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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 12:27 pm
by IanMelb
I'm going to attempt my first ever blockwork this weekend, it is a tad warm and I was wondering if there's any gotcha's I need to think about.
I remember something about soaking bricks beforehand (so they don't suck all the water out of the mortar too quickly) but does this also apply to concrete blocks?
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 4:40 pm
by pagmore
Wetting the blocks is okay, but tends to cause a mess if you're laying facework. If you do, let them dry off for a while till they're just damp.
Best advice I could give is to wet the spot boards first. You'd be amazed how quickly a piece of dry timber sucks the mortar (handy for pointing though). Use a little feb in the mix and good luck!
Pag'
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 6:07 pm
by lutonlagerlout
concrete blocks dont suffer the same way thermalites or linker block do in the heat
i did about 60 in a little footing friday and as long as the muck is wet enough to adhere you should be ok
you can always mist walls with the garden hose on mist ,or cover with damp hessian on overly hot days,to cut down on the evap.
cheers LLL 
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 6:53 pm
by IanMelb
Thanks chaps. I'm all set to go tomorrow. Spent the day getting the cement and sand, making sure that all the blocks are set out properly and fixing in the studding to tie down the wall plate) - hey it was a hot day, I didn't want to over exert myself
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 7:49 am
by Dave_L
Today's the day Ian! Don't think it is going to quite so hot today (famous last words....) :p
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 9:30 am
by IanMelb
Yep, I'm just building up the momentum now !
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 9:47 am
by lutonlagerlout
get that bleeding mixer going ian!
i am off round my father in laws for a love job in about 10 minutes
10m2 of 9 " blockwork 
mind you i talked him into turbos
cheers lads good luck ian
regards LLL
Edited By lutonlagerlout on 1181465281
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 2:35 pm
by IanMelb
Hmm, mixer - ah yes, knew there was something I didn't have
Still I'm knocking it up by hand using one of these creter thingies - doesn't seem to be doing too bad a job to my completely untrained eye.
I'm just taking my lunchbreak and have kind of realised that 6m2 of heavy duty blockwork might not be the best thing for a complete novice to do for their first ever brickie job. It's not as easy to butter these things as Mr Walsh seems to make it seem with the 'usual' clay stock ... 
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 2:54 pm
by pagmore
The memories of 9" high density blockwork still sends a twinge up my back. Then H & S said that they must be two man lifted. Subbies rub hands together, charge double and tell you to get on with it! Ahh, how I miss site work, especially now they provide cool shades in case of dust or fly attack.
Mix your muck well in that gadget, Ian and you'll have a better chance of it sticking to the block. (Hope you're not using sharp sand, or you'll have a long afternoon of muck sliding off the trowel.)
Good luck
Pag'
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 3:08 pm
by IanMelb
pagmore wrote:Mix your muck well in that gadget, Ian and you'll have a better chance of it sticking to the block. (Hope you're not using sharp sand, or you'll have a long afternoon of muck sliding off the trowel.)
It seems to be sticking OK (builders sand all the way) but it's the moving the dang blocks around that's the hassle.
Basically I'm taking it one block at a time - spread some mortar down the end of a block that's already in place, butter a little more on to the end of the block to be dropped in and then spread some on the place where it's going to land.
I'm using half a bucket of dust to two buckets of sand for each mix. I'm using the mortar that's left over at the end of the mix (i.e. not enough to use on the next block) to point up the joints I'd done the mix before last IYSWIM
Probably enough to send proper brickies into fits, I'm just trusting to the fact that it's only two course of heavy blocks and gravity and tie downs will do a good job of holding them in place if my efforts don't do the job 
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 3:15 pm
by pagmore
"one block at a time - spread some mortar down the end of a block that's already in place, butter a little more on to the end of the block to be dropped in and then spread some on the place where it's going to land."
Half the trowels out there now would gladly print and carry your instructions for constant referall!
Pag'
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 7:50 pm
by lutonlagerlout
Still I'm knocking it up by hand using one of these creter thingies
uh-oh :laugh:
god loves a trier Ian
you can get second hand mixers for a tenner on ebay mate
mind you i suppose you only needed about 5-6 gauges
did the sand/cement work out ok??
did my 106 9" turbos (had to go and get another 6) and gave it a real good soaking before i left
thats what families are for
2 brother in laws (desk jockeys) sat in the garden watching me all day
c'est la vie
LLL
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 9:06 pm
by seanandruby
Don't think id use one of those iceland bags you have there m8 :laugh: with no mixer i would of turned the mix over a few times on a sheet of ply. get a mixer Ian b4 the novelty wears off. its so time consuming knocking up and laying.
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 11:18 pm
by IanMelb
I'll tell you what, the iceland bag does a pretty good job for the 3-4 minutes it takes me to mix it. I was quite surprised. Did you have a look at the video? I've tried mixing with spade and board before but this was way easier and less messy. (NB, I'm *not* trying to sell these things)
I've got the option of a loan of an electric mixer and a petrol one from a couple of people in the village but, as LLL says, it's only going to be 5 or 6 guages in total and that's more than the effort of going to go get the mixer and having to set it all up, use it and then clean it....
TonyLLL, I reckon I'm laying about one block to your 10 (at most!) ...
Still I took time off to watch Lewis come in first and have me tea, so I've not been really pushing it...
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 11:21 pm
by IanMelb
NB, I won't be using the bag when I come to mix and lay the screed that's going on top of the insulation.
Which reminds me, I really must look up whether these underfloor heating pipes will be OK with a load of 'normal' dryish-mix concrete on them ...