/diy/ - Do It Yourself

> mmm

A house like this I could productively work in.

>>337035
Enjoy the horrible acoustics unless it is carefully designed.

try making a bar with that, use some cream colored sand, and white cement, and add some coloring, to your taste, where i live there is a good earth for that, it's cheap and i love the color sienna, the concrete gets some awesome yellowish/bone color, good luck

>>337051
How specifically would the acoustics be terrible?

Here's something I made.

I help make architectural concrete for a living.

Any particular questions you have?

>>337090
concrete walls are maximally resistive and thus maximally reflective sound does not get absorbed nearly at all and the constant reverberation causes for distortion and chaos in the acoustics of a room. I just hope OP isn't planning this for his home theater.

>>337133
That is pure amazing.

With inexperience, that, to me, looks like a lot of rebar, how do you decide the correct amount?

How would you replace a drywall with 1" thin concrete?

Are there any small annoyances you catch yourself at?

>>337141
Hahaha no, not so; I am thinking of some bathroom renovation, possibly a raised slab for my bed, and some outdoor lights for my backyard.
I love the mixture of stained concrete and finished wood.

>>337133
What is the minimal amount of resources you would consider for projects small or large?

>>337143
ah, well then that's fine. Also I'm guessing you have your own place and don't plan on moving anytime soon, but always think about the future. having a raised slab the size of your bed is fine and all, but moving that would be a bitch. really like the concrete bathroom idea though. easy to clean, mold doesnt build up as much as tiles and caulk. get water everywhere it doesn't matter. plus it looks awesome.

>>337150
Very true, which brings me to another idea; modular construction of furniture, have you built something made out of 10+ pieces before?

>>337143
>>337151
>>337152
I'm breaking from programming, so I may be spilling out a lot here.

>>337152
yes, and the modular construction of the platform would definitely work for the bed. if you have hardwood floors you're going to have to buy a decent rug (not too decent, it will be permanently pressed after probably the first few days.) If you have carpeting, buy the rug to go under anyway. my concerns are mostly for weight distribution over as large a surface area as possible given the material. but then that would raise the question why aren't you using just raised blocks on the bedposts. I'm guessing you just want to go full blown big concrete slab. Which is fine. because honestly if you use modular you might just be stuck looking at it with all of it's slight breaks pissing you off and wondering what's the point when most of the blocks there are just literally taking up space you could store more shit under your bed with.
But I'm no concrete genius.
waiting on
>>337133
myself, that table came out great

>>337157
Thinking of a modular pulley, concrete to lift some concrete; meta-concrete, ch'yea.

>>337143
Thank you.

It's actually not rebar - We mostly use this stuff called C-Grid. It's carbon fiber and apoxy.

I wouldn't.
Pic related is how we've done it in the past - Though it turned out cool, it was far to much work and I'd rather never do it again.
I hate drywall more than anyone - But unfortunatly with the way houses are built today, it's like the only option... If you want a concrete house (lord knows I do...) you kind of have to know that from the beginning and start with it.
But as you can see, we basically made giant concrete tiles and glued them to the wall. (We use hotglue and this stuff called PL.)
They're about 3/4 of an inch thick and made out of special stuff called GFRC - Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete.

>annoyances
Prolly filling bubble holes.
We pour them upsidedown in the mold on a vibrating table - This helps, but after it cures and you flip it over and polish, you always open some up.
We fill them with a slury batch of just cement, pigment and water.
then we have to repolish...
Idk - Nothing about it is very hard, it's just all semi tedious.

>>337195
Sorry about the picture quality...

>>337151
Depends on the job - Every single one is different.
Basic concrete is just sand, gravel, cement, and water. We usually add a bunch of fancy acrylics and polymers - It's suff that really helps, but you don't really 'need' it...
The molds we make mostly out of laminates and melamine, held together with grabber screws and the corners caulked.
We polish with normal concrete wet grinders.
Reinforcement - Be it rebar, or pencil rod, or carbon fiber. Hell, even bamboo could work... We also always add in a bunch of these little plastic fibers or sometimes fiberglass - Just another thing that helps keep it together.
Manpower to help flipover and cary - Shit's heavy...
I don't know - We do have some fairly specific tools, but mostly it's all just normal workshop stuff. And though we have a big shop now, it all started in our garage with nothing, knowledge or experience - Point being, it's not not doable.

