8/23/19:
(Above: The future kitchen counter of Jacobhouse.)
Building Summary: Today I began Jacobhouse activities by preparing the primary counter form / the space around it for the pour. These activities included: adding even more support to the underside of the ¾” plywood platform to prevent bulging at the area that would end up bearing the most weight, collecting the five bags of concrete at the Master Blend freezer room and carrying them to the hay-barn, neatening the pour-area, and then collecting all other tools (drill / mixer attachment, trowels, screedboard, buckets, and water sprayer).
Padre was the only other one to help with pouring this time around, but the arrangement worked out quite well. He would prepare the ‘ingredients’ for the next batch of concrete as I stirred the current batch in the bucket, and then, when it came time to pour, he helped me lift the full bucket and dump it into the form. At the end, he also smoothed some of the concrete into the lower corners that needed it as I poured the bucket along the sink-edge (the small section where concrete could not spread out quite as freely on account of the narrow passages through which it was forced to course).
After the pouring was done, Padre cleaned up some of the tools / buckets as I used a trowel to smooth out the rapidly setting surface. The next hour was spent keeping the entire surface moist* and in the thirty minutes after that hour, I finished off the morning by using some sanding pads to smoothen the concrete’s surface – a process that went even swifter than yesterday’s sanding due to the way the form-frame was holding water.
(9:54 PM Update): This afternoon, I along with Padre, Wag, and Primo flipped over the counter after I unfastened it from the plywood table. On doing so, I discovered that it would be that side (the bottom side that laid against the bag plastic) which I would be using as my kitchen counter top. It is already virtually finished, and the edges have a very unique texture caused by the pressure of 250 lbs of mortar sitting on pliable silicone caulking.
TIL: Today I learned that, along with Flow Control (which loosens the mortar I was working with) there is another packet one can add named Set Control that increases the time it takes for the concrete to settle into place (allowing it to remain workable) without drastically increasing cure time.
Commentary: As far as I can tell, the pouring of the primary countertop went as successfully as the subcounter did. The only difference this time around was the presence of a few hairline fractures in the surface. They do not seem to run very deep, but we will find out the truth when flipping the counter over tomorrow or later today! As for why those cracks formed, I believe it may have been because in my attempt to spray water on via hand-sprayer, not enough moisture was provided. Fortunately, before these cracks could grow, I got the old calf-feeder bottle and just tossed water over the entire form.
On a very positive note, the entire region that will reside around the sink is silky smooth. This is because the area required very minor trowel-work (just enough to take care of a few bubbles). And as for the primary area – the bit that will be residing above the washer/dryer unit – my water-sanding smoothened that to the same grain as the sub-counter. It isn’t the same smoothness as that bit around the sink, but it is very suitable for kitchen counter top, and it will only increase in sleekness when I apply granite-shield / sealant to it.
Final Note: Tomorrow, with Padre’s and Wag’s help, I plan on flipping the primary kitchen countertop over and seeing how the bottom side turned out (already done in update). I will also be venturing to the Farmers’ Market with brother in the morning. When I do so, I may stop by Sparr and see if I can find any sort of granite / concrete shield for finishing the countertops. If there is none available, the next objective will be to order it and get it coming as soon as possible.
*Much easier this time on account of being short 0.05 cubic feet of mortar. This created a miniscule lip on the frame that allowed about 1/8″ of water to sit over the entire poured counter.