How to Pour Concrete

Let's pour some concrete! Could you use some paving stones for a backyard path? Maybe you'd like to add a concrete pad at the bottom of your deck stairs. What about that one area of your driveway or sidewalk that's cracked and broken?

For these and other small concrete projects, you don't need to have a truck deliver pre-mixed concrete. Mixing a small batch of concrete, though somewhat heavy work, is not complicated, nor does it require expensive equipment.

Start by preparing the area where you want the concrete. Dig deep enough so that you can put down a layer of gravel that's several inches deep. Tamp the gravel thoroughly. If you're repairing shallow holes or narrow cracks in concrete, clean the area as thoroughly as possible (a special concrete repair mix might work better in these situations than normal concrete).

Build strong forms to contain the wet concrete ? 2-by-4 or 2-by-6 lumber makes good forms for small projects. Use old motor oil to coat the side of the forms that will touch the concrete so that the forms will be easier to remove after the concrete is dry. To hold the forms in place use 2-by-2 stakes every 24 inches (trim the stakes off level with the top of your forms so that you can level the concrete after you pour it). Take measurements so that you know the volume of cement you'll need.

Set some wire mesh or rebar in the space you're going to pour the concrete. This will make the final product stronger and less likely to crack. If you use mesh, pull it up into the wet concrete with a rake as you're filling the forms so it's really in the concrete, not just under it. If you use rebar, wire it together into a grid shape, then drive a few short pieces of rebar into the ground and wire the 'grid' to the rebar stakes so that the rebar grid is about in the middle of the concrete pad.

You might want to buy the sand, gravel and 'concrete' parts in separate bags and mix them yourself, but you can buy pre-mixed concrete (just add water), too. Directions on the bag will tell you how much you'll need for your project.