>>337157
I'm no genius.
I just think this stuffs really cool and have some experience.

I'm going to bed now - Would love to talk more about this though and help if I can.
Before you start there's a lot more research and reading you need to do, but hopefully I can help get you started or clear things up or something.

>>337195
Would not think of having to vibe out all the air pockets, that is the kind of aspect I'd enjoy knowing first approach.

GFRC sounds familiar in it's purpose, I have no connection to such a contractor for materials, as I am sure reinforcement mixtures are expensive.

>>337197
I have found $10 bags of mix, not knowing the quality, that I'd enjoy messing with.

As for the walls, I had imagined casting the panels with holes in key areas to reach the studs behind.
I do not know what having a 2"x2" hole in your example piece would do to the strength or quality.

I'd love to wire some LEDs throughout a piece, wall or desk or bed frame.

Much appreciation for your input, by the way.

>>337209

Use the rebars as conductors for the LEDs. I use them sometimes to ground welders when taking down concrete walls.

>>337195
>>337197

Another anon here, do you have a shop to make concrete stuff or what? i think i missed something in the thread. Those concrete panels look great how are they holding today?

I live in Mexico and here we use concrete for everything, so i was thinking on making something with it, panels for the kitchen, desks.

>>337133
that table looks like it weighs like 300 pounds.

>>337133
What is the minimum thickness you would pour a concrete countertop at?

>>337313
How thin until dropping a hammer won't crack a slab?

>>337209
>>337251
Rather than pouring LEDs into the slab, it's more common to include fiber optic strands, and then have your light source somewhere else.

Also, rebar is just bad. As soon as it's poured is begins rusting and expanding within the piece. In 30 years, it'll blow it apart from the inside out.
This really isn't that big of a problem and of course we still use it - I personally just prefer to avoid it.

>>337269
Yes. Started in a garage with nothing - Now we have a big shop and make beautiful, fancy, works of art.

They're wonderful - That's actually my shower. They're only about a year old, but they're doing great.

I love concrete architecture. Paneling, not so much... But it has it's place I suppose, and done properly it can be alright.

Just curious, there's a term we use: 'The Mexican 3rd story trick.'
It's when you leave the rebar sticking out of the top of a building, so you can add to it later.
Just wondering if you've ever heard this.
We do this to attach legs to benches and stuff.

>>337306
Only about 200lb. Best damn coffee table of all time.

>>337313
>>337404
The thinnest we'll do a countertop is 1.25 inches. Standard thickness would be 1.75 inches maybe. More than 2 and it becomes needlessly heavy.
Assuming everything is proper and reinforced that is.
Depends on what you're going for. Maybe cracks can be ok, so long as it doesn't blow apart. They put lines in sidewalks because it WILL crack.
A hammer drop is more likely to take a chip out of the surface than a crack down the middle.

One cool thing about concrete is that it gets harder as it ages - 5 year old concrete is much stronger and denser than 1 year old concrete - And the first month or two, it's still pretty, soft, relatively fragile, and you kind of have to baby it.

>>337209
>As for the walls,
Skipped this - Sorry.

>holes in key areas to reach the studs
Don't exactly know what you're asking here...

Holes WILL give you weak spots - But depending on how you instal them, it might not be a problem.
In pic >>337197 he actually has the grinder in hand, preparing to drill a couple holes for the shower plumbing.
In some cases, drilling the holes after, rather than including them in mold, can be easier.

>>337313
>>337404
Also, it depends on how it's supported.
If it's a span, only being held on the ends, it will be under more forces and more likely to snap if shocked.

Concrete does really well under compression, but terribly under tension.
themoreyouknow.jpg

>>337579
> big shop
> for a living

How does your business usually take place? Do you operate a furnishing/renovating website? Are you referred through word-of-mouth?

I do not know if I would make something my personal living, but the idea of it as a hobby sure does entice me.

Very interested in your pieces, mate.

