Planet 67 gets under way...

[Tom Bryant]

I have never tried the panoramic feature on my camera. That's cool. I should shoot a panaoramic photo in my garage. It would take that to get in all of the junk. It isn't near as organized as it was when you were last here, Bob. :L

 

[67HEAVEN]

Think PINK!

-Mac

I do, Mac. All day...........every day. otfl

Looks like you are just about ready to put on the boots and slosh around in concrete.
Let the concrete trucks start rolling in.

Yep. Today was the day. I was out there building forms, at the doors, in the dark, at 5:45am. I didn't have time to get it done last night.

EDIT: I set the alarm for 5:00am but got so worried about sleeping in that I woke up at 3:30 and just stayed up.

The first truck rolled in at exactly 7:00am. By 9:45, the second truck was unloaded and a total of 14 cubic metres (18 cu.yds.) of 32mpa concrete (5% air) with polypropylene fibre was in place. I personally moved approximately 160 contractor wheelbarrows full of concrete and I'm exhausted. ;help

The contractor who finished my floor at the old place is busy power trowling right now. I've got plenty of photos to post, but first I'm going for a ride in HEAVEN to celebrate.

 

[67HEAVEN]

The expansion joints are nailed to the wall, and the Celfort polystyrene goes down; taping every seam is to follow....

And, so it begins....

Driver #1....

Driver #2....

The best floor finisher in Southern Ontario -- Gerry Gariantano.

After the initial float....

The whirlybird....

The skylight does its thing....

After eight passes with the whirlybird, and a half-hour drying time between passes, it's smooth like a baby's behind....

The red chalk-lines are for the cuts that come tomorrow.

This is an important milestone as most of the back-breaking work is now complete. Or, sure, there's plenty of work to come, but nothing as difficult as what I've done so far.

 

[JohnZ]

With all that internal space and no columns in the open space, I guess the roof truss system is distributing the load. I like the idea of the wide open space. Excellent design.

It's amazing what properly-engineered truss systems can do - mine is 44' x 58', and the trusses run the long way (62' long, with a 12/12-pitch roof) with no columns or interior walls to get in the way. Had the whole house done with a 12/12 roof due to snow loading.

 

[JohnZ]

After eight passes with the whirlybird, it's smooth like a baby's behind....

The red chalk-lines are for the cuts that come tomorrow.

This is an important milestone as most of the back-breaking work is now complete. Or, sure, there's plenty of work to come, but nothing as difficult as what I've done so far.

Looks terrific! When you can finally walk and drive on it, the rest of the work will seem like child's play compared to what you've already accomplished.

 

[Mac]

I do, Mac. All day...........every day. otfl

Heh...

The floor looks awesome!!

-Mac

 

[67HEAVEN]

Did you consult with a construction engineer for the design of the floor?

Yes, Mark, I did. My largest business client is a major construction company. They brought an expert back from retirement to take on their latest project, and I got talking to him about construction.

When he heard that I was pouring a floor inside a foundation, he mentioned that he was the lead engineer on the construction of Highway 401, the largest highway in Canada.

Needless to say, I took him to lunch and got chapter and verse about fill, compacting and special concrete.

Oh, and an example of the joy of living in a small town....a mechanic at the local hotrod garage knows the regional sales rep for the concrete company. I saved $40 a cubic metre. That's $560.

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

Yes, Mark, I did. My largest business client is a major construction company. They brought an expert back from retirement to take on their latest project, and I got talking to him about construction.

When he heard that I was pouring a floor inside a foundation, he mentioned that he was the lead engineer on the construction of Highway 401, the largest highway in Canada.

Needless to say, I took him to lunch and got chapter and verse about fill, compacting and special concrete.

Oh, and an example of the joy of living in a small town....a mechanic at the local hotrod garage knows the regional sales rep for the concrete company. I saved $40 a cubic metre. That's $560.

All I can say is you are one smart man. Way to go. You followed my motto to the "T" ..and That Is ....the 7 P's

Proper...Prior...Planning...Prevents...Piss...Poor...Performance

Congrats..A Job Well engineered and Executed.

 

[Mac]

Proper...Prior...Planning...Prevents...Piss...Poor...Performance

Are you suggesting order does not spring naturally from chaos? :eek

In my job, it seems like I spend half my time telling people this:

"Fail to plan? Plan to fail!"

-Mac

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

Are you suggesting order does not spring naturally from chaos? :eek

In my job, it seems like I spend half my time telling people this:

"Fail to plan? Plan to fail!"

-Mac

Right on Mac.....Same thing..

 

[67HEAVEN]

In half an hour this morning, Gerry made all four cuts. There are now 9 equal floor sections, each approximately 12' x 12'.

After I vacuum it all up, I'll run a bead of clear indoor/outdoor silicone into all the cuts to keep dirt and water out.

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

In half an hour this morning, Gerry made all four cuts. There are now 9 equal floor sections, each approximately 12' x 12'.

After I vacuum it all up, I'll run a bead of clear indoor/outdoor silicone into all the cuts to keep dirt and water out.

Do those cuts go dow to the end of the concrete just poored.....and I assume they are expansion "joints"...Not the other kind of Joint

So now you have 9 independent concrete slabs..is that correct..??

 

[67HEAVEN]

The cuts are only about 3/4" deep, Mark, whereas the floor is 5" thick. The theory is that if the slab is under stress (now or in the future) hopefully it will crack along one of these cuts.

I don't expect that to happen, but at least I've chosen where a crack will occur if it does.

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

The cuts are only about 3/4" deep, Mark, whereas the floor is 5" thick. The theory is that if the slab is under stress (now or in the future) hopefully it will crack along one of these cuts.

I don't expect that to happen, but at least I've chosen where a crack will occur if it does.

10-4

 

[Toms007]

Prep work is vital....and Bob has done it ito the max, it would really surprize me if that floor ever cracked. Bob you are looking good there. You're right about the worst of the back breaking work being done. But then again the sheetrock comes next.

 

[Mac]

I just noticed... no mesh or other rebar in the slab?

-Mac

 

[67HEAVEN]

I just noticed... no mesh or other rebar in the slab?

-Mac

That's where my highway engineer came in. "Use polypropylene fibre in the concrete, not rod or mesh", he said. "You won't be sorry".

So, I did.

http://www.elastoplastic.com/

http://www.elastoplastic.com/english/flooring.htm

P.S. I found very thick wire mesh in the patio slab when I began to break it up. In spite of that, there were cracks all over it.

 

[67HEAVEN]

A vacuum and a wash...........a slap and a tickle.......it's all good.

 

[Mac]

So, I did.

I'm learning more stuff on this thread than I can easily describe!!

-Mac

 

[JohnZ]

The cuts are only about 3/4" deep, Mark, whereas the floor is 5" thick. The theory is that if the slab is under stress (now or in the future) hopefully it will crack along one of these cuts.

I don't expect that to happen, but at least I've chosen where a crack will occur if it does.

Bob, my floor and prep is the same as yours (except I have steel mesh in mine), my cuts are 8x8, 8x10, and 8x12, and I have zero cracks after eight years. When I epoxy-coated the floor, I just let the epoxy fill the saw cuts, and not one cut shows a crack.