Let's Cement The Deal

Yesterday, the union stewards checked out the scaffolding before the big pour. Gotta make sure everything is shipshape and up to code. After bribing them both with a little piece of ham, they signed off the job.

Today we pour the basement walls. It's Washington, so it's raining. Since it's not freezing rain, it's not a 5" storm, and there are no gale-force winds, the pour will happen.

Ed placed some knock-out tubes through the ICFs for the sewer lines, water, power,phone and other utilities. The tubes are an inch larger than the conduit he will use. Once the cement is set, he'll knock out the tube (hence the name), which will leave a place to put his conduit or pipe through, then seal any remaining space with canned foam sealant. No struggling with jamming a pipe through a tight fit.

It was supposed to be relatively dry this morning with increasing rain in the afternoon, so Ed scheduled the pour for 8:00 a.m. We awoke to the sound of the rain dripping off the roof and knew things would be a bit damp. Everyone showed up on time, and the job was on.

It's sort of like that old song,"The kneebone is connected to the thighbone". The concrete mixer hooks to the pumper, which pushes the mix through the boom, and into the forms. Tom-the-Pumper, Greg-The-ICF Guy, Ed and Tyler and Tayler (not twins) from down the road scrambled

around like squirrels.

There is nothing more fun than a boy, some really messy mud, and a giant power tool. Since Ed was the one with the checkbook, he got to play with the biggest toy. He had the business end of that boom, and shot the wet concrete.

It's a little tricky. You have to be sure the concrete stays in the form and your feet stay on the scaffolding, that you don't leave any voids in the wall. By 10:30 all 45 yards were busy making a basement.

The pumper truck was still cleaning up in the driveway and Ed, Taylor and Tyler were going around the perimeter placing the rim joists and foundation bolts. Ed had pre-drilled these, lined them with the foam weather seal, and placed the j-bolts in the board. After that it was a matter

of turning them over onto the top of the forms, making sure they were in the proper place and seating the bolts.

Ed checked the walls for level and square, made some adjustments and called it good.