Lower Level Entombed in Concrete
After months in preparation, the lower level slab of 60 Bragg Hill was poured today. The timing of this pour was critical. Unlike the concrete used inside the vertical walls of the home, an exposed slab representing the whole lower level of the home requires perfect synchronization of many elements. Temperature, humidity, concrete and truck availability, and a small army of concrete finishing experts were required to be at their best for the pour. The hundreds of feet of radiant tubing and associated manifolds had to be set and pressure tested. 33 cubic yards of concrete were used for the the four inch slab that was poured over two inches of solid foam, wire lath and radiant in-floor tubing.
There are only a few time-critical tasks in the building of a home. Pouring and screeding concrete is one of them. Once started, there is no stopping. The 33 yards of concrete required three concrete truck deliveries. The great fear is that one of the trucks might be stuck in traffic or otherwise be detained. Because of the open floor plan of the design, the batch of concrete must be consistent for the entire floor and pour should be completed in one application. In our case, everything went well. Despite a several hour delay in the first delivery of concrete, the entire floor was poured, laser leveled and screeded. Dinner was brought in for the concrete finishing team who worked straight through until11:00PM.