long awaited work shop finally started

[mowerman]

i think he also mentioned greasing polititions palms......now im waiting on a engineer to show up........Vladislav.....your guess is as good as mine....now its already freezing here at night.bob

[HeavyGunner]

That’s a bummer bob but hey at least it’s not snowing there like here. Supposed to get anywhere from 6”-12” depending on what channel you listen to. We’ve had such hard constant crosswinds today I could literally only get the truck up to 50mph at bear but probably averaged 40-45. Usually only use around 75gsllons of fuel, 103 today. Too early for this crap. 

[Vladislav]

On 02.10.2017 at 9:53 PM, mowerman said:

i think he also mentioned greasing polititions palms......now im waiting on a engineer to show up........Vladislav.....your guess is as good as mine....now its already freezing here at night.bob

Your worries are worthfull. If the temp will drop down lower than the freezing point I'm afraid the crew will  not be able to warm the slab up enough only by their butts.

[mowerman]

OK got everything squared away had to call a surveyer out to measure properly and type letter another inspection Friday hopefully pouring Friday or Monday...it’s already dipped down to 30 twice this week😩 bob

[Vladislav]

I think you won't have troubles pouring at 30 but waiting with no end is a way out of line.

Now it seems the shop really turns out as "a long awaited shop".

[tjc transport]

pouring at 30 is not a big deal. just tell the concrete supplier to put antifreeze in the mix. most already do when it gets cold. 

and you may need a few heaters for a few days. 

[mowerman]

Ok thanks it’s supposed to be over that next 10 days or so that’s Low low at night it will be going up to 70 or 80 Middle of day time we should be in good shape

[HeavyGunner]

29 minutes ago, mowerman said:

Ok thanks it’s supposed to be over that next 10 days or so that’s Low low at night it will be going up to 70 or 80 Middle of day time we should be in good shape

Lucky. 

 

[gearhead204]

best of luck, have the guys cover the slab with concrete blankets if its going to drop below 34 as the water leaves the slab it travels upward and if the top freezes it will delaminate and you will have a exposed aggregate floor. I say 34 because the weatherman is seldom correct. leave the blankets on for a week or so ,,you can uncover the pad during the day  when temps are above freezing to aid in the drying. I did my floor in the 20's but kept it covered with double blankets and no issues.

 

[fxfymn]

Curing concrete is exothermic, so if it is covered it will stay warm and even a thick layer of hay will work to keep it warm. Concrete does not dry, it cures through a chemical process and will be much stronger if it is kept wet during the curing process, another benefit of keeping it covered. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete

The only real issue with pouring in cold weather is if the ground is frozen, which is unlikely in your case.

[mowerman]

thanks for the tips fellas everything set inspecter came this morning and gave the go....will be pouring monday or wednesday.....of course its going below 32 thursday thru sunday.....bob

[Vladislav]

Bob, what Carl said is almost correct.

But things are more complicated a lil bit. I had to learn them just about a year back when I poured a slab, or how I should call it if it was a floor of the future 2nd floor of the building and the top of the garage at the same time. The day we poured the weather was fine. About +10 Celsias, well above the freezing. All went smooth, we got 4 mixer trucks off through a truck-mounted pump. I didn't order antyfreeze additive since there was no need. But later in the evening when dark came I found out a small pool on the ground covered with ice. That got me worry and I found one grade below zero Celsias on my window temp. The next day light snow layed on the groung and on the slab also. The trouble was you couldn't cover the concrete with anything because you can't step on it because it was still soft. After 24 hours!! Than there was one interesting view. The plate had two longitutional reinforsments on its inner (lower) side. So it was thicher there. And on the 2nd day in the morning I saw the snow melted by two strips. Almost where the reinforcements were. I poited it was just a little below freezing, about it. And the snow went off completely in a couple of hours. But what I saw was exactly the exhaust warm of concrete setting reaction.

In a couple of days the slab got hard enough to walk on. And I covered it with canvas and poly film. And started reading the theory about the same time. What I was learned is concrete sets only when there's water in it. And it needs good temp for the reaction. If water freezes concrete doesn't set at all. And if it hasn't set enough to get about 30% of its normal strength the water inside it cracks out its structure what follows sufficient drop of strength in the future. So you should protect from freezing. But that's not all. If you keep it unfrozen but still at the temp just a little above the freezing point it sets too slow. And doesn't achieve those 30% of strength to be able to freeze up with no risk. So too important to keep a slab warm for the first 5-7 days.

I got lucky with my structure. Checked it out in the spring and found the concrete steel-solid. But as long as temps kept about freezing for some weeks what followed by real drop of temps I put a wooden stove inside the garage and kept it room temp warm for a month. I should admit it was a kind of nervous month.

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by Vladislav

[fxfymn]

Vlad is right, you need to keep it from freezing, but the heat from the curing concrete will do that if the temps are not in "we're in deep Russia" range as long as you cover it as soon as you can. Most slabs can be walked on within 24 hours and as Vlad said need water to cure so they should be kept wet to achieve maximum strength.

Concrete is regularly poured underwater to make bridge piers, etc. Keeping it wet will not stop it from curing and if it dries to quickly it may lose strength.

 

[mowerman]

thanks for the tips fellas...im going to make damn sure.the contractor doesnt have to add the anti freeze....freezing at night 27-30...but 60s in daylight according to forecast and sunny...bob

[mowerman]

 OK we finally got Cement hallaluyuh brother  Took a bunch of photos for some reason they won’t upload only had this phone I short while iPhone I am probably doing something wrong 😅 what the slab is finally done ...bob

[mowerman]

[HeavyGunner]

Just click the choose files link and then photos bob. As you pick out pictures they get loaded onto your reply. Then press the plus sign in/on the picture and it will put the picture with your text above them. Clear as mud? 😁

[HeavyGunner]

[mowerman]

Well I thought I did all that I’ll try it again

[Hobert62]

My iPhone 4 is the same as heavygunner showed too.  Glad ya got a floor.    

[mowerman]

it just keeps telling me download failed lol. i have the same screens on my 6 plus............ya im pretty jacked up.......ill start laying out the frame sunday...got help coming over....im sure the old lady can figure out this  photo issue....bob

Edited October 12, 2017 by mowerman
remove name

[mrsmackpaul]

Maybe need to resize the picture, as in the amount of pixals, and I have no idea how to do this on a iphone  
I was trying to load something up the other day and end gave up 

Paul

[mowerman]

 Yeah I know what you mean well I am not very good with these electric devices with my Motorola I didn’t have any trouble posting photos but I could never get the videos to post you may be right about the size thanks for your input   Bob

[fxfymn]

Congrats; sounds like exciting times!

[mowerman]

Well that's the best I could do....hadda use my old Moto x for a little update can't call anyone or text but I can take photos and go online.....bob