Pouring Garage Slab – H1N1 KO’d Finisher
Pouring a garage slab tomorrow (22 x 24) that is ready to go but the Swine Flu’d my Finisher. Scramble mode!
I’ve only observed trades pouring various slabs while hauling the wheelbarrow for them but now I’m forced to finish this project.
I’ve got no problem marking my grey lines, from there it’s all greek.
Pulled a few articles off here on how to tackle the project so I’ll start there….
But, if you have any advice or sourced of information please let me know.
OR, if you are an experienced finisher and looking for a cash job tomorrow -> trucks arrive at 3 PM (10 m3).
Wish me luck!
Replies
bb, help this guy out if you can
"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking." — Sherlock Holmes, 1896
I have advice.....forget it. You have a 99.9% chance of making a huge mess. You don't learn how to do that in one night reading a how-to book.
Call your batch plant and explain what has happened.
Ask if they know anyone who might be available for hire.
Call your local REAL L.Y. and ask the same , better yet stop in and ask.
Think about ways to contact unemployed or slow concrete finishers.
You have all morning to burn the phone lines.
When that stuff starts rolling down the chute you better know exactly what to do or you're screwed.
Cancel the pour or find some experienced help.
Or you'll be here next week asking about jackhammers.
Joe H
Ask the concrete supplier what their return policy is:)
Is concrete hard to fix? :)I'll head over to Kreitmaker first thing in the morning to see if I can pick-up someone for the job.What's a fair rate? 8 hours to finish 22 x 24 slab (15 high/10 low tomorrow -> Celsius): $20-30/hr fair?Van G
I see by your profile your relatively new here. First off, welcome. Second, never ever ask how much you should expect to pay. This is a worldwide site, actually had a conversation with a guy from Ireland once. Prices are regional and therefore impossible for most here to address, unless of course they are in your region. Even than it can vary quite a bit. Just giving you a heads up:)
would that be wet or dry...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
CANCEL!
3pm is a terrible time to receive mud for a finished slab. 7am is much better. Your batch plant can recommend other possible finishers, or wait the short period until your main guy is better.
I was thinking the same thing...nothing is more fun than spending the night waiting for concrete to set up enough for finishing.
I learned that one a long time ago. You want concrete early in the day.
It's hard to finish and hold a flashlight.
"There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."Will Rogers
Edited 10/29/2009 7:47 pm by popawheelie
Ditto on the 3 pm start - that's really asking for trouble.
What's wrong with 3pm?
They were pouring concrete at 2am for the new Home Depot Distribution Center here on Tuesday morning."Objects in mirror appear closer than they are."
Klakamp Construction, Findlay, Ohio - just south of the Glass City
unless its a footer, we never pour slabs before 10 am.
Yeh, but you have the prober hardeners and the low water so your slab cures in a resonable time.
I suspect that he needs to pour by 9am at the latest or he could be in for a long long day.
I have waited 12 hours for a pour to cure enough, but that is another story.
Ditto on the professional. Do not attempt this, if you haven't the experience!
What did you decide? Pretty clear consensus here on getting a pro to do it.
wrongperson>G<
If he did it, the original poster is either working his rear off or waiting to fill in the footprints he left behind.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Or fell in..........
Joe H
Along time ago when I was learning concrete, one of the local drivers told us some stories...........amidst eating some of his wife's breakfast taco's he sold on the side.
Driver delivers and puts out his load. While washing the chutes the homowner (finisher) asks how long it takes till the concrete "smooths out".A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Thanks for all the feedback.Things went great yesterday!I cancelled the truck and framed the media closet and stripped organized the cabling. Had a nice long lunch looking at the rebar and forms.Got the slab booked for next Tuesday.Have a good one.Van G
Smart decision, guy. You didn't need all of that stress, and possibly grief. Good luck on Tuesday.AitchKay
Years ago when I drove ready-mix I delivered to a homeowner, pulled up and homeowner said want the slab over there!? pointing to an area not prepped or formed! Expected one stop shopping. After explaining how things work they had me dump load on large blue tarps on the front lawn. As I remember it was @ 2 yards or so fortunately a dry load. They owned the load, did try to talk them out of it but oh well. Never did drive by to see how it turned out.
wookie
You should go by now if in the area and see how they decorated the front yard patio.............
No kidding, people think I'm stretching the truth with the story.
Since you were a driver, my hats off to you and others that made pouring easier.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Smooth new slab is in place after a long day for the finisher (10:30 PM).Things looking good: knock forms of tomorrow and frame on the weekend. 14 and Sunny!Now to make the decision on how to finish the exterior walls: vinyl board & batten or the 4x8 sheets that are finished one side with an acrylic (?) pattern: siding, stone, or plaster patterns.Van G
jeez louise, when did you place it?A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Tuesday @ 9:30
Pretty cold day but finisher was swearing at supplier because the first load finished way ahead of the second.
