How much concrete can I lay on my own

[Origin Unknown]

I have been let down by both my pals to help me lay a concrete base tomorrow. So question is this, can I get the lot down on my own?

16m2 @ ~100mm deep, straight onto a DPM. I'll have ballast and cement right next to shuttering. I was planning to put the mixer in the middle and just load, mix and pour as quick as I can. Tamping will be the issue but I could probably rope the wife into helping with that.

[Rosscow]

Yeah, no problem. Might take you a few hours but it'll be fine!

I've mixed 15 bulk bags of ballast in a day before!

[Origin Unknown]

15 bulk bags in a day! Were your arms 2" longer at the end of the day?!

So, assuming a 5:1 mix and straight onto a DPM, how wet should I go and how long have I got to play with it?

[jagracer]

You'll piss that in around 3 hours max if you keep at it, I've done 12 square metres to a similar depth in about 2 or 3 hours on my own and had to barrow it 50 yards from the mixer. I'd keep the mixer to one side so you don't have to move it but either way you'll have plenty of time and it will be workable for most of the day, what's the dimensions of the base?

[AGumbo]

Should be no problems in one day especially if all the materials are to hand and not miles away.

The mixer I have takes enough ballast for half a bag of cement and makes mixing a lot quicker if you don't have to count/wrestle with the stupid cement bags!

Two options mix is stiff and work carefully out of one corner or..

Mix it like piss and throw it in so it self levels (you will need wellies!!)

[dmitsi]

You'll have plenty of time to sort it out, I've done footings and bases quite a bit larger on my own before and had no issues levelling out etc once I'd poured it all. Just make sure your framing and support is in order and mix away. Knackering work going back and forth to the mixer as you won't stop. Wetness I can't help you on, I just wait until I hear the correct slurp noise coming from the mixer.

[Origin Unknown]

Thanks chaps for the confidence. I'll report back tomorrow including mix to swear ratio. Shuttering is all in order and firm, wife has agreed to lend a hand with tamping (which will increase the mix to swear ratio).

Its trapezium/wonky rectangle shaped, ~3M wide and length is 4.8 on the long edge and 3.8 on the short edge.

I suspect a wet mix will work, I'm not parking anything on it so it doesn't need to be mega strong.

[jagracer]

Don't mix it too wet, I.E. you don't want water swimming on the top after tamping as it'll be dusty when it dries. Mix it so that if you were to build a bit of a mound with the mix it doesn't collapse on itself

[Origin Unknown]

Thanks mate. That helps me

[GreatGranny]

Oh yes the slump test :-)

Takes me back to my college days learning about concrete testing.

Found out the hard way that its burns a bit as well :-(

[jagracer]

Pictures needed, before, during and finished item.

[Simpo Two]

And take the mixer out of the middle before it sets...

[bobtail4x4]

no offers of help?

[C Lee Farquar]

You should have @ 3.5 tonnes of balast and 15 bags of cement

[Origin Unknown]

Thanks for the help and direction chaps, slab laid on saturday thanks to gap in the rain.

I was well short of ballast!

Rain came in late on Saturday so it's been sheeted up with poly since then. I would like to get the metal shed erected on Saturday which mean it'll have 6 days to cure. Long enough? I was going to keep it under poly until then, correct?

[jagracer]

You never have enough ballast. Six days should be OK, I'd take the cover off once the green colour starts to go off, providing it's not monsoon rain where you are.

[Origin Unknown]

Cheers mate!

[C Lee Farquar]

You will reach about 50% strength in 7 days, the value of which will of course depend on how much cement you used.

The plastic will reduce cracking as it cures - rain is no longer an issue.

[Origin Unknown]