How To Lay a Concrete Base: Build A Workshop Ep 4

[@johnsomerset1510]

Your concrete base video is particularly useful as you give the price of everything. So, thanks a lot for that.

[@sumeraybuilds]

Glad it was helpful!

[@trailtestedgear]

FORGET THE WORKSHOP, I'M FOLLOWING FOR THE GRASS PROGRESS!

[@sumeraybuilds]

😂😂 glad to hear it!!

[@MishkaOliver]

1:15 marked out 100metres more? just how big is ya garden :D Nice video series so far though, am liking it, big thumbs up

[@sumeraybuilds]

😂 I meant millimetres! How did I miss that one? Thanks 🙏 I appreciate it

[@Oldmonstrosityshop]

Just a quick tip for squaring off a large area like this. Instead of using a framing square, measure the diagonal corners for a more reliable square. Movement in timber can give the impression the area is square when it isn’t 👍

[@sumeraybuilds]

Great tip! Thanks 🙏

[@JohnDoe-m4w2j]

I'm really enjoying this and learning a lot. Is there a reason you don't edge the slab? I've noticed people not doing this step for workshop builds.

[@sumeraybuilds]

I'm glad to hear it :D If you mean edge it with something like brick then it was purley to save money. I figured you wouldn't really see the slab once everything is cladded (which you can't) so didn't go to an effort to make it look really nice.

[@roydodd4694]

❤❤video great thanks 😊😊

[@sumeraybuilds]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@apache16789]

You put the timber frame on top of the hardcore but your very lovely info-diagram indicates that the frame should placed on top of the sand layer with both sand and hardcore layers extending out beneath it to avoid areas of unsupported concrete. Am I being too picky? Is the 2" sand layer so thin and liable to be unstable it gives little support to the concrete when the frame is taken away and the real support comes from the hardcore beneath it?

[@sumeraybuilds]

The sand is there to protect the damp proof membrane, so whether it goes under the frame or not doesn't matter. Also it's not 2 inches of sand, but 25mm. The full professional plans are now available on my website by the way if you wanted to check them out.

[@AndrewEddie]

Great video. Just one thing though (as a former civil engineer) is that I don’t recommend leaving out the mesh on a slab that big. Concrete shrinks as it dries and the mesh is there to stop the cracks from getting too wide.

[@sumeraybuilds]

Thanks for pointing that out. It’s good to know I’m on the right track from someone who’s actually qualified 😂

[@Benzknees]

And if you're not going deep enough to avoid seasonal ground movements & settlement, then it needs to be designed as a concrete raft, with two layers of mesh are essential to resist tensile forces to either the top or bottom of the slab. In connection with which it should have edge thickenings with rebar in, to avoid the point loading from the walls shearing off the concrete.

[@AndrewEddie]

@@Benzknees you only need 2 layers of mesh if the slab is not going to be fully supported by the ground, for example like when building over an old septic tank that could still be settling. I don't think shear would be a problem for this shed, but I would have put in a bit of an edge thickening myself.

[@Benzknees]

@@AndrewEddie - Any foundation on clay can move seasonally unless it's set at the appropriate depth for the plasticity index. Considerably deeper if there's trees nearby. I saw lots of cracked & sunken slabs & footings due to differential movement of such ground. Designing a slab as a raft, capable of resisting tensile forces in both directions, largely obviates this possibility.

[@AndrewEddie]

@@Benzknees yep, I'm very familiar with building in clays with crazy shrinkage values.

[@sumeraybuilds]

Watch the full series here - new episodes released weekly: kzbin.info/aero/PLsGhK9mo4fwkuqcfCThOLc8pKWWMPEUY6

[@ProperDIY]

Great video and lots of good info!

[@sumeraybuilds]

Thanks so much! 🙏

[@edholmes8726]

Terrific vid, I'm going to be doing something very similar shortly so a lot of useful info! One thing I'm curious about is do you need to take frost level into account at all or does the hardcore base take care of it?

[@sumeraybuilds]

If you mean because of the cold weather right now then there’s nothing to error about. I think it only starts affecting it around 0 degrees or below. Once it’s gone off then it’s good for ever.

[@michaelroberts2863]

Loving this series, Jack! 12:20 had me chuckling away 🤣🤣

[@sumeraybuilds]

Yeah I’m so glad I got that on film! Haha Glad you’re enjoying the series!!

[@startmaking1]

great progress Jack. Really well explained and thought out. Where were you 12 months ago when I was making bad choices lol.

[@sumeraybuilds]

🙏 Thanks so much! It's never to late to expand yours! :P

[@DudeSawdust]

Nice video! Love the content!

[@sumeraybuilds]

Appreciate it! Thanks 🙏

[@4DSpills]

could you build this workshop on the plastic grid / pea gravel system you used under your shed?

[@sumeraybuilds]

Yes, but you would need to build a timber frame on top of the grids 😃

[@StillAliveAndKicking_]

Good video, but I wonder what the hard way is? What happens to the DPM around the sides?

[@sumeraybuilds]

Haha that’s a fair point! I used the DPM under the timber frame too. I cover it on the next episode (timber walls)

[@StillAliveAndKicking_]

@@sumeraybuilds Okay, thanks, makes sense.

[@artur198555]

Hi , really cool footage and tips. So base is perfectly level everywhere ? I've heard base should have some fall for rain otherwise water may stay in one place and make moisture?

[@sumeraybuilds]

Thanks 🙏 yes it’s perfectly level because I’m using it as the floor to the workshop. If you’re building a timber floor on top then I think you should have a slight fall on it to let water run off.

[@JasonSmith-uk7zh]

Could of not used the mesh and ordered fibre concrete I think it's £30 per cubic metre more but well worth it. A lot less hassle and it's very strong I did my 24ftx12ft x 6inch base 14 years ago not a crack and a good finish👍

[@sumeraybuilds]

Great tip thanks! 🙏

[@mihainedelcu4081]

I’m digging my garden over the last 2 weeks I’m at the 3ed skip to fill with soil which brings my cost to £720 already…

[@sumeraybuilds]

Yeah I was very lucky to have the option to use the soil I removed, glad it was mostly topsoil too! It'll be worth it once you're done!

[@buddyric7688]

did you measure the diagonals, good series

[@sumeraybuilds]

Yes I did and it was 5mm longer on one vs the other, which I was pretty happy with!

[@kevinwillis6707]

If you had measured diagonally both ways it would show square, checking long timbers with a tiny framing square isn't good enough, also its a lot easier to start putting concrete at the back of the space so you dont have to push heavy barrows over wet concrete

[@sumeraybuilds]

I did this too, I think it was only 5mm out which is basically bang on considering the size

[@troyboy4345]

Weed fabric for your soak away ? ... Non woven geo textile ideally ... Keep up the videos matey, good job !

[@sumeraybuilds]

Every days a school day 😂 thanks 🙏

[@AaronRussell-s3s]

100 meters?!?! 👀

[@sumeraybuilds]

Haha my bad, I meant millimetres