Precious Tropical Hardwood
of the
Osa Peninsula
with
Italian Taste and Skill
create
Unique Buildings and Furniture
Our Office is located in Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica and we operate in the whole Osa Peninsula and Golfo Dulce
area,
but not only.
Our Phone is ++ 506 2 735 26 90, our fax is ++ 506 2 735 56 48
Email : info@rarewood.weworthweb.com
Few Words
over
Concrete Elements
in
our Constructions
Starting with the good approach makes things easier.
Is our normal process of work to start with a detailed 3Dimensional model of the House,
Cabin, Restaurant, etc.
we will build, for to understand exactly how it will appears at the end of our work, and have the chance to
calculate, with extreme,
precision the quantity and size of every element that will be part of the Construction.
This way to proceed,
helps the Owner to have, from the very first step of our collaboration, the vision of what we will do and the cost, with an approximation
inside the 10%, due to variables of market and norms, of the whole operation.
Concrete, for us, is important as much wood is, because,
despite the fact that, often, is not the most scenic part of the Building, it is, often, responsible for the strenght and durability
of it.
A good Footer or a Floor, made with quality gravel, sand, cement and iron bars, is important, as the underneath soil is.
Breaking
and cracking will appear soon in the concrete walls and floor if the subsoil had not been properly compacted with
mechanical tools, as we does.
The old style system, still widely diffused here in the Osa Peninsula, based over the use of a
wooden stump left to fall on the ground by a worker, doesn't produce the necessary density of the gravel or dirt.
After having obtained a good quality, well compacted bottom where to start building, the use of high quality form elements is important
for to obtain dimensional and structural correct retaining walls and foundations.
We choose to use Plywood paneled form elements
because they offer several advantages over the rough, fresh cut, poor quality form board normally used by local builder :
-they are
lasting ten times what a rough board does, but costs only the double
-they produce straight, plane concrete surface
-they allow the
use of concrete vibrators
- no forest trees are slashed for to produce one time
use boards
-reduce the time of form
assembling and final cost of
the building
Concrete vibrating during the pouring phase, is so important that can make the difference amongst a structurally sound
foundation, column or beam, and weak one, that in short period will reveal its insufficient strength producing cracks on the stucco
and flooring finishing
Specially in a very seismic area, like the Osa Peninsula, concrete vibration is absolutely necessary,
but often is not an operation that is part of the local builder due to the poor quality of the form, that would fall apart under the
effect of the vibration produced by the electric vibrator, or because, simply, is not a tool present in their box.
Another important element that is part, but not visible at all, of the concrete foundations and retaining walls, is the
chemical additive used in the concrete mix.
Depending by the function of the concrete element, different additive must be used,
for to help the mix to harden better, faster or slower, adding waterproofing or hardness, etc. etc. all details that can make the
difference amongst a functionally and safe, let's say, infinite horizon swimming pool wall or a simple retaining wall along
the bank of an umpredictable creek.
When we first arrive here, in the Osa Peninsula, almost twenty years ago, the only anchoring system known, was a piece of rebar,
in the most sophisticated situation with an end bended, placed inside the concrete during the pouring phase.
With that " pin" everything
was, supposedly , anchored to the concrete, doesn't matter if the wooden elements were designed for to resist to down or up,
side or diagonal forces, often with tremendous mistakes resulting in roof and related structure fall.
After several year spent in Italy,
building Big Laminated Beams Structures and having to apply the strict DIN rules, that specify every little details of the wooden
construction size and distribution of screws, bolts, plates, pins, etc. , this looked like another planet, and we start teaching to
local worker how to apply " our" rules, often defying their smiles and laughs.
Now, after that, some of them, realized the advantages of to build with " northern" technique, the use of threaded bars had become
quite common, instead the iron bars, but the use of custom made metal connection elements is still almost our exclusivity, and the
use of steel expanders is something that only with the high quality of our concrete has some sense, being completely insufficient
if placed inside the current concrete elements poured without all the care we put in them.
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