Concrete additives for a kennel run??

[countrryboy]

Alright folks

Just wondering if anyone in the building trade or with decent kennels has any words of wisdom reguarding kennel concrete for the runs?
Not really planning on doing anything with the runs except a polished concrete finish but will be tiling the sleeping area indoors (seen some cheap tiles at wickes today £4 per m)

Not entirely sure if going to hand mix it or get a jeagger in yet. Got about 60m2 all in to do in a couple of different bits but weather forecast looking sketchy for coming week again same as last week, threat of rain or a shower almost every day

If ready mix is there anything u'd ask for??

And if hand batching is there any additives worth using? Waterproofers? SBR?
(I know most pro's will think i'm mental even thinking abiut hand mixing but for me its relatively stress free as ur not under pressure when trying to lay6-8 cube all urself, esp if i have f**ked up a level somewhere which is not unheard off)

Run fall, the runs will be 1.5x 3m, meaning to fall them 2 ways and putting a single block divider between runs.
Wot sort of fall would i need?
Thought 1-2" across the 1.5m and mibee 4" over the 3m.
as meaning to put a decent fall on them.

The other thing with working/laying concrete if u have a decent fall on the concrete do u need to tamp it less to stop the 'fat'? rising to the top and then washing away as the water rises?
For some reason the last few concrete jobs i've done for myself (bloody amatuers) i get a nice polished looking finish when its semi dry but dries to a powdery type finish in the end, still seems to last but just a pain and u then have to paint it to seal it.
Dunno wot i've started doing wrong as it never used to be a problem previously

Cheers

 

[enfieldspares]

When my father and uncle had working gun dogs the runs in their kennels and kennel floor were simply slabbed with standard concrete slabs.

I say that is probably, even today, a lot less faff.

The sleeping bench was wood with straw on it. Hope it helps.

There was no fall on the run it just got washed down with stiff broom with well diluted Jeyes Fluid after any fouling was shovelled up and allowed to dry naturally.

 

[adrian0100]

When I had working dogs gsds and rotties I stabbed my kennel runs because dogs can be very sensitive to concrete it can burn there pads ect. But you can seal the run areas with concrete paint or another paint on sealer i made the bedding areas I made the bedding down area out of wood with straw on top of that easy to keep clean and dry
all the best adrian

 

[User00035]

60 m2 even at only 3" depth is 4.5 cube. That's a lorry load. Buy it in. Tell them what its for and say you want a mix for a waterproof power float finish.
Provided the lorry can back right up to the plot, two of you can rake that out and level it. Get a professional concrete finisher to help you and do the power floating. It'll cost you a day's labour and the hire of the power float. Well worth it.

 

[countrryboy]

My 1st original kennels were slabbed, i also didn't have enough fall on them too. I wouldn't use slabs for a kennel again.
And even the time to lay the slabs and move them etc i'd be quicker an better with concrete

I currently use shredded paper for the beds which is quite good, used straw years ago but was told it can harbour more bugs and parasites in it, plus lways thought it would be itchy to lie in for a dog?

At 1 point thought about laying some of those electric underfloor heaters below the tiles in the sleeping boxes but think it could be over kill, as they will be fairly well insulated and going to stick a log burner in the shed where the sleeping boxes are.

 

[countrryboy]

60 m2 even at only 3" depth is 4.5 cube. That's a lorry load. Buy it in. Tell them what its for and say you want a mix for a waterproof power float finish.
Provided the lorry can back right up to the plot, two of you can rake that out and level it. Get a professional concrete finisher to help you and do the power floating. It'll cost you a day's labour and the hire of the power float. Well worth it.

Aye i probably should just get some ready mix in, think i'm somewhere just under 8 cube
Some's for an area to drive on so a bit thicker than dog runs.
Can't really get the wagon into the kennel site thou, but do have a 6T dumper so not all hand balling,

Must admit i do quite enjoy mixing cement, my last house done the parking at back door about 150m2 all with a wee belle mixer, althou was sick of it by the end

Round here the problem is getting lads in all the boys i know are flat out busy with the day jobs, esp if sort of last minuate for such a small job.

