extra for stepping stones for the garden or what ever

 

I left CA.

 

Yep.

I plan to have some boards framed up for the service door pads and plan to run over.

 

The environmental folks here are making contractors pour the excess into those giant reinforced bags and remove them from the site. Ever the rebel, my wife's uncle bought a bunch of cheap plastic pools and used them instead.

 

Few weeks back an empty truck took a curve to fast around here and tipped over on its side. Your post got me to thinking about how they would have cleaned that up if the truck had been full of concrete?

 

So not to be a buzz kill but what’s gonna keep the slab from heaving over the years from freeze/ thaw and cracking?
Turn down?

 

Because of the soil .. Michigan has sandy soil , so it doesn’t heave in the winter . In Chicago for example , footing have to be at least 42 “ deep minimum. But up in Northern Michigan by me, only 18” is required .

 

It floats on the surface. Unless you want to spend a fortune and put it on a footer, which nobody does. Just have to make sure no moisture collects underneath it, and freezes. Everyone's concrete is floating on the surface.

 

I only know 2 things about concrete. It' always cracks, and no one steals it.

You can't mix that much in a mixer. You'll need a crew to help you either way. I ran a precast shop for a few months, we a flat work crew. I've seen more than a few really fucked up pours.

Don't do it yourself. And power screed is the way to go.

 

http://forums.13x.com/index.php?threads/official-youtube-video-thread.215117/page-886#post-5777735

 

Hey that guy was pro though.

and see how easy it was to power screed....any idiot can do it.

And Im Any Idiot so........

 

That power screed doesn't always work that well. If the concrete is a little dryer (wet in that video)it's hard to get it level, unless you're concrete is level to begin with (his wasn't) he's basically using it as a vibrator, and vibrating it level. If there's too much concrete in the form, it won't be level. Forget the power screed, use the power trowel.

 

You can also vibrate the concrete too much and significantly effect the surface strength. The larger aggregate will settle in the bottom. Bad juju

 

Dammit...that should have been affect...shut up dsapsis.

 

Any update on this?

 

Yea....that crete should be all cured by now.

 

Got behind...work, weather, sick.

insulation is all in. About half the wire is down...got poured in last night so I stopped. Trying to finish wire today.

leaving for a trip tomorrow so next week add tubing and call for inspection.

also I found something called a screed chair. It sits in 1/2 rebar and holds a 1 1/2 pipe to act as a level for screening in the open. Got some of this in to guide me for the middle of the pour. If all goes well I’ll have a slab down late next week.

 

Must have video, or at least pics.

 

I worked concrete through the last few years of college (foundation and flat work).
it is the one part of construction I will NOT do on my own. The reason? it freaking sucks! I will save money and pay someone else to do it!

 

Some pics from the pour in my shop
Used some pros, these guys put down 37 yards in about 3 hours, took another 6 hours to finish due to the cooler temps yesterday. They operate like a well oiled machine.