CONCRETE POURING

Concrete Pouring

Concrete Pouring

Installing concrete is a challenging job and every concrete placement is different. Size, shape, color, finish and depth of a residential project all have to be considered when pouring concrete. Once these items are decided on, the steps to place concrete are relatively always the same in regard to layout, preparation, and concrete placement. Use this guide of nine steps in residential concrete installation to get a better understanding of what takes place before, during and after concrete is placed (www.doityourself.com).

The Sale

Once the decision is made to "go concrete", most residential homeowners solicit bids from professional concrete contractors. These bids are compared, and a choice is made based on referrals, experience, price, scheduling and curb appeal of the installer. Once an installer is picked, price and logistics worked out, a contract should be presented to the homeowner (www.diynetwork.com). The contract should clearly state work to be completed, expectations on finish, color, and texture, price, payment schedule and warranty / guaranty information. As a side note, I recommend that the contract also contain extra information on what to expect from your new concrete slab, and any maintenance guidelines as the concrete ages. Once the contract is signed, and pre-payments made (if any), the real work can begin. Read 8 tips for hiring a concrete contractor (www.acehardware.com).

Site Work

Before concrete can be placed, the site needs to be prepared. The area needs to be cleared and/or cleaned. Most often earth moving equipment is used to clear the area to speed the process. All grass, rocks, trees, shrubs, and old concrete needs to be removed, exposing raw earth. A sub base of a minimum 4 inches of granular fill or road base is recommended, unless the soil is very compact and stable. The sub base fill is placed and compacted over the entire area where concrete will be placed, with special attention on the edges. Proper sub base preparation is important to allow the concrete to cure properly as well as reduce the chances for heaving from expansive soils and frost heaving. Read about proper subgrades and subbases for concrete slabs (www.doityourself.com).

Forming

Once the sub base is prepared, forms can be set. Concrete forms are made from wood, metal or plastic, and can range in height from 4 inches to many feet. For most residential concrete projects, wood forms will be used, held in place with metal or wood stakes. The forms are attached to the stakes with screws or special nails to allow for easy removal of the forms after the concrete has cured. Forms should be in good condition, be set to provide the proper slope or grade for drainage, and form clean corners where they meet each other or other structures. Special forms and or forming methods are employed for stairs and walls. Read about concrete forms (www.acehardware.com).

Placement

The sub base is compacted; the forms are set, now it's time for the concrete. The contractor has ordered a concrete mix that meets the requirements of the slab being ...