Diy concrete blocks

[bluedog225]

I got some work done yesterday out of the place. I had an excavator and a bobcat clear an area. And they got the conex moved where I want it. Now I’m going to put up 4 ring lock, scaffold towers between the conex boxes. And hang some 20 foot trusses between them. The trusses are part of the same system, and they hook into the rings.

The towers are 2‘ 5“ square. Sorry I don’t have a picture of the actual deal but here’s an example. They won’t have much weight on them. I can pour four 3’x3’x6” pads in place, but I was wondering if it would be better if I made some DIY concrete blocks in a more controlled environment. Then placed them on leveled sand or gravel pads.

I’m mixing all this by hand, and it seems to me I could control the volume, shape, and cure better on a flat surface in the garage.

I could even make a little template of the feet and have some bolts in the concrete for hold down. Though I’m planning an arrowhead anchors for the actual hold down.

Anyway, before I start down this path, I thought I’d check with you guys. Is it better to pour these blocks in place, or can I make them in the garage?

Thanks

 

[PCustoms]

Pour in place.

 

[PCustoms]

I'm having a hard time picturing exactly what the loading on these towers will be, but don't you have to account for wind loads?

I would think you need bigger pads or possibly something embedded in ground

 

[kaymccampbell]

Were it mine, I'd go 4x4x4. We have deep frost, high winds, snow, among other things. I imagine your weather conditions are relatively milder, but I bet you have wind and rain, so if still bet on 4x4x4, to prevent things like capsizing during wind n rain conditions.

 

[PCustoms]

Were it mine, I'd go 4x4x4. We have deep frost, high winds, snow, among other things. I imagine your weather conditions are relatively milder, but I bet you have wind and rain, so if still bet on 4x4x4, to prevent things like capsizing during wind n rain conditions.

Kay, that's 4' cube, right?

Kind of where my mind was going, 3' square and 6" thick sounds like nothing

 

[kaymccampbell]

Kay, that's 4' cube, right?

Kind of where my mind was going, 3' square and 6" thick sounds like nothing

Yup.

 

[bluedog225]

Good points. I do plan on covering the structure with corrugated eventually. I wasn’t too worried about wind load though I guess I should give it more thought. It will have a covered area of about 20’x10’. Blocked by the conex walls on two sides. Fairly protected by forrest and a hillside.

In addition to the large arrowhead anchors, I could chain the front two scaffold towers to the lower corner castings and the rear two to the conex some other way.

I’m reluctant to pour that much concrete. But maybe.

 

[Old Man Roger]

Good points. I do plan on covering the structure with corrugated eventually. I wasn’t too worried about wind load though I guess I should give it more thought. It will have a covered area of about 20’x10’. Blocked by the conex walls on two sides. Fairly protected by forrest and a hillside.

In addition to the large arrowhead anchors, I could chain the front two scaffold towers to the lower corner castings and the rear two to the conex some other way.

I’m reluctant to pour that much concrete. But maybe.

Google dry pour.

 

[PCustoms]

Google dry pour.

I wish people would stop advocating for that, especially for structural concrete

 

[Shiftless]

I wish people would stop advocating for that, especially for structural concrete

Dry pour is all over YouTube for fence post holes, walkways and shed floors. The results I see (assuming they are honest and not faked in some way) look Ok for those purposes.

But structural?

Hard NO

 

[Old Man Roger]

I don't know **** about concrete, like mentioned above, I saw it on youtube.lol I figured a 3x3 pad 6 inches thick isn't going to be holding up a skyscraper.lol

 

[NUTTSGT]

If you poured them elsewhere, how were you planning on moving them ?

 

[Firebrick43]

Were it mine, I'd go 4x4x4. We have deep frost, high winds, snow, among other things. I imagine your weather conditions are relatively milder, but I bet you have wind and rain, so if still bet on 4x4x4, to prevent things like capsizing during wind n rain conditions.

