Table of Contents
The ground should be dug to a depth of 3 to 5 inches with a trench dug on either side. If the ground is mostly clay, an additional 2 inches of depth is needed to hold gravel, which will aid in drainage. If the surface is prepared with a fluctuation in depth of no more than 1 inch, your concrete will be level.
Can you pour concrete directly on dirt?
Long story short, yes you can pour concrete over dirt.
Can you pour concrete on a slope?
Pouring concrete on the sloped surface needs excellent skills and experience to perform the work as planned. Commonly, low slump concrete used for slopped concrete members, driveways, or wheelchair ramps. Make sure concreting begins from the lowest point of the slope. Then, concreting progresses slowly upward.
How do you prepare the ground before pouring concrete?
Preparation is the most important aspect of pouring a concrete slab. Dig the ground down to the proper depth. Smooth out the ground with the flat side of a rake so that you have a level surface. Tamp the ground with a hand tamper or mechanical tamper. Pour 2 inches of small, rounded gravel for additional drainage needs.
How do you pour concrete on unlevel ground?
Smooth out the ground and then check the level in all directions. Add and remove dirt as needed until the entire area is level in every place you measure. Tamp down the surface until the soil is tightly packed and be sure to check that the area is level from corner to corner.
Can I use pea gravel under concrete?
If the soil is disturbed and packed or unstable such as some clays, a base will provide a solid underpinning for the slab. If you use crushed rock and dust, it will need to be packed. It will pack substantially. Pea gravel, on the other hand won’t pack.
What kind of gravel goes under concrete?
Most concrete contractors want a mix of coarse and fine aggregate to create a compactable base that is going to be safe for settlement and drainage. Crusher run (a mix of crushed stone and stone dust) is one of the best base materials for concrete flatwork.
Do you need gravel under concrete?
Whether you pour concrete for a walkway or patio, a strong gravel base is required to prevent the concrete from cracking and shifting. Gravel is especially important in clay soil because it doesn’t drain well, which results in water pooling under the concrete slab and slowly eroding the soil as it finally drains.
How do I fix concrete sloping to my house?
So I see a few other solutions. Remove the concrete when you can afford it. Get some prices. Consider cutting the concrete patio lengthwise along the house and installing a perforated pipe to take the water away. Remove the concrete and put in a smaller patio. Consider replacing the patio with colored concrete.
What is the minimum slope for concrete?
Set forms so that the concrete slab surface slopes a minimum of two percent, or 1/4 inch per foot, to provide adequate drainage.
Do you put plastic down before pouring concrete?
So they are saturating the sand layer—yes, you guessed it, wetting it with a hose—so that it does not dry the concrete too quickly. Here’s an idea—get rid of the sand and put the concrete right on the plastic sheet so that the bottom of the concrete mix does not dry out.
Is it cheaper to pour your own concrete?
One of the least expensive ways to get concrete is to mix your own. You can buy bags of the mix from a home improvement store. Typically, you only have to add water for it to be ready to pour. Otherwise, you risk getting a weaker concrete once it cures, which could lead to cracks or crumbles within a couple of years.
Is sand a good base for concrete?
Answered by LCD: Sand is a proper levelling course for use under pavers and ungrouted brick patios and such. It is definitely NOT a proper base for a driveway – it is too mobile, has low bearing capacity, moves about under load especially if very dry or very wet, and will cause structural cracking of your driveway.
How do you level an uneven exterior concrete slab?
For concrete patios that are only slightly uneven, a concrete leveling compound is often enough to relevel the slab. This process begins with a thorough cleaning of the concrete. This can be done in a few different ways, including using a pressure washer or a commercial acid-based concrete cleaner.
Will concrete level itself?
Leveling the Concrete The thick consistency of concrete mix means that it does not level itself. If there is space between the 2-by-4 and the surface of the concrete, more concrete must be added.
Can I pour concrete by myself?
It is possible to build an attractive concrete patio yourself, but careful planning and preparation is necessary. Be sure to place all the concrete at once; a big patio can be broken down into smaller manageable sections using 2×4’s.
How many inches of gravel do you need for a concrete slab?
How Much Gravel Do You Put Under a Concrete Slab? You will need 3 inches of gravel under a concrete slab that is 4 inches thick. More gravel is better, but 3 inches is the minimum amount of gravel you should have with a 4” slab. Use ¾” washed and screened gravel, then compact it to level.
Is crushed concrete better than gravel?
Crushed Concrete driveways are a much more cost-effective driveway solution compared to gravel driveways, regular concrete driveways, or asphalt driveways. With benefits like the price, sustainability, and the fact that it can never crack and require a repair, crushed concrete is a great driveway option.
Can you sprinkle concrete on gravel?
Laying a concrete driveway over an existing gravel one is possible, but it is not generally recommended. The kind of gravel that is intended to go under cement is typically a smaller grade than what is used for gravel driveways.