 

[enfieldspares]

Wood floor, or raised sleeping bench, is a good enough insulation.

If the dog is house trained it won't foul its kennel. Just the outside run.

I'd not think straw is itchy for a dog to lie in. Just like a stock animal in a farm.

Their fur stops any itchiness. And the old pig he doesn't even have that!

If you were to use heating I'd use electric and fixed at well above floor level.

Those sort of steel rod things that are used in greenhouses to keep them frost free.

But for a working dog it probably isn't wholly necessary as long as the kennel is well insulated.

 

[countrryboy]

Cheers enfield.

My last kennels were bodge jobs with more bodged add ons from wot ever scraps i had lying about at the time, and while they served they're purpose i always said if i got the chance to start from scratch 'd do it right and make a proper job of them.
My intial slabs ended up not all on the same level after years and ended up a pain to wash out

They're working dogs but often doing evening picking up on flight ponds so wanting them to have decent warm boxes, althou my spaniel usually slept on top of his box for 8 months of the year. Which is why i'm wary of heating the box would hate to think he slept outside when damp as his box was too warm.
They work hard for me so only fair i try to give them a decent kennel/run

Ideally i hoped to get away from any bedding altogether or just vet bed, looked at those tube heaters and thought about building them into the raised floor sealed away from dogs, but probably the shredded paper gives them something to courrie in too.

 

[enfieldspares]

My intial slabs ended up not all on the same level after years and ended up a pain to wash out

That's less than the best initial laying of them. Laid on a properly set down (sand and cement mix?) bed they shouldn't budge. Or I'd have thought.

We had heavily trafficked slabbed paths in my father's house that didn't move in thirty years of footfall, wheelbarrows, heavy motor mowers and etc. going over them.

 

[OISÍN]

I had the concrete smooth finish and applied none slip epoxy resin

 

[countrryboy]

That's less than the best initial laying of them. Laid on a properly set down (sand and cement mix?) bed they shouldn't budge. Or I'd have thought.

We had heavily trafficked slabbed paths in my father's house that didn't move in thirty years of footfall, wheelbarrows, heavy motor mowers and etc. going over them.

'
Ur totally right were laid in a hurry and straight onto trampled soil, but did last 5 or 6 years before i concreted the run.

But by the time u lay them right u could easy have laid a concrete pad with no seem's or anything else to worry about, plus not cheap to buy and a bit of handling.

 

[JTO]

Wood floor, or raised sleeping bench, is a good enough insulation.

If the dog is house trained it won't foul its kennel. Just the outside run.

I'd not think straw is itchy for a dog to lie in. Just like a stock animal in a farm.

Their fur stops any itchiness. And the old pig he doesn't even have that!

If you were to use heating I'd use electric and fixed at well above floor level.

Those sort of steel rod things that are used in greenhouses to keep them frost free.

But for a working dog it probably isn't wholly necessary as long as the kennel is well insulated.

Just about sums it up! Just avoid drafts with an upstand at the front of the shelf.

Lay 2-3" of concrete like 'oversite blinding concrete', quickly done, and lay slabs on blobs of mortar with nothing between them, for drainage. Don't leave gaps that claws can be trapped in.

 

[User00035]

Aye i probably should just get some ready mix in, think i'm somewhere just under 8 cube
Some's for an area to drive on so a bit thicker than dog runs.
Can't really get the wagon into the kennel site thou, but do have a 6T dumper so not all hand balling,

Must admit i do quite enjoy mixing cement, my last house done the parking at back door about 150m2 all with a wee belle mixer, althou was sick of it by the end

Round here the problem is getting lads in all the boys i know are flat out busy with the day jobs, esp if sort of last minuate for such a small job.

You'll never mix that lot in one go by yourself and even if you could you won't do it fast enough and it'll end up patchy. You won't be able to power float it. If you've got a dumper that's ideal. Discharge the concrete lorry into that and drive to the site and tip. Two lorries, two of you on the rakes and you have that down in a morning.
probably cost you more in materials to mix it yourself as well.