[TheForge] OT: My floor is poured: the saga

[Andrew Vida]

Well, it turned out the recycler indeed has blocks of styrofoam and I 
have been stacking them to the grade line.  Typar at the outer face, 
then back fill.  They loaded two large boxes full... probably about 800# 
each.  I will be leaving in a short while to get two more and that 
should do the do for us.  They are about 8" square by randome lengths, 
vary in density, but seem to be porous.

The day after the north and east walls were completed, the rain caved in 
the clay at the northeast corner.  I'd estimate at least 3 tons of 
water-logged clay.  God bless my wife for her help.  We got it excavated 
yesterday in about 6 hours and did it literally by hand, as the shovels 
were utterly useless.  I was swearing to make a sailor join a convent.  
Not sure why, but when the clay grabs me such that I cannot get my boot 
out, I go completely red.

Got the drain reset, gravel in, foam blocks on top and sealed the walls 
with Hydrocide... pretty nasty stuff.  I'm still wearing it, three days 
and about 8 showers later.  Need more foam block, and then backfill 
partially.

Mason told me to use non-shrinking grout between the bottom of old 
footing and top of new block walls.  That is going to be a lot of 
grout... :(  At that volume I would have gone broke on hydraulic 
cement.  That damned stuff is $$.  I've never used concrete grout 
before.  I sure hope it has the compressive strength to take the load.

I think I am going to fill the spaces where the steel columns are 
encased by the blocks with portland.  The walls of the block are shaved 
a mite thin in one or two places.

I will have Bibi take pictures today and post them so you all can bear 
witness to the truer depths of my insanity.

The next step: concrete company comes to pour 6" cap on the old-new 
floor.  That will give me a 12" floor, less head room (down to about 
9'4"), but I'm OK with it.  The second pour will act as a lock for 
moisure and a kicker for the bottomost blocks against the inward 
pressure of the surrounding earth.

Much yet to do, but at least the new foundation is in.  I cannot tell 
you what a relief that has been.



On 9/16/14, 6:57 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer wrote:
> I'm certain you do Andy! Um...Just one?
>
> On Sep 16, 2014, at 2:50 PM, Andrew Vida wrote:
>
>
> On 9/16/14, 5:18 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer wrote:
>> Some years back i discovered free bales of styrofoam from the recycling plant.
>> They were so eager to get rid of them they loaded them for me after hours..
>> Covered my 12' flatbed with them stacked 9' high.
>> They made great backfill behind the big  retaining wall and have been stable for the last 15 years or more.
>> Water resistant , insulating, easy to place and free. I covered them with leachrock about a foot deep for fire and vermin.
>> If you need more volume, break up the bales on a calm day.
>> French drain below.
> Now this is a really cool idea.  I was having a small fit trying to figure how I was to get all that gravel situated properly.  Was thinking of using gambions, but they are stupidly pricey and you have to build them yourself... and they are endlessly heavy, even the small ones.  But this I could do.
>
> Thanks Peter - I will check this out.  I'm sure I now owe you a beer.