Pouring the concrete!

 Phase 1 - Part I

My son, Rowan, posing for the 'before' shot.



With a little over $1300 in the bank from our fundraiser-yard sale, we jumped right into phase one of the natural playscape project.  So on a warm Tuesday evening in late September I rented a sod-cutter and ripped out about 200 square feet of sod.  With the sod gone, the ground was ready for the new concrete that would extend our porch and be used for an outdoor art area as well as track for children to ride and drive their cars and riding toys. 

We were so very fortunate to have Jon Edwards, my father, volunteer to come from Utah and help with the pouring of the cement.  He arrived Wednesday afternoon and promptly went to work building the concrete forms.

Thursday morning he finished prepping the area--drilling in rebar, leveling it out with pea gravel (good thing we have lots of extra gravel lying around).  Then he compacted the area with a soil compactor that he brought with him! 

The cement truck arrived in the afternoon and was it ever exciting for the kids to watch that giant thing come backing down the driveway!  But the time-crunch of getting the concrete unloaded from the truck and finished off before it dried was on.  We worked until dark that night finishing the surface and edges. 

 

The next morning we took off the forms and could walk on it!  Monday morning the kids got to see it for the first time.  No one had to explain to them what it was for.  They raced up one sidewalk and down the other exactly as it was intended and clearly loved every inch of it! 

Ready to roll!

Final Cost Tally:

Sod Cutter rental: $70

Temp labor: $60
Lumber: $35

Concrete: $395

Sprinkler adjustments: $65

Total: $625
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