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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:50 pm
by sblewer
Hi guys,
Could really do with some advice, as it's quite urgent.
I have dug out my footings for my new conservatory, and have provisionally booked the concrete for 8.00am Saturday morning.
The only thing is, I have just looked at the weather report and it says that it is going to hammer it down with rain.
We have spoken to the Concrete company and they said they dont mind and it will be fine, he'll just adjust the water content.
What I need to know is, is he telling the truth and things will be ok, or does he just want to get his money?
If it is ok to pour in the rain, is there anything I need to do, to make sure it sets ok, and doesn't get watered down?
I would be really grateful for your advice.
Cheers
Steve
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:18 pm
by seanandruby
it will be fine for footings. pump out water in trench if any. make sure you push any water forward with your concrete .
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:53 pm
by Mikey_C
post the pour and leveling cover the trench/footing with of cuts from your DPM.
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:00 am
by seanandruby
Mikey_C wrote:post the pour and leveling cover the trench/footing with of cuts from your DPM.
Eh? Have you been on the pishhhh ???
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 8:08 am
by sblewer
Thanks for the advice Sean.
I would thank Mickey C as well, but I have no idea what he said!!!!! ???
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 10:42 am
by Mikey_C
in my defense I was tired and posting in a rush. I also made some presumptions, I was thinking that you would be putting a DPM (visqueen or alike) in the trench before the concrete to ensure the concrete doesn't dry out to quickly.
Having put said concrete in and tamped down/leveled it, got the air out with a vibrating poker, you could fold over the excess DPM or if you have cut it to size, cover the footing with the off cuts held down with bricks to stop further water entering the top of the footing.
However, as I write this I am concerned I may have gone for my usual downfall and over engineering it again.
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 10:51 am
by sblewer
Thanks for the post Mikey, I was only joking about your previous post, really appreciate the help.
Never heard of anyone putting down DPM in the trench before, although I think I should be ok with that, as the ground is damp and shouldn't draw too much moisture out of the concrete. I could see a reason to do it if the ground was really dry!
As far as using a vibrating poker is concerned, no need for that either. The concrete is being barrowed round, so although air may well get trapped, it won't be to the extent of having it pumped I wouldn't of thought. I intended to get my long rake and a some timbers, and manipulating it by hand, then tamping the surface, and banging the shuttering to remove the air.
Hopefully that should be ok, was just really worried about there being too much water involved.
Once the concrete has been poured, i was going to cover it over with some tarpolin I have, just to try to keep as much rain off as possible, do you think that would be ok?
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 11:28 am
by Mikey_C
no offense take.
What your planning on doing sounds fine, as you say the ground is unlikely to be bone dry and suck the moisture out to quickly.
With regards to the the trapped air, you will still have trapped air even barrowing rather than pumping and the reference to the vibrating poker is because I like toys and prefer to stand there holding onto a poker, rather bending over tamping with a bit of wood, but its personal choice, I take it you got some else to hold the other end of the wood, help with barrowing?
what size are the footings?
How much ready mix are you having delivered?
what mix and slump have gone for?
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 11:35 am
by sblewer
Got my brother in law to help with the tamping etc.
Managed to find a company that mix on site, and free barrow, so saves me a lot of work as it's about 75 yards to my back garden!!!!!
The footings are 600 deep x 600 wide in a hexaganol shape with an overall length of just under 7.5metres, so not massive, works out at about 2.5cubic metres. The good thing is I only get charged for what I use, which is great!
When I spoke to the concrete company and told him what it was for, he said they use a Norton 20 mix, which I assume is the same as C20, didn't mention the slump mix, but he did say it was plenty strong enough for a conservatory footing.
Putting a bit of trust in the concrete guy, I must admit, with the slump etc, but if anyone know what they are doing it should be them, and my mate used them for his extension, and he said they were great!
Fingers crossed:D
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 11:44 am
by Mikey_C
what you are doing sounds spot on, best of luck.
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:30 pm
by Dave_L
75yd push to the founds? Sound fun for a weekend! NOT....
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:43 pm
by seanandruby
Mikey_C wrote:in my defense I was tired and posting in a rush. I also made some presumptions, I was thinking that you would be putting a DPM (visqueen or alike) in the trench before the concrete to ensure the concrete doesn't dry out to quickly.
Having put said concrete in and tamped down/leveled it, got the air out with a vibrating poker, you could fold over the excess DPM or if you have cut it to size, cover the footing with the off cuts held down with bricks to stop further water entering the top of the footing.
However, as I write this I am concerned I may have gone for my usual downfall and over engineering it again.
It was obvious you were trying to say that.... i knew, honest :laugh: :laugh:
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 10:09 pm
by Mikey_C
Dave_L I don't know about "sblewer" but when you have spent the entire week sat at a desk producing cr*p documents, no one will ever read, then the idea of pushing a wheelbarrow anywhere is exciting because it's constructive!
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 6:09 am
by seanandruby
....Its only constructive once its in the shutter. pushing concrete that far is destructive, to the body. hope you have some back cream ready ???
Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:24 am
by sblewer
It went ok in the end. The concrete guys turned up late, and then had a moan about how far they had to barrow because their gaffer hadn't told them, not happy chappies
In the end though, we managed to get the last barrow load in just as the heavens opened, so I got completely soaked getting the tarpolin over the top.
Worked out great though. Went out there yesterday and it has gone off a treat!:D
Just reading your posts, and to be honest the distance didn't bother me, as I wasn't barrowing this time (done enough of that lately with getting materials round), the company I got the concrete from, offered a free barrow service. In the end the 3 guys did it on a relay, so they only did a section each, so not too bad.
The worst is yet to come, as this was only the founds for the conservatory, there's another 12-13cubes to go, what with the conservatory base and the raft for the extension that is just getting underway, so plenty more work yet!
