Day 5 - preparing for concrete

In anticipation of concrete being delivered tomorrow morning, a lot of work needed to be done preparing rebar, building the formwork and fitting the plastic lining.


While the main rebar for the concrete base is going to be a series of 4.8m X 2.4m sheets (with very little cutting) we needed rebar lengths that were cast into the base and rise up through the hollow concrete block walls. This rebar was cut to length and then bent with a the help of an anvil a sledge hammer at first and then later with a steel pipe, which was a significantly faster and quieter method.


We built the formwork for the concrete, then back filled behind it (to prevent it moving with the weight of the concrete) by positioning a sheet of plywood at the top of the form work and chipping away at the top edge of the excavation with a pick/shovel. Tough work only because the soil is so hard.


We finally got the two sheets of builders plastic into the base just as it was getting too dark to see.