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

[Andrew Vida]

The recycler had 3'x4'x6' bales of compressed plastic, but they were 
over 1000# each and I am in no humor to wrestle that.  The polystyrene 
blocks are extruded from the chipped raw material. Density varies 
significantly.  No matter.  I'm looking to provide a seepage channel and 
these should do the trick.

Oh, and I also have left at least 4 trails between Charleston and Elkview.

On 10/17/14, 1:30 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer wrote:
> Andy, the styro i was getting was in the form of wired, compressed bales. They had a press that'd turn a giant dumpster full into a 3' X 4'  bale, that i then stacked 3 high on my flatbed. Exhausted, i drove home in the dark having tied down the load. I feared that the cops would follow the debris trail for 60 miles and find me days later.
> I used some of the bales whole where i was concerned about sliding, then opened up the remaining bales to fill the rest of the space. Before i placed the styro, i did a multiply redundant series of waterproofing coats on the outside of the retaining wall ( parge coat, rubberized asphalt sheet and heavy plastic sheet.
> I topped the styro backfill with a foot of leachrock for vermin and fireproofing.
> The french drain at the bottom  sloped 1/2" to the foot and was covered in 3 layers of drain fabric.
> Unfortunately, the heavy plastic sheet under the french drain got perforated in the process and the seepage leaves me with a damp shop floor a few days after heavy rains despite  both sand and plastic sheet under the slab.
> Somehow, 3 tons of sloppy clay is much heavier than 3 tons of almost anything else. Groan.
>
> On Oct 17, 2014, at 5:18 AM, Andrew Vida wrote:
>
> 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.
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