The swedish barn
- Thread starter plexxarn
- Start date
Beside the drainage tube I can see the process is very similar in France : gravel then fiber cloth around the pipe (no gravel in the fiber cloth though).
We also have a similar tube in France : http://www.kazeii.com/resources/1/-...597f-129358158e2--77226357778466165746769.png
(from my understanding they are using it for a house they'd better to use the other type which is a lot more efficient ... anyway).
Impressive work that you're doing !
We also have a similar tube in France : http://www.kazeii.com/resources/1/-...597f-129358158e2--77226357778466165746769.png
(from my understanding they are using it for a house they'd better to use the other type which is a lot more efficient ... anyway).
Impressive work that you're doing !
Blotsvens-Janne
Member
Interesting, I´m going to do something like that, with the floor. Allso in Sweden!
bazzateer
Well-known member
There's a Moose, Loose, aboot yoor Hoose! (Say it in a Scottish accent for the best effect!)As you will see in the pictures I do most work by hand. No excavators etc. just showels and time.
One reason is that the garage is located in a way wich makes acess for a cement truck impossible. To buy cement in a truck would require also contracting a pump truck with all the costs that would mean.
I also need to move some of the poles in the barn to be able to get the doors where i want them. The barn has three doiuble doors, but I want two wide doors to have only two really wide bays. Three bays would be possible, but would leave hardly any room to work beside the cars.
I decided to make also the concrete floor by hand. A lot of work but a lot less stressful. That meant I would have to do the floor in three sections, each being 6mx3.3m (20x10 ft) and be able to move the poles between each section.
This is the first leftmost section:
First I leveled the floor It was a good 7in slope towards the door:
It was then compacted:
This pole will be moved later when I move the doors, so I made a temporary pole to the left so I could remove the concrete post. The plan is to put it down again on the finished floor before the next section is made:
Then I started with the ground insulation. I will have about 4 in of EPS foam.
This is the insulation under the edge beam of the slab:
The floor will be 4 in thick with 4 in insulation, with 8 in edge beams between the posts.
The form was made from 2in tongued planks:
This was a tricky corner with a huge rock:
From the outside we can now see where the final floor level will be:
One reason is that the garage is located in a way wich makes acess for a cement truck impossible. To buy cement in a truck would require also contracting a pump truck with all the costs that would mean.
I also need to move some of the poles in the barn to be able to get the doors where i want them. The barn has three doiuble doors, but I want two wide doors to have only two really wide bays. Three bays would be possible, but would leave hardly any room to work beside the cars.
I decided to make also the concrete floor by hand. A lot of work but a lot less stressful. That meant I would have to do the floor in three sections, each being 6mx3.3m (20x10 ft) and be able to move the poles between each section.
This is the first leftmost section:
First I leveled the floor It was a good 7in slope towards the door:
It was then compacted:
This pole will be moved later when I move the doors, so I made a temporary pole to the left so I could remove the concrete post. The plan is to put it down again on the finished floor before the next section is made:
Then I started with the ground insulation. I will have about 4 in of EPS foam.
This is the insulation under the edge beam of the slab:
The floor will be 4 in thick with 4 in insulation, with 8 in edge beams between the posts.
The form was made from 2in tongued planks:
This was a tricky corner with a huge rock:
From the outside we can now see where the final floor level will be:
Cris B
Well-known member
Great work - what a building!
Garage Dog
Well-known member
Plexxarn,
My compliments to you sir for saving the old girl.
I am sure she will protect you from the rain and cold giving you many years of fine service in return.
Simple tools, creative methods - so many people fail to see that this can be done.
It isn't the easiest way but I find saving old structures more rewarding and hope you do as well.
May I ask how old you are?
Subscribed...
GD
My compliments to you sir for saving the old girl.
I am sure she will protect you from the rain and cold giving you many years of fine service in return.
Simple tools, creative methods - so many people fail to see that this can be done.
It isn't the easiest way but I find saving old structures more rewarding and hope you do as well.
May I ask how old you are?
Subscribed...
