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Early Retirement Extreme Forums » DIY Skills Questions

1. 

   bigato
   

   Master
   Joined: Mar '11
   Posts: 918

   I'm gonna start to build a room in the back of the house (we currently have 258 sq ft of space) for my shop. I also need to build a small concrete house for my pit bull (he would destroy anything wood). Do you have any tips on what book I could read about the subject of building with conventional bricks or concrete blocks and cement? I know next to nothing about it, but have no problem learning. No way I will pay lots of money for a contractor for a job I could learn to do myself.

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. 

   dragoncar
   

   Expert
   Joined: Oct '10
   Posts: 1,287

   how would he destroy wood? would it be cheaper to just line a wood structure with metal flashing of some sort?

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. 

   bigato
   

   Master
   Joined: Mar '11
   Posts: 918

   Thanks dragon, but he would make holes in that and take the wood out. He is that strong. Plus he would cut himself and wouldn't care. He bites so hard that the point of his teeth are broke. Luckily, dog's teeth grow again.

   Maybe if i put some electricity on the metal flashing... nah, that's too much :-)

   Posted 1 year ago #
4. 

   FrugalZen
   

   Journeyman
   Joined: Aug '11
   Posts: 270

   Their is actually a book put out by the US Army on building with concrete...it might still be avialable from the Superintendent of Documents and cost a couple of bucks.

   As I remember the main office for the SOD is in Pueblo Colorado.

   Its amazing what the Federal Government has available for little or no cost.

   Posted 1 year ago #
5. 

   bigato
   

   Master
   Joined: Mar '11
   Posts: 918

   I am in Brazil and have no easy access to this book. A version of it is sold here in three volumes, and maybe I would buy it; but I've found a better solution. A small hands-on book by the Brazilian government called "Cartilha do Pedreiro". Only 35 pages, very well explained and illustrated, simple, directly to the point, without all that bunch of information that I do not need for building a small room. It is free, if any other portuguese-speaking guy is interested:
   http://www.conder.ba.gov.br/cartilha_pedereiro.pdf

   Posted 1 year ago #
6. 

   KevinW
   

   Master
   Joined: Aug '10
   Posts: 577

   I window shopped this a while ago and concluded that dry stacked concrete (e.g. http://drystacked.com ) was the way to go. In that method concrete blocks are stacked directly on each other with no mortar then sealed together with a special paint/adhesive on the side. Materials are a bit more expensive but the assembly process is more idiot-proof which seems like the right tradeoff for a one-off DIY project.

   Posted 1 year ago #
7. 

   FrugalZen
   

   Journeyman
   Joined: Aug '11
   Posts: 270

   @KevinW

   I know what your talking about...the concrete makers had a book with the comedian Don Knotts on the cover of all things (since he was supposed to be a complete Klutz) and I remember that dry stack method...it called for a special type of concret to be spread on the outside of the blocks. It contained very fine fiberglass threads which is what gave it its strength.

   Though if It was me I'd also fill every third or fourth hollow along the length of the wall with concrete.

   I'm not sure just how strong a dry stack wall actually is compared to a standard mortared one.

   Posted 1 year ago #

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