Marking everything ahead of time is such a good tip—wish I’d thought of that before I started running wires in my place. I remember thinking conduit would be easy, but those foam shavings get everywhere. Did you have any trouble with the sleeves shifting during the pour? That’s the one thing that tripped me up.
Did you have any trouble with the sleeves shifting during the pour? That’s the one thing that tripped me up.
Yeah, those sleeves can be a real pain if you don’t anchor them down properly. I’ve found that a few well-placed rebar ties or even a bit of spray foam can keep them from floating up or moving around. Honestly, it’s wild how much chaos a little oversight can cause—one time I had to chip out concrete just to get at a sleeve that shifted an inch. Planning and double-checking before the pour saves so many headaches later. And about those foam shavings... they’re like glitter, you find them for months.
“one time I had to chip out concrete just to get at a sleeve that shifted an inch”
Been there, and it’s never just “an inch,” right? It always feels like miles when you’re chipping concrete. I started taping down the sleeves after that mess... not pretty, but it works. Foam shavings are evil, by the way—I’m still finding them in my truck.
MY ADVENTURE WITH DIY CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS
- “Just an inch” is the classic understatement. I’ve had sleeves drift half that and still ended up cursing for hours.
- Taping sleeves helps, but if you’re pouring a big slab or it’s a hot day, tape can let go. I started using rebar wire to tie them to stakes—overkill, maybe, but at least they stay put.
- Foam shavings are the worst. They stick to everything. If you ever figure out a way to keep them off your tools and out of your truck, let me know. I’ve tried tarps, leaf blowers, even just giving up and accepting my fate...
- One thing I learned the hard way: double-check your measurements before you pour. Concrete has a way of making small mistakes permanent.
- Not sure if anyone else has run into this, but those plastic sleeves sometimes deform when you’re tamping down the mix. Switching to metal (if budget allows) saved me some headaches.
- For anyone thinking about DIY foundations—get more stakes than you think you’ll need, and don’t trust gravity or friction alone.
In the end, even with all the prep in the world, something always shifts or leaks or gets embedded where it shouldn’t. That’s just how it goes sometimes. Still beats paying someone else triple to do it wrong for you... most days.
“Concrete has a way of making small mistakes permanent.”
That’s the truth. I’m curious, though—has anyone tried any of the newer “greener” mixes for slabs? Some of the fly ash or recycled aggregate stuff claims lower shrinkage and better workability, but I’m skeptical. Does it actually help with things like sleeves drifting or plastic deforming, or is it just marketing fluff? And on the foam mess—wonder if switching to mineral wool would be less of a headache, or just a different flavor of annoying...
