Monday, 26 August 2013

We layed some concrete - finally!

We seem to have been preparing to lay the base of the shed for EVER. Deciding how big took some time, then digging the hole ages more, carrying the materials up there was an effort and the lost cows didn't speed things up. The weather has been changable recently, too hot some  days and too rainy others. But finally the forecast seemed just right today. I normally go for a girls cycle ride on Monday mornings but everyone kindly agreed to postpone until Wednesday. We got up early so we could get done by lunch time. We expected it to be hard work, and by golly it was!

We did 6 parts aggregate (melange or mix they call it at the quarry - 4 parts gravel to 2 parts sand) to 1 part cement and just less than one part water. 1 part was 8 liters.
15 mixers full = 90 buckets of aggregate +
15 buckets of cement (which was 5x35kg bags) +
15 buckets of water
We added water then 3 parts of aggregate then the cement then the other 3 aggregate and mixed for 3 mins. Resulting in a total of 30 wheelbarrow fulls of cement that all had to be tipped in and tamped down and leveled.
We are both KNACKERED!! And there is still the other half to go... and the garage and the outdoor kitchen and the whole house. Aaaaaaargh.
Aargh too dry add more water
Pouring it - hopefully not too dry now!

Mixing it up
Finishing touches

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