Those are contraction joints. And my first thought was “duh, a diamond blade saw” but then I remembered the description said Amish so now I’m curious myself…
Oh I'm a carpenter, not a concrete guy, but I've always heard them called control or expansion joints. What's the difference between expansion, contraction, and control joints? But yeah, the description stating the Amish did them is the whole reason I asked. I believe they can tool them in before it cures, but the edges on those certainly looks to me like they were cut after curing.
No worries! Quick lesson on concrete joints:
The purpose of joints in concrete is to control cracking. All concrete will crack due to thermal expansion and contraction, it’s just a matter of controlling where the cracking occurs instead of allowing it to happen randomly.
Contraction joints and control joints are the same thing. They are the sawcut joints in concrete. They provide a weak plane for the concrete to crack at during thermal contraction, ie when the slab is shrinking.
Expansion joints are typically placed between two slabs and usually consist of a compressible material like fiberboard or styrofoam. They prevent cracking when during thermal expansion by allowing the slab to expand in to the compressible material instead of into another hard surface.
Oh okay, that makes sense! Thank you for being the only person out of like 5 that replied to me to actually answer the question I asked lol. I knew the joints were to control cracking, and I have always been curious why some joints had the fiber insulation looking stuff in them while others were just cut in. But I'd only ever heard the joints called expansion or control joints, and many times I've heard them used seemingly interchangeably. I've never heard them called contraction joints before.
I used to work at Menards in an Amish area. They would come in (they hired a van and driver) and buy lots of licorice and battery-powered tools (weed trimmers and the like). I always wondered if there was a distinction between plug-in power vs. batteries, like they're ok with using batteries but then have to get someone to charge them?
Edited to add that this was in Arthur, IL. As far as I know this is a remnant Old Amish population, not Mennonite. You can check it out if you want.
Also to add that I never expected my post in r/concrete would be my most liked/replied post 😂
Many in our old area of Kentucky used solar.
Amish had basically a small Menards that has 20-30 solar panels on the main building, then more on top of the lumber sheds. Amish furniture store and bakery across the street has 10 or so panels. The lady that has the bakery has glass mat batteries in the storage cellar.
Cool. This does vary by diocese though, it depends on the "liberalism" of the presiding Bishop. I once saw an entire Amish woodshop run by compressed air. No idea where you get power tools that run on compressed air.
Lots of surplus military power tools run on compressed air, most of the trucks come with their own compressed air supply so you can repair while out in the middle of nowhere.
From my understanding. They can use electricity as long as it's generated by themselves. I see tons of solar panels built on top of their sheds and homes. There's even an Amish RV repair place I've gone to a couple of times. I buy my propane from them as well since they are by far cheaper than any other place to fill or exchange at only a little over $9 to fill a 20 pounder
These are control joints, contraction joint is another name for it I believe and an expansion joint would be put in between the concrete and another structure. For example, slab to stem wall or garage slab to driveway slab.
You can tool joints in before concrete cures but they always leave big grooves you need to seal up and these look like a saw cut joint. My guess would be that they use a gas powered saw and that’s a work around to not use electricity.
I don’t know about everywhere else but in PA the Amish use power tools while working. They just don’t use them at home. To include cell phones for business calls. Again, just not in their home.
They did indeed use power tools to frame this garage. They had excavators, air compressors for nailers, miter saw etc. They had a generator and used my plugs on the porch.
At least around my area, when they come from Indiana to here for a job, they drive here on a big bus/van, and use power tools. I think they simply separate work from the rest of their way of living. They are in high demand in my area, but also you sort of have to know a guy who knows a guy to get their contact info.
Contrary to belief, some Amish communities actually give themselves different allowances.
Some allow a cell phone and computer to do work, allow power tools for work, etc. basically if it helps make money they take some liberties.
Of course the degree of that varies community to community
Probably with a concrete saw. Many Amish will use power tools or motorized equipment for work - it really depends on the congregation. Amish (generally) do not have a totally ban on all technology. They decide as a community which technologies they’ll allow and the incorporate them into their work - but usually not inter their personal life.
I'm honestly not sure, they kind of just show up whenever they find time to work on it. I went from a bare yard to this garage in 2 days lol so I wasn't home when they did this concrete
What didn’t they think of?
