Concrete garage base

I take it that is 1 cement, 2 sand, 4 gravel?

I'll have to ask the builders merchant which ratio of sand to gravel the
aggregate comes in, but one would think it is a standard mix if that's all
they supply to the trade.

Thanks for the string loop technique, I was wondering how it was done
without the mesh just sitting on the bottom or it standing on blocks.

> My workshop has 150mm with two crossed mesh reinforcement, one at 50 and

> another at 100mm. It has to take a 2+ ton milling machine, plus a few

> other toys like that. I worked on the premise that it was easier to go for

> overkill when I built the thing, rather than wish I had, later. My local

> building inspector was dead impressed - I think he thought I was really

> building a nuclear bunker..

lmao. I'm kind of wanting the same strength, for overkill as you nicely put
it, but was hoping 125mm with one cross mesh would do the trick?

> --

> Sue

Posted by =?UTF-8?B?UGFsaW5kcuKYu21l?= on August 16, 2006, 8:48 am

James wrote:

>>James wrote:

>><snip>

>>>Thanks for all your advice, Sue. This just leads me now into the murky

>>>world of what's the best mix to use? The builder's merchant supplies

>>>aggregate which is fine sand mixed with fine gravel. I want something

>>>really strong and don't mind paying for extra cement to achieve it so do

>>>you think a 4:1 mix is suitable? Bearing in mind I'm going to build a big

>>>heavy log cabin on top, quite possibly with a hot tub inside it, not to

>>>mention some motor bikes and machinery.

>>Your log cabin manufacturer will have given you the spec for the base.

>>Stick to that.

> I'm building the cabin myself so have no spec to work to.

OK, so find a log cabin manufacturer that makes one similar to what you
have in mind and get the spec for the base for that..

>>Cement+sand with no gravel has zero strength - it is the gravel that

>>provides the strength. The cement merely bonds the gravel together - too

>>much can leave you with a weaker concrete in the same way as too little

>>can. The sand makes the cement go further.

> Well you live and learn. I thought the strength all came from the cement!

It's one of those things where a mix is stronger than any of the
components, individually.

>>I use 1:2:4. If I want it stronger, I make it thicker and stick in

>>reinforcement. Easy to do - lay the mesh on the sub-base/dpm with a few

>>loops of string with knots 2" above the mesh - pour and level the

>>concrete, then gently pull the loops until the knots show. Cut the loops,

>>pull out the string and do a final tamp down and level. Easier than

>>playing with stand-offs and trying to pour the concrete through the

>>holes..

> I take it that is 1 cement, 2 sand, 4 gravel?

Yep

> I'll have to ask the builders merchant which ratio of sand to gravel the

> aggregate comes in, but one would think it is a standard mix if that's all

> they supply to the trade.

There's all sorts of stuff called various things from 40 to dust, to
all-in-one ballast, to heaven knows what. I like to mix my own..that's
the way my dad taught me..

> Thanks for the string loop technique, I was wondering how it was done

> without the mesh just sitting on the bottom or it standing on blocks.

lol..it's the way my dad taught me..

>>My workshop has 150mm with two crossed mesh reinforcement, one at 50 and

>>another at 100mm. It has to take a 2+ ton milling machine, plus a few

>>other toys like that. I worked on the premise that it was easier to go for

>>overkill when I built the thing, rather than wish I had, later. My local

>>building inspector was dead impressed - I think he thought I was really

>>building a nuclear bunker..

> lmao. I'm kind of wanting the same strength, for overkill as you nicely put

> it, but was hoping 125mm with one cross mesh would do the trick?

How long is a piece of string? I used the same spec that the workshop
where I worked had been built to. The extra cost was not a lot and it
isn't going to break, no matter what I do to it.

--
Sue

Posted by Keith Willcocks on August 15, 2006, 4:54 am

>>>

>>>> James wrote:

>>>> Conclusion : If I mix it myself in small enough batches I can ensure a

>>>> good

>>>> quality mix each time and do the whole project for significantly less

>>>> money

>>>> than approaching it any other way.

>>>>

>>>> Good luck !!

>>>> Try finding a friend who knows something about pouring concrete.

>>>> Trying to pour a garage slab when you haven't any idea of what you are

>>>> doing, is a recipe for disaster.

>>>> --

>>>> JerryD(upstateNY)

>>>>

>>>

>>> Thanks for the warning! I'm trying to avoid disaster by doing my

>>> homework and asking the right questions in the right places :-)

>> Just spotted your thread (been on hols). Last year I laid a slab for a

>> summer house and used Master Concrete. Their lorry carries cement, sand

>> and water, The driver sets the mix strength and the machine mixes as it

>> leaves the vehicle. They can chute it straight into the site but in my

>> case this was not close enough, so they provided wheel barrows which my

>> son-in-law and I trotted back and forth with tipping it onto the prepared

>> site. Two neighbours did the spreading and levelling. The whole base

>> (16ft x 12ft x 6ins) was laid in just under an hour and a half. The

>> lorry was away after the first 30 mins the remaining hour was smoothing

>> and tidying. I reckon that if I had hired a mixer and done it myself it

>> would have been at least a full days hard work and would have cost more.

>> They estimated the quantity for me and it has the advantage that, if over

>> estimated, you don't have a load left to deal with but if under

>> estimated, they have extra on board and just keep going until it is done.

>> At the end you simply pay the driver for what is used.

