[ICF Construction]

40 years eh, & you don’t know enough to tell client there is no such thing as a “ perfectly smooth “ finish on concrete? Does the young buck do your retainers normally or the cheapest. You don’t like his forms so what about the finish. You’ve never wrecked forms on green concrete. Sounds like time for a pow wow w/client & have the plasterer in pocket



Mike

Love the quotes on "perfectly smooth". If for no other reason but for the fact that my friend and I finished my shop floor, after hours, and while significantly intoxicated. We ran the power trowel all night for no reason but that we thought we were making something "special". We were unfortunately correct, if "special" is a synonym for "extremely slippery and dangerous" for a shop floor. It is possible (at least on horizontal surfaces), but not recommended by my standards. Lol

 

[ICF Construction]

You might want to hit up the engineer and see how he feels about it. I've had engineers spec that the forms stay in place for a week.

Haven't had that concern for several years since I've been using ICF's. Lol

 

[ICF Construction]

To respond, the sub's father is a long time friend of the owner. The sub is very good at rebar and has participated in numerous large commercial concrete pours, but I don't see this particular pour/application as being in his experiential wheelhouse. It's like a framer with a construction pencil doing fine finish work. I came onto the job, as a favor, as the last contractor messed up on the shoring and there was a minor earth/wall collapse last winter. This is the home the owner grew up in and has been in his family for 75 years. His goal is to remodel it use it for what time he has left and pass it along to his children for their lifetime use. We are installing an elevator, structural glass floors, and expanding the home into the rear hillside. I turned down the project initially as it is out of town and requires I live here much of the time, but the owner is a longtime client, the project is started and I have proven my trustworthiness over many years and projects to the degree he damned near begged me. I agreed to help him as a man should do. I also consult and troubleshoot for him on his other projects. The owner, who is a doctor, inherited some land/money, handled it well and significantly increased his holdings and income. He participates in his construction projects, always has something going on and personally built his own house. He is not a noob. I told him I would use the existing subs if I liked them, but would replace them if/as I saw necessary. By "perfectly smooth" no one, not even the owner is talking about a glass finish. He is experienced and realistic. Everyone is intelligent and sane here. He is asking for the same thing I or probably you would ask on your own home. The best work product humanly and reasonably possible, but that best product does not and should not include unevenly spliced forms and obvious seams. The forms aren't terrible, they are passable for the average typical retaining well. I just want a better product than average and my work is expected to exceed average. I specialize in design work for designers and architects. Many of the projects I have done have won ASID awards.

I am not proud or egotistical about any of this. It's just been my path in life. All of this is irrelevant to the question I posed but in response to the remarks etc. I submit this information for your consideration.

If anyone has any experience removing wall forms timely enough to float the green concrete walls, please let me know. It would me most efficient to be able to take a smooth finish slurry and use it to finish float the green concrete walls immediately after form removal, if one can reasonably accomplish it. I have never tried.

Otherwise, and where I am headed is, I will cast them as-is, pull them as soon as reasonably practical, scrape any uneven seams, grind as/if necessary and float the walls as perfect as possible. Weld-Crete makes a good bonding agent and finish material and I have access to a man who is a master at such work. It appears this is the most prudent path with minimized risk and maximum potential for a high quality finished product.

Thank all of you very much so far.

Personally, I have done it, but not with anything that was of significant height or load bearing capacity that would make me think twice. I understand your reasoning, and I agree with it in the sense that compromising structural integrity for aesthetics is a fool's errand.

 

[Murphy9190]

Thanks ICF. I get what you are saying and see you have more experience than I. You confirm my consideration the viability of the endeavor rests in the skill and experience level of the finishers - something one has to have a comfort level with. Thanks again.