Planet 67 gets under way...

[Toms007]

Bob, again I will preface this with what is common around here. We usually don't tie the floor to the walls, but allow it to "float" inside the foundation . We actually even install an expansion joint in between the floor and the foundation wall. This is the way that I did my woodworking shop back in 1988 and I have had no cracks or other issues. Again, your climate is considerably different than ours and requirements might (probably) be different.

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Dirtfarmer]

I'm with Tom, see what the local guys require.

I've tied slabs into concrete filled block foundation before. Most recently was for a small bathroom addition. After the wall hardened I used a rotary hammer to drill out a holes, filled the holes with epoxy, then hammered the rebar in every 16 inches which in turn was tied to a 16" X 16" rebar grid in the floor. It's worth mentioning that I was helping out a friend (a contractor) working on his own place, so I don't know how much of that was overkill. Regardless, I think everything is tied together here.

Out here our sidewalks contain enough steel to build a fleet of battleships.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Both of my garage floors float. No problems so far the house garage is 16 years old and tge shop is 6 or so.

Tom

 

[67HEAVEN]

I was going to take a rowboat over to the construction site today, but I decided to visit Town Hall instead. They're happy with this design. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Looking down from Google Earth.

Cross-section of the main trusses, allowing for an extra 2' in height.

I'll have close to 13.5' of ceiling clearance in the centre bay. Once all that snow melts away, and the Spring rains dry up, I'll get back at it.

 

[Toms007]

Looks good Bob! Appears that it was smart to go to the truss designers. 13.5' in the center bay should be enough to do nearly anything on any "normal" vehicle.

 

[Tom Bryant]

If you can't get to the shop due to high water now how are you going to get to it to play with your toys once it's done? Are you going to build up the drive or build a bridge?

 

[67HEAVEN]

Are you going to build up the drive or build a bridge?

Neither one, Tom. I figure if I take a run at it, momentum should get me through.

Looking south, coming in from the road. It's 18" deep in the middle and there's a crushed-stone drive under there.

Actually, Tom, it's only there during the snow melt, and mainly a result of the immense amount of snow on the farmer's field next door.

If it refreezes, I can just walk across. If the temperature stays above freezing for more than two or three days...........it's gone like an 18-year-old's paycheque on a Saturday night.

If I really need to get to the shop during those two or three days each Spring, I'll put some rubber boots on. I actually find it kind of unique, but you know me.

 

[67HEAVEN]

I walked around the house and into the centre of the stream to get this shot, facing west. The block foundation is off to the left.

And, this is from the south side of the garage looking north.

 

[67HEAVEN]

 

[KANE]

In the meadow we can build a snowman...

Bob, ya' know... this global warming thing just isn't working out for me either.



When do you expect your winter wonderland to melt? April? I know you are anxious to get started again.

 

[67HEAVEN]

When do you expect your winter wonderland to melt? April?

Maybe late April.

By the way, do you know why it's always colder in Canada? Cause even when it's right at the freezing mark in both places, it's only 0 degrees here.

 

[67HEAVEN]

We had a beautiful weekend, so I grabbed a shovel and spent a couple of hours back-filling more of the excavation. The winter weather caused the settling that I expected, around the foundation, so now I can get rid of a lot more of the dirt piles.

I did it by hand for three reasons:

1. I always try to get as much exercise as possible
2. The ground is still too soft to bring in any machinery
3. After the last week that I've had, I needed to work off some pent up emotions

Soon enough, I'll order up a few dumptruck loads of crushed stone. I'll have them dump it on the road in front of my house (I'm at the end of a dead-end road), because trucks can't get under some of the tree limbs (too low). From the road, I'll bring it in with a borrowed Massey-Ferguson tractor (with bucket) up the stone drive and onto the site.

Once that's done, I'll place the order for the trusses and start framing the walls.

I'm still debating how to get all that concrete in from the road for a 36' x 36' floor pour.

 

[G Winter]

some pent up emotions
I'm still debating how to get all that concrete in from the road for a 36' x 36' floor pour.

Pump.

Glenn

 

[JohnZ]

When we built our house eight years ago (100' x 35' basement with 9' high walls), it took a single continuous pour of 125 yards of concrete to pour the walls; the builder parked his concrete pumper truck at the mid-point on the long side of the hole and the mix trucks paraded in one at a time from the street to dump into the pumper, whose articulating boom could reach the forms on all sides of the basement. Did the whole pour in a few hours.

 

[Toms007]

Hey Bob, what's going on here with your garage? Weather has surely improved in the last month.

 

[Scott Winebarger]

Hey Bob, what's going on here with your garage? Weather has surely improved in the last month.

Yeah, what he said ! :L


Progress report?

 

[67HEAVEN]

With the occasional help of a volunteer (or two), I've reached this stage. Running a business doesn't leave much time for construction.

 

[67vet]

Looks great.
When I lived in Lubbock Texas, they had an expression:
How does a cow eat a cabbage? One bite at a time.

I just completed a finish of the second floor of our house. It included everything from walls and ceiling joists to hvac and
full bath. 1300 square feet. I thought I would never get it
done, but one thing at a time and it finally is done.

Good luck. Roof trusses before you know it.

 

[Scott Winebarger]

Looking Good Bob !

Mine is on hold for a while. I got burnt out working on it and dealing with people not showing up, so I stopped construction and bought another toy to keep me occupied for a while, a 38' 5th wheel camper. Now we are " happy campers" again

 

[Toms007]

Bob, things are looking good, you're going to be glad that you built it as big as you are...I'm jealous. Keep us posted on the progress.