4o8 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[8 July, 1907. 



Concrete Floors. 



For flooring, the thickness of the concrete will vary with the use of the 

 building. Three inches of concrete with half-an-inch of facing or render- 

 ing are sufificient for silos, if it be thought necessary td floor them at all, 

 while for separator rooms or cowsheds, 4 tO' 6 inches with the same thick- 

 ness of rendering would be required. In the case of separator rooms or 

 similar buildings, the rendering should be strong — about equal proportions 

 of cement and sand — and for specially fine work, a sprinkling of neat 

 cement may be put on the rendering and well trowelled until it becomes 

 hard, smooth, and even glossy. The floor should be formed out in the 

 solid and well rolled ; if in fill or on made ground, it should be thoroughly 

 rammed after formation. On this, surface should be laid 2 or 3 inches 

 of sand, on which, when well wetted, the concrete is laid. The concrete 

 should be laid in strips or sections from 4 to 6' feet in width and 8 feet 

 in length. The sections should be separated by battens which are after- 

 wards removed, and the spaces, grouted in with cement mortar O'f two parts 

 of sand and one part of cement. This prevents cracking from shrinkage. 

 The concrete should be made in accordance with the foregoing instruc- 

 tions, and should be rammed until the surface is made level bv the excess 

 of the " oompo " being forced to the top. The facing coat of cement 

 mortar, varying from equal to double proportions of sand to cement, is put 

 on before the concrete has set and is neatK trowelled off. A fall should 

 be given in all floors to facilitate the run off of any water or drainage. 

 Any corners or edges as, for instance, manure gutters or " grips," should 

 be well rounded off. 



It may be thought that there is over-elalx)ration in the methods described 

 for the making and use of concrete ; but it is well when making any struc- 

 ture tO' insure a satisfactory job, and satisfactorv concrete is not possible 

 without very careful attention to apparently trivial details. Properlv 

 made, it is the finest structural material we have ; carelessly and ignor- 

 antly made, it is one of the worst. Still I must repeat, good concrete 

 is well within the powers of the ordinary farmer and where the raw 

 material is handy, it is one of the most economical and valuable of build- 

 ing materials. 



