Nathan Veldhoen

This week has had many things going on from get art ready,  planning the show to more home improvement projects.  I’ll leave the art stuff for when we are closer to July so I’ll give some updates on whats been happening around the fort.

Shed is still getting a few hours here and there, but waiting on my door for it so I can’t get the siding on until that freakin door is in.  Roof is done at least..so I chucked my shit in there.  I’ll do a final post on that bitch once the siding is all done.

If you look to the right, the shed has a roof and trim...just needs siding and a door.

Second ongoing project was getting rid of  the retaining wall of old concrete after the winter shifted it around.  Retaining walls with old concrete can end up being a great way build a little retaining wall if your pieces are constant and are in roughly 10×4 inch pieces.  I tried using what I had from the back patio and worked for the most part but ended up getting to free load of granite which will end up looking much better.

Some tips if you plan on reusing your old broken up concrete,

If your knocking out an old patio, driveway, or sidewalk try and break the pieces in a rectangle.  This is tough to do with a sledge hammer but if your using an electric breaker or air hammer this is a do able task.

Second tip is to use your biggest pieces and work you way up, with the second layer staggered from the bottom.  Treat it like jagga.  (sp?)

Using old concrete is a great way to save cost.  Its a good way to use, used materials around your job site or home.  Save hauling away the broken pieces as well as  saving you the cost of building or buying more materials.

Used concrete retaining wall

If I didn’t  get the loads of granite rock I would have stuck it out with the concrete retaining wall .  I would have needed to level it out again after the crazy winter we had, which you might have to do every few years just to keep it up to snuff.

The piles of granite

What it looks like after the blocks are removed