Do-It-Yourself
Do-It-Yourself Concrete
Family Owned & Operated | 100+ Truck Fleet | Competitive Pricing
Family Owned & Operated
100+ Truck Fleet
Competitive Prices
Tackle Your Next Project on Your Own
For all of you "do-it-yourselfers" out there, Drake Ready Mix Inc offers you some tips and instructions for working with concrete, choosing the right tools, what type of concrete will work best for your project, how much to order, and other possible concerns.
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Drake Ready Mix Inc if you have any questions or request a quote.
Working With Concrete
Concrete is one of the most versatile building materials. It can be used for anything from entire buildings to portions of buildings, sidewalks, patios, post holes, steps, and even decorative projects.
Concrete work is also easy to learn, although it can be back-breaking.
Tools You May Need
The tools needed for concrete work include woodworking tools for building forms - a hammer, hand crosscut saw, portable circular saw, measuring tape, square, level and string level, along with a small sledge, and a maul. A pry bar is needed for disassembling the forms when the concrete dries. A builder’s transit or a laser level can make it easy to level or place a form to grade.
Concrete preparation tools are also required. The tools for your project depend on the jobs you will be doing. Shovels and hoes are required for moving the liquid concrete around. Rubber hip boots are needed for wading in the wet concrete. For smaller jobs, a wheelbarrow or mixing box is required for mixing the materials. A mortar hoe with holes in it makes it easier to mix the materials. A power mixer can also be mighty handy for small- to medium-sized jobs.
Concrete finishing tools include a screeding board that is longer than the pour to pull the concrete off and level it with the form edges. A tamper can also be helpful in settling concrete in the forms. Other essential finishing tools include an edger, groover, magnesium or wooden float, finishing trowel, pointing trowel, cement broom, and a water hose.
For larger projects such as floors or slabs, you’ll need a bull float with a bracket. The Marshalltown Trowel Company models include an Auto-Just or RotaLeveler. Marshalltown also makes it easy for the beginner with a Concrete Apprentice Tool Kit. It includes a finishing trowel and magnesium float (both with DuraSoft handle), wood float, groover, curved-end edger, margin trowel, and a Marshalltown Tips book, all packed in a sturdy canvas tool bag.
The suggested retail price is $138. For large projects, you may wish to rent a power trowel. The materials in concrete can irritate the skin, so wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, and gloves.
How Much Concrete Should You Order
To order the correct amount of concrete, tell the supplier the width, length, and thickness of the slab or foundation you intend to pour. They’ll help you calculate the quantity needed. On smaller jobs, you can figure your own. The following chart from Marshalltown provides the basic information on cubic yards required:
Forming
When forming a sidewalk or slab, you should first step dig up the area and remove all the sod and debris. Recess the area to the desired depth. For instance, a 4-inch pour might be recessed, so the top is slightly above ground level. The entire area should be well compacted and of uniform depth.
Keep the ground slightly moist as well. The form is then constructed using a 2x6. Drive stakes into the ground on the backside of the forms about every 3 to 4 feet apart. Drive or cut off the stakes flush with the tops of the form boards. Fasten the stakes to the form boards using duplex nails, or those with double heads, so they can be pulled out after the concrete sets up.
Curved areas can be formed with one-quarter-inch plywood or hardboard. Make sure the forms are level or of the grade desired. A carpenter’s level can be used for small projects, a string level can be used for long runs, but a builder’s transit is best for larger pours. Then establish a uniform grade using sand or fine gravel 1- or 1 1/2-inches deep.
If the slab is large, you'll need to divide it into smaller, easily workable sections. Driveways and garage floors will need to be reinforced with steel rods or wire mesh. Footings and foundations should also be reinforced according to local code regulations. Driveways and garage floors are usually poured 4 to 6 inches thick. Sidewalks and other works are usually poured 3 to 4 inches thick. Foundations and footings are poured to code.
Making the Pour
Concrete should not be poured on extremely hot, dry days as the concrete will dry out before it can cure properly. Concrete should also not be overworked. For this reason, the concrete should be spread evenly and quickly once the pour begins. Make sure to overfill the forms slightly. If the pour is overworked, too much water will be floated to the surface, which can cause scaling after the concrete dries.
Once the concrete is spread well over the area and into all the corners and crevices, use a screed board to drag off the excess. This is a two-man operation, and at best is hard work, especially on larger pours. The screed board should extend past the form edges at least 3 inches on either side.
Beginning on one end of the form, place the screed board over the form boards and then, using a side-to-side motion, and at the same time pulling the board, inch it across the form boards to the opposite end. Screeding levels the concrete with the tops of the form boards, pulling excess concrete off. Any low spots will be visible and should be immediately filled, and the area re-screeded.