That is quite excessive in size.

If soils are at least not muck, 24” sonotubes 4’ deep plus rebar will be more than sufficient and will cure to a higher test as the tube won’t allow the moisture to evaporate and stunt hydration of the concrete. Might be stronger than a top formed square pier.

And you will save 21 percent in concrete.

 

[bluedog225]

If you poured them elsewhere, how were you planning on moving them ?

there’s a good reason to pour in place. They are going to be chunky.

 

[kaymccampbell]

That is quite excessive in size.

If soils are at least not muck, 24” sonotubes 4’ deep plus rebar will be more than sufficient and will cure to a higher test as the tube won’t allow the moisture to evaporate and stunt hydration of the concrete. Might be stronger than a top formed square pier.

And you will save 21 percent in concrete.

Not really. His towers are about 30 inches square. If he did sonotubes, he'd need 48 inch ones, and he'd be bolting down awful close to the edge.

 

[Firebrick43]

Not really. His towers are about 30 inches square. If he did sonotubes, he'd need 48 inch ones, and he'd be bolting down awful close to the edge.

I guess I was thinking under the corners of the conex boxes.

My bad

 

[kaymccampbell]

I guess I was thinking under the corners of the conex boxes.

My bad

Under the boxes, absolutely. He could go with 16 inch ones.

 

[NUTTSGT]

there’s a good reason to pour in place. They are going to be chunky.

3'x3'x6" will take eight 80lb bags. That is about 650 lbs.

Not only do you have to move it in place, you have to be able to fine tune it and get it level.

 

[cvairwerks]

To save hand mixing that much concrete, get one of the mobile mix guys to come out and pour it. They only mix as needed. For those pads, you are looking at maybe him being on site about 30 minutes or so.

 

[manwithtools]

Is that scaffold rated for any type of wind uplift forces? It looks like is only designed for vertical loads in the downward direction - i.e. it slips together. Once you put corrugated metal roof over the beams, you'll have a big "wing" that will want to lift upward with surprising forces.

As for the concrete, form up a box that is level and pour in place. Far easier than trying to level a big heavy chunk of concrete. Thickness is debatable, might ask a builder local to your area for advise on that.

 

[PCustoms]

As for the concrete, form up a box that is level and pour in place. Far easier than trying to level a big heavy chunk of concrete. Thickness is debatable, might ask a builder local to your area for advise on that.

Thickness will handle the downward loading, and I bet 6" is fine.

The mass is needed to counter the uplift and any tipping force (i.e. the roof is trying to go sideways in wind)

 

[billconner]

When I did some concrete 2 years ago, I compared (all delivered) ready mix (the minimum 4 yards) vs dry bagged mixed vs buying cement, gravel and sand. Per yard, ready mix and dry bagged mixes were very close in price. Buying cement, gravel and sand was about half the price.

I'm not at all clear the purpose of the scaffold towers but I would think 10 or 12" sonotubes at each foot would be the easiest and least expensive. Measure, rent or hire a auger, and you're done.

And I guess I missed why not get trusses a tad longer and set them on containers.

 

[manwithtools]

The mass is needed to counter the uplift and any tipping force (i.e. the roof is trying to go sideways in wind)

All the mass in the world won't help if the scaffolding is a slip together design, did you catch that part?

 

[PCustoms]

All the mass in the world won't help if the scaffolding is a slip together design, did you catch that part?

Nope, if you look at my response I quoted you regarding the thickness.



I'll add this for the OP. Typically when I'm scheming up some non conventional way to accomplish something like this it ends up saving very little in the end.

 

[BillK]

I got some work done yesterday out of the place. I had an excavator and a bobcat clear an area. And they got the conex moved where I want it. Now I’m going to put up 4 ring lock, scaffold towers between the conex boxes. And hang some 20 foot trusses between them. The trusses are part of the same system, and they hook into the rings.

