The concrete floor was left overnight and the next day work started on the walls. Firstly the area around the reinforcing rods which are the start of the walls was “scabbled” with a pneumatic tool. This removes the surface of the concrete leaving the aggregate stones showing and provides a clean surface to which the wall concrete can adhere.

Large panels of steel mesh are then cut to size and attached to the upright bars poking through the concrete floor. “U” shape pieces of rebar are tied to the two layers of mesh to keep them the correct distance apart. Finally “L” shape rebars are attached to the corners of the structure whilst the walls are  tested for vertical position.

Once the corners are tied together the entire structure is very rigid and completely self supporting. At the end of the fifth week nearly all of the  wall steel is in place and tied. The next step is to build the wooden shuttering around the steel mesh into which the concrete will be poured.

Can you see the hole cut in the mesh in the picture below? This will form a window opening in the basement which will allow natural light to flood into some of the basement rooms.

The concrete pour for the lower section of the walls is provisionally booked for next Friday 11th April. Let us hope that it goes more smoothly than the floor pour!