Preparing For Blockwork

I spent the day getting ready for the block work and for the agricultural pipe to drain water from behind the retaining wall. I also took delivery of 2 containers of techdry (mortar add mixture to make it water resistant). http://www.techdry.com.au/Products/Water-Repellent-Admixtures/Cement-Mortars/Techdryad-Mortar-Additive.aspx




One of the shoring posts was leaning too far into the excavation so I tried to bend it back. It broke! So I replaced it with another.

Shoring

I spent today finishing off the shoring. I used my hardwood posts that I salvaged from the demolition. I also used ply wood to try to keep the actual soil together. The posts are generally buried 1 metre below the level of the trench. Jim, the other excavation guy loaded up the truck and took more dirt away. Glen seems better with the excavator. I'm going to try to get him to carve out the actual footings.





Yesterday and today I got the excavator to push and in some cases hammer in the posts. Interestingly a single post had no problem supporting the 5 ton excavator with it resting on its back tracks.

The shoring gives a good idea of the size of the garage - fairly big :)



3mm of rain fell last night and I felt compelled to visit the site to check out the shoring - it seems to be fine :)