10.10.2024

Today was our first official furnace day of the season - seems early but it's gotten down into the 30s the last few days.

Always one of the most stressful events - concrete day!  Jim spent time getting all the tools and equipment completely ready... 

Boots on and waiting for the truck!

Right at 10:00, the truck pulled in...

Concrete starting to flow...

The driver was really good and was able to move in between the posts to deliver the concrete to Jim...

Continuing to place the concrete...

Concrete all placed!

Jim had the driver fill the bucket up with concrete for putting in our shed post holes...

Time to get out the power screed...

Continuing to screed...

Using the hand trowel around the posts...

Along with stress, concrete day requires lots and lots of cleanup or else your tools are encased with concrete too!

Even his boots get a cleaning...

Time to vibrate the concrete around all the edges to ensure there are no voids...

Working his way around...

Jim brought the Bobcat over to the shed area with its bucketful of concrete...

Jim had measured the two different hole depths and painted lines on the end of the hoe for reference...

We filled up the holes and then Jim checked for proper depth...

Shoveling concrete into the holes...

All done - this is all the concrete that was left!

More cleanup...

The Bobcat gets a hose off too...

Doing concrete work in October means battling leaves - Jim continually used the leaf blower but it was kind of a losing battle.  

Time for the first bull float...

Rounding over the edges...

Whew - it looks flat and in good shape!  Time for a quick lunch break!

Now it's time to use the new power trowel.  Jim first had the float plates on...

Then Jim picked up the trowel...

And removed the float plates, exposing the finishing plates...

Cleaning the float plates...

Then putting the trowel back in the pavilion...

Starting to finish...

Jim probably did three passes over the floor, stopping in between to clean up edges...

Once he was done, time to get the trowel out...

Beautiful!!!

The shed post holes are hardening - Jim put the covers back on for overnight.

A coat of sealant...

Then there was just lots and lots of clean up and getting all the tools and equipment put away.  Fabulous job and a huge undertaking by himself!

High 56.6/Low 37