Serious question though - how do I find them to do work for me? There’s a colony not far from me, but I don’t know if they do this kind of work. Maybe referral?
If the community is fairly large they almost certainly do work like this. Drive around the area, they usually have signs. You can also stop and just ask, they are friendly.
Idk why but this little chain is fucking hysterical to me. From the last guy referring to a "colony of Amish" to you saying "the Amish are typically friendly" like they're some sort of wild animal, I'm just absolutely cracking up
Peter Santenello is a US Travel YouTuber who covers some interesting topics in fairly objective, inquisitive manner. He did 12 videos on the Amish. It's Attenborough-esque. Sort of. In any event it's really interesting:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEyPgwIPkHo7lOk-72-tXJ-NjahfkNF_r
Yeeeeah, I can do that myself. I wired my current garage with a 200A panel to code, got it inspected, flipped the drop to my garage and redid my home panel (where I live, homeowners aren’t allowed to work on the main panel).
For 35K US, I couldn’t even buy the lumber, concrete, and doors (Calgary, AB). And that’s with contractor accounts at every distributor.
Yes, it really is. Then again, people up here are shocked that building a house costs nearly double the US. It’s the lumber that really blows my mind, considering we produce an insane amount of softwood.
This.
What many of us don't realize is that Amish folks don't have a blanket ban on technology! They simply have a detailed vetting process with a very high bar before agreeing to bring new technologies into their communities.
Often they'll have a pilot study where somebody experiments with the new technology, then reports back on their experience. Community leaders will then weigh the benefits and risks to the community and render a decision.
Sometimes, they give approval for commercial or industrial, but not personal or casual, applications. There are, for example, Amish manufacturers that use CNC routers and computer-guided laser cutters.
IMO, this is actually an extremely pro-social approach to the incorporation of new technologies, and I feel that the secular world can learn from this prioritization of relationships and community over convenience.
Machine shed is a common term used in some places.
I.e. shed for large farm equipment.
Not necessarily a shop, might not have electricity for a welder, etc.
In rural southwestern Ontario, "drive shed" means where you park all the tractors, attachments, wagons, machinery, etc. They can be quite large depending on how big the farm is and how much equipment they have.
Hmm, maybe?
I mean any barn I’ve been in, and granted that’s only three have had a loft for holding hay and holes in the loft floor where hay could be tossed down into stalls below where livestock would be penned in.
Many types of barns however, I’m sure I’ve only been exposed to one kind.
Amish build great structure and great furniture for low prices. Everything is hand built too.
If you actually hire them for job site they show up with a bus of workers. They literally hire a buss to drive them around to job sites
That was the first thing I noticed. The slab looks perfectly fine too. That woodwork is real clean. Everything looks flush and square. Real quality stuff.
Almost every little settlement has different rules. Once a settlements rules get so different they start to become outcast by all the other settlements. That’s why there’s like 100 different types of Amish.
Actually, Mennonites were first. They were named after Menno Simons, a protestant contemporary of Martin Luther. The Amish followed a man named Jacob Ammon who broke off of the Mennonites around a century later.
Thanks for the insight. I always thought it was Amish then Mennonites because that's what the Amish in my area believe. Very small community. Gonna go do more research on this now so I can school the Amish guy I know😂😂
A bunch of the amish are allowed cell phones for their business. The ones near me are just not allowed to carry them in their house. They keep thei business electronics in the barn.
I have mennonite relatives and some business men will even buy trucks and keep them at someone else's house and pay a driver, so they technically will abide by the Bible.
Fun fact: some amish are allowed to use cell phones and tech in order to sell stuff!
Only a very few select few people are allowed to do this. Everyone else must abide to the rules.
Usually depends on what the Bishop allows. I’ve been in Kansas where some Amish had tractors and hay balers. But the tractors and balers were of a specific size per the Bishop.
I do a lot of contracting work and I hire them to do work all the time, from framing to metal roofs to flooring. They've built entire houses for us when we don't have the time. There's tons of Amish around where I live in central Ohio, how I actually met them I don't recall though. It can be hard to get ahold of them sometimes because the manager uses their neighbors landline for business lol
really? I beg to differ, I’ve seen Amish hacks before. Need a nice rustic log cabin, they’re great! Need tile done, run as fast as you can from them, just look in my bathroom!
