From the Keeper’s Desk – April 24

Greetings!

Tuesday was eventful as the concrete work for the barn and summer kitchen was completed. Concrete for the floor slabs was poured late morning completed a bit after noon. The surface of the concrete had to be just right before the stamping of the plank board patterns could begin. That happened at 2:30 pm. It was amazing to see a flat slab of concrete turn into what looks like a wood plank floor.

The cement truck arrives

Pouring begins

Barn is poured

Summer kitchen is next

After 40 minutes all concrete was poured

Screeding the barn

Sceeding the summer kitchen

Working the surface of the summer kitchen

First patterns in place for the stamping

Laying the pattern in place

Pounding the stamp into the concrete

Almost finished

Process continues on kitchen floor

Summer kitchen floor

Stamped floor of the kitchen

The concrete guys came back Wednesday morning to cut control joints in the two slabs. Control joints in concrete are sometimes called contraction joints. These joints are cut into the concrete while it is still fairly fresh. Most of the time, it will be cut within about six to 18 hours of a concrete pour. Control joints in concrete are intentionally created weakened zones (grooves or cuts) that allow concrete slabs to crack in a controlled manner, typically in a straight line, rather than randomly. This helps manage the stresses caused by shrinkage and expansion due to temperature and moisture changes, preventing unsightly and structurally damaging cracks.

Summer kitchen with control joints

Barn floor with control joints cut

Next up on Monday Mike Laaksonen and crew will start framing for the summer kitchen.

Ed