# First real concrete job.



## woodtickgreg (Aug 1, 2020)

This is the conclusion of the electrical job, replacing the concrete. I've never done a pour this big, just small slabs here and there. This is the area, forms are in and a bed of fine crushed concrete is packed down as a base.



Tools are ready, most of them I purchased cheap from auctions and garage sales. 





The human powered concrete buggy.



The truck showed up about 8:30, setting up. The driver gave me a wet mix.



First load. 



60 year old man humping concrete.



One down, many to go! Got my workout today. 



The truck driver was cool, my age, gave me some pointers and was very helpful. He even offered me a job. Maybe next year, lol.

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 3


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 1, 2020)

Screeding to get primary level.



Bull floated to bring the cream to the top. Edged it whil waiting for it to start firming up.



Finished the best I can do, lol. I'm happy with it, not bad for my first big job.





I learned that trimming the grass around the electrical conduit and ground rod sucked, so I spread some concrete around it to fix that. Now trimming will be easier.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 3


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 1, 2020)

Now I'm resting in a chair drinking a ice tea with a fan blowing on me, lol. I was done by 12:00, 4 hours start to finish. It started setting up on me right at the end. Now I'm making sure no cats walk on it, lol. We have rain coming soon so I'll tarp it off for the night, if it gets rained on tomorrow it will actually be a good thing for a slow cure.

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## woodtickgreg (Aug 1, 2020)

All cleaned up and watching it dry, lol.



I might saw cut one more line in the big slab after it cures for a day or two. I ran out of time and couldn't do it as I was finishing it. Kinda hard when your inexperienced and working alone.

Reactions: Like 4


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## T. Ben (Aug 1, 2020)

Good job Greg,you’d like driving ready mix truck,I think so anyway,I hauled ready mix for 2seasons,it’s a fun job,I lot of work,carrying chutes and cleaning the drum and stuff but it was a great job.

Reactions: Like 1


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 1, 2020)

T. Ben said:


> Good job Greg,you’d like driving ready mix truck,I think so anyway,I hauled ready mix for 2seasons,it’s a fun job,I lot of work,carrying chutes and cleaning the drum and stuff but it was a great job.


They do pay well here, carrying chutes isn't any harder than throwing chains, tarps and pulling on binders steel hauling. The driver said he makes 70 to 80k in 8 months and the collects unemployment for 4 months and works a 1099 job in the winter. I kinda like the idea of a few months off if j can bank some money in the summer. Maybe next year so I can get a full season.

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## woodtickgreg (Aug 1, 2020)

Looks like we got some pretty good rain coming so I tarped it off for the night, I'll pull it off in the morning. Supposed to rain tomorrow too so that will be good for it. In fact if the rain passes over before dark I may pull the tarp off, we'll see.

Reactions: Like 2


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## T. Ben (Aug 1, 2020)

They don’t pay that well outside of the cities here,and I barely tolerate the job I have now in the cities vs doing any kind of construction work there,we did a lot of grain bin floors,garage and shed floors and some residential work. You would have to work in the rain.


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## Tony (Aug 1, 2020)

Looks good brother! Except for your fishbelly white bird legs!!

Reactions: Funny 2


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 1, 2020)

Tony said:


> Looks good brother! Except for your fishbelly white bird legs!!


Chicken legs! Lol. They haven't seen any sun this year. I did gain 20 lbs from the covid lock down, gotta work on getting that back off.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 1, 2020)

T. Ben said:


> You would have to work in the rain.


I have to work in the rain now, sucks tarping and untarping to get to the chains to unload a truck. I really have to consider this option for the spring. If I can make more money than I am now in a year in 8 months why wouldnt I try that. Short truck and all local work, home everyday still. I'd be out with a trainer for awhile to learn the ropes. I'm really going to think about it over the winter, see what happens with the job I'm in now, business is really slow with them at this time, worst it's ever been. The cement driver said they are very busy. Dunno, gotta see.

Reactions: Sincere 1


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## Gdurfey (Aug 1, 2020)

Looks good Greg. I didn’t realize you could get concrete delivered like that for a smaller job. Note to self.


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 1, 2020)

Gdurfey said:


> Looks good Greg. I didn’t realize you could get concrete delivered like that for a smaller job. Note to self.


