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Need opinions about what to do about slag after pouring concrete I Love Lucy 06-12-2006
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Posted by I Love Lucy on June 12, 2006, 6:26 pm
I posted a few weeks back about some work I was going to get done,
steps, sidewalk slabs, slab by back door, and corner patching on front
porch slab. Well I found somebody who saved me a little over $400, but
I paid him before the dirt fill is back in which he plans to do.

Am I being neurotic to want all the slag chipped off? He didn't want to
do it and I said I wanted it off of there. He chipped a lot of it off
with a regular hammer. I thought one of those spikes and a small sledge
hammer might be better, but what do I know? Anyway, he gets a lot of it
off, then says, "see I am undercutting the concrete". I agree and asked
if he could saw it off. Yes, but why do I want it off?

I want it off so when I dig for flower beds and landscaping I can dig
right up to the cement and not hit that horrid stuff. I want to be able
to plant edging plants there or put in a little border fence. If the
slag isn't off, I won't be able to do that.

Am I being unreasonable about this? I guess most people just have the
dirt cover over whatever slag slips through the forms and don't care
about it.

What do normal concrete people do in cases like this? I like things to
be done right, and am already having trouble getting my way about some
things. I told him not to take the molds off too soon. He is a
professional concrete finisher. He took the molds off too soon and one
step is chipped and now I will have to put up with a crappy patch job.
That's what I get, but it it weren't that, it would be something else no
matter who did it.

How did I know not to take the forms off too soon? Because I did a
little homework and read it on this newsgroup.



Posted by hallerb@aol.com on June 12, 2006, 7:24 pm

I Love Lucy wrote:
> I posted a few weeks back about some work I was going to get done,
> steps, sidewalk slabs, slab by back door, and corner patching on front
> porch slab. Well I found somebody who saved me a little over $400, but
> I paid him before the dirt fill is back in which he plans to do.
>
> Am I being neurotic to want all the slag chipped off? He didn't want to
> do it and I said I wanted it off of there. He chipped a lot of it off
> with a regular hammer. I thought one of those spikes and a small sledge
> hammer might be better, but what do I know? Anyway, he gets a lot of it
> off, then says, "see I am undercutting the concrete". I agree and asked
> if he could saw it off. Yes, but why do I want it off?
>
> I want it off so when I dig for flower beds and landscaping I can dig
> right up to the cement and not hit that horrid stuff. I want to be able
> to plant edging plants there or put in a little border fence. If the
> slag isn't off, I won't be able to do that.
>
> Am I being unreasonable about this? I guess most people just have the
> dirt cover over whatever slag slips through the forms and don't care
> about it.
>
> What do normal concrete people do in cases like this? I like things to
> be done right, and am already having trouble getting my way about some
> things. I told him not to take the molds off too soon. He is a
> professional concrete finisher. He took the molds off too soon and one
> step is chipped and now I will have to put up with a crappy patch job.
> That's what I get, but it it weren't that, it would be something else no
> matter who did it.
>
> How did I know not to take the forms off too soon? Because I did a
> little homework and read it on this newsgroup.

If its under a inch I personally dont care. Why nopt get a diamond or
masonary blade and cut it off with a circular saw? If its bugging you...


Posted by I Love Lucy on June 12, 2006, 9:57 pm

>
> I Love Lucy wrote:
>
> If its under a inch I personally dont care. Why nopt get a diamond or
> masonary blade and cut it off with a circular saw? If its bugging
> you...

An inch I could probably live with. Some of it was big globs spreading
out to almost five inches and longer parallel to the sidewalk.

I don't have a circular saw and diamond blades are expensive. I just
wanted to know what SOP was. Now I am finding out.

>



Posted by BobK207 on June 12, 2006, 11:52 pm

I Love Lucy wrote:
> >
> > I Love Lucy wrote:
> >
> > If its under a inch I personally dont care. Why nopt get a diamond or
> > masonary blade and cut it off with a circular saw? If its bugging
> > you...
>
> An inch I could probably live with. Some of it was big globs spreading
> out to almost five inches and longer parallel to the sidewalk.
>
> I don't have a circular saw and diamond blades are expensive. I just
> wanted to know what SOP was. Now I am finding out.
>
> >


SOP is to leave the "slag" as you call it & back fill to cover it.

