Cement/concrete mixer. Borrow after Bank Holiday?

[RockySpears]

Any one Cleveland way got a mixer I could borrow 2nd June - 5th June?

Need to top off a large rubble filled pit in the garage, got the soon to be Son in law up that week so he can do the heavy lifting.

If anyone has something suitable I would appreciate it, otherwise it's down to Andy Hire in Stockton,

Cheers,

RS

[Dave-G]

52 minutes ago, RockySpears said:

Any one Cleveland way got a mixer I could borrow 2nd June - 5th June?

Need to top off a large rubble filled pit in the garage, got the soon to be Son in law up that week so he can do the heavy lifting.

If anyone has something suitable I would appreciate it, otherwise it's down to Andy Hire in Stockton,

Cheers,

RS

If its a typical home garage size pit it should be easy enough to dry mix in situ by hand with a shovel then mix in the water, like one would do a shed base for example.

 

Edited May 20, 2021 by Dave-G

[RockySpears]

OK, does that work in my instance:

Double garage, one side had an inspection pit.  Filled pit with rubble from house alterations, bricks/rubble.  Levelled off 2" from surface.  Thought I would put some reinforceing steel mesh on top and then cover with concrete.

  How well would the idea of covering in dry mix and then soaking down work in this instance?  I'd like the finished work to be level with existing floor, if I just wet it down, then presumably float over would I not risk dry spots which would crack easily once the car is going over it regularly?  I thought to mix up the concrete and then lay that over the mesh so as to have a solid concrete layer with no weak spots.

Cheers,

RS

[Dougy]

You could hire one for little money over a week end £25 ish  even a single garage i would use a mixer, i hand mixed a few cubic meters and would hire a mixer every time now. 

[eddoakley]

2 hours ago, RockySpears said:

OK, does that work in my instance:

Double garage, one side had an inspection pit.  Filled pit with rubble from house alterations, bricks/rubble.  Levelled off 2" from surface.  Thought I would put some reinforceing steel mesh on top and then cover with concrete.

  How well would the idea of covering in dry mix and then soaking down work in this instance?  I'd like the finished work to be level with existing floor, if I just wet it down, then presumably float over would I not risk dry spots which would crack easily once the car is going over it regularly?  I thought to mix up the concrete and then lay that over the mesh so as to have a solid concrete layer with no weak spots.

Cheers,

RS

I'd be more concerned about it only being 2" thick and whether the material used to fill the pit had been properly compacted than I would be about it having dry spots.

Edd

[Dave-G]

2 hours ago, RockySpears said:

OK, does that work in my instance:

Double garage, one side had an inspection pit.  Filled pit with rubble from house alterations, bricks/rubble.  Levelled off 2" from surface.  Thought I would put some reinforceing steel mesh on top and then cover with concrete.

  How well would the idea of covering in dry mix and then soaking down work in this instance?  I'd like the finished work to be level with existing floor, if I just wet it down, then presumably float over would I not risk dry spots which would crack easily once the car is going over it regularly?  I thought to mix up the concrete and then lay that over the mesh so as to have a solid concrete layer with no weak spots.

Cheers,

RS

OK,

 

It might just be that I'm a shovel bloke but: It seems more work to shovel all that sand and cement up into a mixer then pour it and try to get it all done before the first part sets.

Maybe its just because I'm fairly big but I'd level the top of the rubble with pea gravel, rammed down hard with old fence posts or similar, add the mesh then slightly overfill it with dry sand/cement/gravel using say a five or six to one mix till its a uniform grey colour. Note a shovel (with long handle) is much better than a spade for this work.

Wetting it with a hose pipe will see it shrink in size so with ample time before it sets I'd fresh mix as needed, again on the old concrete floor or some board and top up the hole while stabbing/turning it with the shovel then tamp/smooth with a long straight edge across the wet using the old floor to guide it level. You'll never completely hide it so floating it after would be optional for me. Two men would easily manage that without a mixer.

Its how I laid the concrete drive at our old house maybe forty years ago, and the bases for our conservatory and shed for the current house on my own putting to good use the spear and jackson shovel I took from dads garage after he passed away which he also used for laying concrete - and digging in general: I recall trying to use it as I turned over the apple orchard grass to grow spuds about 65 years ago but it was too big for me aged about 5 so I used a spade that I had to jump on to get it into the turf. The shovel is rarely used but a real gem when it is. :-)

Edited May 20, 2021 by Dave-G

[Pangolin]

Save yourself the effort, get a couple of cube delivered.