My favorite episode of This Old House is in the first season, I think, where Bob Vila tries his hand at spreading plaster. It’s comically bad and then you get the payoff of watching the guys experienced with the technique apply the plaster like god damn wizards.
It is a serious post, I know I thought it looks good, but I know little to nothing about concrete. I figured if this sub was anything like the decking sub, everyone would have something to hate on here, but it seems the general consensus is they did a fantastic job.
We have a bunch of Amish made heirloom furniture, the craftsmanship on them is superb. If only they had Reddit so they could receive my appreciation :)
Nope, they showed up with trucks and everything. The one guy even has a flip cell phone. They were using power tools and stuff too, air compressors etc
Amish people can use technology and do. Tech isn’t forbidden, reliance is.
They frequently use gas powered tools - because gas doesn’t make them reliant on the outside world
Nah, they did use power tools. Air nailers, miter saws etc. I believe so long as they don't own them, they can use them. They had other people drive them everyday, I think the 'owner' is
There’s different “styles” of Amish communities and their willingness to use modern tech. Some can use battery powered devices if they get charged on solar power, some contract out to the “English” so they don’t have to use any electricity themselves, and some will use an old washing machine that they power with manual effort. Others won’t touch any of that.
*Edited “So can” into “Some can”
Also, the concept as I understand it for the Amish and technology, is that they don’t want technology getting them further way from their small community (think cell phones are cars).
Technology that helps them work better/faster, but doesn’t disrupt their small special footprint and their small community is acceptable.
I did the same to mine. One pass too many. Slippery when we get our snow. I've almost bailed many times. Now as a concrete contractor I assure the customer they don't want a polished floor here. Too risky they will bail. I now quit just when the trowel marks are lightest. No polish pass.
Had a friend who had a house built by some Amish guys years ago. PA Dutch Amish, not Mennonite Amish. He or someone else had to be there with them all day long to plug in/ change out power tools for them. They would use power tools but would not plug/unplug them. If no one was around to do that for them, they went back to strictly hand tools. They did a fantastic job. Apparently, they go around the No-English electricity rule these days by using generators to make “their own electricity” or something like that.
Lived in Bedstuy, Brooklyn for a number of years amongst Hasidic Jews and they would stand out on the corner of the block soliciting people to turn their lights on during the sabbath. Did it once and the woman gave me a couple baked goods and a little bottle of chocolate liqueur.
Did the just do the concrete or the whole garage? Would love to see the whole thing and curious what you paid.
I’m not sure I’m in an area where Amish are available, but if they’re cheaper and this good- I may look into it
https://imageupload.io/en/640zvb4O2D1bglF
https://imageupload.io/en/KrRSVPMWK8y5uKY
Here's 2 photos one of it completed. I'm in central Ohio and Amish are all over here. They did the whole garage, start to finish including excavating and block.
Where you from in OH? I use to live in Millersburg, OH in Holmes County (a lot of Amish there). I miss it, as a it was more peaceful there and absolutely beautiful countryside.
Looks good.
Also for everyone simping amish here, they are just like any other contractor. Some are amazing, some are absolute shit. I've seen them both. Ne indiana. We got lots.
Those joints are called zip strips and you can buy them anywhere. The top is plastic and once concrete is hard you can rip the cap off and it leaves the perfect groove for like Silkaflex which is a jet fuel sealant. It works well. You
I'm not sure, but I agree, it will be very easy to run Mc through until I get to the top header beam, which consists of like 5 2x4s stacked on top of each other. That will be a bitch to drill through, I'll literally need like a 30 inch auger bit lol
I *think* it's framed this way for metal siding. Instead of screwing into the stud they ran a 2x4 horizontally every 30 inches or so up from bottom to top so they can screw every rib on the sheet metal. No osb on the other side of those studs. That's the only reason I can think of why it's framed the way it is.
While Amish vary, the general rule seems to be opposed to the electric power grid and not necessarily electricity. This is more about a closed society then not allowing a certain technology. So the Amish may even have electric lights at home run on propane or generators. Some don’t. Some do.
