windsormw
Aluminum
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2006
- Location
- The corner of Hill & William
As in my home shop here in the bush ,
I started an addition in the spring with the intent of doing it on a budget . Concreting wooden posts into the dirt wasn't the route I wanted to take , foundation was my desire .
Not sure if you yanks have kijiji ( just like craigslist ) but I began scavenging used concrete blocks for free & even picked up a cement mixer for the same price .
Soil here is sand & dug that trench by hand but it was still work . Mixed & poured all concrete for footing with my newly found mixer & was real work too .
To the point :
Laying a block wall foundation .......christ ! That was alot harder than anticipated - pff ... plumb , straight , level & square - correct ?
Too be clear - I have never mixed concrete or poured a footing but BS my way through that with good results
The amount of labor involved in hauling used block , cleaning used block & laying used block was tremendous to say the least .
The addition was just short of 300 blocks & my average was approx. 15 min a block
Nothing about sticking stones ( blocks ) together with a goop / potion ( mortar ) was easy ! Dealing with mortar is a ba$tard but I am happy to report that as I stacked rows & became in more of a prone position I was not filled with AS MUCH rage .
First row was the worst , last row was the best . Filled vertical sections with concrete @ 24" centers to accept anchor bolts with +- 1/4" on transit sweeps .
Belive it or not , I also scavenged well over 300 2*6's 10' & 12' from a deck platform @ a bar in the city .
In conclusion :
15 ' by 50 ' lean too wrapped in brand new building steel with a 4 ' block wall foundation & footing . 3k Can.
No regrets , learned a bunch & hard labor is good for the body & mind
My dear old dad stains lumber with used motor oil & even he is impressed
Edit : scored the 3 4' windows for free also
I started an addition in the spring with the intent of doing it on a budget . Concreting wooden posts into the dirt wasn't the route I wanted to take , foundation was my desire .
Not sure if you yanks have kijiji ( just like craigslist ) but I began scavenging used concrete blocks for free & even picked up a cement mixer for the same price .
Soil here is sand & dug that trench by hand but it was still work . Mixed & poured all concrete for footing with my newly found mixer & was real work too .
To the point :
Laying a block wall foundation .......christ ! That was alot harder than anticipated - pff ... plumb , straight , level & square - correct ?
Too be clear - I have never mixed concrete or poured a footing but BS my way through that with good results
The amount of labor involved in hauling used block , cleaning used block & laying used block was tremendous to say the least .
The addition was just short of 300 blocks & my average was approx. 15 min a block
Nothing about sticking stones ( blocks ) together with a goop / potion ( mortar ) was easy ! Dealing with mortar is a ba$tard but I am happy to report that as I stacked rows & became in more of a prone position I was not filled with AS MUCH rage .
First row was the worst , last row was the best . Filled vertical sections with concrete @ 24" centers to accept anchor bolts with +- 1/4" on transit sweeps .
Belive it or not , I also scavenged well over 300 2*6's 10' & 12' from a deck platform @ a bar in the city .
In conclusion :
15 ' by 50 ' lean too wrapped in brand new building steel with a 4 ' block wall foundation & footing . 3k Can.
No regrets , learned a bunch & hard labor is good for the body & mind
My dear old dad stains lumber with used motor oil & even he is impressed
Edit : scored the 3 4' windows for free also
Last edited: