levelling a freshly poured concrete base

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hi all,

On saturday i will be having the ready-mix delivered to form the base for my new pre-fab.

Ive done all the groundworks, blinded it, added the DPM and some re-bar so its good to go.

Shuttering is up and level all round, ive just got a few questions regarding levelling the actual mix.

Im concreting upto a wall, so have fixed a baton onto it to allow me to level which i will remove once the base is cast.

Now, firstly, given that ive got a DPM overlapping all the edges, how do you guys get a good level on the form work with the DPM in the way? This is a particular problem at the wall.

Also, ive seen a couple of video's of people levelling concrete with a piece of 2x1 in a sawing motion etc is this the only way for an amateur builder to do it? Will it net a good finish?

If anyone has any goods links to info or any suggestions, videos etc i would very much appreciate it.
 
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What are the dimensions (length x width) and what access do you have around it?
 
looking from the front, i have no access to the right, good access front and back, and reasonable access to the left.

Its approx 6m x 2.7m.
 
If it was me I'd be looking at a good straight piece of 6x2 sawn, something over 3m long to use as a tamping board. You'll need your wellies on and a mate to help tamp and saw the surface to compact the concrete as you lay it. That will result in a rough surface but if you want it smooth you'll need to go over it with a float.

The pros on here may have different ideas but that's the way I've always done it. Laid a garage base 3m x 7m some 20 years ago using that technique and it's stood the test of time.

Just pray the rain keeps off for the delivery! :D
 
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A tamped finish is quite rough, and you may find it hard to float well. A stiff broom will leave a brushed finish,which looks quite neat and gives good grip. Try to brush in the direction you will sweep the garage out.
 
i find that after leveling and tamping a small section of maybe 3 feet give it a very light trowel just one or two sweeps with a steel trowel.

This will bring enough cement and fat to the surface to allow you to trowel it more once its firm enough to walk on.

Once you are barely leaving a foot print get on it and start troweling with the steel. grind down any high spots with a plastic float and then trowel hard to bring fat back to the surface.

This is more than enough to get a decent hard finish on it.


The premium finish for a garage would be powerfloated but on such a small area it would be unwieldy
 
Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated!

Im wondering if its worth hiring a bull float? Or am i gonna make a mess being as though ive never used one?!

Still not sure on what to do where the DPM meets the shuttering with regards to levelling.. Do you guys tuck it up and/or cut it?
 
it will probably get scuffed and cut when sawing and tamping.

I don't know the correct action for that, I am a DIYer not a builder. If you're pouring inside a dwarf brick wall (which I think is best for a garage base, but extra trouble if you have a prefab) , it might not matter. If it's just shuttering, how will you protect the edges from water penetration afterwards?
 
I wouldn't have turned the membrane up. Just leave it flat below the shutter.

On a small area like that we might just hand trowel it.
Some of the flooring contractors wear big skis on their boots to allow them unto the slab early where hand finishing is being deployed.
 
Some of the flooring contractors wear big skis on their boots to allow them unto the slab early where hand finishing is being deployed.
I've often wondered if there is something similar for roofers, but more padded.

We fitted some Forticrete Gemini's to a roof recently and the tile gutters are very fragile
 
Brilliant. Thanks for the tips guys!

Lastly, would you barrow all of the mix in first to just above the level and tamp and saw backwards, or do it in sections levelling a bit at a time?
 

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