How to Build a Block Foundation

In today's post we are going to discuss how to build a block foundation and the tools you will need to complete this task. You should have a good construction knowledge and be in good physical shape before attempting to do this. One thing you should do though is have the hole dug and the footers in place by a licensed excavator to ensure you at least have a good starting point.

Lets go over what you will need for this job first, you will need a cement mixer, partner granite bridge saw, wheelbarrow, mortar boards,a laser for elevations, scaffolding and plank if you are building a basement. The hand tools you will need are a trowel, hammer, striker, chalk box, line, line bars and a 2ft and 4ft. level.

So lets get started, with your footers in place the first you need to do is layout your job and mark all of your corners with a concrete nail or a pencil. This can be a time consuming process so be sure you have someone to help you measure everything out to be square. After you have you corners marked take your chalk box and pull it from corner to corner and snap a line mark down onto your footer, this is the line that your block will follow.

Next you will need to establish your elevations with your laser, i recommend you get a self leveling laser because the slightest error in this step can be very bad in getting your foundation level. Establish which corner is the highest and use it to set all of your other heights. Be sure to mark each corner with how much you need to raise it so you don't get confused.

Now it is time to build your leads, with all your corners marked lay in your first course, if you need to raise a corner try to do as much as you can if the first course. Use jamb block for your corners, ones without ears on them it will make the job look nicer and they are much easier to level up as well. You can get up to about 1 inch of height with a heavy bead of mortar under your first course, hopefully all your corners are close from your excavators work. Run 4 block out in one direction then 3 block in the other direction for your first course and then lay the subsequent courses on top dropping back 1/2 of a block in each course in each direction till you are left with one block at the top. Check your elevations frequently with your laser to be sure that all your corners are working out to be the same height. It is very important that leads are level, square and plum, this will make the whole job a lot easier if it is.

After all your leads are up attach your line to your line bar and pull it tight from one lead to another on the same course. Spread your mortar down the chalk lines and start laying block, try to line the bottom of the block up with the chalk line and the top of the block with the top line. after that course is in it gets a bit easier be sure that your block aren't lipping over at bottom and keep running them to the top line but be sure that none of the block touch the line, stay off of it about 1/8 inch and you should be good. Continue this process over and over till your walls are up and job is complete, also be sure to strike and brush your wall frequently to be sure that it is sealed good. Also every two courses it is a good idea to put a layer of derwal between the courses, it is required by code in some areas.

If you are still unsure on how to do this project hire a qualified contractor to complete the job for you. Block foundation costs are still typically cheaper than poured walls, about 30% or so and they are just as good or better in most cases because the masons have much more control over heights of corners thus leaving you a more level finished project. And if you want you can then fill all your block with concrete thus giving you a solid block, concrete wall. It is also a good idea to drop a piece of rebar in every 4 foot as well and pack it in with concrete, this is also sometimes required by code.

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Bridge Saw System Management

Cast iron bridge and spindle carriage ensure rigidity and dampen vibrations.

- The bridge travels on rolling elements permitting greater speed.

- The spindle carriage travels on prismatic guides in an oil bath ensuring rigidity and precision.

- The spindle travels vertically on prismatic guides fitted out with bronze gibs allowing for clearance adjustment

- A pinion meshed with a precision rack control bridge and spindle carriage travel

- Digital brushless motors fitted out with an absolute encoder give greater speed and precision in travel along axes X, Y, Z

- Guide protection and lubrication

- The spindle can be inclined in any position in a range of 0° up to 90° enabling step-cutting even with inclined disc

- The spindle is powered by a 33 HP motor and its mechanical structure has been dimensioned to accommodate the possibility of plunge cutting thick slabs.

The granite bridge saw is operated and programmed from a touch-screen color monitor installed on a practical hanging control console which is easy to move and rotate facilitating operations. The machine is controlled and managed from the CNC remote PC. Platform system utilized is windows. The operational and management control software installed not only utilize windows to its full potential, but are user friendly and easily interfaced with the user’s system.

The color “Touch-Screen” monitor enables easy and quick machine programming to ensure spare parts are easily sourced in the event of system failure and technical assistance is available at a world level, all electronic and electric components are manufactured by the world’s leading producers. The machine is provided with a convenient portable push-button control panel to facilitate manual machine operations from inside the work area. This portable control panel is provided with the main machine operating controls.

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Granite Stone Bridge Saw

Simple, precise and sturdy stone granite bridge saw, ideal for the most frequent processing.Equipped with ø 800mm circular blade, manually inclinable in any position from 0° to 90°, with possibility of step-cutting, even inclined.User interface with keyboard on a mobile arm and lined display for control, command and programming.

Distinguishing constructive characteristics

The performances of the Easycut FE 800 are further enhanced by:

- Cast-iron bridge and spindle carriage to insure rigidity and dampen vibrations, thus guaranteeing the maximum accuracy and life of the tools.

- Movement of the bridge along the runways by means of rolling elements to allow for the maximum displacement speed and therefore a higher productivity.

