Has anyone had a go at making your own concrete pans? We've got a few projects in the pipeline and 4 or 6 pans would be useful. We have hired in the past, but it ties you to getting the job done ASAP rather than a more leisurely pace in between other jobs. Used pans seem to be a fair price. Thoughts or advice welcome.
Making shuttering pans
- Thread starter Davy
- Start date
- Location
- Near Colchester
I made mine out of 60 x 40 x 3 box divided into 2 foot by 2 foot squares
8 feet by 4 feet panels x 4 and 5 feet by 4 feet panels x 2 so that I can do a 20 foot bay.
Faced them with 12mm marine ply (oiled evry time we use it). I don't fix the ply to the frames at all, the bolts keep them in place.
Bolt through walls with 16mm studding, use 25mm water pipe inside wall (which knock out after the wall has set)
I make walls about 4 feet high and then put another layer on top if I want a taller wall.
I would put in a picture but my computer has melted down last June and I have lost all of them, haven't had time to do a wall since.
8 feet by 4 feet panels x 4 and 5 feet by 4 feet panels x 2 so that I can do a 20 foot bay.
Faced them with 12mm marine ply (oiled evry time we use it). I don't fix the ply to the frames at all, the bolts keep them in place.
Bolt through walls with 16mm studding, use 25mm water pipe inside wall (which knock out after the wall has set)
I make walls about 4 feet high and then put another layer on top if I want a taller wall.
I would put in a picture but my computer has melted down last June and I have lost all of them, haven't had time to do a wall since.
- Location
- Northern Ireland
Second hand pans do seem expensive and often look ok but are rotting from the inside out. Box section with steel plate welded as a pouring face can work well, and would reduce the need to change the shuttering plywood. I would say try and fabricate them to suit the standard clamps, beams etc. Also try and consider the size of pours you will be doing (8ft tank/ 12 ft silo/ 15ft shed wall infills) and make the pans a size to suit most jobs.
- Location
- Near Colchester
My plywood sheets hace done 50 pours on each face, we are on set 3 now.
- Location
- Near Colchester
This is mine, only the 2 8 foot sections, the 5 foot ones are elsewhere and bolt to either end.
An example of an almost 8 foot high wall behind them and a 4 foot wall to the right waiting for the top bit to be added when we get a moment which hasn't happened since last February.
An example of an almost 8 foot high wall behind them and a 4 foot wall to the right waiting for the top bit to be added when we get a moment which hasn't happened since last February.
Big_D
Member
- Location
- S W Scotland
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
How
How thick do you make wall ?
- Location
- Near Colchester
depends on the circumstace - small sheds for pigs say, 7 inches. Cattle sheds 10 inches, muck and grain walls up to 14 inches - depending on girder thickness too.
Once the formers are there the extra concrete costs nothing much for a thicker wall.
- Location
- Near Colchester
Be nasty and heavy to set up I reckon and panels don't bounce, they chip easily.
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
Do they want to move up as co concrete goes in ? Have you a concrete poker ?
- Location
- Near Colchester
We unbolt them and move them up the next day. Concrete poker an essential part of wall making. I am on my second Belle elctric one with a 75mm head. Not cheap but brilliant for any concreting task, saves tamping in a floor for instance.
Belle Group Megavib Concrete Poker Kit 36mm 230V
Order online at Screwfix.com. High frequency vibrating poker system providing a compact and portable air removal in concrete. Ideal for patios, driveways and many more small scale applications. Supplied with shoulder strap. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 5 minutes.
www.screwfix.com
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
Do you put mesh in the walls ?We unbolt them and move them up the next day. Concrete poker an essential part of wall making. I am on my second Belle elctric one with a 75mm head. Not cheap but brilliant for any concreting task, saves tamping in a floor for instance.
Belle Group Megavib Concrete Poker Kit 36mm 230V
Order online at Screwfix.com. High frequency vibrating poker system providing a compact and portable air removal in concrete. Ideal for patios, driveways and many more small scale applications. Supplied with shoulder strap. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 5 minutes.www.screwfix.com
- Location
- Near Colchester
On a grain or muck retaining wall, for ordinary walls I just put in a few horizintal re-bars bolted though the girders i.e. I cut a bit of re-bar a couple of inches shorter than the wall and weld some studding to the end and bolt it through - it stops the posts moving, which they can do even in a building.
I’ve never put mesh in for grainstore walls but usually 16 inch thick and grain 25ft deep
- Location
- Near Colchester
I am not sure that mesh is necessary but the rebar is to keep things square I reckon for the cost of it.
I haven't had one wall crack anywhere doing it like I do it. and I have done a couple of hundred around here at least, but I am no concrete engineer or scientist.
I’ve done all ours and been ok ,should have said I will take heavy duty wire rope through the shuttering from corner post to 2nd leg from it and tighten with a big turnbuckle to help stop pressure against back wall
also cut hole in legs and put a length of rebar through leg and bent back into shed
so when floor is concreted over rebar it ties it into the floor hope this makes sense
also cut hole in legs and put a length of rebar through leg and bent back into shed
so when floor is concreted over rebar it ties it into the floor hope this makes sense
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
I’ve just been doing some calcs and it’s a fair bit cheaper than pannels for sure.