The rake is the tool that turns a rocky, messy construction site into clean, tidy order. Inside the footings I'm cleaning out all the sod and wood pieces so there will be no decaying of organic matter that could cause settling under the slab.
This area will ultimately be our "heat dump". Once the 6' high retaining walls are poured on the footings, the entire area will be filled with sand to hold the extra heat generated in the summer to be stored for winter use.
More raking, not only inside the footings, but around the edges. Then we'll be putting drain tile and gravel around the outside to eliminate any water that might build up at the base of the foundation. After the drain tile and drain rock, water proofing will be painted on the walls, then a layer of insulation added, and finally we will backfill with existing soil. At the top of the wall we'll do more drain tile and more drain rock so that we're absolutely certain the sand inside the retaining walls will stay completely dry. The slab will appear to be a slab on grade but will actually be on top of our "heat dump".
Layers and layers and layers make up our modern homes. It is interesting to watch the process first hand. Although all the products and steps are familiar to me because of our perennial remodeling projects, and because of my work which puts me on many construction sites, I'm enjoying watching each step, not missing a one -- including the tiny, but important, tasks like picking up nails, or raking...
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