How To Pour Your Own Concrete Patio
So you want to do your own concrete patio? It’s hard work, but it can be done, & you’ve definitely come from the best people to learn from. Let’s get started.
1) Prepare the Ground
First thing you’re going to want to do is clear the ground. If there’s grass, you’re going to want to dig that away down to dense dirt that hasn’t been softened by the grass’ roots. A safe estimate is 8 inches down, but you can use your own brain. Once that’s all done, you’ll want to use a tamping tool to stamp the dirt into a flat, dense surface. Warning: tamping is exhausting. After this, you’ll want to add a layer of gravel & tamp it down to 2 inches thick. This will stop your concrete from absorbing moisture & pooling.
2) Frame Your Perimeter
You’ll want to outline where you’ll be pouring the concrete with batter boards. The thickness of these should vary based on how thick you want your patio to be, but the most common is size is 2×4 planks. To hold these in place, you’ll want to hammer stakes in to the ground which are big enough to screw the batter boards to. Check that everything is straight before you begin!
2.5) Reinforcing Steel
This can be optional for smaller home-patios, but it needs to be mentioned. Laying reinforcing steel is as simple as aligning rebar in a grid; one layer going one way, & a second going perpendicular to it. This will protect your patio from breaking under too much tension & pressure. Be sure that all rebar is properly tied/secured by using tie wire for rebar.
3) Prepare & Pour Your Concrete
If you’re doing this yourself, you’ll probably be mixing it in a bucket. Good luck, because you’re going to sweat a lot. You’ll want to use a mixing drill to save you from this.
After that, get pouring! Pour it in portions so you don’t overdo it – that’s ugly. Pour it, tamp it down, & then screed over it. You can do this with a straight 2×4. After that, smooth it out with a float. If you want, you can also round the corners off with a rounding tool, then float the concrete again.
4) Let It Cure
After it’s nice & smooth, lay a plastic sheet over the freshly poured concrete. This will hold moisture in so that you don’t need to water it. Some say it can cure in only 24 hours, but the risk just doesn’t seem worth it. We recommend 48 at least, just to be safe.
5) Remove the Frame
After giving your concrete 48 hours or more to cure, you ought to be safe to remove the batter boards. If you used multiple smaller frames to pour separate squares, you can remove those after a few hours – but only to pour more concrete directly next to it. Be sure to smooth out the joint between the two pours.
6) You’re Done
The concrete cures, plastic sheet & frame are removed, & your creation is there for you to see. Let’s be clear – this is easier said than done. It’s a lot of exhausting work, but you need a patio, so maybe it’s worth it.
Some Things I Wish I Knew My First Time:
– Made sure my stakes & batter boards were straight & symmetrical/properly angled. That is a nasty mistake.
– Used rebar.
– Made sure my rebar was tied/secured properly.
– Didn’t over mix my concrete until it had too much water.
– Made sure to use a plastic sheet during the curing stage.
– Realized how quickly concrete can cure in warm weather, & how much that can rush you.
– How dangerous it can be to rush.
Call Capital Masonry
If taking on a concrete patio DIY project is too much for you, then consider contact Capital Masonry to help. We’ve been helping homeowners all over the DMV region with masonry projects of all types. Compare with Capital!