The next step is to float the surface. Small projects can be floated with a wooden or magnesium float. This helps fill any small voids and works the aggregate slightly below the surface. On larger pours, a bull float is used. Push the float away from you across the surface with the front edge slightly raised to prevent the blade from digging in. Then pull the float back at an almost flat angle.
The Marshalltown RotaLeveler bull float bracket allows for easy changing of the float level on the push and pull strokes. Floating smoothes the surface and works some water to the surface.
Finishing
Concrete finishing consists of several steps. Some steps should be done regardless of the desired roughness of the surface. Some concrete finishing results in either a roughened or a smooth surface. Regardless, the first step is to use a pointing or margin trowel to separate the edge of the concrete from the form.
Use an edger around the top edge of the form. This creates a rounded edge that won’t chip off when the form is removed.
The edger should be held fairly flat, but keep the front tilted up slightly when moving forward and the rear tilted up slightly when moving backward.
Jointing is the next step on projects such as sidewalks and driveways. This prevents cracking the slabs. Control joints are normally spaced at intervals equal to the width of the pour. It is recommended, however, not to exceed 10 feet in any direction without a joint. The joint should be cut at least one-fourth of the depth of the slab. A jointer tool is used for this step.
Place a straight-edge across the surface and run the jointer along the straight edge to create a nice straight line. As with the edger, hold the front up slightly when pushing forward. Control joints in large slabs can also be cut after the concrete cures, using a masonry blade in a circular saw or concrete saw.
Next, use a float to smooth and level the surface. This will also help remove any marks left by the edger or jointer. For rough or textured surfaces, use a wooden float. For projects requiring a smoother finish, use a magnesium or aluminum float. Hold the float flat on the surface and move it in an arc, overlapping the arcs as you proceed. Don’t overwork the surface.
The final finishing step is troweling. Small projects can be hand-troweled. Marshalltown recommends a 14-by-4 or 16-by-4 trowel for most finishing jobs. The first troweling should be done with the blade held flat down on the surface. Again use the trowel in an arc, overlapping each previous arc by about 1/2 inch. The surface should be well-troweled several times to produce a hard, durable surface.
Allow the concrete to set up slightly for the additional troweling. The proper time is when the sheen of water disappears, and a footprint leaves less than 1/4 inch of an indentation. These trowelings should be done fairly vigorously and with the trowel tilted up slightly, pressing down on the rear edge.
A power trowel is the best choice for large slabs. These units can be rented at tool rental outlets. Troweling will provide a smooth, hard, and slick surface. These surfaces are easy to clean but can be slippery when wet. Lightly brooming the surface with a shop broom after troweling can provide a rougher, more non-slip surface.
The Marshalltown RotaLeveler bull float bracket allows for easy changing of the float level on the push and pull strokes. Floating smoothes the surface and works some water to the surface.
Curing
Keep the concrete damp for five to seven days after pouring. Do not allow it to dry out. Cover it with plastic sheeting and dampen the surface down every day or so.
Creating a Brick or Country Stone Project
One fun and unusual project is using concrete in special forms to create walks, patios, and courtyards. The Quikrete WalkMaker form is available in brick or stone patterns, and they also have cement colors in brown, buff, red, and charcoal to make the projects look more natural.
Place the WalkMaker level on the ground. You may prefer to remove the turf first. Mix the color with the water and then add it to Quikrete fiber-reinforced concrete according to the instructions on the package.
Do this in a mixing tub or wheelbarrow. Fill the mold cavities with concrete. Smooth the surface on all edges with a pointing trowel until even.
Immediately remove the mold and move it adjacent to the section just completed. Repeat the process until the project is completed. Keep the surface damp for about seven days to allow the concrete to cure properly. After the entire project has cured for one week, sweep Quikrete mortar or sand mix between the bricks or stones. Make sure the materials are well packed down in the crevices, and then hose the excess off.
Textured Concrete
One very interesting project is texturing concrete to resemble any number of masonry materials using BonWay Tool texture mats. A plain-Jane concrete patio immediately takes on the appearance of anything from ashlar cut stone to London cobblestone or old Mexico tiles.
The steps are simple. Finish the concrete in the conventional method. Add Bon True Color Hardener or Bon Ironex Integral Colors to the concrete (adding the latter directly to the concrete during mixing). Then apply Bon True Color Release Agent. Before the concrete sets up, tamp the texture mats in place. Wash off excess release agent with a pressure washer. Finally, apply Bon BossGloss or Boss Matte Clear Enhancer. Voila! An exciting new patio or walkway.
Safety Tips
Concrete materials are heavy. Prevent back injuries when lifting bags by squatting and using your legs — not your back. Wear goggles to prevent eye injuries from splashing materials. Use a dust mask to filter out concrete dust.
Wear waterproof shoes to protect your feet if standing in concrete. Wear rubber gloves to avoid skin irritation. Wear knee pads when floating or troweling.
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