- Displacement of the spindle carriage along the bridge by means of prismatic guides in an oil bath that assure extreme precision and rigidity.

- Vertical movement of the spindle on prismatic guides with bronze-lined gibs to adjust the play.

- Movements of the bridge and the spindle carriage by means of a pinion meshed to a precision rack so as to guarantee the highest operation reliability.

- Protection and lubrication of all guides.

- Spindle inclination from 0° to 90° with possibility of step-cutting. The 25 kW spindle motor and the rugged mechanical structure allow the Easycut FE 800 to easily cut even thick materials in a single passage.

The control unit of the Easycut FE 800, equipped with display, performs the function of command/ control console that enables the operator to program the operations within and out of the work area. The machine is supplied with a convenient portable push-button control panel to facilitate the worktable rotation and the Y axes movement.

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Buff Up The Surface Of Granite To Make It Worth Living

There is a process that must take place for marble and granite countertops to go from the quarry to the kitchen. The process of kitchen countertop polishing hasn't changed a whole lot since the times of the ancient Greeks, but the process has become more automated. Huge stones are taken from the quarries, out of which marble and granite slabs are cut to use for various purposes. After that, the marble and granite slabs are cut and polished to suit the needs of different customers.

The idea of kitchen countertop polishing and installation hasn't changed much, but the equipment that people use has improved with the latest technology. Basically, marble and granite countertops are cut and polished using saws, polishers, and routers. The saws serve many purposes in the kitchen countertop fabrication process, starting with the cutting of stones into slabs. Granite bridge saw are usually used for the initial cutting of marble and granite slabs. Bridge saws are used to cut the slabs into more specific shapes, such as for marble and granite countertops, flooring, and mantels.

Make Sure That Your Polisher Is an Expert:

The polishers also play an integral role in the process of kitchen countertop fabrication, because they sand down the surface to the texture that different customer's desire. Marble and granite slabs can be polished to a mirror finish from the course rock they once were. Rotating pads are used to polish down the marble and granite countertops. Most modern polishers can produce a variety of finishes during the kitchen countertop fabrication process. Finishes include smooth, soft looks, or slick, shiny mirror finishes. Specialized finishes such as flamed or hammered are also popular.

The routers complete the last step in the kitchen countertop fabrication process. These tools produce edge profiles on the marble and granite slabs, or cut designs into larger slabs so they can be used for things like fireplace mantels. The edge profiles on marble and granite countertops can be simple or highly decorative, depending on what the customers want. These machines used to be operated by hand, or had some limited automatic function. In the past, marble and granite countertops with complex edge profiles might have taken three weeks or longer to produce.

Polishing Is Not a New Concept:

What has taken the kitchen countertop polishing process into the 21st century is computer technology. A process called computer numeric control, or CNC, uses digital technology to control all the machines in the process. Now the process of taking marble and granite slabs and turning them into beautiful counters, mantels, hearths or other decorative home pieces takes hours instead of weeks. In fact, CNC has doubled the productivity of most kitchen countertop polishing shops. This technology has dramatically increased the quality of the finished product, and the process of creating marble and granite countertops will likely continue to improve in the future.

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How to producing a granite

When producing a granite, quartz or Silestone Wrap, ie the sides of the units are cloaked in granite or quartz down to the floor there are several ways of achieving the desired finish. Most kitchens that have wrapped granite end panels are modern style minimal sleek designs and so we have developed what we think is the best way of achieving the joint to make it look as invisible as possible and to try to make it look like you have just folded the granite/quartz. We used to mitre the two pieces at 45 degrees resin together on site and bevel to suit, however with the use of either our Bavelloni CNC or our Marmo Mechannica calibrating wheel we now create a ‘step groove’ in the material this means that the glued area is twice as much therefore twice as strong but, the beauty of the end result is that the joint ends up at the bottom of the bevel and so is pretty much invisible. If the granite or quartz Is mitred the joint ends up in the middle of the bevel, we think our new way of doing things is by far the best way as you will see from the pictures. This granite worktop island wrap is being installed in Stratford upon Avon, note we are surface polishing the reverse of the granite on our Bavelloni.

Planet Granite has now had this fully automatic CNC granite bridge saw installed, Ideal for Granite Worktops, Quartz Worktops Marble cutting etc. Granite Worktops are cut on this machine then edge polished through our marmo mechannica polisher and calibrator, undermounted sinks are then machined on our CNC processing centre, Here at Planet Granite we have Invested in the very best of equipment to make Granite Worktops for our Midlands customers.

This is a small selection of the tooling library we have here at Planet Granite, we have spent a long time and a great deal of money investing in our Cnc tools, we have cataloged all of out tools into the various categories enabling us to machine pretty much whatever our customers request from full bullnose, Demi bullnose, chamfered, shark nose, ogee, plus a host of surface polishing tooling and engraving bits. We also have additional gearboxes that fit to our stone work centres that work with the fourth axis, these are for fluting wheels and convex saw blades ( pretty clever stuff really). A visit to the workshops here at Planet Granite is available by appointment to discuss your project with the in house technicians this is advisable if you have any specific special requirements.

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