Homeowner Tips

If you are looking to pour your own concrete pad, please read through the home owner tips for guidelines on a successful project. Keep in mind the bigger area you are pouring the more tools you will want.

Do-it-yourself recommended tools:

• Shovel
• 3lb Sledge Hammer
• Tape Measure
• Tamper
• Level
• Line Level
• Claw Hammer
• Hoe
• Wheelbarrow
• Hand Float
• Bull Float (For Large Pad)
• Edging Tool
• Grooving Tool
• Street Broom

Materials:

• Form Boards
• Stakes
• 2 x 4 long enough to screed the pad
• Gravel and/or Sand
• Concrete
• Visqueen
• Wire Rebar or Fibermesh
• Concrete Sealer

Tips to Preparing the Site:

1. Identify location of slab: grade to, level off and grade off.
2. Mark the corners of the pour site with stakes check to make sure stake is at least 6 inches in the ground and squared up.
3. If the pad will be more than approximately 4 inches deep (which most pads are 4 inches), use gravel or sand to fill the difference in the space.
4. To prevent free-standing water on your concrete pad, slightly slope pad, one-quarter inch of drop off per foot of length.
5. Nail the form boards to the stakes, beginning with the high side
6. After forms are set-up and leveled, cover the hole with Visqueen Plastic.
7. When pouring concrete consider wire rebar or fibermesh to strengthen the concrete.

Tips to a Successful Project:

1. Always have plenty of people to help with your project (experienced people preferred.)
2. Select the proper concrete mix for the use of the site. If you are unsure, please ask dispatch when ordering.
3. In order to receive requested pour time call days ahead of time to schedule your pour with dispatch, remember to order extra concrete anticipating spills, uneven ground, or blowouts.
4. When driver arrives to jobsite make sure you communicate any unusual ground specifications (examples-soft road, drain field, low wires) and confirm hand signals for the pour.
5. Wet concrete irritates and burns the skin, wear gloves.