The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Wed May 23, 2007 7:24 pm**

Making good progress on my drive thanks to this site however have a quick question (or 2).
Firstly, after reading about edgings i have nearlyh done the perimeter of my drive in a charcoal soldier course but have existing concrete edgings on the side adjacent to the footpath. Do i have to bed my soldier course on dry mix here as well as surely i can use the existing concrete edging strips to screed from and lay the soldier when i do the main block laying on sand..is there any advantage either way?. Secondly I am constructing my step detail this weekend, i obviously done use a wacker on the screed so is hand compacting and trampling enough or is there another method?
Thanks all.
Darren

Posted: **Wed May 23, 2007 11:32 pm**

yes you can use the existing edgings as screed rails and you dont need 10:1
and when doing a step i generally use 6:1 grit sand cement for bedding due to inability to use the wacker
i normally just give the finished step a few wacks with a club hammer and a bit of 4 by 2
then sand it
cheers LLL

Posted: **Fri May 25, 2007 2:04 pm**

thanks as usual LLL
Was hoping to get out there this weekend and progress a bit further but the weather is looking lousy. Booked some time off work though next week to hopefully get it finished.
Im all sorted now, just need to find the best way of fixing these trammel bars so they dont move when i do the big screed ???

Posted: **Fri May 25, 2007 5:17 pm**

well you dont actually fix them mate,you just bed them on sand up to the height ,then screed your sand and remove afterwards and fill the voids

better if its a bit overcast for outdoor work,anyway
LLL

Posted: **Fri May 25, 2007 10:07 pm**

Oh I see...thought they may have moved though ??? Do you bed them before or after the initial compaction of the screed?
Cheers

Posted: **Sat May 26, 2007 2:29 pm**

After: spread and roughly level the laying course sand, the make just a pass or two (no more) with the compactor to semi-consolidate the sand.

Next, scrape a groove in the semi-compacted sand and place your screed rails.

Adjust the level as required, and then backfill around them with scraped-out sand, compressing it as you go.

With a bit of luck, the screed rails will stay put when you draw the screed board over them.

The Brew Cabin

Getting there!!!