I guess I am totally confused as to what is going to go on the trusses ? It almost sounds like you could put the scaffold bases right on the ground ? Either that or just buy 4 of the precast bases they sell for AC units ?

 

[PCustoms]

Better option might just be to set a couple laminated poles?

 

[bluedog225]

Is that scaffold rated for any type of wind uplift forces? It looks like is only designed for vertical loads in the downward direction - i.e. it slips together. Once you put corrugated metal roof over the beams, you'll have a big "wing" that will want to lift upward with surprising forces.

As for the concrete, form up a box that is level and pour in place. Far easier than trying to level a big heavy chunk of concrete. Thickness is debatable, might ask a builder local to your area for advise on that.

Good point. The sections lock together but the foot pads slip on and would need to be secued.

 

[bluedog225]

When I did some concrete 2 years ago, I compared (all delivered) ready mix (the minimum 4 yards) vs dry bagged mixed vs buying cement, gravel and sand. Per yard, ready mix and dry bagged mixes were very close in price. Buying cement, gravel and sand was about half the price.

I'm not at all clear the purpose of the scaffold towers but I would think 10 or 12" sonotubes at each foot would be the easiest and least expensive. Measure, rent or hire a auger, and you're done.

And I guess I missed why not get trusses a tad longer and set them on containers.

I agree about the sonotubes under each foot. That would be pretty straight forward. I’m not setting them on the towers because I’ve got the towers handy. And they provide a ready made, good attachment points for the trusses. Less fabrication.

The other thing I was thinking about was attaching the top pipe on the truss to the top cast corner of the conex. But the boxes are on concrete blocks on 3’ of clay. Using the towers will accommodate differential movement.

 

[bluedog225]

I guess I am totally confused as to what is going to go on the trusses ? It almost sounds like you could put the scaffold bases right on the ground ? Either that or just buy 4 of the precast bases they sell for AC units ?

Those precast bases were my first thought. They‘d be fine from a support standpoint. Then I looked and they were $200-$300 each and I thought there must be a better way.

I could just set the bases on compacted gravel.

 

[billconner]

if you can get a truck in, just plan a yard of concrete for each (4 correct?) and just form the to 6 to 12". Too easy.

 

[bluedog225]

Unfortunately, I can’t get a truck in this area. I’ll need to arrange for some guys to help. it’ll get a little complicated. I think I’d rather do them one at a time by myself as time allows. Although, that’s a fairly big pain in the *** as well.

I appreciate all the input. Given me stuff to think about.

I’m warming up to having some gravel delivered and just putting these things on gravel pads. I’ll figure out how to tie the whole structure down when I get around to putting in corrugated up top.

 

[Hank11]

Why not attach your new cover structure to the boxes? Unless you have the towers bought, give up and set your trusses on the boxes. You will need a little welding, but it’ll be so much simpler and better. Do set the boxes on some kind of pads.

 

[bluedog225]

The boxes are on large blocks. I am concerned that differential movement between the boxes could crack the welds and drop the trusses.

 

[PCustoms]

The boxes are on large blocks. I am concerned that differential movement between the boxes could crack the welds and drop the trusses.

And you think individual slabs/pads holding up towers aren't going to have the same movement?

 

[bluedog225]

The towers will have movement as well. But the trusses lock into the towers with steel pins. As in the first post. And the towers will continue to support the trusses up to a pretty extreme angle. Additionally, the trusses don’t have the mass of the boxes and are more likely to be held in position by the attachment to the truss.

 

[Rst277]

Why not attach your new cover structure to the boxes? Unless you have the towers bought, give up and set your trusses on the boxes. You will need a little welding, but it’ll be so much simpler and better. Do set the boxes on some kind of pads.

Best advice so far. You already have bases that will not fly away in the conex boxes. Attach the trusses to the boxes and you're good to go.

 

[bluedog225]

I’ll give that some thought.

 

[Old Man Roger]

It how most I’ve seen were done. I lived in hurricane land then.