I going to be pouring foundations for a dwarf wall conservatory soon
unfortunatly it looks like I will have to mix the concrete myself usin a mixer rather than use ready mixed. Over what period of time can th concrete be poured, as I'm worried that the first lot will star setting before it is all finished . I'm guessing it will take a quite few hours to mix enough up to complete the foundations, I've estimate that around 2.7m3 is required.
Thanks And
-- pike
Even if it does there's no real problem. If you've got the sort of mixer that goes on a rotating stand it may make life easier if you can position the mixer so that you shovel the ballast straight into it then rotate and tip straight into the trench, rather than barrowing wet concrete (which is heavy)
Unfortunately, it's probably too late to mention, but the following system can be useful when readymix concrete is unobtainable.
I only used the steel base, but they also do bolt on dwarf walls, which seems a lot easier than getting a brickie in!
Fitting the base was simplicity itself. You just need a few 0.45m cubes of concrete under where the legs go, easily dug with a shovel. I simply used
440x230x100 dense concrete blocks mortared together and surrounded by a little wet concrete. This isn't the recommended method, but has worked perfectly.It's a bit more expensive than the heavy approach, but makes it a lot easier, especially when access is limited. It reduces the weight of materials very considerably.
Christian.
I hope they put more thought into the products than they did into the website!
MBQ
Yes, the web "designer" responsible could certainly use a little re-education.
Christian.
About a couple of hours it stays more or less liquid..
Oh bugger. The cat's having kittens behind the 19" rack and theres placenta all over the place.
Excuse me...nature calls..
Have you checked to see if there is a Mixamate service in your area?
Normally listed in Yellow pages. These guys turn up with a wagon full of ballast and cement and water. Their wagon has a big mixer fixed on the back and they mix while you barrow and pour. They provide barrows. you will need two people barrowing full time and possible someone to level off/tamp plus wifey to make tea for the operator. They allow you 30 mins per M cubed to place it before the possibility of additional charges. Mugs of tea usually work to distract the operator from looking at his watch. The best bit is that you order the nominal quantity you need and the chap will mix a bit less/bit more to complete the job. I've used them a few times and overall it works out quite cost/time effective. Last time was a couple of years ago and it cost about £80/m cubed.
Bob
Says it all really..... Sadly. :~(
I mix smaller ammounts, what I do is put the mixer on a stand neer the hole, fill, mix and pour into hole, move mixer. Working from one end to the other, 10-15 minuites a mix, OK so the start may be getting hard by the time I get to the end, but I am always putting my new mix next to stuff thats still wet. On hot days it will set faster - obvious
You need to be VERY fit to do 2.7 cubes in one go, thats about 5 tonnes of ballast to shovel into the mixer. Plus all the cement and water. You need to choose weather you can work in for this sort of level of physical endevor, unless you are a super athlete.
If you are in a rural area, I suggest you ask the farmers if they know anybody with a mixer on the back of a tractor.
In an urban area, I suggest you look in yellow pages for a mix & barrow type operation.
Rick
Well speaking as a slightly overweight and generally unfit 25 year old. I managed to do the very same foundation in around 5 hours, it was a very hot day and yes i was a little cream crackered but with me mixing and a mate pouring it worked a treat. The trick is to put your ingredients into the mixer in the right order. 3/4 of the water 1/2 the ballast, all of the cement, then the rest of the ballast and add water until correct. Worked for me and you get the full mixer capacity out of the mixer.
>The trick is to put your ingredients into the
You didn't use any sand?
Most people use all-in ballast which doesn't need any, i.e. the ballast is a mix of sand and stones
Ah. Semantics. To me ballast is just the chippings...isn't aggregate the word for the mixture?
No its the word for the average score. ;-)
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