Posted by:
kachunga
at Fri Jan 23 11:23:46 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by kachunga ]
I see. I read in the OP that you have some construction experience. So this is what I would do: Make a form out of melamine coated particleboard and pour your 6'X6'X1.5' enclosure about 1" deep. Then reinforce with expanded metal lathe and put another 1' of concrete on top of the metal lathe. I would use "Concrete Counter Mix" but I would imagine any bagged concrete will work. The reason I like the counter mix is because its white and you can polish it to a smooth surface. f you are not sure what consistency to make the cement, you dont want it soupy, but more like soft clay. Use a 2'X4' and "walk" it across your form to make sure everything is level. You can also run a orbital sander (in a bag to keep the soft concrete off of it) along the outside of the form to remove the bubbles that sometimes show in dried concrete. About 30 minutes after the concrete loses its sheen, hand trowel. then wait another 1/2 hour and trowel again. You can get your surface glass smooth depending on how many times you trowel and wait. Any rough spots can be sanded with 220 grit aluminum oxide sandpaper. When everything is dry and the way you want it, personally I would stain and seal the new concrete. Staining is optional, but you can do some real awesome colors with a eco friendly stains. The sealer is mandatory and will prevent any leaks. The sealer is a 2 part epoxy. You can get the sealer at surecretedesign.com. Good luck
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