Second Pour

Since I knew we would be working very short handed (and very inexperienced). Just me, my wife and two teenagers. I decided early on to divide the slab into four sections to make the pours easier for us to handle.

Sections 2&4 were done first (previous post) and then the internal wood forms were removed in preparation for the next two pours (Sections 1&3) scheduled a few days later.

When Saturday morning came, we were ready to get it done.

The first section went extremely well and we had plenty of time to clean up the edges and finish up the bull floating. I ordered the second truck to arrive 90 minutes later, so we actually had time to sit around for a while.

The second truck arrived at 9:30 and all was going really well until the concrete decided it wanted to go UNDER the corner frame lifting it 6" (150mm)! I never considered bracing the frame against vertical movement.

<<<  Panic mode had arrived!  >>>

We stopped working on the other side of the slab so we could try to dig it out and push the corner back down before bracing it with some logs and back filling the concrete by hand. Meanwhile, my son was trying his best to level the curing concrete on the other side of the slab.

Oh, did I mention that we came up one yard short of materials so another truck has to be called out?
Yeah, that happened too...

When the next truck arrived, the driver saw our dilemma and grabbed a trowel to help out. He was a HUGE help and even though we still ended up with mediocre results, it would have been MUCH, MUCH worse if he had simply dropped off his concrete and drove off.
I definitely owe that guy a free meal or something!

Anyway, we did our best but I'm really disappointed with the results. It's not bad enough to rip out and start over, but I'll need to figure out some way to fix it. Right now I'm looking into spending a couple of days becoming really familiar with gas driven diamond grinder...

The punch list so far:
1) Fix the broken tile drain in the corner that got messed up.
2) Fix a cracked PVC drain pipe joint in the other corner.
3) Grind the concrete as close to level as possible
4) Drill holes for foundation bolts
5) Cut away the bowed areas of concrete on the first pour
6) Embed the foundation bolts in a special epoxy resin
7) Erect the steel structure

Section 3 (The good pour)

Section 3 all done for now

Section One (you can see the frame sticking up in the back corner)

Forms removed

First Pour

The first two trucks arrived here a few days ago to pour 18 yards (13.76 cubic meters) of concrete.
The weather was cloudy, cool and perfect for the pour. But inexperience showed as we struggled to get the surface finished before the material began to set. It didn't help that the first truck got lost on the way to the job site and we didn't request to add more water to the mix so it came out really thick and set up really fast.

Besides, I was way too busy freaking out about the bowing footer frames!
I really underestimated the amount of force exerted against those walls.

In the end, we got an "OK" job.
(Although I would have been upset if we paid a crew of professionals to do this level of work, but you get what you pay for).

Once the second pour is done, I'll have to mark the slab and rent a concrete saw to remove the bowed sections to make it straight again. I'll also have to install new lag bolts since those were pushed out 3" (75mm) on each side. I may even rent a concrete planer to smooth the surface a bit more. But we'll see.

Tomorrow morning the second set of trucks will be arriving.

Ready for concrete

Rebar installed (two near the bottom of the footer - one near the top), hydronic heating line installed (perimeter only), vapor barrier put in place, wire mesh laid down, slab sectioned off and pre-pinned for concrete. Hoping to pour within the next two weeks.

I still need to build the bolt patterns and get those installed in to the correct locations.

2" (50mm) foam insulation for slab perimeter

One loop of heat for the perimeter

Flat wire

South East corner of the building will contain a small bathroom, power panel and hydronic heating components

I'm no farmer, but I believe they are putting some pesticide into the soil before planting feed corn. 

Power supply for sump pump

South West Corner of the house looking North West

Working on getting the slab sectioned off for separate pours

Middle section will be the first poured, then the section on the far right (North)

Rebar tied off to wire mesh near top of slab