Workshop/Glorified shed

[fixerupper]

Quick setting cement ... is used for repair jobs .very tricky to get a good finish on a floor ..if you must use it lay the floor with a shovel finish. 7cm lower than you need and when it's gone off lay a screed with sharp sand and OPC to bring it up to the level you want ....jeff...

 

[DrDeAtH]

I wouldn't use quick set, you want the slab to cure at the same rate otherwise it will crack.

Could you get a readymix over and barrow it in?
You will get approx 2hours working time on that mix, and it will be consistent throughout.

 

[Wallace]

If you can get readymix in the job will be easier.

 

[cumbriasteve]

^^^^ Agree:
Sell your quick set and put the cash towards readymix, it will be mixed right and the job is done in one go, well worth the money.

 

[ukracer]

^^^^ Agree:
Sell your quick set and put the cash towards readymix, it will be mixed right and the job is done in one go, well worth the money.

The quick set is out of date which is why I got it cheap....

 

[ukracer]

Is the quick set ok to put up dense blocks with though???? It's this out of date bit that confuses me. Does it affect it's strength .

 

[cumbriasteve]

I was told by a builder the longer (within reason) cement and concrete takes to cure the stronger it is, I think that's why most people dampen slabs down a few times a day after it has set enough to take water, to slow the cure.

Personally I would not use out of date quick setting cement for building with...at all.

 

[fixerupper]

Yeah, slower the better ... quicksetting cement is used when time or acess is a problem..we used it once on overnight watermain job on a very busy road into Harwich, we dug it out fixed the leak back filled with sand , leanmix, 50 cm quick setting concrete , and then tarmac .....rolled as the sun was rising .....(what does the spec say on your cement , are they fullsize bags 50kg or the more common due too elf'n'safety 25 kg bags)...Ordinary porland cement when its fresh from the cement works, on a dry day starts the setting process while your working it and you have to cover concrete with hessian on a warm dry day and hose it with water so the curing process is slowed .On the other hand...old cement that you have had kicking about in the back of your van takes longer... and you just want to stick a ridge tile on a roof or a paving slab down and get home ...

 

[ukracer]

This is interesting. I have some lafarge rapid setting cement that has a date of April---------- 25 bags.

I also have some Portland normal cement but this has a useby date of 2013 -------- 40 Bags.

I aslo have bags of new portland cement for the blocks. --------10 bags.

 

[awemawson]

I have used literally pallet loads of out of date ordinary cement and not had a problem with it. However we always were slightly generous on the cement in both mortars and concrete. £1 per bag was quite a motivator when you need large quantities

I suspect within reason older quick set will set faster if out of date. Absolutely no way would I try laying a fair sized slab with it. I've used it for drain work where you can't ask people to cross their legs for too long. And I've used it for patching a pond. I've also used it once fixing the enormous brick built storage tank at one of my launderettes when the outlet pipe rusted through and it needed another put in over night and usable in the morning. Slabs - definitely not!

 

[ukracer]

I can use 40 bags of ordinary portaland with a 2013 date. Which would end up cost me £130 Inc 4 bags of ballast and a bag of fibres. Or

I can get some ready mix at 150 per cubic tonne delivered. Which would end up around 330 quid.

So you can see why I am keen to try that route...lol

 

[awemawson]

What is a cubic tonne ?

For £200 I'd have it delivered and poured - that's a lot of stuff to shift into and out of a mixer, and the Readymix will be far more consistent than you can mix is a Belle Minimix

 

[Westfield-builder]

We always used to add ordinary white sugar to slow down the setting speed of large slabs in hot weather. I am now sure of the quantities needed, but I am sure it can be found.
By the way, the guy in charge of our concreting was previously the man in charge of all the concrete pourings on the Derwent Reservoir Dam. I will see if I can ask his advice.

 

[ukracer]

What is a cubic tonne ?

For £200 I'd have it delivered and poured - that's a lot of stuff to shift into and out of a mixer, and the Readymix will be far more consistent than you can mix is a Belle Minimix

No its a site mixer

 

[ukracer]

What is a cubic tonne ?

Is it just a cube then?? lol

For £200 I'd have it delivered and poured - that's a lot of stuff to shift into and out of a mixer, and the Readymix will be far more consistent than you can mix is a Belle Minimix

Problem is I have neighbours from hell and a shared drive....so it could not actually be poured it would need barrowing up the drive and through the garage.

 

[DrDeAtH]

Barrow it in. At least 2 people on barrows, should see it all in in under an hour.
More the merrier means you will have more time to level the mix out.

 

[CornishPete]

Don't know if youve done the job yet but as a builder i cant see it being feasible laying a floor using rapid setting cement, it will go off far too quickly to be able to work it level in any worthwile quantity, plus whilst youre doing that it will be setting in the mixer!!
I would advise getting the readymix where they mix it on the wagon and barrow it in. It really doesnt take that long with two people barrowing, you get as much or as little as you want and for two cubic metres itll cost roughly the same as buying ballast and cement from builders merchant and mixing yourself.
2m3 is approx 4 bulk bags of ballast (sand and gravel premixed) and 35 ish bags of cement for general purpose concrete. That would cost about £320 from my local builders merchant and god knows how long to mix in a mixer, all day i reckon especially if you'd still have to barrow the stuff up the drive as well. plus youll have to level as you go as it will start setting.
I reckon barrowing in would take 30 mins then you can concentrate on levelling all in one go which will give much better results. If you do it first thing you'll be done by mid morning, not working into the night!!

I learned this the hard way!!
Good luck.

 

[Screwdriver]

Last time I did a shed floor the cheapest option was a mix on site delivery. Lorry turns up and either pours directly onto site or in metered loads in wheelbarrows. Because the truck carries a dry mix you only pay for the amount you use.

 

[roofman]

Last time I did a shed floor the cheapest option was a mix on site delivery. Lorry turns up and either pours directly onto site or in metered loads in wheelbarrows. Because the truck carries a dry mix you only pay for the amount you use.

yea and 3 young bucks to throw it in for you,all in on the price. thats the only way i buy conk now from the spot mix guys

 

[ukracer]

yea and 3 young bucks to throw it in for you,all in on the price. thats the only way i buy conk now from the spot mix guys

Ok chaps not far away now. sadly being slowed down by an injury to an intercostal muscle but rain now looks imminent for the rest of the week after Tuesday so I might be forced to rest it!

Anyway. Who are these spot mix boys I cant see anyone listed locally to kidderminster.

Second I was hoping to use Kingspan(TYPE) insulated corrugated sheet for the roof, but as I have not recovered all the money out-laid for the bolts and my sons signs for his house before the end of AUgust, money is now very tight. Second hand roof panels seem not existent so I am looking at felt for the time being. I had some really thick DEBOTEC on the old shed and have been looking to see how much that is but I cant see it other than supply and fit only.

Looking for suggestions if any one has any please??