GD
When the form was ready I drilled and hammmered in rebar in the concrete posts. These will be in the bottom of the edge beam.
I then laid out the insulation sheets in two layers in a cross pattern
Rebar nets was placed and cut to fit with some overlap, and tied together over the whole surface:
The rebar nets are then lifted by plastic spacers so that the rebar is about 1/3 of the slab thickness up from the bottom.
Also placed a floor drain and piping in the middle of the slab:
Here is a detail of the edge beam with its two thicker pieces of rebar in the bottom, and the the nets for the slab a bit higher up. The nets are also tied into drilled and hammered-in peces of rebar.
The drain is placed about 3/4 in below the surface of the slab to get a small slope for water drainage. The yellow temporary lid is water tight and you pour over the drain burying it completley. Then level the concrete. Hopefully you remember where you put it 1-2 hours later, when the concrete is set at just the right consistency. Then you dig it out and form the slope
Towards the right end of this slab section I drilled the form and let pieces of rebar stick out into what will be the next section of the floor so I can tie it all together with overlap.
I then happened to buy a new cement mixer on sale on the way home from work. I can say both me and the seller at the building market were surprised it fit in a BMW 5-series sedan.
I decided to buy ready mixed concrete (not cement and sand separatley). This way you get the exact and uniform mixture for the concrete over the whole slab. It is also hard to mix by hand and get a good strength class for the concrete.
And you only need 5 tons for one section of the floor... It took 5 trips to the building market with my trailer, 40 bags@25kg on each run. Sounds like I'm crazy to handle all this amount by hand, but it takes only 15-20 min to load one ton and if you do one run each day after work you soon have everything at home.
I then laid out the insulation sheets in two layers in a cross pattern
Rebar nets was placed and cut to fit with some overlap, and tied together over the whole surface:
The rebar nets are then lifted by plastic spacers so that the rebar is about 1/3 of the slab thickness up from the bottom.
Also placed a floor drain and piping in the middle of the slab:
Here is a detail of the edge beam with its two thicker pieces of rebar in the bottom, and the the nets for the slab a bit higher up. The nets are also tied into drilled and hammered-in peces of rebar.
The drain is placed about 3/4 in below the surface of the slab to get a small slope for water drainage. The yellow temporary lid is water tight and you pour over the drain burying it completley. Then level the concrete. Hopefully you remember where you put it 1-2 hours later, when the concrete is set at just the right consistency. Then you dig it out and form the slope
Towards the right end of this slab section I drilled the form and let pieces of rebar stick out into what will be the next section of the floor so I can tie it all together with overlap.
I then happened to buy a new cement mixer on sale on the way home from work. I can say both me and the seller at the building market were surprised it fit in a BMW 5-series sedan.
I decided to buy ready mixed concrete (not cement and sand separatley). This way you get the exact and uniform mixture for the concrete over the whole slab. It is also hard to mix by hand and get a good strength class for the concrete.
And you only need 5 tons for one section of the floor...
It took 5 trips to the building market with my trailer, 40 bags@25kg on each run. Sounds like I'm crazy to handle all this amount by hand, but it takes only 15-20 min to load one ton and if you do one run each day after work you soon have everything at home.
spoonsports86
Well-known member
wow thats alot of work but it will be worth it in the end
i too plan to pour my own slab for my carport
i too plan to pour my own slab for my carport
Bib Overalls
Well-known member
And you only need 5 tons for one section of the floor...
That will be a long day's work. How many sections.
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Looks great I like the way you were thinking ahead and left the rebar protruding from the form for tie ins later. Me and a friend built a retaining wall outside my garage this summer and we did the footer with form a drain and hand mixed the cement from bags. I think we used something like 40 60 lb bags and a small mixer like yours and man was it a lot of work! It will save you money over a truck that's for sure, and just think of the excellent work out you will be getting at the same time lol!
volleyball
Well-known member
I would not attempt poring it without help. I think 2 helpers is plenty. One to mix, one to spread and one to trolley the wheelbarrow, and bags.
