I can do most things but have never laid more than patches of mortar and a few larger patches of self-levelling.
I'm now outside and looking to place an 8m x 1.5m slab alongside the house. Primarily to support a 300kg wood pellet boiler, but also to tidy up and provide a pathway from drive to patio.
at
The above pic shows progress. The base is now dug out right to the patio and awaits some more MOT Type 1.
Hiring a cement mixer
I'm planning to slope the pad away from the house about 1% (1/8" per foot) so 1.5cm
I'm planning on fixing a couple of 4x2 battens to the wall to help with the levelling, removing whilst wet and then backfilling
The external fireplace is an add-on so I am NOT planning any expansion joints - only against the main brick wall
I happen to have some rebar that I was going to place within the top 1/3 of the ~4" slab for extra strength and crack resistance
Happy to take any criticisms/advice on the above - now to the questions...
I understand that I should put something between the slab and the brickwork as an epansion joint - what is it called and where can I get it. I have some leftover foam from when I had my inside concrete floors installed - can I use that outside?
This is going to sound really dim but there seems to be conflicting advice on t'internet about the concrete mix. From the internal floors I have two bulk bags of sharp sand left over so I think that I need 24 bags of cement and three bulk bags of 20mm (?) aggregate for a 1-2-3 mix? That should be enough for 2 cu m
Lastly would you recommend hiring a bull float? As you can see I'm working against the side of the house.
TIA for any advice
Regards
Tet
I'm now outside and looking to place an 8m x 1.5m slab alongside the house. Primarily to support a 300kg wood pellet boiler, but also to tidy up and provide a pathway from drive to patio.
at
The above pic shows progress. The base is now dug out right to the patio and awaits some more MOT Type 1.
Hiring a cement mixer
I'm planning to slope the pad away from the house about 1% (1/8" per foot) so 1.5cm
I'm planning on fixing a couple of 4x2 battens to the wall to help with the levelling, removing whilst wet and then backfilling
The external fireplace is an add-on so I am NOT planning any expansion joints - only against the main brick wall
I happen to have some rebar that I was going to place within the top 1/3 of the ~4" slab for extra strength and crack resistance
Happy to take any criticisms/advice on the above - now to the questions...
I understand that I should put something between the slab and the brickwork as an epansion joint - what is it called and where can I get it. I have some leftover foam from when I had my inside concrete floors installed - can I use that outside?
This is going to sound really dim but there seems to be conflicting advice on t'internet about the concrete mix. From the internal floors I have two bulk bags of sharp sand left over so I think that I need 24 bags of cement and three bulk bags of 20mm (?) aggregate for a 1-2-3 mix? That should be enough for 2 cu m
Lastly would you recommend hiring a bull float? As you can see I'm working against the side of the house.
TIA for any advice
Regards
Tet