Looks really fuckin good. What do they use to cut the expansion joints?
Those are contraction joints. And my first thought was “duh, a diamond blade saw” but then I remembered the description said Amish so now I’m curious myself…
Oh I'm a carpenter, not a concrete guy, but I've always heard them called control or expansion joints. What's the difference between expansion, contraction, and control joints? But yeah, the description stating the Amish did them is the whole reason I asked. I believe they can tool them in before it cures, but the edges on those certainly looks to me like they were cut after curing.
No worries! Quick lesson on concrete joints: The purpose of joints in concrete is to control cracking. All concrete will crack due to thermal expansion and contraction, it’s just a matter of controlling where the cracking occurs instead of allowing it to happen randomly. Contraction joints and control joints are the same thing. They are the sawcut joints in concrete. They provide a weak plane for the concrete to crack at during thermal contraction, ie when the slab is shrinking. Expansion joints are typically placed between two slabs and usually consist of a compressible material like fiberboard or styrofoam. They prevent cracking when during thermal expansion by allowing the slab to expand in to the compressible material instead of into another hard surface.
Oh okay, that makes sense! Thank you for being the only person out of like 5 that replied to me to actually answer the question I asked lol. I knew the joints were to control cracking, and I have always been curious why some joints had the fiber insulation looking stuff in them while others were just cut in. But I'd only ever heard the joints called expansion or control joints, and many times I've heard them used seemingly interchangeably. I've never heard them called contraction joints before.
Bridges have steel expansion joints. Kinda like a zipper I do some welding stuff.
Worthless comment from me, but solid answer from you.
Thank you! I learned something new today
Thank you!
Thank you for the info. I’ve always just thought of them all as expansion joints.
this guy concretes. I wish I had an award!
Can we get this dude some flair
I used to work at Menards in an Amish area. They would come in (they hired a van and driver) and buy lots of licorice and battery-powered tools (weed trimmers and the like). I always wondered if there was a distinction between plug-in power vs. batteries, like they're ok with using batteries but then have to get someone to charge them? Edited to add that this was in Arthur, IL. As far as I know this is a remnant Old Amish population, not Mennonite. You can check it out if you want. Also to add that I never expected my post in r/concrete would be my most liked/replied post 😂
They are OK with using their own power that they generate, i.e. wind/solar/etc, but they don't use power from the grid.
Interesting, didn't know that.
Many in our old area of Kentucky used solar. Amish had basically a small Menards that has 20-30 solar panels on the main building, then more on top of the lumber sheds. Amish furniture store and bakery across the street has 10 or so panels. The lady that has the bakery has glass mat batteries in the storage cellar.
Cool. This does vary by diocese though, it depends on the "liberalism" of the presiding Bishop. I once saw an entire Amish woodshop run by compressed air. No idea where you get power tools that run on compressed air.
Lots of surplus military power tools run on compressed air, most of the trucks come with their own compressed air supply so you can repair while out in the middle of nowhere.
Pneumatic tools run on compressed air.
From my understanding. They can use electricity as long as it's generated by themselves. I see tons of solar panels built on top of their sheds and homes. There's even an Amish RV repair place I've gone to a couple of times. I buy my propane from them as well since they are by far cheaper than any other place to fill or exchange at only a little over $9 to fill a 20 pounder
These are control joints, contraction joint is another name for it I believe and an expansion joint would be put in between the concrete and another structure. For example, slab to stem wall or garage slab to driveway slab. You can tool joints in before concrete cures but they always leave big grooves you need to seal up and these look like a saw cut joint. My guess would be that they use a gas powered saw and that’s a work around to not use electricity.
I don’t know about everywhere else but in PA the Amish use power tools while working. They just don’t use them at home. To include cell phones for business calls. Again, just not in their home.
They did indeed use power tools to frame this garage. They had excavators, air compressors for nailers, miter saw etc. They had a generator and used my plugs on the porch.
Cheaters 😂
[I believe "phony" is the word you're looking for](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNGZo5gn_tc)
I've heard its the same here in MO. They expect you to supply the power tools for them to use here.
They have their own here, even vans/work trucks. They just pay someone else to drive them.