Or put in an expansion strip to break that section in half
Or put in an expansion strip to break that section in half
On the weekend of the pour I got up really early in the morning and started mixing.
I put in three bags at the time (75 kg) and let it mix for about 10 min. Then dump the batch into the wheelbarrow, make a new batch and start the mixer again while I empty the wheelbarrow, spread it out and vibrate the concrete.
I used some different tools with long handles to finish the concrete surface.
Here I have started to dig out the floor drain (you can just about see the yellow plastic lid) and create the slope.
This was about as far as I got in day 1.
The next day I brushed the edge and continued the pour. To get a good joint it takes some patience with trowels and I also used a soft brush to feather the edge together. Came out pretty good.
Here it is almost completed
Finished the pouring, but still some finishing work to be done with the trowels.
I hand troweled the surface every hour (all in to the night) until it was almost completley cured to get a nice finish.
When I was done I had two (2) ! bags of concrete left and a lot of empty paper bags.
The slab was watered down several times a day during the the next days and covered with plastic to stay moist and not crack. Was a nice feeling to go out in the cool summer night and feel the slab being slightly warm to the touch from the curing process !
Then it was time to take off the form. Exciting time, but everything looked good thanks to careful vibrating during the pour
The old door post was lowered again temporarily to rest on the new slab
The finished first third of the garage floor:
I put in three bags at the time (75 kg) and let it mix for about 10 min. Then dump the batch into the wheelbarrow, make a new batch and start the mixer again while I empty the wheelbarrow, spread it out and vibrate the concrete.
I used some different tools with long handles to finish the concrete surface.
Here I have started to dig out the floor drain (you can just about see the yellow plastic lid) and create the slope.
This was about as far as I got in day 1.
The next day I brushed the edge and continued the pour. To get a good joint it takes some patience with trowels and I also used a soft brush to feather the edge together. Came out pretty good.
Here it is almost completed
Finished the pouring, but still some finishing work to be done with the trowels.
I hand troweled the surface every hour (all in to the night) until it was almost completley cured to get a nice finish.
When I was done I had two (2) ! bags of concrete left and a lot of empty paper bags.
The slab was watered down several times a day during the the next days and covered with plastic to stay moist and not crack. Was a nice feeling to go out in the cool summer night and feel the slab being slightly warm to the touch from the curing process !
Then it was time to take off the form. Exciting time, but everything looked good thanks to careful vibrating during the pour
The old door post was lowered again temporarily to rest on the new slab
The finished first third of the garage floor:
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48RON54
Well-known member
Impressed! Subscribed!
xtremek
Well-known member
DUDE!!!!! Wicked cool. Very nice job and looking forward to the next chapter of the Swedish Barn story.
Bib Overalls
Well-known member
One down, two to go. I'm thinking you did all of the concrete work some time ago but I will bet your muscles are still sore!
You sir, have work ethic.
rixtrix1
Well-known member
I'm mirroring all the above. Great work. The slab looks great. Subscribed, too!
Is that a 3.5 Cu Ft mixer you got? I have a couple of small pours to do around our home and the price of a small load of ready mix would be more than the cost of a mixer and the premix. Just wondering how you were able to keep adding loads before the previous ones started to set, or did you just mix it a little wet? How much water did you add per bag?
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1/2 Cup
Member Emeritus
That's one real nice job, well done.
E12-535iTurbo
Well-known member
Now that is impressive. Must have been a very good work-out!
volleyball
Well-known member
I wondering if the first one will be the last one.
Thanks everyone,
The mixer has a 130 liters capacity, about 4.5 cu ft.
It takes several hours for concrete to set, so you just keep mixing and adding loads every ten minutes and fill the form from one end. That way it starts to set in one end and slowly during the day you can finish that end with trowels while adding wet concrete in the other end as you go along.
I mixed acc to the instructions on the bags, wich was about 3 liters of water for a 25 kg bag. I had a 9 liter water can wich was just enough for three bags. It is important to measure and not add water "by feel" since it is really hard to judge the mixture until it has mixed for a while.
