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my own little project... 8X9

blaze_125

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Short of being able to afford a complete garage rebuild, I start with a backyard shed to free some floor space in the garage.

It will be a ready to assemble 8X9 shed, sitting on a 9X10 concrete slab. So today was digging day!

ShedSlab-Starting.jpg


ShedSlab-WorkingHard.jpg


ShedSlab-ReadyForPour.jpg
 
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O RLY

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Just did one of these last summer for the exact reason (to get the mower/yard tools) out of my one car detached to free up space.

Good luck with the build, looks like it is coming along nice
 
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Kevin54

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ShedSlab-WorkingHard.jpg



Just out of curiosity, but sitting that close, it won't screw up the intake / exhaust of the furnace will it? I don't know, just asking. I don't know whether they have a minimum on clearance or not.
 
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blaze_125

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I don't think there will be any problem. Maybe someone who knows more about that type of system could chim in... There will be approx. 3 feet between the pipe and the shed.

Should I put a vapor barrier under the slab?
 
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blaze_125

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Today was concrete day!

ShedSlab-TruckGotHere.jpg


ShedSlab-TruckSettingUp.jpg


ShedSlab-TruckPour.jpg


ShedSlab-Leveling.jpg


How long should I wait before I put up the shed? I figured at least 14 days... And how long before I can remove the mold? Will the vapor barrier extend the curing time?
 
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3cyltrbo

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sorry, can't help with the curing question, but I have a question of my own.

looks like your in Quebec (Gatineau by chance???) , if you don't mind my asking, how much did you pay for that much concrete (I'm thinking about something similar myself.
 

Jason641

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Keep it wet for the next few days (spray it with a hose), this will keep it from curing too fast and will make it a much stronger slab. You could start building on it after 2 or 3 days since it won't really see any significant weight, but if you wait 7 or so days and keep it wet the whole time you will end up with a much better slab.
 
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blaze_125

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looks like your in Quebec (Gatineau by chance???)
I'm in Aylmer :)
It cost me 335$ for 1 cubic yard.
http://www.betongatineau.com/

When I got up sunday morning, my whole body was in pain. I'm used to be sitting in a chair and slamming my fingers on a keyboard... So a whole day of diggin... Anyway... when I woke up I had to make a decision. Either I'd go out and buy 60 bags of 60lbs, rent a mixer and do it all myself, or call in a Ready-Mix. Ready-mix won the bid! It probably cost me 100$ more calling in the mix rather than doing it all my-self... but 60 bags... @ 60lbs each... I think it was well worth the extra 100$.

I called them at 11am, and the truck was in the backyard at noon.

Keep it wet for the next few days (spray it with a hose), this will keep it from curing too fast and will make it a much stronger slab. You could start building on it after 2 or 3 days since it won't really see any significant weight, but if you wait 7 or so days and keep it wet the whole time you will end up with a much better slab.

They're calling for rain all week, so I guess I should remove the tarp I have covering it?
 
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lupinsea

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The concrete cures via a chemical process. . . . not through evaporation. The vapor barrier you have on there will have no effect on the curing time.

+1 for all the other comments regarding keeping the slab moist. One way to do so is to spray it down with a hose every so often. The other is to cover it with a plastic sheet to keep the moisture trapped.

I feel your pain on the digging. I'm another keyboard commando and have really gotten out of the manual labor. The last week+ I've been busting up a 40 year old 4-6" thick concrete slab to make way for a new shed. Not fun.
 

Grizz1963

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I am a big fan of saving money by doing stuff myself, but sometimes it pays to pay the pro's to do the dirty work.

Keep the slab wet the next few days, spray morning and evening, and leave the tarp over it during the day.

Slows the curing and strengthens the concrete.
 
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blaze_125

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This is how it looks today...

It's looking rough. Ok, it's looking really rough lol
I guess I'll rent one of those sanding machine before I put the shed up. For a first timer around concrete... I'm quite satisfied though.

ShedSlab-CuringCloseUp.jpg


ShedSlab-Curing1.jpg


ShedSlab-Curing2.jpg


And to keep it wet, I got some garden timers that are currently unused and also some sprinklers...
 
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blaze_125

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Probably as much as I'd like you to come pick it up free of charge lol

I just set the timer and sprinkler. It's going to hose it down every 2 hours for 2 minutes.
 

Kevin54

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Is the back corner towards the house higher with concrete than the rest and is the slab running towards the front somewhat? By the pics it kind of looks that way but really can't tell. It also looks like the slab is going to be even with or slightly below ground level. What you should have done was brought the concrete to the top of the form and above ground level then you would not have to worry about any water getting into the shed.
For future reference, what you would want to do is put your form boards level and at the height that you want the top of the slab, then you use the top of the form boards as the guide to level off the concrete. Take a long 2x4 and screed off the cement by sawing the 2x4 back and forth to remove excess concrete and show the low areas, then take a flat trowel and smooth it up and by doing so will work some of the cream to the top.
Not trying to sound like I'm busting on the job that you did. Concrete is hard work. As far as for being a first time you did good and it will work for all intended purposes. :thumbup:
 
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blaze_125

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The pictures do make it look like it's sitting at an angle somewhat. When I put the form in the hole, I use a level on all side and made sure it was leveled before calling in the concrete.

I could not afford to fill the whole form, and took whatever lumber I had laying in the backyard to make the form... To level the concrete I used the 2X6 that's currently sitting on top of it all. Me on one side, my girlfriend on the other and slid the peice of lumber from one end to the other. The left side of the slab is currently grass, but it will soon be dug out and be replaced with crushed stone flat against the slab to hopefuly counter water infiltration.

To give a perspective on thickness... The left and right side lumber are 2X6, the front and back peices are 2X8. I seem to have approx the same distance from the concrete to the edge of the wood peice on the whole length, which was my "guide" for leveling the concrete lol

It was poured sunday afternoon, am I safe to remove the form tonight?
 
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blaze_125

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Still not sure if I'll put my shed project on a slab or concrete deck blocks

I live in a new neighborhood so I got to see plenty of people putting up sheds before the got fenced in. Some put the shed directly on the ground, some on blocks, some on "whatever" they could come up with. And quite frankly, they all look crooked by now.
 
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blaze_125

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This weekend I'd like to grind it down before I put up the shed. I know of the big machines I can rent, but are there any attachement available that could be attached to my grinder? The slab is not that big, so I wouldn't mind spending an hour on my knees grinding it down.

This is what it should look like when put together
a_summit.jpg


The double door and single door is what got me sold.
 
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