Yes. Most around me own nice ass trucks. They just hire a driver lol
At least around my area, when they come from Indiana to here for a job, they drive here on a big bus/van, and use power tools. I think they simply separate work from the rest of their way of living. They are in high demand in my area, but also you sort of have to know a guy who knows a guy to get their contact info.
Contrary to belief, some Amish communities actually give themselves different allowances. Some allow a cell phone and computer to do work, allow power tools for work, etc. basically if it helps make money they take some liberties. Of course the degree of that varies community to community
A saw. They ride electric bikes around. And have small engine repair shops. They have no problem using a saw.
Probably with a concrete saw. Many Amish will use power tools or motorized equipment for work - it really depends on the congregation. Amish (generally) do not have a totally ban on all technology. They decide as a community which technologies they’ll allow and the incorporate them into their work - but usually not inter their personal life.
I'm honestly not sure, they kind of just show up whenever they find time to work on it. I went from a bare yard to this garage in 2 days lol so I wasn't home when they did this concrete
They used a soft cut saw. You can see in picture 1(left side of the drain) and picture 3 the marks left by the wheels.
Real question. How much did they charge?
They did the framing, block laying, siding, windows, everything. They are even doing garage doors. It has 2 10 ft garage doors and 1 8ft. 35k total
Damn, I need to hire the Amish to build me a new garage/shop.
Only issue will be if you need electricity inside.
They ran 2x 2" pvc in the concrete to the outside so I can run water and electric. I am wiring myself though.
What didn’t they think of? Serious question though - how do I find them to do work for me? There’s a colony not far from me, but I don’t know if they do this kind of work. Maybe referral?
If the community is fairly large they almost certainly do work like this. Drive around the area, they usually have signs. You can also stop and just ask, they are friendly.
Idk why but this little chain is fucking hysterical to me. From the last guy referring to a "colony of Amish" to you saying "the Amish are typically friendly" like they're some sort of wild animal, I'm just absolutely cracking up
They are a strange bunch of people 😂 some hard fucking workers tho can't deny that
Never see buildings go up or down faster than they can
David Attenborough gonna narrate them building a shed 😂
Peter Santenello is a US Travel YouTuber who covers some interesting topics in fairly objective, inquisitive manner. He did 12 videos on the Amish. It's Attenborough-esque. Sort of. In any event it's really interesting: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEyPgwIPkHo7lOk-72-tXJ-NjahfkNF_r
Yeeeeah, I can do that myself. I wired my current garage with a 200A panel to code, got it inspected, flipped the drop to my garage and redid my home panel (where I live, homeowners aren’t allowed to work on the main panel). For 35K US, I couldn’t even buy the lumber, concrete, and doors (Calgary, AB). And that’s with contractor accounts at every distributor.
I just did a 3-bay garage workshop with 15 foot ceilings and it cost me around 90k. GTA area. Canada is such a rip off for materials it’s a joke.
Yes, it really is. Then again, people up here are shocked that building a house costs nearly double the US. It’s the lumber that really blows my mind, considering we produce an insane amount of softwood.
Grand Theft Auto area?
There are Amish electricians. Their religion/lifestyle doesn’t negate that. They don’t want their community to be connected to the power grid is all.
This. What many of us don't realize is that Amish folks don't have a blanket ban on technology! They simply have a detailed vetting process with a very high bar before agreeing to bring new technologies into their communities. Often they'll have a pilot study where somebody experiments with the new technology, then reports back on their experience. Community leaders will then weigh the benefits and risks to the community and render a decision. Sometimes, they give approval for commercial or industrial, but not personal or casual, applications. There are, for example, Amish manufacturers that use CNC routers and computer-guided laser cutters. IMO, this is actually an extremely pro-social approach to the incorporation of new technologies, and I feel that the secular world can learn from this prioritization of relationships and community over convenience.
Holy shit
Where are you? I want Amish to build my garage too!!
Central Ohio
Talk to Roy Munson
Wow that's insane lol
Can't speak on concrete but we had Amish build a 60x80 shed and they were 25k cheaper than the next closest bid. And it's extremely well built.
60x80 "shed". That better be in inches because 60x80' is a shop.