If I would have changed anything I would maybe have a second mixer and a friend to help. It was some waiting time between each load mixed. But then you have time to rest a bit, have something to drink and fiddle with the slab a bit. And I like to work alone for some reason.
This was done back in late summer of 2011. Im just adding old photos to show you how I did it. Today the floor is done, the walls are insulated, new doors are in etc..
But yes, I was pretty tired after two days
The mixer has a 130 liters capacity, about 4.5 cu ft.
It takes several hours for concrete to set, so you just keep mixing and adding loads every ten minutes and fill the form from one end. That way it starts to set in one end and slowly during the day you can finish that end with trowels while adding wet concrete in the other end as you go along.
I mixed acc to the instructions on the bags, wich was about 3 liters of water for a 25 kg bag. I had a 9 liter water can wich was just enough for three bags. It is important to measure and not add water "by feel" since it is really hard to judge the mixture until it has mixed for a while.
If I would have changed anything I would maybe have a second mixer and a friend to help. It was some waiting time between each load mixed. But then you have time to rest a bit, have something to drink and fiddle with the slab a bit. And I like to work alone for some reason.
This was done back in late summer of 2011. Im just adding old photos to show you how I did it. Today the floor is done, the walls are insulated, new doors are in etc..
But yes, I was pretty tired after two days
aggierailroad
Well-known member
That is quite impressive - mix, pour, vibrate, screed and trowel by yourself. Well done.
Dividing Creek
Well-known member
I too have been following this thread and checking for updates frequently. I had several e24's back in the 80's including an m635 with the damn trx wheels. I really enjoy your thread. My only criticism would be to post more frequently to keep the momentum going since this was all done 3 years ago.
vekster
Well-known member
very nice job.
i have a old pole barn that still has a gravel floor. also have a cement mixer but just figured it would be to much work and thought about sub'ing it out.
After reading and looking at the pictures of your job I have been inspired to tackle the floor myself.
Keep up the great work and please keep the thread going with pictures!
i have a old pole barn that still has a gravel floor. also have a cement mixer but just figured it would be to much work and thought about sub'ing it out.
After reading and looking at the pictures of your job I have been inspired to tackle the floor myself.
Keep up the great work and please keep the thread going with pictures!
Bronson
Well-known member
Your slab looks better than My "store-bought" slab! Good job!
rixtrix1
Well-known member
Thanks for the concrete info. Great work. Cant wait to see the rest.
Fixxer
Member
Awesome!!!
And since this is old pics, i look forward to what it looks like today!!
Så, bara fortsätt!
And since this is old pics, i look forward to what it looks like today!!
Så, bara fortsätt!
First of all thanks for all the nice comments !
After the first section was done, I started with the middle section. I first had to dig out a lot of material, and quite a few large rocks. Everything done by hand.
Then the form was moved. The left side of the form was now the first section so it was a lot less work.
More insulation:
The cat liked to sit on the insulation since it got warm and cosy
floor drain connected to the pipe in the first section, and rebar nets.
Then it was time to start the mixer again. Sigh...
In order to get at good joint against the first section, it is important too water down the old concrete several days before the pour. Otherwise the old, dry concrete ***** the moisture from the freshly poured stuff, wich then doesn't set right and you get cracking in the joint.
This was done in the first day:
Next day. Almost done:
Covered and watered down for a week:
Form is off. Came out quite nice:
After the first section was done, I started with the middle section. I first had to dig out a lot of material, and quite a few large rocks. Everything done by hand.
Then the form was moved. The left side of the form was now the first section so it was a lot less work.
More insulation:
The cat liked to sit on the insulation since it got warm and cosy
floor drain connected to the pipe in the first section, and rebar nets.
Then it was time to start the mixer again. Sigh...
In order to get at good joint against the first section, it is important too water down the old concrete several days before the pour. Otherwise the old, dry concrete ***** the moisture from the freshly poured stuff, wich then doesn't set right and you get cracking in the joint.
