Pre-Schooler Area

Stage
Instructions for building the stage

























Tools needed:
2 Measuring tapes
Shovel
Wheelbarrow
Hammer
Sawzall or hacksaw
Electric Drill
Philips head driver bit
Extension cord
String
Rubber boots
12 long Screed board
Concrete Float
Materials needed:
1x2x18 stakes (pack of 12)
3 sheets of welded wire mesh 4'x100 14 ga.
8 pine 1x4x8' furring strips
1-1/2 Deck Screws
Rebar chair
Shower curtain and curtain rings
Shop lights
Pre-Schooler Area
Stage
Instructions for building the stage

1. The first step is to lay out where to dig the hole for the
concrete slab. The drawing to the right shows the location
of the stage on the site. The drawing below shows the stage
relative to the existing concrete curbs.


















The easiest way I can think of to lay the stage out is to lay
out a 10 x 10 square. Once you have that, it is easy to
extend the sides a foot.

Start by locating the two corners. Put stakes in the ground.

2. Once you have that, pull the measuring tape between the
two points and locate a point 1-0 away from each stake.
Put a temporary stake of pin in this location.

3. For the next step, we have to remember the 3-4-5
triangle. We will use that to determine that the line is
square.


Pre-Schooler Area
Stage
Instructions for building the stage

4. Mark a point 6-0 towards the other stake. Now, using
two measuring tapes, locate a point 10-0 from that point
and 8-0 from the first stake. Mark this point. We know
that this defines a line that is 90 degrees from our original
line.







5. With a tape measure, mark a point 10-0 away from the
first stake. Now we have three corners of the 10-10
square.





6. Repeat the process for the opposite side.

Measure the distance between your new stakes. It should be
fairly close to 10-0. There will be some error. Adjust as
necessary.




7. Measure along the edge 12 to find the actual corner of
the stage at the two original stakes.

This is the boundary of where you will dig.

It might be easier to use batter boards and string. Batter
boards are stakes that placed about 24 away from the
corners. String is tied to the batter board stake and tied to a
batter board at the other corner. The string defines the area
to dig. This way you dont have a corner stake in the way.

Pre-Schooler Area
Stage
Instructions for building the stage


8. Our stage isnt dimensionally that critical. Stakes or
batter boards, either way, once you feel that you are ready,
grab a shovel and start digging.


9. The slab is 4 deep so start by digging a 4 deep hole.
This will need to be larger than the stage slab so that we
have room to place the 1x4 formwork.


10. The perimeter beam is 12 deep. It needs a trench 8
deeper than the slab. It does not need to be perfect. We will
be installing 1x4s at the perimeter to give the concrete
straight edges.

I know that the drawing is shown with crisp corners. You
do not need to try and get that with the dirt. Actually, sharp
corners arent a good thing in concrete work.





11. We will need to install some stakes to anchor the 1x4
formwork to. These go at the corners and in the middle.
The 1x4s will not be long enough so multiple stakes may
be needed. Remember, concrete is heavy and will push
over any stakes not driven in well.

I showed stakes at 4 apart. This might not be enough.
Place the stakes at 24 apart




12. Place three sheets of the welded wire reinforcing steel
into the hole. You will have to use either bolt cutters or a
hacksaw to trim the sheets at the angled edges.

The reinforcing should not just sit on the dirt. Use rebar
chairs to support the reinforcing.
This is dirt and
will have rounded
corners
Use more stakes
than this!!!
A rebar chair
Pre-Schooler Area
Stage
Instructions for building the stage

13. I am using galvanized pipe to support a stage curtain
and the stage lights. The pipe will have to be braced while
the concrete is poured and cures. The curtain rod should be
6-6 above the floor. The light rod should be 7-0 above
the floor.

This means that the 10-long pipe will need to be cut.
Remember that the pipes will stick down 12 into the
concrete;
2 pipes cut to a length of 7-6
2 pipes cut to a length of 8-0

The Sawzall can be used to cut the steel pipe.

14. Assemble the pipes. The pipes screw into 90 degree
elbows. Screw an elbow onto both ends of one 10 length
of pipe. Now screw the 7-6 pipes into the elbows. This is
the curtain rod. Do the same to create the light rod.

15. The pipe will need to be braced. Use 1x4s and stakes
to brace the pipe. To hold the pipe to the 1x4, use zip ties
and duct tape. It would be more secure to drill through the
pipe and bolt into the 1x4 but I am trying to save effort and
not to break the galvanized coating. If the zip ties and duct
tape dont work, use the bolts.

16. The next step is when the concrete truck delivers the
concrete. We may end up taking down part of the fence to
make pouring the concrete easier. If we do, the truck will
offload the concrete straight into the hole we dug.

If we dont take the fence down, we will need to haul the
concrete with wheelbarrows. Not a fun job.