The conspiracy chatter was feverish!Van G
What was the temperature? Cold weather (40F or less) pours around here are generally going to be with hot water and possibly a bit of calcium, and I might order an extra half sack per yard. With luck first truck would arrive at 8 and we would be done by 5. I would think early November in Toronto is pretty cold.
It was fairly cold (High of 7 = 44, Low of 0 = 32). After Nov 1 supplier dings you for winter heat - that was one of the conspiracies - the second truck didn't use warm water.Additional calcium was supposed to be in the mix - At least the delivery sheet shows it.Van G
Calcium only does so much, you need the hot water. There should be a bunch of steam coming down the chute.
We talked about that. Neither of us remember looking for the steam or actually feeling the temp of the concrete. This was only discussed after the waiting game got long!Van G
>> the waiting game got long << That is very typical for cool weather concreting. The hydration process is a chemical reaction, but experience tells you that it just doesn't take-off in a reasonable amount of time when the temp is much below 50.
Pouring a 16 X 24 slab on Tuesday here temp is supposed to be +4 C> Man I wished I was done this. Had a bad last month here cold, rain and snow?slush all last month.
Here, last month, it wasn't so cold, but it seemed like it rained every other day...
Like was said above - order with hot water and calcium. Probably 2%. They charge extra for each of these.
One thing that I'm not sure was mentioned above. Order your concrete as far in advance as possible so you can get a 10:00 AM delivery (or similar). That way it will be ready to finish at the warmest part of the day, and you won't end up being there much after dark except to do the covering.
Not sure what the OP did but in his initial post he said concrete at 3:30 (or similar).... What!!!
Also have your blankets or plastic & straw on site ahead of time. If you use blankets and are renting them, call ahead to reserve them.
I will get the hot water, calcium and hoard and heat.I usually get delivery at about 8:00 or 9:00 am for a slab. I only do about 2 or 3 a year.
what bad is we order our concrete with super P and Ice, as of yesterday. its low 70's and we still use ice
How does the super-P effect the amount of time it takes to "take off"? Or, in other words is the ice because of the super-P?
Edited 11/6/2009 6:08 pm ET by Matt
the ice is because we are placing a hot mix, the super P give us workability without adding water. once you start with the water the concrete start hydrating, the least amount of water added will slow this. Add alot of water and concrete will take off. super P give us about 45 minutes at a 8010 inch slump. Then get out of the way.
All the schools here require pours to be completed by 8-9am - can you guess why?Jeff
that why we start at 3am. got one tomorrow at 3 am. thats nine hours from now
is it just me or has anybody else noticed how BB's photos never have any identifiable markers in 'em? That truck photo was strategically taken so the outrigger covered the door logo.....mebbe we got ourselves a CIA operative here or summat like........<G>Naive but refreshing !
and you notice I never attack anyone personaly only as a group. never by name.
1) night pour this morning
2) wed
3) wed
4) groupie from local radio station
Spook written all over ya man.....<G>Naive but refreshing !
Nice shorts
Nice shorts
Yeah, but I'm not sure it's a great idea for the finishers to be wearing spike heels...:)
how come i never get to work behind a finisher like that?
PANIC CHAOS DISORDER.........my work is done here.
ya got enough pumper there, buddy?
we pump about three days aweek, that a 61 meter they, any bigger and they scream. I use the same pump and operator on two different jobs within two days
looks like a tigh job threading the needle between the power lines or is it more clear than it looks?
concrete is really easy, all you got do is get all the rock down to the same elevations, within 1/8 inch and then smooth over them.
any truck driver can do that. All you add is water.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Yeah, I mean what could go wrong?No biggie
it'll start with the crete truck's driver and propigate to the help...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
Edited 10/28/2009 9:12 pm by IMERC
have you noticed ,no one has said "you can do it"
3pm, 20 degrees,you'll have it screeded by 6. then pull up a chair,probably about 3am you will be ready to start finishing it. should get done by 8-9 am.long day and if you happen to fall asleep it will harden within 20 minutes.
garage floors are the worst to mess up. you see it everytime you walk in and see it.
i'd throw this out ,1.00 a ft to finish.thats if he gets to go home by 7pm that night.
the older i get ,
the more people tick me off
about 4 years ago we did a house in chicago for "extreme make over home addition". we worked our normal day on thursday, and showed up on this job at 7 pm. framed and pour the footing, set and poured the wall by midnight. at 1 am we stripped the wall and preped the basement floor (including 2 sets of stairs, 6 staps each). pour the basement at 3 am. floor was burnt black by 6am. it got as cold as 15 deg that night, i never saw concrete set so fast when it was that cold it just didn't seem right. so what i'm trying to say, it's never to late in the day to pour a floor. as long as you have the right mix and enough cloride. that night we poured a 9 bag mix, with fiber mesh, super P, and 3% NCA. it was scary stuff!
PANIC CHAOS DISORDER.........my work is done here.
They've done those "house in a day" deals where they were on the slab framing 90 minutes after pouring it.
A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter