The Wall: Phase 1 Concrete

This is a brief blog entry, really the step between REBAR and laying the block is filling the rebar cages with concrete; leveling that out so that there is a sound base for laying  concrete block. 

In this project, Alvarro has put in some dams with fibrolet pieces to form a step that will provision for a change of level. 





In this second photo, Marlon, Alvarro's son, is preparing to put concrete in the rebar cages which attach to the main house foundation. 











Unlike the United States, there are no "Ready Mix" cement trucks hauling concrete to job sites.  Even if there were though, it would be very difficult for a number of reasons to bring such a truck up the Alazan mountain safely, and without damage to our mountain roadway. 

So in this photo, you can see how our crew mixes cement.  If you compare the size of Erazmo to the mixer, you can see that the machine is about the size of a small SUV.  So several wheel barrows full of concrete is mixed at a time and then carried by wheel barrow to wherever it needs to be places.  Tamping (to work out air bubbles) is done by hand. 


To the left in this photo, you can see the screen that is used to sift the river sand that is part of the concrete mix, so the crew gets the proportions done correctly to make a strong mix. 

Thanks for reading our blog!

Dick and Jim

The Wall: Phase 1 Rebar

An essential part of making these retaining walls strong and able to withstand the relatively frequent earthquakes is to give them a strong cage of rebar for the concrete that forms the footing of the walls.  This blog is to show that initial rebar cage going into these first walls. The project has a total of SEVEN wall sections before it will be fully complete.  And these walls form an INTEGRATED system of walls which add on living space to the house, create a level parking pad for several vehicles, and provide entry access to both the storage level (bodega) and the new front entry way with new front door.. 

Rebar cages started

The entire rebar cage system is welded together so from these walls to the final ones a couple of months from now, all that rebar is welded as a single unit.  Then surrounded by concrete.  The block is then layed on top of these footings. 

Rebar cages continuing

View from existing driveway

View heading uphill, steps in footing

View of the buttress walls which add stability to the wall structure

The Wall: Phase 1 Deliveries

Oh what fun the deliveries were!  Our driveway coming down from above is rather steep, which of course is one big reason for this new project.  The dump truck at least has eight rear wheels for traction.  So had little trouble backing down and driving up.

First load of sand (black sand) to be used as fill and concrete mix

The concrete block deliveries, and in fact all supply deliveries from this particular truck have been much more interesting.  There are photos I would have taken had it been possible....  The block (and metal, bags of cement) white truck from Ferriteria Garyba is rear wheel drive only.  And it works very well when loaded with block.  But UNLOADED the back in is so light it is hard to gain any traction. 

First load of Concrete Block

In the first delivery, he drove down with NO good ability to turn around.  With a lot of guideance, he managed to turn around - and then with men on back; and sometimes a couple bags of cement he was able to gain traction to go uphill.  The truck was brand new on this first delivery, the very first time out on the road.  By the time he was done that new front bumper was bent down as it made contact with the old retaining wall (now gone). 

First load of concrete block unloaded

There have been several deliveries now of concrete block, and cement, and rebar, and metal and each one requires the efforts of our crew to help the guy out.  

This last delivery (for this blog entry anyway) is of Gabian Rock.  These are large river rock, about 25 or more cm across which go into the bottom of the wall.  The reason for this is so we can create a nice, open drain area at the bottom.  In other posts you'll see the many weep holes at the bottom of the walls.  This gabian rock is part of the drain solution that will keep the walls from retaining WATER while they retain earth (and cars, etc).  

Load of Gabian Rock delivered

The Wall: Phase 1 Posts

Hi again everyone.  So in this little photo set, we're laying out three posts which will, ultimately, be the outer support posts for the ROOF which will partially cover parking and will provide cover for both the front courtyard entryway, and the stair down to the bodega (storage) level.  So this is mostly a photo blog and I'll caption each photo with its purpose.  The roof starts at stairway posts to the existing house, and extend out over all of the entryway of the courtyard, and beyond.  It is about 2.7 meters from existing house to the three new posts.  And the roof will be a total of 6 meters long at the top (will be a prow front roof so will be only 5 meters at the gutter lines).  While modest, the roof covering the parking area will be enough to keep doors and rear hatch covered if we back into the space so we have coverage during a driving rain. 

First post (ridge post) placed

Second post placed (downhill side)

All three posts lined up and mostly plumb

All three posts plumb and temporary bracing done

The Wall: Phase 1 Trenches



Hi again!  So this is mostly a photo blog, since text won't help all that much.  But let me set the stage.  The starting point in the big retaining wall project was first to dig trenches.  These start out fairly minor to set the path, then are deepened.  This first phot shows the beginning trench going uphill, and that little leg to the right  goes through the stair center support post, and then cuts back uphill to join the house foundation. 