Chipping (hammering) it away risks undercutting the good stuf (as you
have learned)

You are assuming that diampnd blades are expensive.............I
guessing that if you don't have a circular saw, you've never bought a
damond blade.

I bought one about 20 years ago, it was expensive but now they're much
more resonable.

Unfortunately the concrete is getting stronger (I assume it's still
less than 2 weeks old?)

Never thought I suggest this but get a 4.5" grinder & a cheap diamond
blade at Harbor Freight (since time is critical).. Use it to score the
slag. If you remove the dirt out from under the slag & not the good
stuff; the break will occur with little or no undercutting.

Green concrete is easier to remove than cured stuff

You can get what you want, you just have to do it yourself or pay
someone.

My suggestion is get it done the way you want it (DIY or $) you'll be
happier with a clean edge every time you have to deal with it.

cheers
Bob


Posted by I Love Lucy on June 13, 2006, 11:12 am

>
> I Love Lucy wrote:
>> >
>> > I Love Lucy wrote:
>> >
>> > If its under a inch I personally dont care. Why nopt get a diamond
>> > or
>> > masonary blade and cut it off with a circular saw? If its bugging
>> > you...
>>
>> An inch I could probably live with. Some of it was big globs
>> spreading
>> out to almost five inches and longer parallel to the sidewalk.
>>
>> I don't have a circular saw and diamond blades are expensive. I just
>> wanted to know what SOP was. Now I am finding out.
>>
>> >
>
>
> SOP is to leave the "slag" as you call it & back fill to cover it.

Maybe it's called something else then. It's good to know that it's SOP.
I'd wager I'm not the first one who didn't think about the consequences
ahead of time. Probably most people don't care. My son had a huge
driveway poured and wasn't concerned about his. Maybe edgers don't go
down that far so it's not a problem, and I don't have to plant that
close, normally you wouldn't want to anyway. So we're down to being
able to dig adjoining area more easily and putting in little border
fences with stakes on the bottom.

I see there are only a couple bad spots left, but one still looks pretty
bad.
>
> Chipping (hammering) it away risks undercutting the good stuf (as you
> have learned)

Yes, new lesson learned.
>
> You are assuming that diampnd blades are expensive.............I
> guessing that if you don't have a circular saw, you've never bought a
> damond blade.

I had one; it disappeared. It's a little dangerous for a novice to
tackle anything with that. I could borrow my son's and just get the
blade. Plan A.
>
> I bought one about 20 years ago, it was expensive but now they're
> much
> more resonable.
>
> Unfortunately the concrete is getting stronger (I assume it's still
> less than 2 weeks old?)

June 2.
>
> Never thought I suggest this but get a 4.5" grinder & a cheap diamond
> blade at Harbor Freight (since time is critical).. Use it to score
> the
> slag. If you remove the dirt out from under the slag & not the good
> stuff; the break will occur with little or no undercutting.

That will be Plan B.
>
> Green concrete is easier to remove than cured stuff

That makes sense. The guy who poured it was chipping it off for me, but
I could tell he wasn't happy about it.
>
> You can get what you want, you just have to do it yourself or pay
> someone.

I'm over budget (several things needing done) so I will have to do it
myself or see if my son will take valuable time out to help with it. I
am 64 years old and am not very fit to do tough work and the stress of
all that lies ahead is starting to get to me. If I can get the other
jobs done I have in the works (everything moves so slowly now), maybe
it's little jobs like mine that few people don't want to bother with any
more). I don't feel up to it today at all frankly. I feel like just
giving up.

I've asked for measurements for rails, have heard nothing, have an order
for millwork for weeks now, haven't heard anything. I've called two or
three times, haven't bugged the rail people. It's frustrating.
>
> My suggestion is get it done the way you want it (DIY or $) you'll
> be
> happier with a clean edge every time you have to deal with it.

It would be nice to have things the way you want them, but that isn't
always possible. So you learn to live with it. This is small compared
to some of the other problems that need addressed. And what some others
have to live with.

Thank you (and the others) for taking the time to give an opinion.
>
> cheers
> Bob
>



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