New garage time!

[Kyle_in_Tex]

The pad will be 6" thick with mesh and 3'x3' grid of rebar.

The footer was drilled and rebar placed in it, then concrete poured in the block. It isn't holding it down, just preventing lateral movement. The j-bolts and all-thread going beneath the slab will hold it down.

Got most of the parging done today and a load of stone to start spreading, but then the rain hit.

I have zero to none construction experience, but I have a question. Do they ever lay down insulation under or above the gravel in order to create a barrier to the ground?

 

[fatjay]

I have zero to none construction experience, but I have a question. Do they ever lay down insulation under or above the gravel in order to create a barrier to the ground?

It goes gravel > vapor barrier > insulation. I would have guessed gravel > insulation > vapor barrier, which would help minimize risk of the gravel damaging the vapor barrier. He put insulation on the side against the block inside to prevent it from coming in through the hollow block. I'm not sure how effective it is, I'm far from an expert, just learning as I go from a contractor friend with 40 years experience who built his own house and a few others.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

It goes gravel > vapor barrier > insulation. I would have guessed gravel > insulation > vapor barrier, which would help minimize risk of the gravel damaging the vapor barrier. He put insulation on the side against the block inside to prevent it from coming in through the hollow block. I'm not sure how effective it is, I'm far from an expert, just learning as I go from a contractor friend with 40 years experience who built his own house and a few others.

Thanks. Do they make a heavy duty grade of Tyvek or something like that?

 

[fatjay]

Thanks. Do they make a heavy duty grade of Tyvek or something like that?

It’s recommended 15mil for course stone, 10mil for river rock. The price difference doesn’t seem to be much. I’m doing 15mil. I just have to find it, no one can get it to me for almost 2 weeks and it’s the next thing to go down. I need to call some commercial suppliers tomorrow when they’re open.

 

[dragoneggs]

It’s recommended 15mil for course stone, 10mil for river rock. The price difference doesn’t seem to be much. I’m doing 15mil. I just have to find it, no one can get it to me for almost 2 weeks and it’s the next thing to go down. I need to call some commercial suppliers tomorrow when they’re open.

Keep humping... you are doing great!

 

[Citydude]

A lot of the information I'm getting is from here: How to install PEX Tubing in a concrete slab

It makes sense to me at least. Maybe for a 4" pad it wouldn't be bad but 6" is a lot of concrete to heat before it hits the surface. Their suggestion doesn't seem to be driven by sales as they wouldn't make anything extra regardless of where you put it, and they even sell staples to staple it to the insulation. I mean if it's dead wrong, it's dead wrong, it seems to make sense to me though.

Today was the leveling of the gravel and digging out the front course of block so we can lay the final course of 12's tomorrow. The stone leveler worked great and gave a real nice consistent level. I had a spare 24' 2" square tube steel so I picked up a 20' section of 2" angle iron and welded it to the bottom. Attached fork attachments to it. But I found that it was fairly unstable, I would dig in any time i hit a mass of stone. So I smoothed it as much with the bobcat's bucket, then shuffled the leveler on the ground forward a few feet to get my new level, then back on the bobcat to pull the stone away. Repeated the process many times, and even welded a piece of tube steel on the front to keep it from tipping forward. I'm happy with the results.

Clearing out the stone #3 stone that we've been driving over for the past week was a pain, basically hand picking boulders out of the holes. Got the new block in place for tomorrow. Sand, lime, and mortar next to the bin as well. Will lay the last course of 12's, finish the ends, put in the center post, pour concrete down the middle, put in the J bolts and some rebar down the middle for strength. When I was 14 I was pulling my mothers car around and mistook the clutch for the brake and smashed the center post of my fathers garage with the volvo. It didn't move. So over the course of the next 50 years, I'm sure the center post will be smacked and I'll be safe.

Thanks for the explanation Jay. The link you posted was educational.

 

[EddieWalker]

On the 6 inch wire screen. Be sure to walk around on it before you have the concrete trucks there. I think that you will find it to be impossible to work with, and you really don't want to have a concrete truck sitting there on site, or even worse, pouring concrete, and you realize that it's impossible to keep the wire and rebar in the middle of the pad while walking on it.

 

[ovrszd]

Again, do what you feel comfortable doing.

I'm with Eddie on the mesh. I'm a little more bold in my remarks. I see no way you can lay and tie your PEX to the wire mesh which is suspended above the rebar?

As to the link you posted. It starts by saying to suspend the PEX, then later it talks about stapling the PEX to the insulation board. I'll admit, it's the first time I've read anything that says to suspend the PEX in the top 1-2" of concrete. As Aaron pointed out, it won't matter once the slab is warm. The issue is getting thru the laying/pouring process without damage.

I understand why they say to pressurize the PEX during concrete pour if suspended because there is greater risk of PEX damage. My question would be, in the middle of the pour it's discovered that the PEX is leaking. Now what?

 

[fatjay]

I'll pressure test it for a few hours before hand after everything is laid in. And it arrived today!

Today was a bit of an administrative day. Laid the last 12x 12" blocks, built the ends and center post. Went to home depot for another 12x80lb bags of concrete, and a supply house for 15mil vapor barrier. Installed J bolts in the front mixed 12 bags of concrete. Then got the jumping jack from the rental place. I checked their website and it said it was in stock. Then I called and the lady assured me it was there. I got there and it was not there. Guy recommended me a place 45min away. I called them, they said they had it. I asked them to put their hands on it before I drive up. They did, so I went. Got back and fired it up. That thing kicks the crap out of you. There's no way around it. 2 hours on the jumping jack, then 3 wheel barrows full of stone to fix the low spots it had exposed. Drug the rake over a few times to make sure I was good.

Video of the jumping jack: https://i.imgur.com/njOjt2Y.mp4

 

[airbiscuit]

Wow, watching you work makes me tired.