The New Shed - Phase 8

This phase of the project deals with the final preparations before concrete could be poured. The top rails of the form were level and square to make sure that the finished concrete is level and square. The lower ones were just there to hold the lower part of the plywood in place. Some had been installed last year, but with the grade being raised so much, they were now too low, and had to be adjusted. I decided not to put them in until after the styrofoam.

October 12

The styrofoam I wanted to use was not in stock, so I had to wait for a few days to have it delivered. Along with it came the wire mesh, rebar and plastic.

October 17

October 17

The first item to go down was the 6 mil vapour barrier. I considered skipping this step since the shed was going to be so much above grade, but it was not a big expense, so I went ahead with it. It will help keep any ground moisture from getting up into the concrete, and damaging it from below.

October 17

The insulating layer is Foundation Plus. It is the beaded type of foam, rather than the more solid type, and is supposed to both breathe and allow water to pass down through. It is rated for below concrete slabs, and the idea is to help keep frost out, while also providing support. The R value is a modest 7.5, so I am not expecting a lot of cold protection.

October 17

October 19

With slopes and odd angles, it took a while to get all the styrofoam in place. There was a small weather window of warmish weather coming up, so we worked some late evenings to get things done. Fortunately, I have a recently retired friend, Jim, who was willing to give me a hand.

October 20

Getting the plywood to fit was more of a challenge than the styrofoam. There were slopes and a little bit of unevenness to deal with. Each piece required multiple cuts. After that process, it was just a matter of laying out the mesh, and putting in the rebar.

October 21

To do the rebar, I supported the horizontal sections on 4x4s, and 2x4s on edge, to get them roughly 3.5" up into the concrete footing around the perimeter. Then, in the corners and as required to provide support, verticals of various lengths were hammered into the ground, staying under the top of the concrete by about 1". All the connections were wired together. This process went on right up to just minutes before the ready-mix truck arrived, at 8:55, Thursday, October 22, 2015.

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The Entire Story To Date:

The New Shed - Phase 7
The New Shed - Phase 6
The New Shed - Phase 5
The New Shed - Phase 4
The New Shed - Phase 3
The New Shed - Phase 2
The New Shed - Phase 1