>>337579
well, i dont know about that term, but around here if you are planning on making a 2 story, yea you leave the rebars exposed and finish the house later, like 5 or 10 years later. But is not like a norm or something, is mostly not finishing the job, or leaving it there for the future, even if you never finish it.

>>337694
In your example would these walls, or columns, extend two stories high? This does not sound anything like residential so I'm assuming this is large building...

>>337998
actually is in residential, people who buy small houses, like social interest houses i think is the term, they make them bigger, they build the garage and a room for example, and leave the rebar exposing for the 2 story, since they dont have much land, >120m2 but know i think is something like less than 100 or 80m2

>>337680
I don't usually like to do this, but I love you /diy/ and I've found you to be some of the best people around, so here's the company"s website.
http://justaddwater.us/
All I ask is that you try not to get me fired or ruin our lives or something.

Mostly, we follow Cheng"s method, so check him out too.
http://www.chengdesign.com/
He's like, the guy that headed all this.

Word of mouth, some local contractors and architects know us and call for things, we have an ad in a local 'green' catalog...
Whatever works.
Business is strange - We'll go two months with no real work, then out of no where we'll have more than we can handle...

I'm talking about this as though I'm some head guy - Really, I'm just on call labor...

>>338216
Holy freaking shees, that looks awesome.

do you have formulas for the mixes to give better look to the concrete?

>>338216
>Cheng
Not this anon, but just to add to this Cheng has a comprehensive book that covers what you need to know. I got it out from the library about 10 years ago and highly recommend it if you are interested in this type of concrete. Also check out Buddy Rhodes, hes been doing this stuff for ever as well.

>>338622
Thank you - It's pretty cool stuff.
I love it.

Yes, but I don't know them off the top of my head - I'll get back to you tomorrow.

>>338769
>that book
was the inspiration behind and got us started with all of this.

>>339214
i think that more than recipes what one need is the concepts, unless is for a specific purpose, is kind of an art right? knowing that if you put glass in there will have some effect, and also the array you do.

I dont think i could make any recipe per se, with the materials i have available here.

>>339214

You should check out lunaform pots. I was really interested in doing a countertop but ended up trying my hand at a concrete pot using some of the techniques used in the book.

>>338769
Cheng has a couple of books and a video which is excellent, imo.
Also sells many products which you can find cheaper elsewhere, but ok, i guess, if you;re just starting or making something small.

>>338216
I just want you to know, you're a very sexy anon and I think I just might be falling for you.

>>339437
If you're ever in town and are at least a halfway decent, tolerable person, you're more than welcome to come hang out here any time.

>>339342
Very cool - Very interesting method.
How'd yours turn out?

>>338622
We use ratios of 3/4/6 (cement/gravel/sand) by weight.

>>339274
>kind of an art right?
Most definitely. But it's also chemistry - You CAN fuck it up.
Too much water and it will be weak... Not enough aggregates and the cement will have nothing to bond to... etc. (This is where all the fancy acrylics and additives I mentioned earlier come into play - Helping us avoid problems and making our lives a little easier.)
There is some wiggle room however. i.e. We use less gravel and more sand than your typical construction concrete because it makes it easier to work with (more 'flowy') when filling the mold.
Concrete doesn't 'dry' it cures.
In fact, while curing you need to make sure it stays wet - We use spray bottles and sheets of plastic. This ensures that all the cement molecules become and stay properly hydrated. Also, keeping it warm helps with the reactions taking place - We use space heaters under the tables and on occasion, heater blankets.
themoreyouknow!.jpg

>>339618
>How'd yours turn out?

It turned out ok, but it was a heap of work. I didnt really know how they made them so it was all trial and error. Now they have a video showing the whole process, would of saved me literally weeks of frustration if it was around 10 years ago.

Bump because /diy/ doesn't have enough concrete threads.

>>340578
you are fucking right

http://concreteideas.com/

I'ma make myself one of these.

>>341150

Where you gonna put your monolith, monkey?

>>341161
My fucking dirt pile gravel parking lot.

I'll pour it with rebar or pipes or somthing sticking out the bottom and then put those in the ground like a couple of fence posts.

>>341164

You should rig it with a proximity sensor and hide some loudspeakers so whenever anyone approached it the 2001SO song would play.