Most of the cement companies here have a 2 yard minimum, that's what you pay for even if you dont use it all. I ordered 2 yards even though it didnt take it all, better to much than not enough. Total cost with trucking was $450, $300 was just for the cement. If I rented a mixer and mixed bags myself I would have saved about $100 or so, but would have had to really hustle to get it mixed fast enough. It was worth the money to me, well spent. They will also buggy it in for you for another $150, I'll probably do that for the next pour in stage 2.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## trc65 (Aug 1, 2020)

Nice looking job, Greg. Ive got to admit you wore me out just looking at the pictures. Not worth trying to mix it yourself unless you have a couple of helpers.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 1, 2020)

The rain quit here for a while so Betty and I pulled the tarp off. The surface of the concrete was wet from the curing process. It is hard enough now that I'm not worried about the rain that is coming tonight and tomorrow. At this point the rain will be good for the curing process. 



If the rain let's up tomorrow I'll pull the forms.
All of this because I needed to upgrade the power in my garage, lol.
But now we want to do this all the way across the back of the house for a nice patio. Gotta save some pennies first.

Reactions: Like 5


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 1, 2020)

When I ordered my concrete, it was a 5 yard minimum. And when the truck arrived, he brought the rain with him. It hadn't rained in a couple months, but while he was dumping it, it rained for the next hour. Then it cleared up until until my old engine was to be picked up three weeks later. I'm starting to think my projects bring out the rain gods. ............. Jerry

Reactions: Funny 1 | Sincere 2


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## ripjack13 (Aug 1, 2020)

Nice job Greg. I miss doing concrete work. But 10 years is good enough for me. 
Next time you need a small batch, look into finding a mobile mix company with 5 yard trucks. They mix it up on the spot, and no extra waste. 
We have this company I have used dozens of times...




__





About Mobile Mix Concrete






www.mobilemixconcrete.net

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Nature Man (Aug 2, 2020)

Great to have this finished, I bet! Nice job! Looks very appropriate for that area. Chuck

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 2, 2020)

Rain all night and all day should really help the cure. For the most part water is running of away from the house good. There is one small area between the old slab and new that is holding a little water. It's not bad but I think I'll grind out the groove between the two slabs a little and that will give the water a place to go. Otherwise I'll have a slick ice patch in the winter.

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## woodtickgreg (Aug 2, 2020)

Heres the water ponding issue, existing concrete was low in one spot and I matched it. The old concrete I broke out was lower. 



I think the solution is to saw cut the seam wider and a little deeper to allow the water to escape.



But it does drain away from the house good. One small mistake, I'm learning. I could have sloped it at the corner of the garage more, but it's to late for that now, lol.

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## ripjack13 (Aug 2, 2020)

You could grind a "trench" into it...flowing away from the center. After its cured....in the fall. When its cooler....

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## woodtickgreg (Aug 2, 2020)

I'm going to try and keep it discrete, lol. I dont want to walk past an eyesore everyday and see the mistake I made, lol. I think a little wider groove about an inch deep should do it.


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## Wildthings (Aug 2, 2020)

An air hammer could get rid of all that and you could redo it again

Reactions: Funny 4


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## Wildthings (Aug 2, 2020)

Wildthings said:


> A air hammer could get rid of all that and you could redo it again


Or just put a cover over the whole thing ......you know covered patio


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 3, 2020)

Well I dug out my old p.o.s. craftsman circular saw that has a diamond blade on it, blade looks to be toast, so I ordered a new Bosch blade. The gaurd on this saw is broken, cord has been taped up, but it's good enough to cut cement and bricks with, I would never do that to one of my good saws.  Then I pulled the forms off, looks good. Blade might be here Thursday.


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## Wildthings (Aug 3, 2020)

woodtickgreg said:


> Then I pulled the forms off, looks good.


We don't know if it looks good or not....without pictures

Reactions: Funny 2


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 4, 2020)

Wildthings said:


> We don't know if it looks good or not....without pictures


Looks the same, just without the forms.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 8, 2020)

Got the new Bosch diamond masonry blade.


Put it on the old p.o.s craftsman circ saw.



And had at it. The blade cut really good.



I couldn't get right to the end because the garage was in the way.


So I ground it the best I could with a 9" grinder and a diamond cup wheel.



I ran the hose on it and .ade a puddle and it quickly drained so I'm calling it a successful fix. Ice and snow may be a different story though.



Pretty wide groove right at the garage because of the angle I had to hold the grinder at, but it drains well.



There's a flower pot that goes there so no one will see it, lol. As long as it drains im happy. The groove between the 2 slabs is about 2" deep now and I widened it a bit too.

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## trc65 (Aug 8, 2020)

It's funny, I've got the same POS Craftsman saw, and the only blade it sees is a masonry blade also.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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