>> If you are interested, here is their web site:

>> http://www.masterconcrete.co.uk/

>> --

>> Keith Willcocks

>> (If you can't laugh at life, it ain't worth living!)

> Hi Keith

> I've found a local company with the same kind of lorry and am waiting for

> them to get back to me with a quote.

> I've also found a local ready mix supplier that can tip the 3 cubic metres

> at the roadside, 25m from site, for £275 which is cheaper than I can buy

> the materials from my builder's merchants for!

> They say there is a plasticiser in the concrete allowing for 4 hours

> workability, but I'm still not sure me and a couple of mates could shift

> so much in 4 hours! My slab is 150% the size of yours at 16' x 18' x 6"

> How far did you have to move your concrete in the barrows? My site is 25m

> from the roadside. Do you think it could be done in the time?

Probably about the same distance - up the drive, down the side of the house
and down the back garden. I thought it went very easily. The trick was
to have two people with barrows (three for the first few loads to get
started) and two more spreading and levelling. The lorry was gone after
30 minutes and all that remained was final smoothing and levelling. I
would have thought yours would not take that much longer. The other thing
to watch is that your shuttering is strong enough to take the cement rolling
up against it and you have boards to enable you to push the barrows over the
shuttering to where you want to tip. After my experience I wouldn't dream
of doing it any other way. Bear in mind also that if you have the muck
tipped at the roadside you have the additional task of shovelling heavy wet
cement into the barrows whereas the mixer lorry pours it straight in.
--
Keith Willcocks
(If you can't laugh at life, it ain't worth living!)

Posted by James on August 16, 2006, 4:53 am

>>>

>>>>

>>>>> James wrote:

>>>>> Conclusion : If I mix it myself in small enough batches I can ensure a

>>>>> good

>>>>> quality mix each time and do the whole project for significantly less

>>>>> money

>>>>> than approaching it any other way.

>>>>>

>>>>> Good luck !!

>>>>> Try finding a friend who knows something about pouring concrete.

>>>>> Trying to pour a garage slab when you haven't any idea of what you are

>>>>> doing, is a recipe for disaster.

>>>>> --

>>>>> JerryD(upstateNY)

>>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Thanks for the warning! I'm trying to avoid disaster by doing my

>>>> homework and asking the right questions in the right places :-)

>>>

>>> Just spotted your thread (been on hols). Last year I laid a slab for a

>>> summer house and used Master Concrete. Their lorry carries cement, sand

>>> and water, The driver sets the mix strength and the machine mixes as

>>> it leaves the vehicle. They can chute it straight into the site but in

>>> my case this was not close enough, so they provided wheel barrows which

>>> my son-in-law and I trotted back and forth with tipping it onto the

>>> prepared site. Two neighbours did the spreading and levelling. The

>>> whole base (16ft x 12ft x 6ins) was laid in just under an hour and a

>>> half. The lorry was away after the first 30 mins the remaining hour

>>> was smoothing and tidying. I reckon that if I had hired a mixer and

>>> done it myself it would have been at least a full days hard work and

>>> would have cost more. They estimated the quantity for me and it has the

>>> advantage that, if over estimated, you don't have a load left to deal

>>> with but if under estimated, they have extra on board and just keep

>>> going until it is done. At the end you simply pay the driver for what is

>>> used.

>>> If you are interested, here is their web site:

>>> http://www.masterconcrete.co.uk/

>>> --

>>> Keith Willcocks

>>> (If you can't laugh at life, it ain't worth living!)

>>>

>> Hi Keith

>> I've found a local company with the same kind of lorry and am waiting for

>> them to get back to me with a quote.

>> I've also found a local ready mix supplier that can tip the 3 cubic

>> metres at the roadside, 25m from site, for £275 which is cheaper than I

>> can buy the materials from my builder's merchants for!

>> They say there is a plasticiser in the concrete allowing for 4 hours

>> workability, but I'm still not sure me and a couple of mates could shift

>> so much in 4 hours! My slab is 150% the size of yours at 16' x 18' x 6"

>> How far did you have to move your concrete in the barrows? My site is 25m

>> from the roadside. Do you think it could be done in the time?

> Probably about the same distance - up the drive, down the side of the

> house and down the back garden. I thought it went very easily. The

> trick was to have two people with barrows (three for the first few loads

> to get started) and two more spreading and levelling. The lorry was

> gone after 30 minutes and all that remained was final smoothing and

> levelling. I would have thought yours would not take that much longer.

> The other thing to watch is that your shuttering is strong enough to take

> the cement rolling up against it and you have boards to enable you to push

> the barrows over the shuttering to where you want to tip. After my

> experience I wouldn't dream of doing it any other way. Bear in mind also

> that if you have the muck tipped at the roadside you have the additional

> task of shovelling heavy wet cement into the barrows whereas the mixer

> lorry pours it straight in.

I think this really comes down to a decision of wether I want a race against
the clock to move the wet premixed concrete from where it is dumped at the
roadside, against moving materials at my leasure then doing the mixing
myself in smaller portions, laying a number of slabs.

The premix lorry says they can hang around while it is tipped into barrows,
rather than quickly into one pile, but then they'll charge me extra for
waiting time.

Thanks for your advice, especially about the strength of shuttering. Cheers

> --

> Keith Willcocks

> (If you can't laugh at life, it ain't worth living!)

Page 6 of 7 < 1 2 3 > last >>

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