Aaron Mason Hauser

The foundation just before it was completed.

The foundation is complete! Yesterday, the Boden-Haus Crew forewent pool parties, cookouts and fireworks and spent Independence Day mixing concrete and pouring a 4-inch concrete cap for the stone foundation. By the late afternoon, Robert and I completed about a third of the cap. The goal of finishing it in one day seemed bleak until Rachel, Jacob and Kate arrived. We powered into the evening and finished the rest in four hours. I think our Founding Fathers and Mothers would be proud. And so, with the foundation complete, the rammed earth portion of the Boden-Haus begins.

Today's unseasonably cool weather is a gift. The first seven days after concrete is poured are essential in determining the ultimate strength of the concrete. Hot weather causes the concrete to dry quickly, increases cracking and lowers its compressive strength. Cold weather slows the curing process to a snail's pace. The 70s, today's temperature, is the sweet spot for concrete, and it will be ready for ramming earth in one week.

The concrete cap serves two purposes. It ties in the stones on the top layer of the stone foundation, helping the foundation function as a monolith. Also, the cap is consistently wide and level, both very difficult to achieve with river rock, which provides a convenient surface onto which the rammed earth formworks can be secured.

In the upcoming week, while the concrete cures, I will build the rammed earth formworks and excavate the soil that will be used in the ramming. It seems the rammed earth portion of the Boden-Haus will be much faster than the foundation work. Regardless, it hards to explain my excitement about the next phase of the Boden-Haus.

Here are some pictures of the completed stonework and some from yesterday:

The day the stonework was completed.

While I enjoyed it, I was happy to be done with the masonry process.

Here is the foundation with the concrete formwork.

A close-up. It will be cleaned up.

Here we are mixing.  Jacob took the pics so he wasn't in these.

Rachel's pastry work made her and excellent mixer and finisher.