That little tree in the bottom right corner of the photo was broken off when trimming dead trees at the beginning of this project.  It used to provide what would have been awesome shade over the parking area.  Alas, that will take 2 or 3 years to regrow the top; but should be a nice tree to have in this space. 

This next photo continues the trench in the first one downhill, and then cuts "left" to the driveway.  There are lots of perspectives I might have oriented these photos. But seemed to me uphill on top, and downhill on the bottom made most sense.  In future blogs you may want to make a mental note to come back to this one.  There will be a couple dozen more as this particular project continues....

In the first photo I mentioned the trench cutting right and through the center post of the stair...  This is another view, from uphill down.  If you double click the photo it will enlarge and you can see the cut back to the foundation (stairs rest on the foundation). 

This is a view of the bottom of hill trench from ground level.  I'm actually standing on the bodega floor as I shot this, somewhat higher than ground level.  The driveway level is at the top of this photo.

So this little set gives some idea of where.  Size...  That trench in the lower photo is 4.5 meters long.  The cut at the bottom right corner is a 45degree angle that'll make more sense in future blogs. 

So there you have it!  This marks the beginning of the work.   

Exterior Painting Started

You've seen the prior photos with some trial color paint.  We've been looking for something similar to the color of brown mustard.  Our inspiration color was "Silver Spring brand Deli Style Horseradish Mustard".

With Steve DeVore's help from Casa Bellarita in Santa Ana CR, I went to a paint store in Ciudad Colon and got some of Costa Rica's best brand paint mixed to a color chip I brought with.  I took that gallon to the coast and tried it out on the stairwell wall, leaving some of the ugly yellow we tried before.  You can see the two colors (new = darker).  Passing this photo to Dick who was in WI at the time, we agreed we found the color we were looking for.  I asked Steve to order in three more gallons so that I would have adequate supply to do what I think we need to do.  Likely will have to purchase an additional gallon, but clearly have enough to start.  Note that triangle below the stair still needs stucco, but once done will get the same color.

So I began the stair well project, which if you read blog entries around now will also show the new lighting.  In order to get up high enough I needed to fashion a longer level platform.  This concrete block and pieces of fibrolet allowed me to make a level base.  Rob's shorter extension ladder was perfect for working within the stairwell. 

This shows the ladder in place, reado to continue painting the stair well walls.  This worked very well and I was able to do around the window on the right, and the right side of the window on the left.  It was at that point I hit my height limit. Ladder was too verticle for my tolerance.  But, for the left side of the left window I acted as ballast while Rob painted the left side of the window. 

That just left the bumpout side and for that, needed our taller extension ladder.  Gotta tell ya, it was some doing for me to get up to the top of that and apply paint.  I waited awhile with that ladder in place...  Then climbed it with nothing in hand, just to touch the top of the wall.  While doing that I told myself that there was still mountain higher than that point, and that I could continue.  With that little bit of mental trickery, I grabbed the paint can, and brush, and headed up.  Painted along the very top.  Then climbed down, lowered the extension a notch, did it again, and so on until I was done. 

The result is the very nice looking sidewall.  I intentionally waited until the afternoon sun was hitting the wall to take this photo. 

In the future, there will be a roof whose ridge comes off that center post of the stair.  The lights will line up just above it, and the same green roof will be on that lower roof.  This new roof will cover the entry, and the better part of one vehicle parked on the new parking pad. 

This photo shows the side wall painted, and most of the wall below the bump out.  IF you look CAREFULLY you will see a spot of that original yellow just to the right of the entry door, and "south east" of the outlet on the wall.  Blow up this photo by double clicking and you can see it better. 

The color isn't very true in this photo, with the side wall appearing much yellower than it actually is. 



I took time to paint the angle brackets for the bumpout, and also the metal work around the teak door frame.  Now that we see this, when I pick up on painting black again, I'll paint that aluminum frame above the door black as well. 



Some ideas for the future.  In our bathrooms we've been using a lot of green tile.  And we have a fair quantity left.  We're thinking of using it as a "baseboard" at the bottom of this wall, and also as an applied color strip just below the windows.  What do you think of that idea? 

Thanks for readiing...

Dick and Jim

Painting Railing

Of major note this trip was how much rust had developed on the railing.  And it had been at least two years, probably more, since they had been painted. 

This was a lot MORE than a simple coat of paint.  There was a lot of rust.  So bought a drill end wire brush and proceeded to wire brush all sides of all the metal work making up the railing.  Then proceeded to sand with coarse metal sandpaper, then fine metal sandpaper. 

Wipred down all the metal, then proceeded to repaint.  In some areas Jim needed to put on two coats so as to get adequate coverage.  However, in the end, all of the upper veranda railing is repainted; ready for new layers of rust!

I like the way this outer corner looks with fresh paint on it.  Went from ugly to beautiful again!

Jim