How to get this rock floor compacted?…
I’m trying to even out my dirt/rock garage floor by adding 3-4 in of 1/4″ and below limestone fines and mixing/raking in type I / II portland cement into the top 2-3 in. Idea was to use a plate compactor to get it mashed down then sprinkle with water, compact, sprinkle. Well, the small rock mixture with the slippery cement powder doesn’t seem to be suitable for a plate compactor as the machine tends to borough down through the substrate spitting it out from the sides, even at it’s slowest speed. This is a problem I’m guessing larger rock mixtures don’t suffer from. So now I’m left trying to figure out how to get this stuff compacted, I guess by hand? The good news is the rock the machine managed to compact looked fairly good with no gaps. The cement is mixed in thoroughly and fairly deep. Although I’ll be watering/misting I’d say gingerly I plan on giving it enough water so it reaches the bottom layers, and keep it damp over the next week as it cures.
My only ideas for compacting so far are either a 8×8 hand tamper or possibly a weighted roller? Any suggestions?
Replies
You may be better served taking this to Fine Homebuilding
I think crowcolony has a good point that you might have better luck over there, but in the meantime it sounds like you are wanting a simple compacted gravel floor? I’d be afraid gravel that fine at that depth might have a hard time locking together and compacting properly. If you don’t already have the gravel down I’d order DGA (some places call this #411). It compacts very well. In some areas you can find places that recycle concrete and offer a DGA product made of crushed concrete which compacts and watered in as you describe creates a very firm surface. If not sounds like you live around limestone which works fine, just a little harder to work by hand and more expensive in my experience. If the fine stuff is already down and are having trouble compacting it maybe mix in some 57’s or something similar to help everything lock together. Not sure that’s helpful, just my initial thoughts.
This has been a lesson if there ever was one. For my first laid floor so far I'm giving my results a C+. Leveled out everything as best I could then sprinkled with water and tamped everything down. Overall it's not too bad but there are some unlevel or divot places I'd like to try and fill in.
Any suggestion for some kind of floor leveler f0r a freshly laid and still damp floor like this?
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