zoothorn

Hi GW. It doesn't tell me - the ammount- it makes though. This is crucial, for me, make or break this whole job. I need to get whatever concrete/ whatever on earth this comes as, to get to my rim of my bucket. Not 1 inch lower. Thst's no small ammount, but it's not a massive ammount. Itis though, because a post isn't taking up half the volume, probably more than a typical postcrete "job". If I do not know how much a bag makes (& one bag sets in a ridiculous 3 minutes) I cannot prepare for the job. And, it seems wrong therefore, for the job if no postcrete bag tells me how much it makes.. & my 1st need, is to make a certain absolute ammount.

Thanks markc. Understood. Ok but it's this 3m set time, & mainly it's this 2 litres water thing.. it's stumped me totally. Before, using whatever "postcrete" bag it was, I bunged in at least half a bucket water, then the powder. After a panic/ stress, it seemed to work. This... doesn't feel like powder, it feels like wet maleable pea-sized aggregate something or other. It just doesn't seem the same. If I put in 2 litres water, then this bag, Im 3/4 way up my bucket. Then I have to put in 2 more lites, & open next bag, by which time the first lot has set. So I've bodged up my job... afaict.

Not much difference to whacking down the clay base, to adding a bit of hardcore (to raise my bucket up) & whacking this into the clay.. is there? I've used postcrete, & it was a disaster, not easy.. & besides is this stuff actually postcrete? ( pic added) 2 litres of water seems bizarre: maybe therefore its wet, not powder (feels like wet gravel) & makes only 1/4 ammount of mixture. If so it's wrong for my job surely. My mistake. Or jewson's who told me it's postcrete.

Hi markc, apologies for the newbie questions. This stuff is though perhaps different to postcrete (IE is it different msybe to the standard usual powder stuff, I used once before, but panicked as the water I put in dissapeared, & I did not find easy to know what to do). Is this stuff maybe already wetted I wonder/ hence the tiny ( weird) ammount of water it says to put in, 2 litres? If so, maybe its meant as a pre-postcrete mixture, & a bag will maybe create -I guess- 1/3rd the volume of mixture, as a normal postcrete bag might? The 3m setting thing scares me, as how can I know if Ive got enough stuff.. to get to my bucket rim. I don't. (Who on earth needs 3m setting time?!) --- Another idea. I have 2/3rds bucket of hardcore, cement. If I could -make- concrete, I could be done with these damn bags. Is this feasable? Am I thinking right? Can concrete be hand mixed/ made on a board, with a shovel etc? If so, I need sand I believe. Is this type needed called " builders sand"? Or "sharp sand"? Or some other type to ask for? Sorry, few q's. And I've asked before but cannot recall where or what answers given. I think maybe it was " use postcrete". Zoot

Chaps, is this correct for my job? I've been told now there are 3 different types of this stuff. I'm out of my depth here. Thing is, " fill a bucket with concrete" will be easy for you chaps. You have a mixer, or, you know what consistency & materials you need, to create a concrete mixture, for a particular job. I don't have these things. So, I can only use a ready-made bag of "concrete". This limits me (afaict) to one product. Postcrete. I ask for it, & loaded into my car is this stuff. Told it's the same. But it's not called postcrete, & when I look it up there are 3 types. Urgh. It says on it in bold "aggregate mix, for innitial post set". Is this what I'm doing-? Is this stuff totally wrong? I have no idea. Thanks, zoot

@Onoff The only thing done different, is my post is suspended, not resting on a slate. But I don't think the difference matters. I've added stones ontop the hardcore 1" base, so about 1/3rd bucket is full as it is. Different postcrete vids shows totally different water ammounts. So are all these bags essentially the same, & I can use 2/3 rds bucket of water, to get my mixture up to the rim-? Or do I go with the bag instructions, 2 litres water, meaning I'll need about 2 maybe 3 bags, just to fill 3/4 of a bucket, with concrete. This seems excessive. @joe90 I wonder if you can help. Thanks, zoot

Chaps, really need help with this postcrete. I just don't really understand it. Yes. Which is exactly what I've done Onoff. I'm onto postcrete, but on the bag it says 2 litres water, then postcrete. 2 litres?! I was thinking surely 25 litres. How can I judge then how to get the concrete, to the rim of the bucket, using postcrete-? Ok I could just pour in more & more water until its up to the rim. But surely this will just mean more & more weakness to the concrete. 2 litres seems conpletely absurd.

Another Q chaps. Postcrete. I didn't find this so easy with my gate posts ( 1st time I've ever used it). I prepped as mine is now, poured water in... & it fkd off! Just drained out of hole. Anyway finally sorted with a big bed of postcrete powder, then added water ontop, sort of bunged up the plughole or whatever was causing water to fk off. Nothing tells me how much water, for one bag. Its too vague for a newbie= I have no confidence. Can anyone help? I've2 buckets to fill, 2 bags postcrete. And most of a bucket of hardcore.. but not quite sure if it's best to bung bucket 1/3 rd full of hardcore first maybe. Ideal if I can use 1 bag/ return the other. Only if safe to. Thanks, zoot

@Onoff need your help here/ anybody.. As you can see this bucket just ok if I fill it to brim (= spike set 6" into concrete).. but far bucket is a good inch lower. Means I need to raise it an inch, to get my (8" long) spike in 6" into concrete. So do I put a 1" bed of hardcore in hole, rest bucket on, then fill in gap around bucket ( formed because of lifting it up a bit) with soil? Does this need to be really well compacted? After al, it's what the concrete block within the bucket, will rest against is my point. Thx zh

