Exposed Aggregate Concrete
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 387
Likes: 0
From: Cambridge, Ontario
Exposed Aggregate Concrete
Anyone have any placing or finishing experience with exposed aggregate ?
The reason I ask is, the other day I pumped a pool deck for a guy that was 20 meters total. There was 3 guys placing and finishing the concrete and the temperatures was around 29*C outside with humidex around 32*C, I go back today and what they had poured the other day looks terrible, cold joints, pitted and in other areas no stone showing, almost like there was no retarder or perhaps it was the 4.5 hour old concrete.
The contractor is blaming the concrete supplier and of course the supplier is blaming the contractor. I personally have looked at 2 jobs the contractor has done they look great, I also seen 2 jobs the concrete supplier has supplied to different exposed contractors and they too look great ??
The only thing that has changed, so it would seem would be that on this particular job there it was pumped and the rest were not.
My question is this, could pumping exposed aggregate versus conventional methods affect the quality of finish you will get, could it be possible that pumping the mix could actually compact the stone and bring too much creme and fines to the surface ?
I'm curious to know, I can't say I have or at least remember ever pumping a exposed mix before
The reason I ask is, the other day I pumped a pool deck for a guy that was 20 meters total. There was 3 guys placing and finishing the concrete and the temperatures was around 29*C outside with humidex around 32*C, I go back today and what they had poured the other day looks terrible, cold joints, pitted and in other areas no stone showing, almost like there was no retarder or perhaps it was the 4.5 hour old concrete.
The contractor is blaming the concrete supplier and of course the supplier is blaming the contractor. I personally have looked at 2 jobs the contractor has done they look great, I also seen 2 jobs the concrete supplier has supplied to different exposed contractors and they too look great ??
The only thing that has changed, so it would seem would be that on this particular job there it was pumped and the rest were not.
My question is this, could pumping exposed aggregate versus conventional methods affect the quality of finish you will get, could it be possible that pumping the mix could actually compact the stone and bring too much creme and fines to the surface ?
I'm curious to know, I can't say I have or at least remember ever pumping a exposed mix before
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,243
Likes: 2
From: Chicago and Mt Carroll IL
Never seen EA pumped in the 31 years I've been building. My guess is that the pumping action alone may have been enough to overwork the mix and bring either too much creme up or too quickly. Were there site conditions that required pumping?
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,243
Likes: 2
From: Chicago and Mt Carroll IL
Oh jeeze, thats a long run. I'm thinking I might be not all that far off base that the mix got churned up to much in the process. It may have been hitting a little hard on the drop end also, further compacting the aggregate. He's up early, I will def post his thoughts. Good luck.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 387
Likes: 0
From: Cambridge, Ontario
Yea I'm kinda leaning towards that reasoning myself, the 45m pump is a 5 section boom with a lot bends and now matter how I configured the boom the jib had 30'ft of free fall slamming the concrete into the jib elbows then out the whip hose and free falling another 10'ft. ... not to mention the 1200 psi pump ramming the concrete down 130'ft of boom..
Like I say I can't recall ever doing one !
Thanks Ed
Like I say I can't recall ever doing one !
Thanks Ed
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,243
Likes: 2
From: Chicago and Mt Carroll IL
Just talked to Sam, sent text and he was up. First he s old school so his thoughts are likely biased. Said the only thing he will pump is footings, walls and plain flatwork like a basement or garage floor. He also said that if you wind up doing a breakout and have to redo using the pump again, he would drop it into a couple of site mixers at the pour location and remix, but not too much, to redistribute the ag and fines. Also said something about using care on the wash if the mix has been worked a lot...and then he started losing me. I'm no finisher. Hope this all works out to everyones satisfaction.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 387
Likes: 0
From: Cambridge, Ontario
You and me both, I'm no finisher by any means I have pumped a few thousand meters in my day but as far as finishing I leave that to the pro's. Well perhaps there may be a rip-out in order, but that's up to the Home Owner, Contractor and Supplier to sort out, I just pump it from A to B.. quality issues with the concrete and finishing are generally not my concern unless I can't pump the mix. If the pump does in fact affect the finish on exposed, if ever asked again to pump it I'd suggest finding another means of placing it,
This could be a leaning experience for a few people including myself.
This could be a leaning experience for a few people including myself.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 10,764
Likes: 39
Also wondering if you normally send a PSI mix ?..Aprox 3200 ,4.5 hours old , 80 or so degrees , stiff pour ,, sounds like trouble all the way around , the ash soaks op a lot of moisture as well
Just thinking out loud ....
Just thinking out loud ....
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,140
Likes: 0
From: Louisville,Ky.
When I had my house back in Indiana done in 2002, had a porch and sidewalk put it with exposed surface, I loved it on my barefeet. BUT,,,,, It was a BEAR to shovel in the winter time! Never used any ice melt on it , just took time to shovel carefully to clear it.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 42,085
Likes: 6
From: Lakewood, Ca.
20 yards is a pretty big pool deck for only three guys in the summertime sun IMO, particularly if the mud's being poured that stiff - lots of edges, joints, drains etc...
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 387
Likes: 0
From: Cambridge, Ontario
They used a Fresno and Bull float