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Prisoner_Number_Six

(15,676 posts) Fri Jul 31, 2015, 07:34 PM Jul 2015

We had a brand new concrete driveway poured today

I've been kinda supervising the prep work from my wheelchair, and it was really great how well I fit in with the crew of workers. I flashed back 20 years to the time I could do such work, and it felt good just to sit there bullshitting with them. The boss even offered to let me run the front loader, and if I could have climbed up into it I'd have shown 'em how it was done.

When the concrete started pouring this morning an amazing thing happened- a group of country boy beer drinking rednecks started working, and suddenly they all turned into artists. They shoveled and raked and swept and stroked that concrete until it was perfect. They sculpted a blob of wet goop until they had shaped it into something that didn't have a single bump or flaw in it. It was a fascinating process to watch, and it made me happy and sad at the same time.

The boss even invited me to call him and meet him for a meal if I ever get too bored sitting at home with nothing to do.

And besides all that, every one of 'em fell in love with Suzie Q. (my 4 month old Cockapoo). She sat on my lap all morning and made sure they did everything right.

Life is good.

8 replies

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We had a brand new concrete driveway poured today (Original Post) Prisoner_Number_Six Jul 2015 OP

What! You didn't even let me bid the job. panader0 Jul 2015 #1

Sounds wonderful. I'm going to pick your brain here (if you don't mind) BlueJazz Jul 2015 #2

You should wait about two weeks to paint over stucco. panader0 Aug 2015 #4

Great. It will be about 2 weeks before it's done anyway. It's raining here again..make that 3 wks. BlueJazz Aug 2015 #7

Yip, those yeomen yearn to express themselves as artists. UTUSN Jul 2015 #3

Life IS good, my dear Prisoner_Number_Six! CaliforniaPeggy Aug 2015 #5

When you work with your hands there can be art in anything. Prisoner_Number_Six Aug 2015 #6

Can I carve my initials in it? shenmue Aug 2015 #8

panader0

(25,816 posts)

1. What! You didn't even let me bid the job.

Reply to Prisoner_Number_Six (Original post)

Fri Jul 31, 2015, 07:52 PM

Jul 2015

Though I am getting a bit old, I still have all my tools, forms, pan tamper,screed pins, jitterbug, bull floats, fresnoes, trowels, and
cure sprayer. Concrete is a hard job getting everything ready, and hard for the first hour or so when the truck shows up.
Then it's waiting to switch from the bullfloat (magnesium) to the trowels and fresno (steel). I usually put 6 by 6 wire in driveways
and order 3000 psi concrete instead of the 2400 psi used in foundations. Congrats that it turned out well and give those guys a beer.

BlueJazz

(25,348 posts)

2. Sounds wonderful. I'm going to pick your brain here (if you don't mind)

Reply to Prisoner_Number_Six (Original post)

Fri Jul 31, 2015, 08:11 PM

Jul 2015

I've got an astronomical observatory that is almost completed. 9 ft diameter... Took damn long enough with all the rain here..in Sarasota, Florida.
Anyway, I'm going to put stucco on the main bottom part. (not the part that spins/moves)
Everybody down here says "You can paint over it in a few days" but that doesn't seem right to me. The people I've asked are no experts so I'd like your thoughts. Much thanks!

panader0

(25,816 posts)

4. You should wait about two weeks to paint over stucco.

Reply to BlueJazz (Reply #2)

Sat Aug 1, 2015, 02:37 PM

Aug 2015

Otherwise the lime in the stucco mix can leach out through the paint. Contractors around here use a special spray paint
to show when the stucco is ready. You spray a small spot on the wall, and in time it changes color. Then the stucco is
ready to paint, usually two weeks.

BlueJazz

(25,348 posts)

7. Great. It will be about 2 weeks before it's done anyway. It's raining here again..make that 3 wks.

Reply to panader0 (Reply #4)

Sat Aug 1, 2015, 04:50 PM

Aug 2015

Thank you so much!

UTUSN

(70,725 posts)

3. Yip, those yeomen yearn to express themselves as artists.

Reply to Prisoner_Number_Six (Original post)

Fri Jul 31, 2015, 10:34 PM

Jul 2015

A couple of months ago I asked for advice from Lounge about a project involving concrete and got great input, as always.

Years ago, the ceramic tile dude wanted to insert a "design" in the middle of the floor. I was horrified, no no, just all bland and plain, NO artistic creativity!!1

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,683 posts)

5. Life IS good, my dear Prisoner_Number_Six!

Reply to Prisoner_Number_Six (Original post)

Sat Aug 1, 2015, 02:54 PM

Aug 2015

What a fascinating process! I've never really thought about pouring concrete as an artistic endeavor. Thank you for showing me just how artistic it is.

I'm glad you had fun.