>>341168
Oh man...
10 points

>>341175
>>341168
>>341164
>>341150
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Monolith

>>341168
"Also Sprach Zarathustra" by Strauss

How much time/skill/training does it take to reach a point to do this diy and have the final product look at least like it was done by a competent amateur?

Like, say I had the ultimate goal of making a full on concrete house and everything in it, what sort of training to get there am I looking at?

>>341240
Depends on where you live for how involved it gets, and how big you want it.
If you live where you can build slab on grade it's not too difficult at all.
Dig your foundations, set your forms and have the inspector sign off. Then have the cement trucks pour your foundation and slab. Float the slab with a power float and let it cure. After the walls go up you can stain it any color you like. I'm actually staining concrete floors next weekend.
Once the foundations are solid you can build with traditional cement block, a dry stacked parged cement block wall, or insulated concrete forms. Cast in place walls would require an experienced concrete contractor. I'm told parged block is easiest for an amateur.
As for countertops, buy Cheng's books and videos (or get them from your library.) Start with a small coffee table for practice. Concrete counters are real easy to fuck up. If the lines aren't crisp and sharp they look like absolute amateur hour. I would build them in 3 yo 4 foot sections and join them with colored epoxy grout the way they do marble or granite tops.

>>341425
>seams
>not pour giant single pieces and moving them with a crane

Tell me more about staining.
Mostly, we use pigments in the mix, so the concrete comes out the color we want.
Acid staining has always been something we've wanted to look into, but have yet to really get around to it...

>>341433
I'm staining a pre-existing porch slab, so I had no choice in pigment.
I'm going to try for that aged leather look. If it doesn't come out well I'll just cover it with slate, I think. But I would love to be able to save the cash and use slate elsewhere.
This is my first shot at it, so we'll see how it goes.
As for your green text, he said he wanted something that could be done by an amateur, so sky lifting pre-cast monolithic walls seems a little out of the ball park.
A parged dry stack block wall would be both easy and hide any seems, although you might have to show your inspector that there is actually building code for that kind of building. (It used to be used for municipal water tanks, so every state should have codes for it.)

>>337041
how in the world would you reach the books on the top shelf?

Any more questions OP?

>>337041

I helped build the new expansion on the Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell and 90% of the building is this type of architectural concrete, shit looks sweet.

>>343410

I dont have any pictures of it from the build though, i had a blackberry at the time and well, you know how that goes.

I'm a civil engineer student and this thread has made me want to go back and re-learn the concrete stuff i skimmed over in order to pass a class.
>>337694
Same here in Brasil. It's poor people thing.

>>339618
>3/4/6 (cement/gravel/sand) by weight.

You mean the dry weight of the materials, right? Not knowing the humidity of stuff can case you to use too much water, too little material and fuck it up. Of course you know that, but many might not

>>343460
>dry weight
Yes.

And though what you say is true, there's more wiggle room than you may be implying.

With building construction and loadbaring shit, yeah - But if we're just talking counter tops/panels/coffee tables/etc. no ones going to mind if it's less strong than it potentially could be.

>>343522
yeah, that's true.

>>341425
What I was thinking of doing was building the walls from hollow interlocking CEB blocks, but using a higher percent cement in the mix than might normally be used (since most explanations for >10% cement seem to be environmental) and reinforcing with rebar and filling the space with concrete and then parging.

Feasible? Or is there an easier way to get a superior result? The ultimate goal is a small, earth bermed, passive solar house. Perhaps with the aesthetic of a hobbit hole.

>>343452
You see that in most houses in Mexico. Even on walls surrounding a property.

What do concrete buildings use for floors/ceilings?

How long do they last?

>>344075
Concrete.

Millennia.

>>344082
I meant for example what a concrete building would use for intermediary floors. You can't tell me that a modern day office building could stand up with millions of tons sandwiched between floors.
Reebar corrodes and rusts and decays and all that other shit, so we're left with structures that eventually are unsound because all that's left is the concrete spanning distances horizontally, under lots of pressure.

What is used to give concrete flooring stability as an alternative to corroding reebar?

>>344103
You can paint the rebar to keep it from corroding.
Carbon fiber.
Tensioned cables.

