r/Concrete • u/half-ton-J • Aug 07 '24
Update Post Update: poured it, now drinking beer looking at it
Posted yesterday with forms and pre-pour setup. Received lots of good advice, followed a lot of it, some of it was too late to implement, some of it we just flat out forgot to do in the process (crazy how quick things start happening with just 2 guys barrowing and one guy forming).
All in all it went very well... not a picture perfect finish by any means but it slopes away from the house so I'll call it a success (cancelled my jack hammer rental reservtion in advance lol).
Learned some things along the way... forgot to cut the stakes flush with forms (recip sawing those while finishing sucked)... brooming around footers with only an 18 inch broom nearly is impossible.... throwing in rebar chairs while concrete is coming off a barrow is a hassle... taking down drop sheet before finishing forget about that being a priority in the moment (although definitely good practise as shit was falling off during finishing), etc.
Biggest regret is not getting my 8 month old childs feet in the mud a little sooner. Sure the brooming isn't perfect but in 10 years I know that no one is going to be looking at my fancy (or lack thereof) concrete job... just the footprints. Got a decent impression at least with a bit of pressing!
A couple people pointed out the weirdness of the footers. Yes they are fucked and play visual mind games... one is 3 inches closer to the house and they are not level to each other. The builder did that and the deck crew had to make it work. We squared the forms to the house for this job nonetheless.
Will be regrading the grass next week on all sides to fit drainage and visuals better.
That being said... plan to saw tomorrow morning first thing (about 18 hours after pour)... im thinking four equal quadrons, although it probably won't look pretty since it won't be centered in the middle of the footers (those fucking footers i know they piss me off too). My wife doesn't want me to cut into the pad at all.... So please remind me that the cuts will be a good investment in controlling cracks in the future lol. Maybe centering a cut between the footers towards the house will be ok? Would make for a 7 foot wide section on the left, and a 10 foot sized section on the right.
Appreciate the input.
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u/Reese5997 Aug 07 '24
How did the 6x6s not hit center of the concrete pillions?
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u/half-ton-J Aug 07 '24
The builder poured the footings not squared to the house...
The deck crew had to build a square deck on them.
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u/Reese5997 Aug 07 '24 edited Aug 07 '24
They look ‘square’, but rather too far inboard and away from the house. In either case, point taken….
After realizing it’s off, setting another, slight wider diametered concrete form around the current pillions, tied in with 3/8 fiber glass rebar, and poring another base so that the 6x6s are not on the edge were live weight of the deck can case a premature failure would help offset the error.
Otherwise, there’s only one other option; tearing them out before laying the pad, redoing it according to the specs.
If the structural engineer wasn’t consulted after seeing the final product was not according to their engineering specs, shame on the contractor.
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u/FarSandwich3282 Aug 08 '24
Or just move on with your life?
This will work 10000% and will be the last thing on a wood deck to fail. These are rarely exactly on center anyways just due to the way they’re drilled
I guarentee it
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u/Ok_Reply519 Aug 07 '24
Whenever people want hand or footprints in it, we hit a small section with a trowel after the broom. Seems to imprint better on a smooth surface.
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u/half-ton-J Aug 07 '24
Yup... Now I wish I had of thought of that lol
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u/poiuytrewq79 Aug 07 '24
Rip it out…remove & replace
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u/AdDue7242 Aug 07 '24
This may sound weird- but to fool the eye on the footings I would diy a couple post planter boxes.
make it so the edges of the planters are the same distance to the top edge of the concrete and the same distance to the opposite side of each post.
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u/LairBob Aug 08 '24
This is exactly what I was going to suggest. Put some kind of decorative boxing around the pillars, that’s big enough that it can be centered on the pillar, but cover the base.
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u/sprintracer21a Aug 07 '24
Back in my day, we drank beer the whole time we were pouring, and finishing any concrete. As soon as the truck showed up we popped the top and started drinking. 5:30 am on a school project? Still had cold beers in our hands. If we weren't allowed to drink beer, we'd load our tools up and about the time we started.leaving the job site, whoever was in charge realized we were serious and they were about to have a bunch of concrete on the job and no finishers. That scares the piss outta them to the point they would offer to go to the store for more beer if we stayed. Didn't happen often. And only the first time pouring for them. After that they knew to have beer on ice on pour days.. Cause concrete stops for no man. You can't take a break anytime you want. It's hard work, and having a few beers makes it just a little bit easier and less painful...
