Will shortly be laying about 5 c/metre of concrete in new 7.5 x 5 metre garage, there's steel mesh reinforcement (I had some left over). It's too wide to use a straight edge from one block (at DPC) to the other so do I just go free hand with a wooden tamp and trust my eye or is one of them concrete floats worth renting (about £40/day). Or is there any other way to achieve a decent level surface ? Thanks in advance.
Laying a new concrete floor in garage age - Advice please.
- Thread starter Bigands
- Start date
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Your dimensions gives you just over 4" of concrete, I usually get 4ft or so of 4x2 and nail another 9inches on the bottom to make a tamp, after going over it a few times I trowel it up and it's usually pretty flat, but, although I don't like to brag, I am rather good at it.. 
one tip, if you have an opening either end bridge the length of the floor with a ladder with a plank on top, you may have to put some blocks and or bits of 4x2 under the ladder so your weight in the middle keeps it off the concrete, it works for my 20stone.
one tip, if you have an opening either end bridge the length of the floor with a ladder with a plank on top, you may have to put some blocks and or bits of 4x2 under the ladder so your weight in the middle keeps it off the concrete, it works for my 20stone.
Make sure you pour first thing in the morning because it will be late in the day before you will be able to power-float it.
You will only achieve something close to a power-floated finish if you work your spuds off for hours with a hand held towel.
Working with finished concrete is a skilled business and prepared for some hard work.
You will only achieve something close to a power-floated finish if you work your spuds off for hours with a hand held towel.
Working with finished concrete is a skilled business and prepared for some hard work.
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If your diy'ing don't leave it to your eye!!
So it's possible to get a 5 metre plus straight edge to bridge across the blocks at DPC and tamp like this ? Don't know if I would trust my biceps or my timber yard to stock a decently straight 5m length of timber ! What about the concrete float (looks like a snowboard) - anyone use these ? - if these require similar skills to plastering I've got no chance - wiser is the man who knows he doesn't know.
A lot of graft for one man though.. need a man on either end of the tamp, and preferably one in the concrete, filling any low areas or dragging back
high-spots.
high-spots.
The snowboard you talk if is a float....you still need to get it pretty good before getting this on the surface, they're not to difficult if prepped right. I suggest you drag a family member in or pour in two halves with an expansion joint in it, this could half the required tamp area to 2.5m. But if you buy the right depth timber a timber yard should have a decent straight bit (3 inch wouldn't do it but 6 probably would).
I know this post is a bit old now but I wanted to share a tip which may be useful.
If you need a long straight edge you can knock one up from sheets of ply. Cut the ply into strips however tall you need, say 8 inches, and they can then be overlapped and doubled up as required. You can screw two layers of them together 'back to back' so they go together straight.
In theory using this method you can make a straight edge as long as you like, and it will be as flat and straight as you cut with your circular saw. Also nice and stable, unlikely to warp etc.
Rich
If you need a long straight edge you can knock one up from sheets of ply. Cut the ply into strips however tall you need, say 8 inches, and they can then be overlapped and doubled up as required. You can screw two layers of them together 'back to back' so they go together straight.
In theory using this method you can make a straight edge as long as you like, and it will be as flat and straight as you cut with your circular saw. Also nice and stable, unlikely to warp etc.
Rich
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