Today, we completed one of the most challenging parts of our build, the formwork! We have a total of 8 forms that will mold our concrete “feet” for wooden columns to then support the structure.
One of the most difficult parts of building the formwork was to have flush edges and strength, and doing so with an angled shape proved to be difficult. We assembled a team to biscuit join and screw melamine boards together along with 2x4s and 2x6s to get the general volume. To keep them from buckling under the stress of expansion of the concrete, we added wood “belts.”
Another part of the formwork was “sinking” these 6×6 posts into the volume to create the negative space for the actual 6×6 column to sit within. This part of the project took a lot of coordination and teamwork to get a consistent product.
After a long few weeks of building these complex shapes we are ready to move on to other parts of the build and hopefully get some shovels in the ground soon!