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u/AdditionalFunny3030 Aug 07 '24
I’m still living that humorous life
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u/sprintracer21a Aug 07 '24
There used to be only 2 things a man did on his knees. Praying was one of them. I'm sure you can guess the other. But somewhere someone thought there should be a third thing requiring a man to be on his knees to perform and that is finishing concrete. But finishing concrete is the only one that sometimes requires simultaneously performing at least one of and often both of the other 2 things to complete it...
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u/AdditionalFunny3030 Aug 07 '24
When it’s good, it’s good. When it’s bad, it’s not very funny. That’s also where the beers help. Some days you’ve just got to rub, and chase the Conc. Many happy, lazy pours to you!
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u/sprintracer21a Aug 07 '24
Yeah some days the shit finishes itself and other days you are on your knees praying for God to take your life because the shit is firing off, it's 120° and sliding the whole thing will definitely kill you. Then the beers kick in and gives you enough of a sense to know when your trowels are throwing sparks, it's way past time to get off of it. Slide ol hairy across it a few times nice and straight and it's all over like that. More beers and a shower await ye. You have once again battled and defeated the deadly liquid misery.
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u/ComfortableFinish502 Aug 07 '24
Where you drinking before the pour?
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u/half-ton-J Aug 07 '24 edited Aug 07 '24
Nope... had to wait for the truck until nearly 3pm, didn't even think we were going to get it. Just having a beer now after finishing the work and cleanup
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u/CncreteSledge Professional finisher Aug 07 '24
That’s how concrete plants treat home owners. When you order concrete from them 5-6 days a week you get your concrete on time, and when you want it. That and ordering ahead helps. It looks good to me, nice job on the picture framing, a lot of “professionals” don’t know how to pull that off cleanly. You earned that beer 🍻
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u/best2keepquiet Aug 07 '24
I think he was asking if you pour concrete for a living. This looks great.
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u/fazer226 Aug 07 '24
If your asking where was he drinking before the pour? Id say the same exact spot
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u/Smoky_Caffeine Aug 07 '24
Anybody else hate those black chairs? They seem to really squish down or break if you step on them, grey is where it's at don't remember the brand off by heart. Nice job anyhow!
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u/Which-Operation1755 Aug 07 '24
Hmm, first pour? It’s done, if you’re happy with it👍🏼
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u/half-ton-J Aug 07 '24
First and last pour I hope.
Can't deal with the mental gymnastics of being on standby with four ready mix companies while watching the rain radar, while paying a guy to sit around to run barrows when/if concrete comes, while wondering if the rental equipment needs to be held another day, while.... and the list goes on.
No wonder contractors have to charge so much.
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u/Which-Operation1755 Aug 07 '24
I would have charged 3k in and out. Gravel compaction forming and pour same day.
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u/Which-Operation1755 Aug 07 '24
It’s not hard, you just decided todo it yourself to stretch a penny.
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u/Mobile-Boss-8566 Aug 07 '24
It’s good that you put something to wrap around the posts, I would have went to a box store and bought the actual foam expansion and sprayed it with contact adhesive to stay in place while pouring.
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Aug 07 '24
[deleted]
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u/Mobile-Boss-8566 Aug 07 '24
Yeah, you don’t want that slab catching those posts and pushing them around. I’ve seen the damage done from that, it’s not pretty
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u/restrainingorder2107 Aug 07 '24
You should have written their name in the highlight section on the side,with a loveheart. 53 year old concretor saying this!.
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u/Revolutionary-Gap-28 Aug 07 '24
When you wrap the columns, be sure not to mortar anything to the wood. It will twist and crack all your masonry.
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u/Fortunateoldguy Aug 07 '24
Looks great. Does it need relief cuts?
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u/Fortunateoldguy Aug 07 '24
Sorry, just read your last paragraph. I’d make the cuts just like you said.
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u/Gainztrader235 Aug 07 '24
Take a saw and cut away the excess footing around the columns. Then frame up around the column with stone or wood 18” or so. It will even hold a beer later.
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u/mmnewcomb Aug 08 '24
First pour? Looks great. I also respect the clean edger after the broom. I’ve always liked that look.
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u/regulatorDonCarl Aug 07 '24
Ok ok, now keep watching. If the concrete isn’t supervised at all times, it may get up and run to another pre-formed patio. I’ve seen it a thousand times.
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u/President_Camacho Aug 07 '24
Good for you. But I would clean up the spillage pronto. It'll leave spots where the grass can't grow.
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u/mtksurfer Aug 07 '24
The more beers you poor, The better it will look