New home concrete stumps how to?

[echnidna]

sorry to butt in on the original topic but,
do you have to fit concrete stumps into concrete?
Can you just put in a block of wood for the stump to sit on and back fill?

Redgum soleplate would work, you can also get precast concrete sole plates.

But the difficulty arises that you have to dig the stump hole to a precise depth so when the stump is bedded down solid it is at the correct height.

60 stumps a day is not rocket science just hard heavy work.

If you use a concrete mixer on site then you can work at a leisurely pace.

[OBBob]

60 stumps a day is not rocket science just hard heavy work.

When you have doen it a few time you don't have to re-check everything 10 times, that's the real saving.

[rileyp]

I was thinking of a mixer as I could work at my own pace rather than the truck but Ill only have 25- 30 stumps to do anyway and the mixer is hard work isnt it? Never actually standing before one can only assume.
And if Bob can do 60 in an arvo then I should manage 25-30 with a bit a of a sweat!
Its Colac Otway shire so Bob you may even know if backfilling with dirt is ok.

[echnidna]

Sorry dunno about Colac Shire.

But generally speaking 6" of concrete backfill is good enough.

[ausdesign]

You would only have to backfill with concrete for bracing purposes.
100-150mm is all you need to sit the stump on to get the required bearing pressure, it's just that with wet concrete this isnt feasable to hold the stump while the mix goes off, so you end up coming up the hole more than you really need (and use extra concrete).

[rileyp]

:0 thats cheap!
Where are you getting them from?

That price was the first place I rang in Geelong out of the yellow pages.
So better prices may be around!
They quoted $5 per stump for any size up to 1200 (in 100mmm increments)
and anything over 1200 $5 per metre or part thereof I think.
Ill have a looking in the phone directory if you really need to know.

[OBBob]

I was thinking of a mixer as I could work at my own pace rather than the truck but Ill only have 25- 30 stumps to do anyway and the mixer is hard work isnt it? Never actually standing before one can only assume.
And if Bob can do 60 in an arvo then I should manage 25-30 with a bit a of a sweat!
Its Colac Otway shire so Bob you may even know if backfilling with dirt is ok.

You may want to allow a few days if you haven't done it before. IMO it's just one of those thing that has a lot of levels to check and re-check. So you can waste a lot of making sure they are vertical, then that they are in line and at the right height ... then going back to make sure they haven't sunk, then checking they are still verticle ... ... but then again that's probably just me!

[rileyp]

Do you use a 600mm level or a 300mm level or just a post level
I have seen a fencer use one of those post levels but I personally think they are a bit crappy especaily on a redgum post as they arent exactly perfect.
How true are concrete stumps? If they are good then a post level would speed it up a bit and they are light as os more muscle for the stump locating.
Hey brain wave buy 30 post levels tape to each stump then sell them all on ebay when Im finshed lol!

[bugsy]

Do you use a 600mm level or a 300mm level or just a post level
I have seen a fencer use one of those post levels but I personally think they are a bit crappy especaily on a redgum post as they arent exactly perfect.
How true are concrete stumps? If they are good then a post level would speed it up a bit and they are light as os more muscle for the stump locating.
Hey brain wave buy 30 post levels tape to each stump then sell them all on ebay when Im finshed lol!

maybe a string line would be cheaper?

[rileyp]

I know to use a string line but that wont make them vertical.Are you suggesting 2 string lines? 1 near ground and 1 near top of stumps? That still wont make them vertical in the opposite plane.
In reality I wouldnt use 30 levels I was just being Saturday night silly.
I was thinking of using 2 string lines on each row so they are easy to make vertical in at least 1 plane and get height correct as well.
Then to get them all good in the other I could just move around with a 300mm or 600mm level till I was happy.
Oh heres another question:
would a cheap lazer level be better for height adjustment or a water level or just the top string line used to get height correct?
Im thinking a string line will sag a little in the middle over 15 or so metres or am I dreaming agian?

[bugsy]

I know to use a string line but that wont make them vertical.Are you suggesting 2 string lines? 1 near ground and 1 near top of stumps? That still wont make them vertical in the opposite plane.
In reality I wouldnt use 30 levels I was just being Saturday night silly.
I was thinking of using 2 string lines on each row so they are easy to make vertical in at least 1 plane and get height correct without a spirit level.
Then to get them all good in the other I could just move around with a 300mm or 600mm level till I was happy.
Oh heres another question:
would a cheap lazer level be better for height adjustment or a water level or just the top string line used to get height correct?
Im thinking a string line will sag a little in the middle over 15 or so metres or am I dreaming agian?

sorry i was thinking lateral.

you can get levels that strap onto corners

[rileyp]

Yeah they are called fence post levels.....And they are the exact item I was talking about. I was thinking because they are so short they wouldnt be that accurate on a redgum post but on a concrete stump which is pretty true I'm thinking it would be quite good but was looking for a second opinion as I havent really used any concretes before and am unsure how true they really are.
cheers rileyp

[OBBob]

The concrete stumps are pretty good on the sides that are in the mould. The open side is a bit rough. You'd be fine with a fence level.

I did the perimeter first and then strung string lines between the tops so that I could get all the rows in between correct. Then as I said above, I hired a laser level (you need a good one, the cheapies look crap ... the real ones are worth thousands) ... they are great and you can quickly check the tops and correct with a bit of cement sheet if required.

[rileyp]

Id be able to borrow a good laser level of the mechanical plumbers at work.not the spinning type ala metal ceiling/plasterers/builders which would be the type your speaking of but one that is self leveling and shoots a beam vertically and horizontaly.I understand this wound mean setting up for each row of posts which would create inaccuracies I suppose.
Maybe the good old water level?