I'm not really up on modern construction techniques though - I bet they can do some really cool shit...

I live in a 'Twin-T tilt-up' - Supposedly, there's tightened cables in every 'rib' that keep the concrete under compression (=good).
I don't think they do buildings like this anymore, but I'm sure the same principals apply in whatever they do.

>>344075
concrete

>>344103
see

Suppose you wanted to build a concrete version of your average trash American home. Just a two floor ranch. Two bathrooms, living room, kitchen, two to four bedrooms, whatever.

Suppose you did all the labor yourself, all of it, from digging the hole, to buying the materials, to the labor. How much would it cost you to build a concrete house that could survive hundreds of years?

>>344120
is there reebar in those concrete floor slabs, or are those just freefloating?
Because.. that's cool.

>>344127
I'm assuming there is reinforcement of some kind (most likely rebar).
I don't really understand your question... There're obviously columns holding it up - But what you can see, is all that there are.
If that's 'freefloating' then, yes.

>>344103
>>344127
Use stainless steel rebar. That is what everyone uses now for big projects especially bridges.

im pretty sure if you read the comment then you will understand what he means by free floating. but without rebar, im pretty sure the floors would be brittle as fuck and therefor the original question about rebar was fucking retarded.

above comment is >>344127

>>344121
Calculate the volume of concrete.
Find out the price of sand, gravel, cement, additives, reinforcement, etc.
Figure out the proper ratios you'll need of each.
Multiply.

>>343544
>The ultimate goal is a small, earth bermed, passive solar house. Perhaps with the aesthetic of a hobbit hole.

I love this.
It's actually what I'd like to do some day too.
Kind of infeasible to do all the labor yourself - Or maybe not infeasible, but it'll be a bitch and take forever.

It'll cost enough.
The materials themselves are all fairly cheap actually - You pay for tools, machines, and people to help you (unless you're insane).

Where would I find the building codes and laws governing concrete homes? If it's on a state-by-state basis. I'd like to make stuff I could legally live in and sell if I chose.
What kinds of tools do you need to build a concrete home?
Is there ready mix for high grade concrete that a schlub could buy from the hardware store, or would I need to order it special?

>>344168
You're gonna wanna have it delivered in mixing trucks.
If you're actually doing full walls and floors and stuff, you're not going to want to be mixing hundreds of bags, one by one, by hand.

Building codes, I've no idea. Google is your friend.

I think you're jumping the gun.
Do a smaller concrete project first and you'll learn a lot.
Make a coffee table or something.
Posts pics.

>>343544
>the aesthetic of a hobbit hole.
I, too, would like a hobbit hole. Concrete (sewage)pipes for structure, but covered with wood panels on the inside.

>>344176
11/10 concept
6/10 design
+0.5 zen room bonus

9/10 overall
Would come visit often.

>>343398
I am too interested in possibilities that I am still shooting past questions haha,
what has been provided here is great.
Regarding your attached picture, I would 3d print something, of similar design, for a cast; the amount of detail I can only imagine...
It would awesome to operate a concrete business with an affiliated 3d printing firm on the side.

>>343410
>>343411
Whenever I am traveling and come across any structure with such design, I try my best to visit.
Love the look.

>>344120
Oh-so much of this; I would enjoy being an onsite project manager.
Has so much of a fortress-feel to it.

>>344121
I have this drive as well, I think of four walls with plumbing and electricity.
The approach feels simple enough, but I know the work in between would be intense.

I have a little bit of land that I would enjoy building a small cabin-like building, specifically out of concrete.
I want to plan out the stages of construction to every smallest detail and then some.
Cast out the walls myself, pour the foundation and ceiling; all in separate pieces.
I would want to rent a crane of sorts for a day, picking up the individual pieces and place them right where I pre-determined.
It feels like a tough endeavor, yet very possible.

>>344172
For my very first project, I am thinking a water fountain.
A small pump built in, accessible if future need-be.
Maybe a modern look, similar as referenced above.
Stained to fit into by backyard, yet standout enough to be a worthy piece of decoration.
I am curious >>338216 , if you then have any experience with fountains?

