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Workshop plans


Looks great!!

For the cuts to work right/crack, basically two factors: first, was the prep work done so the dirt/underpayment was very level? If so, a cut of just a small depth will create the weak spot for the crack. Second, the cut has to be deep enough to overcome irregularities. For example, if the substrate wasn’t very level, the crack will appear along the side of the deepest parts of the pour, the weak spot. The solution is the same, just cut deeper. & the third of the two factors: cut it ASAP, while the concrete is still “green” and curing. The cracks don’t appear suddenly like breaking a window. As the concrete cures they slowly develop. The sooner you cut it, the better you can control the cracking.

Sealing, that’s a must, and use a true concrete sealer. It actually completes the curing chemical reaction and enhances the cure, yielding a really hard surface. Should be done 28 days out (90% cure). If you do it too soon, the surface will be harder than the depth, and it could actually fracture on the plane, delaminates, resulting in thin layers that will fail. BTW, don’t drill & place any anchor bolts for the same 28 days.

As far as filling the cracks, that is predominantly to keep water out so it will not freeze and bust up the slab. If it never gets wet inside, and it never goes below freezing (not even one time) you really don’t have to caulk it. Having said that, it’s still advisable, just not mandatory.

& one last thing I’ve learned over the years:

It’s great to keep a little pussy around, but if you don’t keep a close eye on it, it’ll get you in trouble every time!
 
Thanks for the heads up on the sealing and caulking - I was wondering about the caulking. Now I understand.
I will definitely do both. The wall I'm going to put up to separate the workshop will be anchored on the existing slab so no worries there.
Is there a particular brand of sealer or a specific quality I should look for?
The substrate was a mix of gravel and sand and compacted with a walk-behind compactor.

Thanks for all your input.
 
Here's what I'm looking at for the sealer:

Concrete Sealer

57294
 
I don’t think the brand matters too much if it’s indoors. More important is to make sure it’s for a slab, and to put it on the way they recommend, and at the right time.

A lot of folks don’t understand chemicals. They use twice as much and think it’s twice as good. Not so, always use whatever as recommended & it’ll be fine.

Glad it’s working for you! Looks great!
 
I have one other thought you might not hear from others. Thank Him for the work, your ability to do it, your resources and friends and family. Ask His blessings on it and everything. It’s okay to just think it, but it’s better to take a few minutes and reflect on it all. Get a hamburger and a chair, and eat in the middle of the place, talk with Him.

If you want to get real crazy like me, invite the friends over for Christening meal/party, and include your priest or Holy Man/Woman. Ask him/her to bless it, what you do with it, and you all.

I know, @Dirtman thinks I’m weird (I am), but you and your friends will have a great time, you WILL be blessed, and you and your friends will have a great time talking about it forever. & you know what? Even if they poke fun at you, you’ll be doing His work, spreading His word and works.
Think of what others have suffered or died for Him. This is a piece of cake! I’m not suggesting you become a preacher, just include him, let the other folks figure out why. They will!

I only ask one thing: pass it on/pay it forward.

& hey, if you’re not into all of this, c’mon down and help me clean up the shed of miracles and find out what hell is like!!!
 
For sealer, my concrete guy just told me to get "25% cure and seal", it has 25% solids (whatever that means, it's a clear liquid), he told me where the local concrete supply shop is, they open up at 7AM on weekdays so I could even stop in before work, there were two options, one for $90 for a 5 gallon bucket and one for $110 for 5 gallons... then he sold me a $2 3/8" nap roller and a $3 new handle (so no paint chips in the finish, it was cheap enough...). I screwed a broom handle in and went for it, turned out well. My 36x48 shop took about 3.5 gallons but I have a hard troweled finish, a brush finish like yours will take a little more per square foot but they only sell it by the 5 gallons... Oh, and don't go back and forth with the roller too much, it aerates it, you just need to go in one direction. It is super sticky when wet, your shoes will stick to the drips, and if you pick out a concrete chip from the roller it'll be on your fingers for a while... or so I've heard... :)

When using that stuff, NO SMOKING! I think the other 75% is Naphtha AKA lighter fluid...
 
When I had my garage done, I paid extra for them to seal it. Fast forward to me having it all set up and working on vehicles. I spill fuel on the floor and it eats the sealer off the floor.
 
Sealers usually serve two purposes. First, there is a chemical curing agent which catalysts the surface to a complete cure, making it hard in the process. That stays forever,

The second item is like a stain/sealer for wood. A little sinks in, most stays on the top. A penetrating coating. & yes, the right chemicals can eat or dissolve that seal.

If you know you’ll be spilling oil and gas or solvent or whatever, they make a seal for it. Some are pretty pricey. Seal the concrete fo concrete purposes, and them coat it to resist the chemicals.

It depends on your plans. Do you want it like a pretty showroom or will it be messy and dirty on a good day?
 
Yeah, that...

The concrete guys sprayed the same stuff on it just after it skinned over a couple hours after they troweled it, then after it cured I did it again to fill in the rest of the voids. I'm not expecting it to be shiny forever (heck, I wasn't even expecting gloss...) I just wanted to seal the pores so oil (everything I have but my '97 Ranger leaks oil) doesn't stain it as bad... I just spent over $11k for a floor, I'm gonna at least try :)
 
I have one other thought you might not hear from others. ....
My son-in-law is pastor at our church. We prayed before the install. Hadn't thought of a post-pour gathering, but it sounds like a good plan.
We did talk about the space being a perfect place to project a movie for the grandkids though. So that would accomplish both.

... I just spent over $11k for a floor, I'm gonna at least try :)
You know, I heard that "word of caution" from the CFO after writing the check. I think what she meant was "if you F up this floor I'll be stringing you up by the short hairs with this hoist" or something to that effect. :censored:

It depends on your plans. Do you want it like a pretty showroom or will it be messy and dirty on a good day?
It will not be messy. I have about 150 of those large play room mats that link together - used to have them on the basement floor before I installed flooring - they will be put to good use whenever leaky things enter the area.🚯
 
Some pics and a question for ya.
I was planning on walling off the work shop with OSB 3/8" or 1/2" but the cost is - as you may know -- triple what it used to be. For what I need it's almost $600. I just checked the price of drywall. 4x8x1/2" --- $120. What would you do?
Pics...
20210517_091011.jpg 20210517_190931.jpg 20210517_191849.jpg
This last one is all the stuff that has to picked thru and moved into the shop area.
 
As much as I hate to mud and tape drywall. I think I would drywall it and paint it white. It will make it brighter in there for sure.
 
I would wait until plywood goes back down, maybe a year or so.

Screw drywall and everything about it, I don't want it anywhere near my workshop.

If you need to create a patrician because what side of the wall will have A/C or heat, use some plastic tarps stapled to the studs.
 
You could drywall now. Skip the mud and tape. Then put osb or plywood over it later when price us reasonable.
 
As much as I hate to mud and tape drywall. I think I would drywall it and paint it white. It will make it brighter in there for sure.
It's definitely gonna be white gloss white - as bright as I can get it.
Screw drywall and everything about it, I don't want it anywhere near my workshop.
I agree 100%. It damages so easily, but the price difference is too much to overlook. Tarps would work though in the interim.

You could drywall now. Skip the mud and tape. Then put osb or plywood over it later when price us reasonable.
Yes. I wouldn't go through the trouble of mud and tape. I could pick up a piece of OSB here and there so it wouldn't be such a big hit all at once.

Thanks everyone for your input. Good ideas and stuff to think about. 👍
 

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