If you get some retarder, then it will definitely be fine
How to POUR concrete footings
- Thread starter moconnell
- Start date
Sponsored Links
Easy, 4 jumbo bags of ballast, 20 bags of cement. Get everything ready: 7 buckets (£1 each at b and q) - 6 x ballast, 1 x cement. Hose pipe, decent extension lead for mixer. If you can get hold of some plywood sheets build a bay for your ballast, it's hard work shovelling out of the bags when you're in a rush.
Mix it wet, it will be ready by the time you've refilled your buckets, put the cement in mid mix, if you put in in last it has a habit of "puffing" into your face, wear gloves. See if you can tip straight into trench from mixer to avoid barrowing.
Rake and wellies. Don't bother with pegs, if it's runny enough it will be fairly self leveling and your height will be determined by the materials you have. You'll be able to sort out your levels with your blockwork before you get out of the ground.
Mix it wet, it will be ready by the time you've refilled your buckets, put the cement in mid mix, if you put in in last it has a habit of "puffing" into your face, wear gloves. See if you can tip straight into trench from mixer to avoid barrowing.
Rake and wellies. Don't bother with pegs, if it's runny enough it will be fairly self leveling and your height will be determined by the materials you have. You'll be able to sort out your levels with your blockwork before you get out of the ground.
OK Thanks guys Feel a lot more confident with trying a single pour now...
Sponsored Links
D
dontbelieveawordofit
thats too much for one mixer. youll need 2mixers and 2 people.
Can we say this a hard days work but to my calulation this is going to save me at least £500 for a company to do it and pump it. Worse case I give up bags in and live with it as is..
I did 1.3m3 in an afternoon (first time doing concrete mixing). You will be fine!
Wear a mask and rubber gloves. Use a shovel to chuck the ballast in - Ideally off a flat surface (measure how many shovels fill a bucket). Don't pick up buckets of ballast into the mixer as it will kill your back?
Put a plastic pipe under the cement bag and cut the top - Lift the pipe to split the cement bag in half.
Have spare cement bags on standby....!
Mixamate pump up to 80m I think. I used them for my footings (7m3) was expensive though!
Wear a mask and rubber gloves. Use a shovel to chuck the ballast in - Ideally off a flat surface (measure how many shovels fill a bucket). Don't pick up buckets of ballast into the mixer as it will kill your back?
Put a plastic pipe under the cement bag and cut the top - Lift the pipe to split the cement bag in half.
Have spare cement bags on standby....!
Mixamate pump up to 80m I think. I used them for my footings (7m3) was expensive though!
Last edited:
Time can be saved mixing concrete by having a dustbin full of water on hand to bucket it out of and after a mix or you should no how much water for a mix .
After the mixers empty add one bucket of balast 3/4 of the water which cleans the drum then all the cement. when an even slurry, start adding the the rest of the balast and the rest of the water. In between each bucket going in the mixer refil the one just emptied ready for next mix but dont loose count
After the mixers empty add one bucket of balast 3/4 of the water which cleans the drum then all the cement. when an even slurry, start adding the the rest of the balast and the rest of the water. In between each bucket going in the mixer refil the one just emptied ready for next mix but dont loose count
I like your dungarees
They won't be that clean by the time you're finished.If it were me I'd have that OSB as close to the trench as possible, and also the mixer, so that when you make/pour your concrete you've got the distance to shovel it is the minimum possible. Obviously be careful not to have the mixer too close to the trench that it falls in... perhaps put that on another board to give it stability.
Pile as much of the ballast on the OSB as you can, then the remainder immediately next to it so that you can just rake it over onto the board as necessary. The board is just there to help with shovelling even amounts.
PS - I used to move all the spiders from my blocks too, but in the end there was just too many of them so they had to fend for themselves as I took blocks from the pile...
Dungers - Was just thinking they're gonna get tested...I like your dungarees
Ballast - yeah I don't think I can get it all on but will make the first lot easier...
Spiders - at least we're not in Australia I guess.
@lostinthelight - thanks for the water tip might use use one of the green bins...
Another massive vote for the dustbin full of water.
As a DIYer, I did a 1.5t pour using mixer.
Could not get water into mixer fast enough using hose.
So had hose slowly filling bin all the time. And a small bucket to put water into mixer (after a bit started to know how almost exactly much water to put in again saving time).
Might not work for you, but for me I put the mixer next to hole, shoveled dry mix into mixer, made mix and then poured straight into hole. Moving mixer along hole as needed.
SFK
As a DIYer, I did a 1.5t pour using mixer.
Could not get water into mixer fast enough using hose.
So had hose slowly filling bin all the time. And a small bucket to put water into mixer (after a bit started to know how almost exactly much water to put in again saving time).
Might not work for you, but for me I put the mixer next to hole, shoveled dry mix into mixer, made mix and then poured straight into hole. Moving mixer along hole as needed.
SFK
I think your a little short @ 1.8m ³, its closer to 2.1 . .225x.460x 20= 2.07
@lostinthelight - I think you're right - its 19.8 X 0.45 X 0.225 =1.96
Think I read that 15 cm depth is the absolute min but I was initially thinking 30 till I realised how much that is...I'll have to work out how much more I need but don't think I'll need a another big bag just a top up...
@SFK - yeah I was expecting the hose to be fine so glad you pointed this one out..
Think I read that 15 cm depth is the absolute min but I was initially thinking 30 till I realised how much that is...I'll have to work out how much more I need but don't think I'll need a another big bag just a top up...
@SFK - yeah I was expecting the hose to be fine so glad you pointed this one out..
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
