Concrete project: will this work?

[FTG-05]

I'm still lost. Are you going to put a table and chair on top of those pieces of rebar? and sit on it?


How are you going to keep it from wobbling around?

Eddie

No offense, but if you can't figure what this means, I can't help you:

"Look to the right of the third/halfway done pic. Those are some of the concrete blocks I'll use for the columns to hold the tabletop. I welded the column rebar to the pad rebar frame so it would be precisely placed and be fully embedded once the pad was done. The wood blocks are nothing more than a safety pad to prevent a fall or trip from turning into an impalement injury.

Today, I placed and filled the concrete block columns."

 

[FTG-05]

Looks like you did a pretty good job. Make sure you seal the concrete though.

I've never heard of sealing concrete before, except for the stamped concrete that we had done last September for our porch and deck.

Why do I want to seal it and what do I use to seal it with? I've never done it before.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks Bruce. I knew I was missing something there. Now it makes perfect sense to me!!!!!

Eddie

 

[kneedeep]

And I am not happy with the way the top of the tabletop turned out!!! I had made a concerted effort to ensure the tabletop concrete form was a smooth as possible, using a visqueen/plastic sheet between some (formerly) very smooth plywood surface. Not Happy!

[/QUOTE]

Perhaps you could rent or buy a commercial concrete sander (hand held) and smooth the top up, apply concrete stain and seal it. It is going to be outside anyway and a good sealer will keep it smooth.

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[Hiltz]

Looking at the photos of your form did you mean to put quarter round in the pattern? This will leave two small sharp edges in your casting as the above photo shows. If you install a full cove in the form this will make a half round edge on all edges. Maybe more comfortable. Just a thought.

 

[Ford850]

To improve the top, this is what I would do...
Clean up the sharp edges and corners with a 4" grinder. Then get some good concrete patch from a HD, Lowes, Menards, etc. It usually comes in a plastic bucket, and look for the better quality stuff. I've used this several times and it has never let me down, creating a nice strong bond. Anyway, mix the concrete patch and float it on the bench top to fill the wrinkles. I think the top is fairly smooth, and all the wrinkles from the plastic left grooves and no ridges. Floating the patch into those grooves will give you a good surface.

 

[FTG-05]

Looking at the photos of your form did you mean to put quarter round in the pattern? This will leave two small sharp edges in your casting as the above photo shows. If you install a full cove in the form this will make a half round edge on all edges. Maybe more comfortable. Just a thought.

I used something to make that corner, I guess it's a quarter round.

The edges have already been sanded/smoothed down with a granite block tool I bought at HD. It didn't take long at all.

I plan to keep the form in case someone else in the shooting community would like to use it to make their own. I'll have to take up the existing quarter round to get rid of the plastic.

What should I use in place of the quarter round? Please use small words, I don't do wood beyond 2x4's, 4x4's etc.

Thanks,

 

[FTG-05]

To improve the top, this is what I would do...
Clean up the sharp edges and corners with a 4" grinder. Then get some good concrete patch from a HD, Lowes, Menards, etc. It usually comes in a plastic bucket, and look for the better quality stuff. I've used this several times and it has never let me down, creating a nice strong bond. Anyway, mix the concrete patch and float it on the bench top to fill the wrinkles. I think the top is fairly smooth, and all the wrinkles from the plastic left grooves and no ridges. Floating the patch into those grooves will give you a good surface.

To me, it's a cosmetic issue. I had always planned to put some indoor/outdoor carpet on it anyway; guns and concrete don't mix. The only concern I would have is if it's causes excess cracking of the tabletop. With the rebar frame in there, I don't *think* it would crack and break.

Thanks,

 

[Hiltz]

I used something to make that corner, I guess it's a quarter round.


What should I use in place of the quarter round? Please use small words, I don't do wood beyond 2x4's, 4x4's etc.


You need a cove molding instead of the quarter round. Its the opposite shape of quarter round. Think backwards when making a pattern. This will make a nice roundover on your edges. Any box lumber yard will have it right next to the quarter round you bought. You will have to plane down both edges of the cove to make a full cove. A hand plane would work fine. Good luck with your project.

 

[Indygunworks]

How do you know what he "needs"? Perhaps he is going for a concave look where you are saying he "needs" a convex look? Doesn't really matter what he puts in there as long as the final product has the shape he wanted it to have.