For me, the most stressful parts of our new home construction have all been related to the concrete. First, we had to find a quarry that was certified not to have pyrrhotite, a mineral of concern for the construction industry, which when exposed to water and air, can break down to form secondary minerals that expand and crack concrete, causing concrete structures, like home foundations, to fail. Second, it was important to schedule around the weather; not too hot, not too cold, and not during or prior to rain. Third, we did not want falling or blowing leaves to wind up on top of the wet concrete. Finally, we had to ensure that all cement trucks after the first, arrived in a timely manner. Happily, today the basement and garage floors were poured representing the last time I will have to concern myself with all the issues above. The basement was poured first using a pump and finished with two concrete trowel (“butterfly”) machines. The garage was poured straight from the truck and finished with a manual float. Tomorrow I will be able to walk on both and assess the quality of the work. Fingers crossed.

The yellow material taped to the ICF walls is Stego’s 15mil vapor barrier that covers the entire basement floor to prevent moisture and gas migration through the concrete. Each pass of the power trowels left the floor progressively more level and smooth. The photo above was taken near the beginning of the process.