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Building a house (off-topic!)

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Gary Lewis

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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Yes, that IS good!

It looks like a lot of blocks, but I'll bet they get used up quickly.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

Ford F834

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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Yes, it is a lot of block! However, it includes the stem wall which in round terms is the first 5’ above the footer. That’s a lot of block, especially since there is not much in the way of openings except vents. CMU stem would have had lower materials cost, but a whale of a lot more labor. I am discovering just how NOT skilled I am as a mason, and just how brutal CMU construction is on your body. I am glad I chose EF block all the way to the footer. The piers, brace wall and porches are CMU and that’s plenty for me!

SHORT BED 4-DOOR DIESEL: 1986 F350 4x4 under construction-- 7.3 IDIT ZF5+GVOD

STRAIGHT SIX 4X4: 1981 F150 2wd to 4x4-- 300 I6 close ratio diesel T19, hydroboost brakes, Saginaw steering

BIG F: 1995 F-Superduty under construction— converting to 6.9L IDI diesel ZF5+DNE2

Gary Lewis

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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I hope it goes well. VERY well. Please keep us apprised as to how it does go.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Ford F834

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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I’ve got a 4 day weekend for Thanksgiving, and I’m going for it… the first lift that is… day 1 was a little slow to start since I had to shovel and sweep debris off of the footing, and set up some string lines. I am pleased with the progress though, and the EF block is a real pleasure to work with. It is forgiving and workable and after you level and square up the first course the subsequent courses lay up pretty quickly. I definitely have a lot to be thankful for today!

Gary Lewis

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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Looking good!!! You are making excellent progress.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Ford F834

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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In reply to this post by Ford F834

The house project is inching along weekend by weekend. I got the blocks placed 6 tiers high over Christmas/New Years. Got them glued which made everything a lot sturdier. I’m glad I waited to commit with glue, as the long wall and the 45* wall needed some adjustment. I cut out the crawl space vents and framed the openings with treated wood. I began building and placing the ledgers but they are far too heavy for the method of supporting them with ties around the anchor bolts. I am going to buy all-thread and bolt them all the way through the wall. The ledgers attach between the 5th and 6th course. Once the ledgers are up, I will build two more courses of block prior to the first grout pour. I hope to complete the house in 4 lifts, two pours. Today I was working on the parge coat of stucco below grade. It isn’t required, but I wanted the extra protection against determined rodents or flash flood hydraulic damage. Man, stucco is a workout! Especially in a narrow trench 30” below grade…

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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Gary would say "Welcome back Kotter!"

Lots of progress Jonathan, and Progress is Good!

Stucco is no fun hunched down in a trench.
My back can't handle it anymore.

I see the props holding up your ledgers.
Do you consider gluing them in place with either that foam or the foam construction adhesive in the same type of can, so they can't shift? 🤔

I don't know those blocke.
Are you able to get the grout pump hose to the bottom of the cavity?
Or do you just discharge at the top and use a stinger to settle it?

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Ford F834

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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Yeah the stucco is putting a hurtin’ on me… but the hardest stretches are done.

Since I am using the full 2x8 ledger as bucking for the anchor bolt holes, it’s a lot of weight. I might add glue, but the braces positioning my first one will be replaced by all thread running through the ledger and solid block web, and a 6”x6” plywood ‘washer’ on the outside of the wall. This way it can’t shift or slump during the pour.

The concrete flows remarkably well through the blocks. You pretty much just pour it in. Vibration isn’t required, usually a little bit of rodding with the vertical rebar is all that is necessary. Some people also use a sawzall with the blade removed against a piece of plywood on the wall face to vibrate the gout. The main thing is you don’t want the grout falling too far, so if you build taller than 4-5 feet it’s a good idea to cut holes with the hole saw every ten feet or so and pour grout up to that level and plug the hole. Then pour the next lift. I will pour the second lift directly into the top of the wall. At 8’ the wall will be about 3’ above finished floor. I am thinking I will probably frame and build the floor so I can stand on it to build the rest of the EF block wall more safely. I’m not crazy about having my subfloor exposed for an extended time, but such is the nature of building a house on the weekends and evenings.

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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Meant to keep the ledger from shifting, not support it entirely.

I've watched the videos where they cut a hole to pump under a window or whatever...

I worked building forms for bridge pylons when the highway fell down in '83.
Those things had to be monolithic and were up to 75' high.
There was so much rebar in them they couldn't get the hose down, and like you say, you don't want it to fall too far or the aggregate separates.

In my not so expert opinion, building your platform so you don't have to work off a ladder or scaffold is a smart move.

I wouldn't worry much about the deck being exposed, except if the humidity under cover climbs during the rains and the desert sun is beating down.
But your vents look easily big enough that the basement/crawl shouldn't stay wet like here in the Northeast.
And the ground likely has 10x the perc we do.

Keep on keeping on!
You're doing great. 👍

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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In reply to this post by Ford F834

Yes, welcome back! That sure looks like a lot of WORK! But it is coming along nicely.

I think I understand most of what you said, but want to confirm - the "ledgers" are the 2x6's I see bolted on? And you'll put the floor on them?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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This post was updated on .

