Pouring the Floors
Well, we can't seem to do ANYTHING the
easy way!! We had the concrete truck
scheduled for the day after the rainiest
weekend of the summer. A full concrete
truck weighs, I'm told, 86,000 pounds. I
wasn't surprised when it sank up to both
axels. In this situation we had two
options. We could just dump the load
where it sat and try to get the truck out, or
we could unload the truck by
wheelbarrow. Obviously, we chose to
unload the truck by hand.. With all of the
chute extensions, it was about ten feet
away from where we wanted to dump it,
but it ws still a long, long day of
wheelbarrowing.
easy way!! We had the concrete truck
scheduled for the day after the rainiest
weekend of the summer. A full concrete
truck weighs, I'm told, 86,000 pounds. I
wasn't surprised when it sank up to both
axels. In this situation we had two
options. We could just dump the load
where it sat and try to get the truck out, or
we could unload the truck by
wheelbarrow. Obviously, we chose to
unload the truck by hand.. With all of the
chute extensions, it was about ten feet
away from where we wanted to dump it,
but it ws still a long, long day of
wheelbarrowing.
With that ordeal out of the way, we were
ready to really pour some floors. The
first step is to excavate the area unil it is
level. We shot elevations with a transit to
determine the level of the concrete in
each room. We also sank stakes about 8
feet apart, at the right height so that we
could tell where the surface of the
concrete should be. We then set up
forms-- 2X4's-- to keep the concrete
where we wanted it. Next, we put down
a layer of 6mil plastic as a vapor barrier
to help keep moisture out of the room.
Our groundwater level changes greatly,
so this is an important step.
ready to really pour some floors. The
first step is to excavate the area unil it is
level. We shot elevations with a transit to
determine the level of the concrete in
each room. We also sank stakes about 8
feet apart, at the right height so that we
could tell where the surface of the
concrete should be. We then set up
forms-- 2X4's-- to keep the concrete
where we wanted it. Next, we put down
a layer of 6mil plastic as a vapor barrier
to help keep moisture out of the room.
Our groundwater level changes greatly,
so this is an important step.
With the plastic down, we were ready to
pour the first room. The truck backed up
and started pouring. Some people have
the idea that concrete is "self-levelling." It
isn't. I watched as our concrete man and
his assistant man-handled the stuff into
place.
pour the first room. The truck backed up
and started pouring. Some people have
the idea that concrete is "self-levelling." It
isn't. I watched as our concrete man and
his assistant man-handled the stuff into
place.
As the concrete fills an area, you scree it
level. Essentially, you start at the deepest
part of the room and work out using an
8' 2X4 to level. It helps to have someone
else to shovel a little more in low spots or
to rake extra out of the way. If there are
several pours on the same day, you have
to work fast. The concrete is going to
start to set up wether you're ready or not.
level. Essentially, you start at the deepest
part of the room and work out using an
8' 2X4 to level. It helps to have someone
else to shovel a little more in low spots or
to rake extra out of the way. If there are
several pours on the same day, you have
to work fast. The concrete is going to
start to set up wether you're ready or not.
The last step is to finish the concrete. On the inside rooms, we chose a light broom
finish, which gives the concrete a texture so that it can take a tile floor later. On our
parking pad, we put on a troweled finish, which is a lot more work.
finish, which gives the concrete a texture so that it can take a tile floor later. On our
parking pad, we put on a troweled finish, which is a lot more work.
After the concrete in the rooms was poured, we formed the planters in the
hallways, and the floor plan really started to take shape.
hallways, and the floor plan really started to take shape.
This pour was on a different
day, and was the easiest of
three. The first pour- with the
stuck concrete truck- was the
parking pad and the middle U.
The second pour was the
Master Bed U the Greatroom (or
living U) and the patio. The
second pour was almost as
eventful as the first because the
first truck was late and the
second truck was early. By the
time we poured the patio, the
concrete had started to set up,
making it very difficult to work
with.
day, and was the easiest of
three. The first pour- with the
stuck concrete truck- was the
parking pad and the middle U.
The second pour was the
Master Bed U the Greatroom (or
living U) and the patio. The
second pour was almost as
eventful as the first because the
first truck was late and the
second truck was early. By the
time we poured the patio, the
concrete had started to set up,
making it very difficult to work
with.
Overall, the concrete went pretty smoothly. Probably the smoothest of anything major so
far. I was very glad that I hired someone to do it for us-- there was A LOT more involved
than I had thought. With the floor in and setting up, we were finally ready to start framing.
far. I was very glad that I hired someone to do it for us-- there was A LOT more involved
than I had thought. With the floor in and setting up, we were finally ready to start framing.
Often any extra concrete just gets
dumped somewhere. We actually used
the small amount to start packing the
spaces between tires.
dumped somewhere. We actually used
the small amount to start packing the
spaces between tires.
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