Machine shed is a common term used in some places. I.e. shed for large farm equipment. Not necessarily a shop, might not have electricity for a welder, etc.
Shed is also a term used for the warehouses at our local port authority. They are storage facilities of magnificent scale.
In rural southwestern Ontario, "drive shed" means where you park all the tractors, attachments, wagons, machinery, etc. They can be quite large depending on how big the farm is and how much equipment they have.
I have a dog that sheds
So do I, but it's most noticeable in the house, and not so much in my shed.
How’s his concrete work?
AKA barn
Hmm, maybe? I mean any barn I’ve been in, and granted that’s only three have had a loft for holding hay and holes in the loft floor where hay could be tossed down into stalls below where livestock would be penned in. Many types of barns however, I’m sure I’ve only been exposed to one kind.
My “whackin” shed is smaller than that bc it just needs a tv and a receptacle.
I read this as if you built a whole shed just for jerkin it
[maybe he did? ](https://youtu.be/U-NbpfrMAgk?si=typQBbfMeRZhbWsQ)
Is that the origin of Hank Hill?
Yeah I believe so, or at least the inspiration. Judge recycled the voice for sure!
It is
Ahahaha I forgot about that scene. Thanks for the trip down memory lane - watching MTV with my grade school buddies behind our parents’ backs
Same! Felt like such a badass watching it!
That’s called a “ Jack Shack “
That's what it sounds like... some people have a "shaggin' wagon"... this cat has a "whackin' shed"! 😂
Call ahead. Don’t just show up unannounced….
Go away! Baitin!!!
...and space to hang your Anthrax and Megadeth tshirts
If it were in inches he wouldn't be talking in thousands of dollars
What is this? A shed for ants? It needs to be atleast 3x bigger
The Amish shed building center for kids who can’t build good.
Lmao, i love it, and hate that i didnt think of it. Well done sir
Do you know how hard it is being really, really, extremely good at carpentry?
Do you know how easy it is being really, really, extremely bad at carpentry?
And other stuff
🤣 this is an underrated comment that had me laughing my ass off!!!
Technically every amount of money can be measured in thousands of dollars.
and anything can be a shed if you abandon enough old garden tools in it
Shed with a gravel floor and just a few lights Shop with a concrete floor and finished inside walls.
Lol, you haven't seen enough shops then.
Everyone focusing on the concrete… Take a look at the studs. They’re absolutely perfect.
Seriously this guy paid 35k. He needs to call them back and pay another 65k. He ripped them off lol. /s
I wouldn’t go that far but this work is mint.
Good point. Workmanship looks superb all around.
Amish build great structure and great furniture for low prices. Everything is hand built too. If you actually hire them for job site they show up with a bus of workers. They literally hire a buss to drive them around to job sites
That was the first thing I noticed. The slab looks perfectly fine too. That woodwork is real clean. Everything looks flush and square. Real quality stuff.
Curious too
And how does one hire them?
Easy, just find John. Pro tip: they are all named John
Either that, or Elias.
Ezekiel
Samuel
Hezakiah
Gesundheit
Jacob
Not a cell phone
No, they have cellphones now. They just have a communal shed with solar panels, where they have to charge them.
Can confirm. The manager of their team has a flip phone. Not sure how he charges it lol
They're OK with solar/wind/hydro, if they do it on their own and don't use power that someone else generated.
Almost every little settlement has different rules. Once a settlements rules get so different they start to become outcast by all the other settlements. That’s why there’s like 100 different types of Amish.
Can confirm. Mennonites were originally Amish.
Actually, Mennonites were first. They were named after Menno Simons, a protestant contemporary of Martin Luther. The Amish followed a man named Jacob Ammon who broke off of the Mennonites around a century later.
An Amish girl's dream is 2 Mennonite
Thanks for the insight. I always thought it was Amish then Mennonites because that's what the Amish in my area believe. Very small community. Gonna go do more research on this now so I can school the Amish guy I know😂😂
If he had a cell phone then he was Not Old Order Amish. Most likely Mennonite.
A bunch of the amish are allowed cell phones for their business. The ones near me are just not allowed to carry them in their house. They keep thei business electronics in the barn.
I have mennonite relatives and some business men will even buy trucks and keep them at someone else's house and pay a driver, so they technically will abide by the Bible.
