Is it worth power trowelling a garage floor

[joe90]

On 29/06/2023 at 12:47, saveasteading said:

Have you decided where any surplus and the washout slops are going?  As a last resort, leave it in the barrow.

Oh yes, I have added approx 10% (as I can’t afford to be short) and have a space for it, and washout 👍

[saveasteading]

Love the customised rake float.

 

Dpm, then another progress pic please for your 50 "clerks of works" on here.

[joe90]

Not putting DPM down till nearer pour day, end of next week, so it does not fill with water when it rains.

[saveasteading]

Just now, joe90 said:

added approx 10%

Want to check your sums on here?

It's easy of course l x w x d

Actual d, at thd shutters. BUT it is common to have a dip or hump in the middle.

[joe90]

6m x 4mx 150mm thick = 3.6 cu m + 10% = 3.96 cu m (ordering 4 cu m) 🤔

[saveasteading]

If you haven't done so, put either a long timber and level across various angles and measure down.  OR a very tight line. And average.

 

0.4m3 is quite a lot of spare. But yes better too much than too little.

[joe90]

Oh yes, long timber across shuttering (which will be used fir tamping). Fairly flat.

36 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

0.4m3 is quite a lot of spare. But yes better too much than too little.

It only comes in half meter load sizes and I can afford to be short.

[saveasteading]

57 minutes ago, joe90 said:

can't afford to be short.

Quite so. I was just thinking,  what if your sub base has tamped down 10mm high. You might have a lot of concrete for your gnome moulds.

[Pocster]

My solution to excess concrete was to dump it down the sides of a underground house 😁

[joe90]

The sub base was a car park for 10 years and very compact so minimal movement there I guess, sand compressed a fair bit. I am tempted to tread the rebar mesh in after tamping as it being down on chairs (bricks) makes getting on it difficult 🤔. I do have paths that need repairing so might dig  them out ready, I can always mix concrete afterwards if none left over.

[joe90]

4 minutes ago, pocster said:

My solution to excess concrete was to dump it down the sides of a underground house 😁

Most of us don’t have one of those telly tubby designs 🤣

[saveasteading]

Have you thought about fibre additive instead of steel reinforcing mesh?

It will save you a fair amount of money and hassle.

Add £30 for it in the mix and deduct the steel and spacers.

[joe90]

Steel mesh already on site (advised by our tame on forum SE).

[saveasteading]

My contractor brain is always reducing costs while my SE brain maintains quality. I shouldn't give all the secrets away.

[joe90]

Already for concrete being delivered in the morning. I roped my daughters boyfriend and his mate to shovel it for me whilst I “project manage “ (make the tea) and trowel it off with an “easy trowel” on a long pole.

[SteamyTea]

18 hours ago, joe90 said:

Already for concrete being delivered in the morning

Can you set your iPad up to do a timelaspe, or if your memory card is large enough, a long video (they can be speeded up easily enough)?

 

https://www.howtogeek.com/226487/how-to-take-time-lapse-videos-on-iphone-or-ipad/

 

Just make sure it is on charge all night tonight.

[joe90]

No time to arrange time lapse photo because concrete arrived an hour early 🤯, still down and tamped, just waiting for the bleed water to evaporate and get on it with an easy float.

[joe90]

The easy float does a good job, still trowelling away …..

[saveasteading]

You were lucky getting it early. That should be stiffening up nicely by now.

Don't overdo the floating or you will get too much cement paste.

[saveasteading]

Have you got polythene ready to cover  it?

[joe90]

Yes large tarp ready, finish is not quite as good as I would have liked or did before with a power float but it’s only a garage, mistake I did make was bringing the dpc up and over the shuttering so unable to get my edging trowel around the edge. I have a concrete grinder disc fir my angle grinder so can always tidy it after it’s set hard. Old chap needs a lie down now 🥱

Edited July 6, 2023 by joe90

[joe90]

All put to bed now……

[joe90]

After uncovering and removing the shuttering, the answer to this OP is.  YES.  I should have power floated the slab. It’s very flat but the surface is not what I wanted (yes I can be OCD ) it’s only a garage and I will be painting  it I guess but hey it’s too late now. Thanks everyone for their input. 🤷‍♂️

[SteamyTea]

Can you cover it in rubber.

Makes for a nice kneeling surface and can usually be washed down.

[joe90]

1 minute ago, SteamyTea said:

Can you cover it in rubber.

Don’t tell @pocster that, no, it will be fine, I do have rubber matting to go by the bench to stand on, ex high voltage rubber matting 10mm thick 👍.