Pouring concrete with overnight frost?

[flanagaj]

11 minutes ago, crispy_wafer said:

Been thinking about sharing these...

 

Found's werent as longs as yours and no pump, because we had reasonable access all round @flanagaj but if you wanted a quick vid or two, we did have a bit of rain between dig and pour, and we handballed a little slop out when an edge or two fell in.  But that's the nature of it.  If I remember rightly, we had a surveyer mark out the layout, sprayed blue line paint between the pins.  Nothing too technical.  We used pins in the sides of the trench for depth management. and a laser with staff for levels!

 

 

 

 

 

What's the pea shingle for?

[Oz07]

14 minutes ago, crispy_wafer said:

Been thinking about sharing these...

 

Found's werent as longs as yours and no pump, because we had reasonable access all round @flanagaj but if you wanted a quick vid or two, we did have a bit of rain between dig and pour, and we handballed a little slop out when an edge or two fell in.  But that's the nature of it.  If I remember rightly, we had a surveyer mark out the layout, sprayed blue line paint between the pins.  Nothing too technical.  We used pins in the sides of the trench for depth management. and a laser with staff for levels!

 

 

 

 

 

Did you have a normal mix or use that trench flow stuff? Your gear flowed pretty well. Fair play to the driver I wouldnt of thought they would drive on mud like that. What time of year was it?

[Oz07]

8 minutes ago, flanagaj said:

What's the pea shingle for?

I think its limestone type1 ish stuff for a base just to get out the mud isnt it?

[crispy_wafer]

Yeah, type 1, just to give the slop a bit of body!  and a 9t of sand for the brickwork delivered.  That was late August, so ground pretty dry, but a downpour raised my pulse level a bit!  Then well, I couldnt stop myself, in and out of the trench, when really I should have kept well clear.  In terms of concrete, not sure, let the builder deal with that.  The concrete firmed up pretty quickly though.

[Oz07]

It was probably just a standard mix it seemed like your wagon could get all around the building. 

[G and J]

 

@flanagajI'm already feeling very apprehensive.  Being a catastrophiser, doesn't help matters

 

I'm not trying to make matters worse here, or suggest that you and your wife aren't capable.....just giving my take on it.....I attended the first and last pours  (we had a couple as narrow site and had to work forwards). I had never seen it done before, was there purely as an observer to "mark the moment". Geoff had two people with him who were uber experienced and were used to working with the guys supplying the concrete.

 

All calm, having done the prep and then super frenetic activity to make sure everyone safe and mix right, in the right place, levelled etc etc. There is no way that I would have wanted to be involved.

 

I know for us all control of costs is important, but this is an area where, even though Geoff is capable, we really felt the benefit of having the experienced guys taking the lead. We can after all if necessary, wait for "the" kitchen, tiles but.....

 

 

[-rick-]

@flanagaj If you are going ahead without experienced hands on-site, remember that concrete can burn, so don't get it on your skin and if you do wash it off PDQ. Would be sensible to have washing area ready and spare clothes just in case.

 

I've seen others talk about how they let themselves get too focused on getting the concrete in and ended up getting badly hurt. Even the worst pour can be fixed later, burns can do permanent damage.

[saveasteading]

5 hours ago, flanagaj said:

Being a catastrophiser, doesn't help matters.

In this case it does. lots can go wrong, as listed above.

 

You must prepare as much as you can, to make it easy on the day. Any one thing needing attention will cause other knock-on effects.  And the lorry has a time limit.

 

I hadn't thought to mention the mess, but what a good point to emphasise. The washout is a messy process, and the last delivery should have some surplus in it unless you have undermeasured. It will be a big heap on your ground tht will go hard, or that you have to destroy with masses of water, or you barrow somewhere else.

 

On that, when the trench is complete and marked for levels, you can take cross  sections to calculate the quantity you need, and revise the estimate order accordingly.

I work it out exactly and add approx 0.5m3 for wastage and to ensure it isn't short.  If there is between a barrowload and half m3 surplus then that is good. But 1/2m3 takes a lot of spreading...do you have a use for it.

 

I'm talking about projects where being short creates structural or aesthetic issue. On a trench fill you can always get the bricky to build higher or eve add some hand mix. So on yours you could go for the exact amount.

 

Another thing you can do with multiple loads is ask for them to be spaced out, so you have some recovery time. ie not half an hour apart.

 

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

10 hours ago, flanagaj said:

I'm already feeling very apprehensive.  Being a catastrophiser, doesn't help matters.

I get apprehensive, still, after 30 years on the tools. Concrete pours are quite full on, even for the initiated.
 

Maybe it’s time to reach out to a local groundworker to support? Would be money very well spent, because if this goes tits up it’s a 4-figure ‘catastrophe’.

[flanagaj]

2 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

I get apprehensive, still, after 30 years on the tools. Concrete pours are quite full on, even for the initiated.
 

Maybe it’s time to reach out to a local

groundworker to support? Would be money very well spent, because if this goes tits up it’s a 4-figure ‘catastrophe’.

The brickie and his labourer are now coming along to assist.  

[saveasteading]

you should be ok for manpower then.   Have you thought where the surplus and slops are going?

[flanagaj]

2 hours ago, saveasteading said:

you should be ok for manpower then.   Have you thought where the surplus and slops are going?

I do have a piece of ground that I can just dump the slops on.  Someone suggested knocking up a plywood 1m2 sized container that they can use.  

[Gone West]

10 hours ago, flanagaj said:

Someone suggested knocking up a plywood 1m2 sized container that they can use. 

We used a few builders bulk bags.

 

 

[Oz07]

If you've not got too much and rake them out thin enough they will just end up as hardcore for your drive or patio. By collecting it your giving yourself a problem. That being said I normally use volumetric lorries for foundation concrete. You've only got to get the amount very rough then to work out to the nearest 8m3

[saveasteading]

12 hours ago, flanagaj said:

dump the slops on.  

That's best. 

Even if all used, the driver will swill out thd drum and drop it on your land. It won't go very hard. If you have surplus you can either spread it thinly as a running surface or kill the strength by reraking frequently and pouring water into it.