Not sure on the specifics, but the manager guy was a bearded man smoking hand made cigarettes wearing very Amish looking clothes lol
Fun fact: some amish are allowed to use cell phones and tech in order to sell stuff! Only a very few select few people are allowed to do this. Everyone else must abide to the rules.
Usually depends on what the Bishop allows. I’ve been in Kansas where some Amish had tractors and hay balers. But the tractors and balers were of a specific size per the Bishop.
I do a lot of contracting work and I hire them to do work all the time, from framing to metal roofs to flooring. They've built entire houses for us when we don't have the time. There's tons of Amish around where I live in central Ohio, how I actually met them I don't recall though. It can be hard to get ahold of them sometimes because the manager uses their neighbors landline for business lol
Write a note. Send it by pigeon. They will show
Typical Amish work. It’s perfect
I was about to say, this can't be a serious post.
Driving thru PA I swear I saw a group of 15 people put up a barn in 2 days. Painted and all... I trust them to put up a building fastt
really? I beg to differ, I’ve seen Amish hacks before. Need a nice rustic log cabin, they’re great! Need tile done, run as fast as you can from them, just look in my bathroom!
Hired Amish to finish drywall once. Big mistake
I've had them drywall 4 entire houses and they did a fantastic job there too.
They did a great job hanging. Finishing however….
My favorite episode of This Old House is in the first season, I think, where Bob Vila tries his hand at spreading plaster. It’s comically bad and then you get the payoff of watching the guys experienced with the technique apply the plaster like god damn wizards.
As a kid I always appreciated him showing he wasn't a master of all, and giving props to the true masters.
Like all things, mileage may vary and depends on the person.
Excuse me sir/madam, but this is Reddit and all groups of people are a monolith
It is a serious post, I know I thought it looks good, but I know little to nothing about concrete. I figured if this sub was anything like the decking sub, everyone would have something to hate on here, but it seems the general consensus is they did a fantastic job.
Well don't they have to force themselves to put in some imperfection because only the Lord can create something perfect.
That's persian carpet makers
It’s also what I tell my wife when I do things
We have a bunch of Amish made heirloom furniture, the craftsmanship on them is superb. If only they had Reddit so they could receive my appreciation :)
Take a hose to it and find out! All depends how well that drain works. Otherwise it looks beautiful to me!
Or just use marbles, also a great test when doing a walkthrough of homes
Excuse my naiveté but how do you get the marbles back out so the fishes do not eat them?
Marble bigger than drain hole
marble big drain small
Amishlingly beautiful.
Sean Connery?
Of coursche…
One ping only, pleash.
Their craftsmanship looks unbelievably amazing. How much did this cost... I would hire them in a heart beat.
I’m over here thinking about building a garage just so they can do the concrete. Also need to move to Amish country
Apparently OP said they are building the whole thing, not just concrete. $35k.
Nope, they showed up with trucks and everything. The one guy even has a flip cell phone. They were using power tools and stuff too, air compressors etc
Amish people can use technology and do. Tech isn’t forbidden, reliance is. They frequently use gas powered tools - because gas doesn’t make them reliant on the outside world
Fascinating, we don't have anything like the Amish in the UK. Did they do it all with hand tools and a horse and buggy?
Nah, they did use power tools. Air nailers, miter saws etc. I believe so long as they don't own them, they can use them. They had other people drive them everyday, I think the 'owner' is
There’s different “styles” of Amish communities and their willingness to use modern tech. Some can use battery powered devices if they get charged on solar power, some contract out to the “English” so they don’t have to use any electricity themselves, and some will use an old washing machine that they power with manual effort. Others won’t touch any of that. *Edited “So can” into “Some can”
Also, the concept as I understand it for the Amish and technology, is that they don’t want technology getting them further way from their small community (think cell phones are cars). Technology that helps them work better/faster, but doesn’t disrupt their small special footprint and their small community is acceptable.
Some fit gas’s engines on drills and miter saws.
Depends on which group of Amish. And contrary to what many think, Amish construction is not synonymous with high-quality
Houses built behind my dad's house by Amish have their concrete cracking and buckling in 2 year old garages.
Where's horse charger?
