Pouring Concrete

[kdubaz]

I live in a neato little community run by a facist home owners association, so working with them can be a pain. On the side on my house, I have a 10X50 ft sidelot that I'd like to pour concrete in, and then make a little path to go to the garage.

The thing is, I'm not huge on most pavers, so I'd like to rule those out, plus the only thing I know for sure is that my association will let concrete paths go to the backyard -- my neighbors have them.

That said, I'm wondering if this is something I can handle myself for a fairly affordable amount. I don't need it to be very thick. I'm pretty handy with the tools and all, but I've never tackled anything like this. Any suggestions on necessary tools and the like would be appreciated.

 

[MXtras]

The narrow pours are pretty easy - set the forms and then use a straight board with a sawing motion to generally smooth it, then trowel it after a short period or finish it with a broom. Don't forget expansion joints every 4-8 feet.

The bigger pad? I would rather pay someone that has the correct forms and equipment to make sure it comes out right. The larger pads can distort wooden forms so it's important not to skimp. Concrete here in VA is around $90/YD so there's less room for a mistake as far as I am concerned.

If you are a handy guy, I'd say go for it. BUT - don't think you can pour a sidewalk using 80 pound bags of Quickcrete mixed in a wheelbarrow - you will be there for a week! Rent a mixer or call a truck. And buy a case of beer then call a few buddies over to help out.

I have poured numerous pads and walkways - not a professional, but I have been there. Let me know if you need more guidance and keep us up to date - photos are required!

Good luck!

Scott

 

[dante81_98]

i have done the quickcrete and wheelbarrow stuff in the past, and it was not fun. The small path to the garage would not be two hard, but the larger pad would ****. Is this the side with the astrovan front clip in it?

Laterz
Chad

 

[kdubaz]

Chad - it's the other side, the side with the bed rack and doors and all that.

Scott - Ok, I think its the forms that I was debating. The walkways I'm thinking about are right by the house, so I was wondering if I even needed forms, or if I could get away with using the walls as guides.

If not, got any pics on how to make the forms?

 

[baja216]

We've got a place here in my town that makes concrete steps etc. They sell concrete and have a special one yard trailer you use to get it home in. It looks like a pig roast trailer and you jack up the front with a hydraulic lift. My buddy and I got one for his sidewalk. I'm not sure if they have that where you guys live or not.

 

[gb387]

We've got a place here in my town that makes concrete steps etc. They sell concrete and have a special one yard trailer you use to get it home in. It looks like a pig roast trailer and you jack up the front with a hydraulic lift. My buddy and I got one for his sidewalk. I'm not sure if they have that where you guys live or not.

jumping in... never seen that, sounds like a great idea. Provided the person using it knows not to let the concrete get hard in it.

 

[BECC]

If you pour between two structures you should expansion joint at walls

The trailer stuff is usually referred to as "yard-at-a-time" and pulls behind your truck.

Word of advice - drive EASY, dont make sudden stops, starts etc. The mass of this stuff is HEAVY and makes your truck do funny things, I have a 3/4T Dodge 4wd diesel and I feel it back there.

"facist home owners association" - I feel your pain, luckily I left that behind me when I moved.

 

[chet]

the 10x50 area is roughly 5 yards of concrete at 3.5" thick. Not something I would do on my own and I used to place concrete for a living! Hire a company. Forms for a regular pad are not that hard to do. 2x4's work fine and then pound stakes in every few feet to keep it from bowing and moving. We used rebar cut in lengths pounded in and a nail bent around it to secure the form.

As for the pathway, checkt o see if there is any small load concrete places in your area. they typically have a smaller truck that hold 2-3 yards and charge less. mixing your own never gets the same consistent look.

 

[Kevin54]

It sounds simple but no one has made a mention yet that if there is any sod, the sod needs to be removed. I don't know about your area, but around here you need a bed of gravel to pour the concrete on. I do see you are in AZ though so you don't have to worry about frost heave. Concrete is not easy work and if you decide to do it yourself...after you have it formed...plan on the better part of the day working on it. Once the truck arrives, you can't stop until it is completely done. You will need a bull float, trowel, edging trowel, joint trowel, forms, oil for the forms, beer for the help, etc.

 

[bmwpower]

It sounds simple but no one has made a mention yet that if there is any sod, the sod needs to be removed. I don't know about your area, but around here you need a bed of gravel to pour the concrete on. I do see you are in AZ though so you don't have to worry about frost heave. Concrete is not easy work and if you decide to do it yourself...after you have it formed...plan on the better part of the day working on it. Once the truck arrives, you can't stop until it is completely done. You will need a bull float, trowel, edging trowel, joint trowel, forms, oil for the forms, beer for the help, etc.

Oil for the forms?

 

[REFLEXX]

JUst my 2c for whoever wants to go at it alone.

HF (Harbor Freight) has a 3.5 cuft electric mixer that's on sale all the time for about $200. IT might be junk for the pro, but for those of us doing odd jobs it might just be the ticket.

I've mixed a few bags of concrete with a trowel. It was quite time and effort consuming. I've got a lot of 3-4" walks and such to do.

Now what about doing a driveway by doing 4' x 4' sections and making like HUGE pavers in place. Would that work???


Later,

REFLEXX

 

[chet]

sure the 4'x4' sections will work but it will look horrible. Getting a consistant color from pad to pad will be impossible and you will end up with some dark and some light. Also different surface finishes. You will need to add rebar between the blocks to stop them from spreading due to freezing and heavy loads on them.

I do small sidewalks and stuff myself because I don't have to call on 2 or 3 buddies to do it. When doing a driveway or large pad it is the best money you can spend to have a proper company place the crete. Working in concrete was by far the hardest job I ever did. Pulling a rake through concrete is not as easy as it looks.!

 

[Wile1Coyote]

The oil on the forms keeps the cement from adhering to it.

 

[BECC]

Form oil is similar to a diesel fuel that is sprayed on or rolled on. It is not an absolute necessity, you will have some left over concrete on the forms.

Another thing to do is either put plastic on the ground first or wet the ground real good, this will slow drying a little and make the concrete a little stronger since the ground isn't sucking all the water out of your mix.

BTW - For forming curves by a sheet of Masonite and rip it down to 3.5 to 4" wide and you form pretty nice curves, just nail to the face of your strait forms and I like to wrap the ends with duct tape to get rid of the step that will be left.

 

[PaPaPie]

If the association is concerned about the look of the slab you might consider either coloring or staining the concrete, or even possibily using a stamp pattern such as brick, flagstone etc. to make the concrete more attractive. The association should be happy with that.

 

[MXtras]

OK - the original post was almost two months ago - what did you end up doing, kdubaz?

By the way - do you have any knowledge of Kevin Windham? He races AMA Pro Supercross and MX - his nickname is Kdub.

Scott

 

[messup]

Hey there are a lot of concete guys that do side work on the weekends here in Az I live in Glendale and had a pad poured on the side of the house and increased my porch side Trust me pay these guys to do it and sit back and watch much easier on your back and you probably spend the same amount of $ as they have all the forms and tools and know where to get the concrete at a good deal. There ads in the paper and the neighboorhood papers also call a few out to give you an estimate pick the one who has a good price and dose not appear to be a flake and buy a 12 pack but only break it AFTER the jobs done. ask around someone you know probably knowes someone who does concrete with all the building going on here.