>>344176
I cannot express the amount of pride I would have designing, constructing and living in something like this.
The idea of subterranean is awesome alone, this is an amazing idea.

I lost this thread, glad to see it is still kicking.

>>344135
Is it that I would have to hire a lot of skilled labor to do the job? Because I can provide a LOT of unskilled labor.

>>337035
Look into RGB LED architectural fixtures and a DMX/dimmer setup for your lighting.

ETC's Selador line is pretty much industry standard for architectural LED. I don't have much experience in power/control beyond basic Console>dimmers>fixtures but Mosaic looks pretty cool for a home install.

Mexican guy here again.

So you want a concrete House? first af all, i wouldnt recommend do it entirely of concrete, it will be to heave and too costly.

a #6 block has a volume of .0125 cubic meters and cost you $8.5 (im using the cost here in mexico, im using pesos) a cubic meter of concrete costs you $1400 ready to pour premixed fc' = 250 kg/cm (thats what you use for loading structures and the roof, it can be fc' 200 kg/cm)

So if you use the cinder block you are spending $8.5 + mortar + labor, that would give a total of lets say $16 to $20 depending on the labor cost, usually they charge you 4 to 8 pesos here, the standard is 6. And with concrete that will cost you $1400*.0125 + labor + whatever you are using to keep the concrete in place, (wood, steel) + rebar = i dont really know but just in concrete is $17, add all the other stuff and it gets more expensive, also it will take you longer than using cinderblock since you cant just pour all the wall at the same time. well you can but the cost increase since you need to buy more wood to keep it on place, and the bigger and taller the pour is, you need more and stronger wood, because of physics, is like making a dam.

ill be back in aminute, if you have more questions shoot now.

Got a price of $180 per cubic meter (water resistant, transport and pouring included) for my new concrete flooring. Any recommendation how thick the floor needs to be? Am thinking somewhere between 10-15cm.

>>344498
To me, that sounds pretty damn thick - But I've never done flat work so I really have no idea.

>>344503

Well, I might have some heavy equipment rolling over it now and then so I wanted to make sure I don't crack the flooring.

>>337041
barcelona chair spotted.

>>344506
Depending on what's underneath, cracking might not be avoidable...
It's why they pre score sidewalks and patios and things - So at least then it cracks where you decide.
It would be the rebar or whatever reinforcement you use that keeps those cracks from separating.

love this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBTkyPWCbTU

>>344513

1m of gravel and sand underneath. Flatten it out by one of those heavy flattering machines ;)

Rebar netting in the concrete, tho they said that you could use some sort of composite rebars which I guess is better than the old ones that might rust?

All in all its around 900m2 I need filled.

>>344514
dawww, babby's first van der Rohe.

>>344506
what kind of equipment?

10 cms is the standard for house flooring, 15 its ok for a parking lot, 20 cms, is for heavy equipment and trailers, with rebar reinforcement every 20 cms in both directions.

>>344522
1m sounds like a overkill, depending on where you are and what kind of soil you may just need to level and compact,

Regular rebar is ok, i dont know why everybody is making a fuzz about corrosion, unless you are in a very harsh enviroment its going to be fine for at least 50 years, i have digged rebar in old constructions and all of them looks good, maybe a little corrosion but nothing to worried about.

you will need a lot of concrete for that, so im guessing its really some kind of machinery yard? i would go with 20 cms and rebar of 1/2 inch.

>>344528

Computer racks and related stuff. Max weight should be around 2000kg (diesel generator). Is indoors, kind of.

Well the gravel was there before I got there, so its free ;)

>>344540
OMG bunkergod (you are not a fag now)

go with 20cms with rebar, and yes you need gravel for the watel levels and stuff,

Im a contractor and i use a lot of concrete, any other doubt, glad to help, anything more specific stuff you can email me at elmoroyd@gmail.com (im the sticky website fag, and a huge fan of you)

the generator im guessing is something like this

http://www.hardydiesel.com/downloads/volvo-tad-1351-ge-300.pdf

for the diesel tank you may want to put it in a pool, (that is the norm around here) for any leaks or accidents that may happen, that way you contain the disaster.

>>344176
If that's all below ground you'll end up sick of it, if not sick of lack of sun.
You may have trouble with sewage too.

