Barn Renovation--Stage Nine--Concrete Floor

While we were putting the roof and sides on, we were also taking out our frustrations a little at a time by busting out the old concrete floor. Yes, with a sledgehammer. Our skid steer was a great help in hauling off the concrete. We filled three dumpsters with concrete that will be recycled by a local excavator. Before the new concrete floor could be poured, we needed to wet down the sand. We were surprised at how dry the sand was, but it hasn't had any rain or moisture on it for decades so I guess it makes sense that it would be dry. 

Four cement trucks came that day, and we poured an estimated 27 cubic yards of concrete.

The day of the pour was fairly warm. Probably too warm for the workers. Some things are worth hiring done, and while The Farmer and his father helped, the bulk of the work was done by a contractor.

The Farmer comes from a construction background. His father and one grandfather were brick masons. His other grandfather was a furnace man. The Farmer originally was a carpenter, working on some of the finest homes in our area. I have noticed how much he has enjoyed working on the barn, and it was good to see the father and son working together on this project.

The contractor operated the power trowel for the first go-over. Several more trips over the surface with the power trowel gave us a very nice finish.

It was a huge job, compounded by our frugality. Any leftover concrete was used to fill in old trenches in the sheep barn. We've been filling in these "pits" since we converted the barn from a chicken house to a sheep barn. Every time we pour concrete, the leftovers go in the trenches.

Again, the skid steer came in handy. We did make sure to thoroughly rinse the bucket out when we were done. Cement has a funny way of hardening and becoming permanent.

The end of the day found all of us exhausted and pleased that this stage was finished.

For more posts about the barn renovation, click here.