This was done in the first day:
Next day. Almost done:
Covered and watered down for a week:
Form is off. Came out quite nice:
Sunbimmer
Well-known member
This brings back memories of what I did in our back yard, I know how you must feel right now especially your arms and back
Great progress
..I know how you must feel right now especially your arms and back
Thanks!
This particular part of the build was in the autumn of 2011 so I've had some time to recover, but yes I still remember the feeling
Bib Overalls
Well-known member
When you are an old man you will walk out to the barn, look at the concrete floor, reflect and say to yourself "I really was a studly guy way back then." You didn't make a concrete floor, you made a testament about yourself.
rixtrix1
Well-known member
Well said!
All right. Time for a long due update, but an extra long one to compensate
Since I had poured the second part of the floor it was getting late in the autumn, and there was not many days left with teperatures suited for concretre work so instead of continuing with the third part I started with the cinderblock walls between the concrete bases.
When that was done, I decided to tackle the sagging roof.
The roof had sunk about 4 in in the middle and caused the building to have slight "boat shape" bulging out about 2in in the middle of the long walls.
The reason for this is that there were no real trusses, just pretty slender planks from the bottom of the roof up to the ridge, supported by posts about 1/3 way up. The cross beams were of poor quality and had started to slip in the joints.
The solution to save this roof was to first attach some straps to be able to pull the long side together in the middle.
Then I placed jacks and poles to lift under the ridge of each "truss". (I also placed a pole downstrairs under each jack to get a stiff base for the jacks)
I also lifted the small posts with a crow bar and placed some wedges under each post.
I love wedges by the way ! They are incredibly useful in many applications where you need adjustability and a lot of force. I must have made a hundred of them in different angles that I have lying around for different uses.
Doing all this wery slowly, pumping the jacks, tighten the straps, hammer in the wedges and so on I managed to lift the roof back to it's correct shape in a few days.
To make this position of the roof permanent I made a new base for the support posts by putting down a 6"x6" log on the floor, and then making new posts on top of that, with a small adjusting wedge for each one.
I also made new sturdier cross beams that were bolted in by 16mm threaded bar.
To keep the long sides from going back to the "boat shape" I bolted the floor beams to the wall posts to tie it all together.
When this was all done I was pretty sick of this this roof.. It was many a long, dark, dirty, and miserably cold winter evening after work I spent up there under the roof:
But it came out ok and still 2 years later looks straight.
These last two pics are in swedish but you get the idea
Since I had poured the second part of the floor it was getting late in the autumn, and there was not many days left with teperatures suited for concretre work so instead of continuing with the third part I started with the cinderblock walls between the concrete bases.
When that was done, I decided to tackle the sagging roof.
The roof had sunk about 4 in in the middle and caused the building to have slight "boat shape" bulging out about 2in in the middle of the long walls.
The reason for this is that there were no real trusses, just pretty slender planks from the bottom of the roof up to the ridge, supported by posts about 1/3 way up. The cross beams were of poor quality and had started to slip in the joints.
The solution to save this roof was to first attach some straps to be able to pull the long side together in the middle.
Then I placed jacks and poles to lift under the ridge of each "truss". (I also placed a pole downstrairs under each jack to get a stiff base for the jacks)
I also lifted the small posts with a crow bar and placed some wedges under each post.
I love wedges by the way ! They are incredibly useful in many applications where you need adjustability and a lot of force. I must have made a hundred of them in different angles that I have lying around for different uses.
Doing all this wery slowly, pumping the jacks, tighten the straps, hammer in the wedges and so on I managed to lift the roof back to it's correct shape in a few days.
To make this position of the roof permanent I made a new base for the support posts by putting down a 6"x6" log on the floor, and then making new posts on top of that, with a small adjusting wedge for each one.
I also made new sturdier cross beams that were bolted in by 16mm threaded bar.
To keep the long sides from going back to the "boat shape" I bolted the floor beams to the wall posts to tie it all together.
When this was all done I was pretty sick of this this roof.. It was many a long, dark, dirty, and miserably cold winter evening after work I spent up there under the roof:
But it came out ok and still 2 years later looks straight.
These last two pics are in swedish but you get the idea