Choosing the Right Bagged Concrete Mix - Fine Homebuilding
Feb 26, 2020 · Concrete choice is largely about strength. While other additives are often used to achieve specific ends, all concrete contains five chief ingredients: coarse aggregate (gravel) and fine aggregate (sand), which compose 60% to 75% by volume of the mix; 7% to 15% Portland cement, 14% to 21% water, and up to 8% air.
why sand under concrete? - Fine Homebuilding
Aug 19, 2004 · Here in Southern Calif. where there is hard clay dirt, sand will give tree roots a easy time, so it can pop up the patio or sidewalk. Sand on top of visqueen help remove the water in concrete so it sets faster. Sand does provide a homogeneous surface so the concrete will cure evenly (not crack).
Proper compacting techniques for sand - Fine Homebuilding
Sep 25, 2005 · You should leave about 6"-8" between footprints. Fifth, set up enough sprinklers to cover the entire floor and add 2"-3" water per foot of sand depth. You can use coffee cans to measure the water. You will have to measure in zones, adding more water where the sand is deeper. Sixth, this is probably the second day.
Concrete slab specs - sand or no sand? - Fine Homebuilding
Sep 25, 2002 · Both provide a drainage plane beneath the slab and a cushion for expansion,contraction, etc. Sand is also less likely to cause the poly to get ripped, puntured, or torn than gravel under the slab. Sand is used for a drainage for moisture like a gravel would, But around here we deleted this method.
Choosing and Mixing Mortar - Fine Homebuilding
Jul 3, 2022 · 5. Form a small crater in the dry mix and add a few inches of water. Start mixing by pulling the shovel across the crater, chopping as you go. 6. Lift and mix the mortar, adding small amounts of water as needed. 7. Stop adding water when the mortar has the right consistency for the job at hand.
Three Types of Footings to Support Foundation Walls
Jul 2, 2021 · Learn how soil conditions impact your choices around using concrete piers, poured-concrete footings, and slab foundations for spreading the weight of a structure. Footings support foundation walls, spreading the weight of the structure evenly on the soil below and preventing foundations and the structures they support from buckling, sinking, or ...
Sandbags as Concrete-Form Anchors - Fine Homebuilding
Nov 1, 2001 · Sandbags as Concrete-Form Anchors. By Charles Miller Issue 142. Jonathan White’s method for anchoring pyramid-shaped footing forms on a sloped site (see Preventing pier-form uplift) brought to mind another approach that I have used to solve similar problems. As shown in the drawings, a combination of struts and sandbags can often be a ...
Pex layed in sand between concrete & insulation
Jul 9, 2010 · In northern Mn, we have reasonably cheap off peak elec. and a common way to gain more heat sink – to even out the temps of a radiant floor system on rippled heat – is to lay down 2″ of XPS, staple pex to it, and add several inches of sand before leveling and pouring concrete for an on-grade slab. Sand dosent conduct like concrete, and I ...
Make Your Own Parging Mix - Fine Homebuilding
Oct 16, 2024 · Apply the parging mix with a masonry finishing trowel. Load up the trowel with mix and pull it up as you spread it onto the masonry. A smooth substrate might need only a 3/8-in. coat, while a rough surface might need a 1-in. layer. You can trowel the surface to make it smooth or add texture using a trowel, brush, or sponge.
Placing a Small Concrete Slab - Fine Homebuilding
Mar 6, 2016 · Choosing concrete. For a slab that’s 40 sq. ft. or more (about 1/2 cu. yd. of concrete for a typical 4-in.-thick slab), it’s easiest to order truck-mixed concrete. This 3-ft.-sq. slab was small enough that mixing bagged concrete by hand made sense. At 9 sq. ft. and 4 in. thick, the project called for 3 cu. ft. of concrete.