Timber stakes concreted into slab

Someone we know recently discovered a thick stake encased into their concrete along the vertical edge of the concrete slab. It appears that the concretors were trying to keep the correct cover for reo by using stakes to keep spacing from reo to the formwork.

Is this a problem? Should the concrete be cut out and replaced? And perhpas tested with something to fish for more stakes that can't be seen?

Weird

Hi Lex

Concreters quite often use timber stakes to establish points for the initial floating of slabs to the final shape particularly when the space between the fixed forms are quite wide or when they are concreting between two walls.

Normally they do remember to take them out so I would guess its only one stake.

Its probably not worth breaking concrete to get the stake out unless its really spoiling the appearance, Its unlikely to substantially reduce the strength.

Thanks B

I've never heard of such thing, but I guess it happens - the only thing is, most often it's not visible so people don't even know

I imagine it would be quite a job to cut it out ... I saw the reo, there's heaps of reo in the trench and that's where the stake is
This is on a corner too ...

Now, since the timber is visible, should it at least be protected/covered with something (some glue or foam or something that doesn't let the water in) to prevent it from getting wet and rotting??

Either protect it. or let it rot away and then fill the hole with sand and cement mix.

If its too obvious Honeycomb drill the wood from the top and break the wood off the side and then fill with a sand cement mix

Thanks B

Anyhow, it's not a nice feeling (to say the least) knowing that there could be some big pieces of timber stuck in our slabs and/or other concrete ... but this seems to be happening on ocassion?? It's quite a negligence to me ... where's their duty of care etc. ??!?!!?

Timber stakes are used for acheiving uniform levels of slab and particularly for curved form concrete. Once the slab level is obtained, the concreter usually hammers the stake into the earth and covers up with a bit more concrete before smoothing it out. Once that is done, you would not know that a stake was present.

In this case, the only purpose of the stakes was to maintain the cover to the sides/edges. The concretor was simply negligent enough to leave them there. The owner did not believe that this can be of any good to his slab