How do you lay concrete at your house?

Question:

Answers:
Be ready for a lot of hard work. Have plenty of help, hopefully someone with prior experience.

First I'll make wooden forms to hold the shape of what I'm making. They should be strong enough to stay in place with the concrete in them. Concrete weighs a lot and the pressure can be great, especially at the bottom of a deep form.

Depending on what I'm making, I'll add steel reinforcing, either steel mesh [made for it] or rebars [steel rods]. The real strength of a concrete structure is in the reinforcement not the concrete.

If you are pouring more than a yard or so you may want to buy a ready mix batch from a local concrete yard. They'll do all the work mixing and deliver it to you site. Cost per yard varies but you'll pay between $70 and $100 per yard [3'x3'x3']. You'll also have a short order charge if you buy less than a full truck [anywhere from 4 to 7 yards]. Also, if you buy on a weekend you'll pay more for weekend delivery.

If your project is a yard or so some places sell ready mixed concrete in a trailer you can haul yourself. Lots cheaper but it is a lot of work.

If it is a small batch I'll mix dry concrete mix on site in a wheel barrow [I have a small electric mixer] or other container. I've gone so far as to buy a whole pallet of 60 pound bags and mixed them myself.

Try to get the material truck as close as possible and just pour it in. Apply a finish to exposed surfaces as the material starts to set. Wait a day or so to carefully loosen forms. Don't pry against the new concrete!! Concrete takes 28 days to fully cure but you can gently walk on it in a day and drive on it in a week or so.