Chute Construction Maine

Source: TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
Publication date: May 18, 2005

By Joe Nasvik

Few places in construction are mistakes harder to correct than the surface of a concrete slab, so you've got to pay attention to the basics if you want to get the quality and finish your customers expect, whether it's a driveway, patio, or floor deck.

The basics of finishing concrete start before you take the float out of your truck. First, you have to work closely with your supplier to order the right mix for your project. Then when the truck arrives, you must ensure it can move onto the site safely and effectively. Only then can you be in position to bring the mix to grade, strike-it off, float it, finish it, and cut control joints before you get it to cure properly and achieve good strength. This, of course, helps avoid serious finish failures like scaling and craze cracking. Those are harder to fix than a stud wall nailed to the deck in the wrong place.

Site Prep & Safety

Proper placement of the truck and chutes makes jobs safer, easier, and faster.

• On average, the farthest distance concrete can be placed using a chute is 18 feet, measured from the truck's tires to the point of discharge.
• The wheels of the ready-mix truck must be kept 1 foot away from below-grade walls and 1 foot away from excavations and trenches. (Rule of thumb: Stay 1 foot away from an excavation trench for each 1 foot of depth.)

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