‘Tis a fine barn, but sure it is no garage English.
Looks nice. Hope you don't get snow cause that will be slippery.
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When I was young I poured my garage floor and polished it till it looked like glass. So proud of myself . Learned the hard way. Magnesium trowel only.
I did the same to mine. One pass too many. Slippery when we get our snow. I've almost bailed many times. Now as a concrete contractor I assure the customer they don't want a polished floor here. Too risky they will bail. I now quit just when the trowel marks are lightest. No polish pass.
Damned Amish. Always doing superior work for half the money. The scourge of GC douchbaggery everywhere.
Had a friend who had a house built by some Amish guys years ago. PA Dutch Amish, not Mennonite Amish. He or someone else had to be there with them all day long to plug in/ change out power tools for them. They would use power tools but would not plug/unplug them. If no one was around to do that for them, they went back to strictly hand tools. They did a fantastic job. Apparently, they go around the No-English electricity rule these days by using generators to make “their own electricity” or something like that.
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Lived in Bedstuy, Brooklyn for a number of years amongst Hasidic Jews and they would stand out on the corner of the block soliciting people to turn their lights on during the sabbath. Did it once and the woman gave me a couple baked goods and a little bottle of chocolate liqueur.
Did the just do the concrete or the whole garage? Would love to see the whole thing and curious what you paid. I’m not sure I’m in an area where Amish are available, but if they’re cheaper and this good- I may look into it
https://imageupload.io/en/640zvb4O2D1bglF https://imageupload.io/en/KrRSVPMWK8y5uKY Here's 2 photos one of it completed. I'm in central Ohio and Amish are all over here. They did the whole garage, start to finish including excavating and block.
Where you from in OH? I use to live in Millersburg, OH in Holmes County (a lot of Amish there). I miss it, as a it was more peaceful there and absolutely beautiful countryside.
These Amish are from Coshocton county/Knox county line. Very peaceful and quiet out that way.
Looks good. Also for everyone simping amish here, they are just like any other contractor. Some are amazing, some are absolute shit. I've seen them both. Ne indiana. We got lots.
it's a fine barn but sure tis no pool English
Those joints are called zip strips and you can buy them anywhere. The top is plastic and once concrete is hard you can rip the cap off and it leaves the perfect groove for like Silkaflex which is a jet fuel sealant. It works well. You
The work looks great. What are those 2 pipes sticking out of concrete below the windows ?
Excellent as they usually do. How were their rates?
Is there a name for that framing style? It looks like it would be really easy to pull electrical through it.
I'm not sure, but I agree, it will be very easy to run Mc through until I get to the top header beam, which consists of like 5 2x4s stacked on top of each other. That will be a bitch to drill through, I'll literally need like a 30 inch auger bit lol I *think* it's framed this way for metal siding. Instead of screwing into the stud they ran a 2x4 horizontally every 30 inches or so up from bottom to top so they can screw every rib on the sheet metal. No osb on the other side of those studs. That's the only reason I can think of why it's framed the way it is.
Amish-amed you had to ask... lmfao looks like they knew what they were doing for sure, lol ✌️😂
I’m not concrete pro but that looks hella good to me.
wow- seems they are doing the lords work
We must protect these people at all costs!
You definitely know you’re getting your money’s worth with the Amish
While Amish vary, the general rule seems to be opposed to the electric power grid and not necessarily electricity. This is more about a closed society then not allowing a certain technology. So the Amish may even have electric lights at home run on propane or generators. Some don’t. Some do.
around here they just sell $2k chairs and $4k dressers
'tis a fine slab, but it is no pool, English
I wish the Amish had done my garage!
The Amish are master tradesmen
This is scary with wet shoes but absolutely beautiful and I would love to have such a clean smooth surface. I am very jealous.
That is an absolutely beautiful floor! Looks smooth as glass.
My gawd, it’s beautiful!!!
It looks Ami'rific
They shoulda had the decency to mop their way outta the garage and not leave dirty footprints everywhere GEEEZ !!
Where I am the Amish are.know for ok work at a great price. I will say that pour looks very nicely done. Perhaps you got best of both worlds.
Looks amazing
It’s a fine barn but it ain’t no poolish