78sharpshooter Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 My 3 x 4 x 30" deep concrete base does not have an even or smooth surface (the concrete truck, I believe, shorted me on the volume I ordered so I was 1.5" below the top of my form and could not screed the surface). Should I rent a scarifier and try to even it out or should I layup some mortar before putting the hardwood underlayment on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpearson Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 just grout it flat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonjic Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I would use an epoxy floor self leveling resin to smooth it off, and then make the timbers that sit between the hammer and the foundation 1.5" thicker. The leveling resin will give a nice bed against the timber and stop things settling over time. The resin is quite expensive, I have found a place in the UK that does a 25kg pack for about £100/ delivered ( $150 usd ) , its a bit of a fiddle though, because you get about 13 kg of solvent free epoxy, and the rest is basically sand ! You can make a 'picture frame' on the top of your concrete from soft pine, so you are only leveling the portion of the concrete where the bedplate timbers actually fit. This keeps the cost down. Ill try and find a photo of one that I have done this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonjic Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Heres some photos of one I did a couple of years ago. We also epoxy under the anvil to get it dead flat. We then put fabreeka pad between anvil and epoxy resin layer. Pic 1. Anvil pocket primed for epoxy Pic 2. Self levelling resin poured (the air bubbles will disapear as it cures, and leave a glass like finish) Pic.3 The levelling resin underneath the hammer timbers. Note the 'picture frame' mentioned in my last post to reduce the volume of resin required. note also the timbers are machined (planed dead flat). The object is to get all mating surfaces bedded. Pic.4 ) Ready to lift the hammer over the foundation. Pic 5. Finished installation, hammer grouted in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78sharpshooter Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 Here are the pics of the block and the hammer. The block was originally for my 50# LG so I have to cut those studs. The base for the hammer contains the anvil at the correct height so I essentially need a nice flat surface on the concrete before putting the wood on there. I can rent a scarifier for $75 for 3 hours, or get 2 or 3 bags of mortar for less but am not sure if the mortar is a good idea or whether the scarifier can be successfully used to make a usable surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Furrer Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Sounds like you are rather concerned so I would suggest you do what lets you sleep at night. IF that means renting a machine to grind it back then do so, level it, place a pad and shim it up to the height with wood or steel and move on. I have found that a bit of sweat on a job that makes me uneasy is a good thing. Ric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Did you give the concrete company accurate measurements? If so then THEY'RE liable for any and all expenses, make THEM make it right. I don't know of a good concrete company that doesn't dump a yard or so of extra mix when the job is finished. A short load is inexcusable. Heck, the driver should've been on the horn at the time, you shouldn't even have to ask. The guys who poured the foundations and slab for my shop had one form board shift a couple inches so one edge was bowed out a little. The guy wouldn't HEAR of payment till he came out with a concrete saw and made it right. No extra charge and HE had to wait on the concrete to cure before he got paid, HE covered wages, materials, etc. If you do have to correct it yourself I'm with Ric, do what makes you comfortable. Were it me, I'd just use a hammer drill to make some holes, drop in some short pieces of rebar about 1/2 the dia. of the holes bent 90* 1/2" or less above the existing surface and use fibrecrete to bring it to grade. I gotta say I would've been on the phone when the truck didn't fill the form, they could've cleaned it all out and done it right or maybe see me in small claims for having it cleared out and done right. Short loading a pour is inexcusably unprofessional and I'd sure as heck be telling everybody if they weren't falling all over themselves making it right. You DID call the company and tell them, yes? Of course if YOU estimated how much concrete you needed rather than giving them the measurements and letting them do the estimation it's your bad not theirs. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsloan Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I agree with everyone else your losing sleep over this. If your off a a half inch make up for it with buffering material. On my slab I added 8 layers of tar paper, but I only needed to make up about a 3/16 of an inch. Over that. I would try and make up for the lost concrete. Simple answer tuffco. Amazing stuff. tough as nails it's an epoxy based stuff come in 5 gallon buckets. Put it over your concrete and level. Set hammer in and enjoy. Dave from diller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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