New garage time!

[fatjay]

I thought about putting plywood strips to wheel, but the risk of falling seems high. Without to much experience I"m not sure, I'm still watching videos and thinking about stuff.

Everything is tied to everything inside. Every single rebar joint is tied and the wire is tied to the rebar about a dozen times per sheet.

I put a chalk line around the outside and a half inch thick foam around the perimeter to where I need to come up to.

 

[ovrszd]

What Eddie and I are concerned about is in the center. What are you going to use to get the center to the right elevation?

As Eddie described in detail, this is brutal work with a time bomb ticking all the while.

Rough dragging of the concrete is a step of it's own. The better that's done the easier screeding will be.

Screeding will determine the flatness of your slab. The better that's done the easier floating will be.

Floating pushes the rocks down and creates a small particular surface to trowel. The better that's done the smoother and flatter your troweled surface will be.

Troweling is you last chance to create the finish you desire. Levelness, flatness and smoothness have already been determined. No do overs.

I can't envision being able to do this from a portable platform in 8' increments. But I'm hoping it all goes well.

Start as early in the morning as daylight permits. You are going to be there many many hours. With insulation and a vapor barrier under your slab all of the moisture has to evaporate out the surface.

As tempting as it will be, as Eddie mentioned, avoid adding a lot of water.

If you are renting equipment it needs to be setting there when you pour the first load. You won't have time to go to the Rental store to get things.

Anxious to see the conclusion of this so you can move forward with your build!!!

 

[fatjay]

I'm renting the power trowel and power screed the day before the pour. I'll figure something out to make sure it's not high or low in the middle. I've poured a lot of concrete before, just never something this big. Last summer I mixed 500 bags with my mixer to do all new concrete around the pool, but those were only 5x8' slabs with expansion joints between.

The pour was going to be saturday, but it's been pushed back due to weather. rain today, tomrrow, and saturday, and the concrete truck needs to drive on the grass. Normally that wouldn't be a problem because of how hard the dirt is. My backhoe with AG tires doesn't even dent it when it's dry, it's like driving on pavement.

 

[ovrszd]

Take some time and think thru this screed process. That's critical to a successful pour. Do whatever you think you have to do to do it right.

How long is the power screed? They are usually 8-10 ft. With your 24ft wide pour you need one 12ft or longer if you can manhandle it. If you are forced to use a shorter one you'll need two rows of screed pins if that's your choice of method.

Hopefully Eddie will come back here and post his thoughts about this. He's got a lot of experience to offer.

 

[dodge man]

I’ve seen where they set form pins or wooden stakes in the middle of a pour for grade then drive them down once you are done with them and just fill in the hole with a little concrete where they were.

 

[dragoneggs]

Richard and Eddie are making me nervous and I am 2842 miles away via I-90. Wishing you good luck on the pour!

 

[ovrszd]

I’ve seen where they set form pins or wooden stakes in the middle of a pour for grade then drive them down once you are done with them and just fill in the hole with a little concrete where they were.

My guy used rebar. No interruption to the concrete. Nothing to fill.

 

[ovrszd]

Richard and Eddie are making me nervous and I am 2842 miles away via I-90. Wishing you good luck on the pour!

Yeah Mark, I think I'm more worried about it than the OP. You get one chance with concrete. And you live with the result the rest of your ownership.

 

[dragoneggs]

Yeah Mark, I think I'm more worried about it than the OP. You get one chance with concrete. And you live with the result the rest of your ownership.

OP is one brave soul... no way I would ever try this.

 

[ovrszd]

OP is one brave soul... no way I would ever try this.

I did once on a 30x50. I wasn't as good as my expectations. Very disappointing. I paid $10 p/square foot for my house and shop.