Hi Onoff. Back on board with job today. Ok got this far (all morning to get post set.. but it's not yet rock steady, even with my 3 tethers, because of the weight pulling down: your idea of the spike sitting on a slate is best.. but not easy for me alone to do). Post is temp screwed into frame: the only thing holding the post up. I might have to redo all this.. urgh. Ok. The concern I have as it is, is my spike only hits halfway down bucket. If I fill concrete to very rim, I'll only be 5" spike in concrete. Spike is 8" long. I whacked the clay base firm, which in turn caused the bucket to go down an inch.. not helping. Now I do have a bucket of hardcore. So, could I maybe: lift bucket up, pour in hardcore for an inch " bed", then rest bucket onto it? It now won't be wedged in though. Sloped bucket sides etc.. so this problem to solve. Job you guys would do in 2 hours... taken me 1/2 a week!! Thanks, zoot Bucket has base cutout. Now I have a bucket of hardcore

Aha that's an idea, maybe easiest for me alone. What is the usual space between concrete & galv shoe bottom? Presumably the idea -isn't- to have the concrete right up to the shoe, a bit of spike is meant to be visible. But sort of how much is the norm? Thanks, zoot.

Hi chaps. notches cut y'day, couldn't use chopsaw/ mechanism got in the way.. dammit. So took most of the day using a circ saw handsaw & chisel. Painted notches, shoe spikes on. So sort of ready to fix posts in place. Would the idea be: 1) offer up post, rest it on something, temporarily screw front beam into it. Use batons fixed to lower area of post & fettle into place to get frame above it level.. & post plumb. Then add hardcore ( into bucket, bottom jigsawed out). Ready for postcrete. ? I can't quite do Onoff idea of resting spike onto a slate or so, lying on hardcore.. as I'd need to fill each bucket 2/3rds full of hardcore, in order to get the slate high enough. Unless I'm not thinking right. Thanks, zoot.

Aha gotcha. Good idea.. yes mine slides fwd/ back on 2 rails, thanks J90.

@joe90 Hi J, yep has a depth thing.. nice one/ set ready. And it's then if my skilsaw can cope with the crucial vertical cut, with a guide rail nailed temporarily onto the post, quite a strain tho surely @ 2x timber thickness deep.. 90mm D cut. (Two timbers being my frame one already up, plus another front board to 'double up' is going onto the notch). Washout today. Y'day tho: holes dug, buckets in, hardcore ready, galv shoes onto posts. So it's this crucial notch next to cut you see. Then clamping it up in position 'hanging'.. somehow, without it falling. Thanks, zoot.

Chaps, is there any reason I can't cut my notches in my 6x6 posts, across the width, using my mitre saw? Guaging the depth tricky tho. I just saw the 'mericun on my clip simply use his battery skilsaw, by eye, to do all 3 cuts for his notch, then finishing off with an electric saw thing ( Id use a handsaw to finish off). I can guage depth better using a my railsaw, but quite a strain on it, & a new dewalt Im not thrilled with the idea. Thanks, zoot.

My huge stone hampering getting bucket ideally over 3".. & the tape mark is both the extent of post (& fairly accurate spike position). So Tape end/ btm of galv bracket is 2" above bucket rim. Concrete will need to go right up to bucket rim.

Point of spanner, as it were, is plumb line.

Good ok. Right dug one hole. Is the approx idea, once shoe on, that the spike (8" long) say aim to go into concrete 6"? I don't think I'm aiming to get the full 8" in, & the shoe bottom to touch the top of concrete.. I can't do this as my bucket's a bit deep tbh. And is it ok slightly off centre into the concrete pad? I'm up against a huge stone one side of me hole. So my post spike will be 1/3rd point in, instead of centre. Thanks, zoot

@Onoff hi there, finally done ( paid work) for the week. Ok.. Thanks for the pics. In town Am I picked up 1m Stainless Steel 8mm rod ( same guage as cabin pad brackets > concrete). Got back & then saw your replies above. So I was on same page, just have thinner rod. Still ok? & SS std washers/ nuts. I've got my post heights, about to start me holes. So apologies- I'm behind where you expected probably. Thanks, zoot

Chaps, brace yourselves dim witted Q's still incoming.. Galvanised post shoes here, sturdy, fit great. They have 3x 10mm holes each side.. so seem to suggest something spans each pair of holes.. but screws as SS suggested, well I can't think of a head big enough. Are they designed with say rod & nuts in mind then? Am I being thick? Well yes, I can answer that for you Thx Zoot

Phew thank gawd for that. Woke me up sweating about this! @Onoff I'm the structural engineer.. Zoot

Yes today once shoes here, I can determine this. Thanks. --- Btw a bit late now, but a sudden thought/ concern: is my frame ok made from 6x2 ?? I have a feeling I copied the 'mericun deck build wrong, & they used 8x2 & used 10x2 for the front, doubled-up, which sit on the notched posts. I'm stuffed if the BCO says "no good- should all be 8x2". @PeterW I wonder if you'd know? [I think I sort of copied my cabin joist height, @ 6" ( 6x4 maybe the outer frame, with 6x2 joists & nogs]. Thanks, zoot.