Hi,
Is it mandatory to patch form ties before applying the foundation coating. how important is it really.. So many varying opinions on that topic.
My contractor insists it is NOT necessary. On the new construciton sites around my area they use the plastic cement for patching before applying the asphalt foundation coating. I talked to a man on site just last week about this and said yes, Patch those form ties. Have no idea if that is covered in the building code here in NL. Probably not.. You’re lucky if they build to minimum code. But if there is nobody to enforce the buidlig code they are free to do whatever they want to cut costs and save time.
I’ve read the manufacturer’s spec sheet on how to apply the product and they say to avoid using if rain is forecast. Takes 48 hrs to completely dry. Dry to the touch in 4 hrs. Surface prep..seal joint between footing and foundation with plastic cement P-20. They’re using a procut called Paqco60. The surface should be dry before backfilling. Product should e applied to a dry clean surface, free of loose materials and dirt. Says to let dry completely before backfilling to avoid premature produt deterioration and possibility of humidity infiltration. Naturally the Contractor knows best.. He insists there is no need to patch those form ties. He’s just going to snip off the ends. and apply the foundation coating. He really wants to get a move on because he’s on another big project.
Rain is headed our way for Wed. evening. I suppose he’ll have the weeping tile installed and the trench backfilled by then. That doesn’t give the foundation coating a full 48hrs to dry.
Replies
Wanda
Tile next to the footing!
not on top.
Any depressions should be filled b/4 coating. I would think tie locations would fall in that category. At any rate, these are areas that will never again see the light of day. Do it right or go home.
and, make sure all the wood scraps are pulled out of the trench as well.
to back fill with anything other than stone is in need of a reason not to.
Calvin here are pictures taken over the weekend. Not sure how much of the smashed cinder blocks in the rear of the house they took away today. They had to jack hammer some concrete blobs (leftover from the pour) in order to get at some of the cinder blocks. Very messy. To make their job easier they'll probably want to smash those and bury them in the backfill but they're not going to tell me that.
How many hours would you wait for that foundation coating to dry/cure completely? Product says 48 hrs before backfilling.
d you wait 48 hrs before backfilling.. Is that absolutely necessary?
Hi Calvin,
The weeping tile install began yesterday morning. When I arrived on site the slinger was pouring the stone into the trench. The contractor said he would send 2 men with buckets to remove some more of the cinder blocks from the other trenches.
As you can see a lot of the larger pieces of cinder block were removed. There are still a lot of pieces that have to be cleared out of the trenches.
IMO you're making a big deal about nothing. Those bits of CMU aren't going to hurt a thing. In fact, they probably would help drainge to foundation drain pipe. One man, a 2 lb hammer, and 15 min. would have taken care of the bigger pieces that may have caused any bridging or voids in the compacted backfill that Calvin rightly commented on. However, It certianly doesn't need to be removed to the extent you're gumming about.
BTW, you didn't wrap your "weeping" system in geo fabric. I guess you were too distracted "piling on" a debris non-issue. While your contractor may be no ace, you're not in position of knowledge to disparage him. It's probably time to knock it off.
Wanda
Unless the block is in couple inch pcs, I wouldn't leave them or add them as fill. I fill with stone only (57's are what they're called here) about 3/4" clean stone, no fines. Large rock and block debris will allow smaller fill to wash in later, making for more settling and potential lower grade at the house perimeter.
i only use stone as our soil is expansive clay. To backfill with clay is to add back what helped cause caved or buckled foundations to begin with.
again, that is conditions here. Yours may be different.
Remove all wood out of the trench, debris like that is like a billboard announcing a buffet to termites and other wood loving vermin.
everything you've shown here in all the posts pictures is absolutely the sloppiest and mostly substandard work I've seen from supposed professionals.
As far as the wait time on the foundation backfill........
directions should always be followed, they are there for a reason.
Good morning Calvin,
Our soil definitely isn't clay. Not sure how you'd describe it. I think it's pretty fast draining and there's a smallr % of sand in the soil. very fine rocky soil.
as far as the hollow cinder blocks go............ some have been broken into large bits and others have been pulverized using a sledge hammer. We've got a mixture of sizes! small chunks big chunks!
I know this work is substandard but around these parts what is a home owner to do. where do you go for help. It's hard to believe there are people out there posing as contactors, trades people. Laws are slack. Where is the protection for the home owner? The carpentry work needs a redo. No money going out for that. But who can you trust to do the work!!!!! Ignorance is bliss in the NL building trade.
Vet the contractor, ask for references and examples of their work, don't take the lowest bidder, ask to visit a current workplace, observe their site for cleanliness (yours is pathetic, and dangerous) have them provide copies of their workmans comp insurance, go with your gut feeling (sometimes wrong though).
Mark,
The contractor we hired runs a Landscaping business in the area. Apparently he has a good reputation. But that doesn't mean he knows anything about the carpentry trade.. as he has proven! Any man that can argue that plywood sheathing is only "cosmetic". and it's the studs that provide the structure of the building.... is ignorant.
We were given this man's name by the man who installed our artisian well. A reputable drill guy. Problem is.. we hired this man to put in a weeping tile system. But once he dug the trench around the house it was discovered that the foundation wall had to be removed.. Obviously that isn't his field of expertice. However, he said he had a guy that could do the work. As you can see from the pictures on the forum he appears to have done a superb job on building those forums. So I thought this guy must really know what he's doing..I've got nothing to worry about..... Boy, was I ever wrong!!!!!!!! The man can put forms together but he knows nothing carpentry judging by the door and window install not to mention the foundation cripple wall.
He very rarely visits the building site except to pick up his cash. There is no one to over see the 2 carpenter's working on the job site. A contractor is only as good as the people that work for him. Where did this contractor find this carpenter????????????? he's the man that needs to be vetted. My god, I need to do a background check on him. He says he's got a red seal whatever that means. I know about red seals in the culinary trades.. does that mean he's got his journeyman papers?
This is a case of misplaced trust.. Should have asked to see his license bit too late now. Funny thing is this man can excavate. I've seen him in action the first day he was on the jobsite. He did a great job of excavating around the chimney. I really felt I had hired the right man for the job.
things have just gone wrong since then.
Sounds like he is a jack of one trade and a master of one trade too.
Yes, I am familiar with Geo Fabric but it's common practice where I live to use "socks" over the weeping tile.
Who am I to argue with such a knowledgeable contractor. Besides some people would argue that weeping tile systems are useless and that you are better off with an interior system to drain water away from the stucture.
Weeping tile might keep the footings from sitting in water but most basement leaks are caused by cracks and small holes in the foundation walls. Form ties and any small imperfections that are below grade should be patched before the foundation coating is applied. Unfortunately, my contractor doesn't believe that's necessary. According to him the asphalt coating is all you need.
Rain water trickles down below the surface finding the path of least resistance. Lateral pressure forces the water into the cracks and small crevices. Imagine the pressure forcing against a 4 ft. concrete foundation wall .. One has to be concerned about hydrostaic pressure. The water infiltrates the wall before ever getting a chance to make it's way down to the weeping tile! of course you'll have people saying that's a load of BS! So many varying opinions on the subject of weeping tile systems.
I'm not going to get my knickers in a twist over this. Instead I'm going to sit out and enjoy a Margarita on the back deck!!!!
toolbabe wrote:
I'm not going to get my knickers in a twist over this. Instead I'm going to sit out and enjoy a Margarita on the back deck!!!!
That's a good idea. Probably more your element of expertise.