 

[eddoakley]

14 minutes ago, Pangolin said:

Save yourself the effort, get a couple of cube delivered.

 

And money.

It costs me more to buy the ingredients to mix a cube than it does to buy it mixed.

Edd

[WalkedUp]

The companies up here aren’t barrowing pre-mixed currently due to (profit?) Covid but it is certainly what I would go for, by the time you add in hiring a mixer. My dad has a mixer that never gets used except for mortar. 2” concrete risks “curling” when it dries. 3” is the minimum for garden paths and patios. I would go for 4” or work out whatever is efficient when buying cubes and build the height up to match that. 

[Dave-G]

16 hours ago, Pangolin said:

Save yourself the effort, get a couple of cube delivered.

 

I hadn't considered that - a perfect solution given a double garage would be so easily accessed.  

[Jim Neal]

I really don't think you need the reinforcing mesh, unless you're parking a tank on it?

I'm presuming you're wise to the fact that your rubble infill needs to have been well compacted as it was added, otherwise if it settles then your concrete top layer will "break its back"

You'd be best adding around a 2" layer of "Type 1" or "MOT" hardcore as some people call it on top of your rubble, to fill the voids and make an even sub-structure to cast on to.  The MOT needs mechanical compaction with a wacker plate (half day hire shouldn't cost much).  You could get around that by spending ages smashing up your rubble into tiny pieces with a hammer, in-situ so it compacts it a little, and then blinding it with some sharp sand but it wouldn't be as good and you'll be suicidal by the end of it.

You should be aiming at the concrete being 4" thick minimum, you need to take some rubble out, sorry

I'd go for the ready-mix option if you can get the wagon backed up and tipped via the chute on the back.  Have a look at prices to compare against DIY mixing.

I most certainly would NOT mix dry ingredients in-situ and then add water.  It'll wash the cement out of the mixture through the rubble down to the bottom of the pit and you'll be left with a patch of sand & gravel!

Prior to casting, I'd use a disc cutter to chamfer the edges of the pit, in order to help feathering the new into the old.  And if you wanted to get really technical you'd prime the joint to the existing concrete with SBR to help it bond and not separate.  If the existing floor is a fairly rough, tamped finish then easy peasy to match it.  If it's flat but rough, trowel off the concrete as it sets with a plastic float.  If it's a smooth finish trowel it off with a metal float.

Jobs like this seem very simple in essence but it's easy to get it wrong and have to spend time and money having to do it again.

[RockySpears]

17 hours ago, Jim Neal said:

Jobs like this seem very simple in essence but it's easy to get it wrong

Wow, reading this lot is amazing.  Thank you all. 

I can't do more than 2" around the edge as a lip around the pit was made to take planks covering it when not in use. It is well whacked down (sledge hammer) but a couple of bags of gravel over the top seems an idea, bonding seems sensible but chamfering is moving this task to a new level! 

Delivery of ready made seems to be cheating, but a great idea. 

This needs more thinking and a reread of the above.  Wife cannot believe the effort people here made to help, 

Thank you all, 

RS

[Dougy]

I would certainly look at plant hire for a weekend whether it's for mixer of wacker plate, really not expensive. 

And easier. 

[Jim Neal]

4 hours ago, RockySpears said:

Wow, reading this lot is amazing.  Thank you all. 

I can't do more than 2" around the edge as a lip around the pit was made to take planks covering it when not in use. It is well whacked down (sledge hammer) but a couple of bags of gravel over the top seems an idea, bonding seems sensible but chamfering is moving this task to a new level! 

Delivery of ready made seems to be cheating, but a great idea. 

This needs more thinking and a reread of the above.  Wife cannot believe the effort people here made to help, 

Thank you all, 

RS

You could wallop a bit off the edges of the lip with a hammer and chisel.  Still, make the main part 4" thick or it will probably crack.  At least put a wire brush around the very edge of the existing hole to help key it in.

The gravel will do a job, try to rattle it in to the gaps, vibration makes it sink in.  Compaction is so important to avoid settlement and future cracking.

Have fun