Concrete Work
I'm in the process of building a few different things around the house. Depending upon how I feel and how the weather is at the time, determines which project I attempt to tackle each day. Today, was a beautiful day and we were both feeling quite well this morning so we jumped into some labor intensive projects outside.
First, we tackled the easier project since we are already quite far behind with this particular thing... spring planting in our wildflower gardens. We took care of six wildflower flowerbeds and planted new seeds. This was the easier project and it was finished in a very short time. It was nice to finally get the wildflowers planted though. We still need to buy some plants for our window boxes and the three larger planters on our deck but that is typically a "June thing" anyway. The wildflowers really needed to get accomplished because it is getting late in the growing season.
Then it came time to tackle a heavy and very labor-intensive project... installing a telescope pier permanently in the ground. I had already assembled an 8"x8" post made out of four 4"x4"s bolted together with eight galvanized bolts. Now it was time to dig a hole to the required depth, insert the heavy post, and then add some concrete.
Digging the hole required less time than I had anticipated so that was good. I had difficulty reaching deep enough into the hole but I managed to get it deep enough. I was covered in dirt from head to toe but I managed to get the hole to the necessary depth.
I had to place a couple of boards along the edge of the hole to keep the weight of my body from collapsing the hole. I didn't want this hole any larger than I needed. A larger hole would mean more concrete was required. More concrete means more problems for my spinal injuries.
Sheila helped me lift the heavy post from the deck and into the hole. Then I leveled the post and used some scrap lumber to hold the post level. This would hold the telescope pier level while I added the concrete and keep it there until the concrete sets. We mixed the concrete in a wheelbarrow... Sheila handled the hose and water while I mixed it all by hand with a shovel. Then I shoveled the concrete into the hole... tamping it to rid it of any air pockets...
We mixed one bag of concrete mix at a time. In all, we used three bags of concrete as well as some gravel...
This area around this post will be fenced in with a homemade wood fence. This will keep bears away from me while I am trying to do some astrophotography late at night.
Tomorrow, I'll backfill the remaining space around the post then level out the area with the rest of the dirt I dug out of the hole. Once I get this small area all cleaned up and leveled, I can throw down some grass seed.
This was actually the most labor-intensive part of this project and I know my spinal injuries will be screaming later on this evening and probably for the next few days. I'm really looking forward to getting all these spring projects completed though so I can relax and enjoy the summer.
It is always nice to make some progress on plans and today was one of those days.
First, we tackled the easier project since we are already quite far behind with this particular thing... spring planting in our wildflower gardens. We took care of six wildflower flowerbeds and planted new seeds. This was the easier project and it was finished in a very short time. It was nice to finally get the wildflowers planted though. We still need to buy some plants for our window boxes and the three larger planters on our deck but that is typically a "June thing" anyway. The wildflowers really needed to get accomplished because it is getting late in the growing season.
Then it came time to tackle a heavy and very labor-intensive project... installing a telescope pier permanently in the ground. I had already assembled an 8"x8" post made out of four 4"x4"s bolted together with eight galvanized bolts. Now it was time to dig a hole to the required depth, insert the heavy post, and then add some concrete.
Digging the hole required less time than I had anticipated so that was good. I had difficulty reaching deep enough into the hole but I managed to get it deep enough. I was covered in dirt from head to toe but I managed to get the hole to the necessary depth.
I had to place a couple of boards along the edge of the hole to keep the weight of my body from collapsing the hole. I didn't want this hole any larger than I needed. A larger hole would mean more concrete was required. More concrete means more problems for my spinal injuries.
Sheila helped me lift the heavy post from the deck and into the hole. Then I leveled the post and used some scrap lumber to hold the post level. This would hold the telescope pier level while I added the concrete and keep it there until the concrete sets. We mixed the concrete in a wheelbarrow... Sheila handled the hose and water while I mixed it all by hand with a shovel. Then I shoveled the concrete into the hole... tamping it to rid it of any air pockets...
We mixed one bag of concrete mix at a time. In all, we used three bags of concrete as well as some gravel...
This area around this post will be fenced in with a homemade wood fence. This will keep bears away from me while I am trying to do some astrophotography late at night.
Tomorrow, I'll backfill the remaining space around the post then level out the area with the rest of the dirt I dug out of the hole. Once I get this small area all cleaned up and leveled, I can throw down some grass seed.
This was actually the most labor-intensive part of this project and I know my spinal injuries will be screaming later on this evening and probably for the next few days. I'm really looking forward to getting all these spring projects completed though so I can relax and enjoy the summer.
It is always nice to make some progress on plans and today was one of those days.
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