Concrete accomplished!

[darkemeralds]

I have poured the concrete. After much muddling about in my mind about how to mix and transport 120 lbs of concrete, I ended up just slitting the bags open right in the wheelbarrow what brung 'em to the backyard, and running the hose in there.

Mix with shovel.

Shovel into bucket.

Dump bucket into form.

Repeat several times.



Note my sophisticated concrete form made out of leftover plywood and duct tape. The concrete I bought EXACTLY filled the form, once I scraped every last bit of it out of the wheelbarrow. Reminder to self: concrete is EXTREMELY DRYING TO THE HANDS.



The worst is over. It really is. Now I can just finish painting and clean up. Basically. I hope.

Comments

[scribblemoose]

You've done a great job! I hope the rest goes smoothly for you. :)

[darkemeralds]

God, me too! Thank you. I keep taking breaks, which gives you some idea of how much fun I'm not having, but bit by bit I'm getting there.

from Karen

[(Anonymous)]

You are truly amazing. :)

Re: from Karen

[darkemeralds]

I don't know about that--this isn't really complicated stuff, just kind of labor-intensive--but I'll tell you this: I am truly tired.

[facetofcathy]

I'm dead impressed. Also inspired. If it ever cools off, I have some outdoor concrete steps that need repair.

Concrete will also stick to heavy leather work gloves, making the option to protect your hands a little difficult.

[darkemeralds]

Very true about leather. I think those heavy rubber gloves--the solvent-proof ones--might be a good bet, but I didn't have any. The temperature here has dropped to a lovely 70F, perfect for working, pouring concrete, and just about everything else.

I have a step here that needs repair too, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to do it, so it's going to get painted as-is. Good luck with your project!

[executrix]

Congratulations! You are truly inspirational.

About the step: could you cast a negative mold with something rubbery, fill it with concrete, flip it onto the step while it's still wet so it dries in place, and then peel off the mold?

I seem to remember from The Whole Earth Catalogue that there's a barrier cream you can smear all over your hands and then the concrete comes OFF your hands like a glove because it molds to the barrier cream.

[darkemeralds]

A rubbery mold might work as long as it was extremely well supported and/or hard-. Concrete is amazingly heavy, dense, wet, pushy stuff.

I need some of that barrier cream. It would be nice for painting, too.

[bluemeridian]

*whistles* Nice day's work! Also, yes, yes it is. Which is something I also forget with concrete and similar substances.

[darkemeralds]

If such a project ever comes up again, I'm going to remember to get some of this stuff.

[kis]

Mr Kis: Fuck! Are we staying there?!

:D Ignore him. He's just jealous.

[darkemeralds]

LOLOLOL! OMG, yes, Mr Kis, I'm going to make you and Kis sleep standing up in the basement stairwell. MIAEL.

But take consolation: you'll get to refresh yourself in the Bathroom of Resuscitation.



(Here is a photograph that better represents the actual bedroom:
)

[kis]

Quote "Oh, how marvellous! I can't believe we're staying there. Four - no, FIVE stars."

We just did the ESTA thing and are approved to travel! :D

[darkemeralds]

The ESTA thing? The Everyone Suspected of Terrorism Anyway thing?

[kis]

That's the chap!

[cat63]

Well done! I'm exhausted just reading about all that work! :-)

[darkemeralds]

Heh. Why do you think I stop so often to writer about it? It's absorbed two weekends and a week's vacation. Damn. Home ownership: it has its downsides.

[cat63]

Home ownership: it has its downsides.

True, but on the positive side, if you were renting, depending on how good a landlord you had, you might have had to wait ages for them to fix the problem, if they ever did. At least when you own the place you can get the jobs done without having to get someone else's OK.

[darkemeralds]

Yes! And paint whatever the hell color you like. :D

[elistaire]

That's so awesome! Good for you!

[darkemeralds]

I'm about to remove the forms and see how I did. *crosses fingers*