Right.
Technically a ledger is a wall cleat that supports another member from below.
But in this case it appears that Jonathan is using a colloquialism.
Joist hangers will probably be attached and the floor framing flush with the ledger.
This provides perimeter support for the subfloor as well as an attachment for the joists.

https://www.hunker.com/13401465/ledger-strip-vs-joist-hangers

I should probably not put words in his mouth.
Go back and look at the section drawing showing the heights in the basement.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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That helps, thanks. And I do see the detail. So it now makes sense.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Ford F834

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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Thanks gentlemen. Jim, you are correct… the ‘ledgers’ are what the manuals call them for EF Block and The Perfect Block, but the joists will be face mounted with hangers. That cross section is from my first design, but the floor system for my permitted one is similar.

Jim, the block literature talks about aggregate separation but also says to limit pour height to ~5ft to prevent blow-outs, especially anywhere the blocks are cut to fit the design and are not full strength.

I am hoping the all-thread will mostly suppprt my ledgers. I will have 3 all-thread rods through each 8ft section of ledger. I can brace underneath them, but angled support probably won’t work since the walls will have to be poured from inside and they could easily get knocked down by the hose or workers grouting the pour.

Depending on the time of year, I might pay the extra cost for plywood subfloor instead of OSB. It is twice the cost, but it’s a long haul to get dried in. We get a spat of winter storms, and variable monsoon season July-September. It’s the Mojave desert, so moisture isn’t a huge problem, but water and sun exposure isn’t kind to OSB. I would want to be pretty confident that I would miss all or most of any rainy season before drying in. This is a new year, with a new allotment of vacation days and sick leave. Wish me luck.

Gotta strap on my boots and go finish that parge coat. I’m on the downhill slide!

Ford F834

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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Spring has been slow for house progress. I lost weekends from being sick, wet weather, and other eventualities like failed axle shafts on my Jetta. But I keep chipping at it.

Some work like manually bucketing dirt over the wall to backfill the foundation trench is brutal yet does not feel or look like much progress (but my back says otherwise!) and it all needs done.

My wife saw me struggling with chronically misplaced tools and supplies, stuffing things into vehicles to get them out of the rain. I was generally going out of my mind with disorganization so she ordered me a portable shed building and shop tool box as a valentine gift. She really is the best! I have yet to transfer everything into it but relief is here…

Easter weekend I cut, fitted and dry stacked two more courses of EF block, totaling 8’ above the footing. This is pour height for the first two lifts. I am almost there. I need to glue the block, install another run of rebar, buck the door openings and cut in a few more pass-throughs for utilities. The block is too high for a scaffold bridge so I had to stack temporary cinder block steps to be able to get in. Pretty soon it will be time to call the cement truck and pump.

Gary Lewis

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

Administrator

Progress!!! Sorry you've been ill, but I hope you are over it and hitting it full steam.

And it is always great to have someone looking out for you. Glad you have her. Hope she is doing better.

So is there just one pour? When it is done you put the superstructure, if that's what its called, on?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Ford F834

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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There will be two grout pours. The preferred technique is to build the wall in stages if it is going to be taller than 10 feet. The first 5 feet of wall for me is essentially the foundation/stem wall for the crawl space. The floor level will be at the top of the brown ledger boards visible on the inside walls. At 8 feet the walls are just below window height. This is where I stop for now. Once this is poured, I will build the floor and continue with the block. I don’t like the idea of having my subfloor exposed that long, but it really is the safest way to proceed with putting up block and having it to stand on for the second grout pour. In fact this is probably the only way without having elaborate fall protection. The peak of my high wall is about 17 feet from the footing, and 12 feet ceiling height at the clerestory wall.

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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Building the floor system will also stabilize the walls you are pouring, but I suppose the grout will do that when it is set.

Your wife is so thoughtful.
Buy her a vacuum cleaner or skillet for Valentine's next year and see how that goes over.

Do you need to keep the EF block moist after the pour?

I have no idea about pouring concrete in the desert, but we used to cover slabs with burlap and plastic to keep them from drying out as they cured (this was long before plasticizers, high early and other additives other than calcium chloride for winter)

I suppose another option is spraying the block with curing retardant, but -again- I'm no expert on concrete in the desert.
I do like to learn all I can.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

Administrator

In reply to this post by Ford F834

Thanks for the explanation, Jonathan. I know you have told me before, but you also know how old I am, so...

It sounds like you have it well planned.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Ford F834

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

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Jim, the EF blocks do soak up some water ~eventually… as I found out from cutting some that were out in the rain, but they are not porous or water wicking the way CMU is. Spraying them isn’t necessary and probably wouldn’t do anything unless you saturated them repeatedly. Even 1 inch of rainfall over about 10 hours directly on the flat side of the block didn’t soak through the 2” insulating face. That’s good news for the cure rate for the grout inside.

Gary your memory and amount of knowledge in your head is amazing. Don’t worry if your volume filter discards details about someone else’s house! 😁

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Building a house (off-topic!)

Administrator

Interesting!
I've worked with ICF but never this stuff.

Yeah, it would be a big problem with CMU's and desert wind.
I imagine you'd need to wet them before grouting and cover them in a poly sheet for at least a few days....

You're doing great!
Too bad you don't have a loader (or teenage son) to hump that backfill over the wall.

Please keep us posted as things progress!

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

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