Took the first step towards building my shop

[DIYSwede]

-I'm just curious, Frank - what "enzyme"/ chemical are you using to stabilize the floor?
A name, link to a supplier/ MSDS would be much appreciated.

ATB

Johan

[mwmkravchenko]

I'm pretty sure with Frank's water treatment and the vibrator compactor this is as solid as it is gonna get. Pretty good for driving heavy equipment over!

[Frank S]

-I'm just curious, Frank - what "enzyme"/ chemical are you using to stabilize the floor?
A name, link to a supplier/ MSDS would be much appreciated.

ATB

Johan

I'm not at all sure if I would class it as a chemical per-SAY The enzyme appears to be a derivative of an organic concentrate or an extract my best guess would be soured or fermented fruit probably grapes combined with a surfactant.
the recommended amount for my floor was 1 1/2 gallon to 300 gallons of water to do the entire floor.
I had the opinion that the soil should have had at least a 20% moisture content to aid in the natural wicking action but was told no you wont have to wet the soil first as long as there was at least a 20% clay in the soil it should be fine.
What I couldn't get them to understand was my fill had a higher clay content and 0% topsoil in the mix as it had only clay and what is known as silt or a red clay sand dust with a small amount of caliche and the moisture content was lower than kiln dried bricks It has had 2 years of traffic over it while being added to and packed down.
the poor guy who tilled it up for us spent from 9AM until 4 PM trying to grind it up the best he could. it wasn't until the last hour of his tilling until it stopped sounding like he was trying to drive as rock crusher over it. For the first 4 hours as he tried to till it the huge clods I had left when I broke up the floor with the bucket of the back hoe would get caught in his tiller and stall his tractor once in a while.
After he finished grinding he leveled it out pretty good then we sprayed 300 gallons of the mix then he tilled that in a few inches releveled it then drove his tractor back and forth until every inch had been ran over then I ran a 5000lb steel drum vibratory roller over it until after 9PM at least a good 4 hours.
The next morning we added a second application rolled it again for another 4 hours. So what ever it is will be what it is. We should know in a week but the process may be delayed due to expected cooler temperatures

https://www.substrata.us/perma-zyme

[Frank S]

I'm pretty sure with Frank's water treatment and the vibrator compactor this is as solid as it is gonna get. Pretty good for driving heavy equipment over!

The product is supposed to wick through out and be drawn to the drier subsurface. As it does it will travel several inches into the fill.
Clay acts as medium to cause the wicking and the structure to create a stable strong bond it requires a minimum of 20% clay to sand and top soil . I took a few tests samples of just the powdery fines and crushed clods the results reviled an average of 35 to 45% cay to silt with almost no sand and zero top soil type dirt
Once it cures it is supposed to repel moisture absorben and provide a good resistance to sluffing off dust from the surface

[Toolmaker51]

Terrific surfacing Frank!

If I had that foundation, there'd be little hesitation finding sufficient material topping it in wood blocks. At the same time, my space needs about 76,000 4x's to accomplish that. Likely yours is comparable.......

[DIYSwede]

Thanks, Frank (and a Happy New Year)!

MSDS sez 70% proprietary and 30% water. (also sez "material not to be disposed of in the environment"*...
"Active enzyme" seems to be sugar beet waste that has been thoroughly fermented, then an undisclosed surfactant added.

For any other nosy personalities, here's some info on constituents and effects in the following lab report (from 2005):

https://www.lrrb.org/media/reports/200525.pdf

For instant gratification readers: "Conclusions and Recomendations" (sic!) is at p 85 in the pdf.
Lotsa pics and graphs for textually challenged persons

Relevant points: Effects largely dependent on soil type, Resilient modulus improves over time.
Significant shear modulus improvements to the soil takes over 4 months...

*

[77metalguy]

O M G great shop! I would love to have something better than 1 1/2 car garage but have to do with what I have.

[Frank S]

Terrific surfacing Frank!

If I had that foundation, there'd be little hesitation finding sufficient material topping it in wood blocks. At the same time, my space needs about 76,000 4x's to accomplish that. Likely yours is comparable.......

Agreed I've seen many an old shop floor that was well over 100 years old made out of wood planking applied directly on the ground or end cut blocks driven into the ground between wood stringers making a checkerboard or butcher block pattern with lots of heavy machinery on them.

[Toolmaker51]

I don't recall planked floors with heavy machinery, but many done in end-grain. When possible, I search remnant lumber, 12" or larger radial saws easier to find. Intent would be frames around machine bases and leveling pads, and block remaining areas in. Some would be grouted, others would find some convenient but loose filler. Interest of clearing the space for traditional install, uuuh no.
Making tall machines a little more height-challenged friendly, that's a different story.

[Frank S]

I closed in the East side of the shop yesterday with a section of new billboard tarp.
First off I needed to serve off the cut end of the tarp to strengthen and provide a means of hanging I, I started a few days ago by painting a 6 inch wide swath with a special vinyl tarp adhesive.
folded that over and pressed the surfaces together then once the glue had set I stretched a 3/16" braided nylon cord from end to end at the center point of the now 3" wide strip brushed this with the glue again and folded that over and pressed that together left it over night. this would become the top of the door. I repeated this process for the 2 sides once those had each cured over night I added a series of #3 sized stainless steel grommets to both sides .
I predrilled some strips of 3/16 by 3/4" flat bar on 12" spacings then hung the tarp on the flange of the header beam by clamping it between the flange and the flat bar then drilled each hole through the flange and bolted it in place using 1/4 20 bolts and nuts. Then secured the sides to the wall by the grommets with rubber tarp straps. Then used 4" nylon load straps inside and outside attached one end to the wall and welded strap winches to an angle iron on the purlins on the other side
it only takes a few minutes to release everything to open the tarp to allow passing through the door and later I will add a pipe in the pocket in the bottom of the tarp and a couple of pulleys to roll it up.
These lightweight billboard tarps are supposed to be rated for some fairly high wind loads, so I guess time will tell at any rate it makes for a simple cheap way of closing off a wide open hole in the wall for now at least.