>>345175
>You may have trouble with sewage too.

Sump pump.

>>344540
How do you even find a place like that?
I would love to have something like that of my own...

>>344540
I would love to work, literally, underground.

I would enjoy following your work.
Do you keep your progress logged anywhere?

>>344554

Got banned by the spam filter for mentioning a densely packed carbon accessory I use to cut concrete with.

I will be using caterpillars diesel engine and rotary ups to handle power infrastructure. I'll have the choice of either reusing the two 40m3 diesel tanks on the level above and pump diesel via a 160mm pipe to the lower level, or use the concrete "pool" that was meant to hold the new tank for this level.

Picture of the "pool", before drainage work was done.

I'm also having some trouble with taking down a certain concrete wall which was used as a last defense in case of a blast wave would get past the rapid closing valves, traps and tunnels. This wall is 80cm thick with 1 inch rebars every 5cm. I've tried my chainsaws and 12x 100g of explosives (got an awesome video of a blow back explosion sending the bolted cover metal down the tunnel for 50m). Hardly put a dent in it. Any tips on how to combat it?

>>345451
I post here time to time, sadly I tend to forget to document with pictures when I'm working (I don't bring any valuable electronics down since its not very friendly space to misplace or drop cameras/phone).

>>337694
This "leaving the rebar out" is also popular in Greece - then the owner can say the house is not finished and no tax for building a house has to be paid

>>344540
Swedish?

Concrete buffs of this thread: can I use acrylic sealant for joining a small piece of concrete to a large piece of concrete?
What are my options? Any glues? The layer has to be around 5 mm thick in some places, is that too much or not enough for it to hold?

>>345603
Jackhammer. Will sound pretty nice down there I guess.

>>345660

I've got a Makita HR5211C since I can't fit any larger machinery down the tunnel that leads to this wall. But it would probably take a month to hammer it away. And yes, the sound level is abnormal, when we detonated the explosives I almost jumped 2 feet in the air.

>>345659
what are you trying to do exactly?

>>345603
>densely packed carbon accessory
im not sure what it was that get you banned.

If you are using that pool, just coated so you dont have any major leaks.

for demolish that thing, how big it is? something like this may work, but with all that rebar, who knows.

Maybe if you make a fire around the concrete you will make it weaker, concrete tends to crack a lot with temperature changes. but i don know if its a good idea to make a fire inside the bunker.

If you are demolishing by hand, i would first demolish all i could in the lower area exposing the rebar, then cutting it. Then the higher part and doing the same, that way you could end with a big concrete slab that you could move around with your machinery,maybe take it out entirely.

>>345676
I believe he is asking the best way to flush two pieces together, like a counter-top piece.

> Quikrete Concrete Mix
$3.35 a bag at Home Depot, for .6 cubic foot.

If I calculate the amount for my project, for a small water fountain, then should I purchase from another source?

>>345676
Kind of like connecting a table leg to a countertop

>>345763
well, if its not going to move, but i will go with some kind of mechanic joint, like a anchor, or make a hole wher eyou can put the leg and then add the glue, not a complete hole, just half the countertop. (Fuuuuuuck, i forgot the word, embossing? no something else, sorry no english native here. )

>>345603
>explosive-propelled ram of some variety?

best i can think of tbh. I'm a bit lost regarding how to remove blast walls; what with them being inherently hard to destroy.

Drill half-way in with a large concrete drill, then try hydraulically forcing the concrete apart?

>>345603
Water saw, maybe?
Alternately, just... all of the explosives. Just, all of them.

Or you could try something corrosive?

Look online for the navy Builder Beginner, and Builder Advanced books. Easy to find and free. There's quite a bit on concrete construction in those, the Builder rating is the navy's masons and carpenters. They're written for junior troops so they're very easy to follow and use construction standards, you can hopefully avoid making things that are structurally unsound or will tear apart in your first earthquake. Also, remember concrete is HEAVY and you need to be very careful that your house can support the loads you're talking about - a bed sized slab on the second floor of your typical residential house is a horribly unsafe idea.

Good luck

Just wanted to say that this was a very nice thread.
Thank you everyone.