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04/09/2015 #04 - They are prepared to have the floor poured next week. They will pour it in ten foot square blocks with metal expansion joints between the blocks. Since the concrete will inevitably slightly expand, contract and settle, cracks will form if expansion joints are not used (all sizable areas of poured concrete have expansion joints, like between sidewalks and concrete driveway aprons). Prior to putting down the plastic membrane, the ground was sprayed for termites (welcome to Florida!). Instead of distributing the concrete with a Bobcat or wheelbarrows as they did for the footings for the wall, the concrete will be dumped into the hopper of a pumper truck which will then pump the concrete through a four inch hose. Notice that expansion joints were not installed in the area next to the partially built wall, or the area by the back wall; this is to allow the heavy hose to be dragged around as they pour the concrete. The joints will be installed as they finish pouring, backing the hose out. The wall is complete to five feet. Notice the holes in the bottom of the wall. These are “knock-outs”, holes hammered in the block so that the rebar sticking up out of the footer can be tightly wired to the rebar stuck down from the top. |