Our build thread, renovation and extension

Our build thread, renovation and extension

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Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Tuesday 27th May 2014
quotequote all
dxg said:
Are you going to move them into location while still in their forms? Might be safer...
No, they need to come out so they can be wet polished, they are cast upside down so you can only see the underside in those pics. I doubt the moulds will be strong enough to lift them fully, the forms themselves are quite heavy and the undersides are made up of 2 pieces with a split in the middle.

cuneus

5,963 posts

241 months

Tuesday 27th May 2014
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Fascinating - hope it all goes well - I'm sure you don't wan to do that again!

ILOVEWATCHES

186 posts

122 months

Tuesday 27th May 2014
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muncher where did you get your internal doors/skirting from

BTW Youre house is looking amazing..

Neil - YVM

1,310 posts

198 months

Wednesday 28th May 2014
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Muncher, good luck with the tops, will be very interested in how they turn out.

Having seen concrete poured on other building projects, I would have thought the mix would have been wetter, if only so that it filled the moulds easier. Did you tamp or vibrate the concrete once in place?

Ps. Despite the Plastic sheeting, using black dyed concrete over you lovly new timber flooring, brave !

Too Late

5,090 posts

234 months

Wednesday 28th May 2014
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How did the worktops go??

N

Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Wednesday 28th May 2014
quotequote all
Ilovewatches - they all came from UKOakDoors

The less water there is the stronger the cured concrete is so we tried to keep it as dry as possible using lots of water reducer. The mix was pressed into all the edges and spaces by hand, the mould was vibrated with a vibrating poker and then vibrated again once the second layer went on. It certainly looked like it flowed everywhere effectively so I am not too concerned on that front.

We didn't really have much alternative apart from doing it there. We couldn't do it outside as minemapper found his crumbled when left to cure outside. It's also much more difficult to keep the moulds flat when outside. It wasn't too bad as we kept all the messy stuff outside and tried to keep things as clean as possible. The moulds are all wrapped in thin plastic now to protect them from the cats and vice versa!

Neil - YVM

1,310 posts

198 months

Wednesday 28th May 2014
quotequote all
All sounds good, hope they turn out as you want.

Are you planning to grind / polish them once out of the mould? Also are you going to seal them is some way, such as you would for a natural stone?

Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Wednesday 28th May 2014
quotequote all
I'm doing the same as Minemapper, polishing them with a wet polisher then sealing them with Thompsons driveway sealer. I would rather use a wax or a specialist product but they only seem to be available in the US and they work out pretty expensive by the time you import them.

Neil - YVM

1,310 posts

198 months

Wednesday 28th May 2014
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I don't recall seeing mine mappers, I will look it up.

I was thinking Lithofin Stain stop or HG impregnating Protector (13). The HG stuff is available in 5l bottles. Both seal out dirt and grease, plus slightly colour intensify.


Minemapper

933 posts

155 months

Thursday 29th May 2014
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Look for the update post in Sept 2013 here.

Looking good Muncher. I think your worktops will come out looking quite a lot like mine, if the fresh pour colour is anything to go by. Good to see the unobtanium float getting used again. Got a very funny look from the lady at the Post Office when I sent that. biggrin

league67

1,878 posts

202 months

Thursday 29th May 2014
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Really looking forward to pictures of finished article (worktops).

Neil - YVM

1,310 posts

198 months

Thursday 29th May 2014
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Minemapper said:
Look for the update post in Sept 2013 here.

Looking good Muncher. I think your worktops will come out looking quite a lot like mine, if the fresh pour colour is anything to go by. Good to see the unobtanium float getting used again. Got a very funny look from the lady at the Post Office when I sent that. biggrin
Cheers

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 29th May 2014
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Fantastic stuff Muncher - really looking forward to the final result.

It's interesting, I never liked the idea of polished cast concrete but have really warmed to the idea in the past few months. Might even do the floor on my next self-build smile

Must be so rewarding making so much of the house yourself, I almost feel a fraud!

Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Friday 30th May 2014
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Yeah, it's quite nice to have a few slightly more unique bits in the house! The headboard is coming along nicely too, should be finished next week.

I am now looking for some plastic arch beading that is a little taller than normal to help form the upstand in the dining room.

It needs to be like this, but ideally I want the smooth edged side to be a lot taller, perhaps 50mm tall with a smooth edge. If anyone has any suggestions it would be appreciated.


Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Monday 2nd June 2014
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Anyone?

This weekend saw our hot water finally fixed (Heatmiser left an important bit out of the wiring diagram), the Saniflo removed and reinstalled (yuck), some second fix electricals put in with mixed results, 2 bathrooms tidied up ready for silicone, a bit more work on the headboard and all the carpet has been delivered today. One or two rooms might have the carpet put in on wednesday.

Minemapper

933 posts

155 months

Monday 2nd June 2014
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Yeah yeah yeah, how's the worktops? Gotta be ready to break out of the moulds by now, surely? I think we took them off after 4 days.

Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Monday 2nd June 2014
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The Cheng book says they are ok to come out at 9 days at which point they are still quite green, we are at 7 days now so will take them out on Saturday just to be sure. I don't have much time to do anything with them until then. There is no cracking or shrinkage from what I can see and apart from surface froth it seems pretty hard.

cuneus

5,963 posts

241 months

Tuesday 3rd June 2014
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You need to deliver more smile

webcam setup for Breaking the moulds

Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Tuesday 3rd June 2014
quotequote all
I will do a photo update at the weekend, maybe even a video walkthrough of how it is now!

Not sure what I will do if the concrete isn't set or there is a big problem with them! The only current problem with them is that the kitten keeps pissing and stting on the black plastic covering them as we left her litter tray outside over the weekend and she now assumes that is her new toilet!

Planning permission came through on the garage over the weekend, just need building regs approval for it now and then to decide whether to spend the money on it now or wait a few months to see how the cashflow with my other project will work. Also, spoke too soon on the hot water being fixed, it isn't!

PGM

2,168 posts

248 months

Tuesday 3rd June 2014
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Muncher said:
Yeah, it's quite nice to have a few slightly more unique bits in the house! The headboard is coming along nicely too, should be finished next week.

I am now looking for some plastic arch beading that is a little taller than normal to help form the upstand in the dining room.

It needs to be like this, but ideally I want the smooth edged side to be a lot taller, perhaps 50mm tall with a smooth edge. If anyone has any suggestions it would be appreciated.

Try Renderplas, we use them a bit, really good delivery and not silly expensive either.

http://www.renderplas.co.uk/index.php