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Can I pour my own concrete patio?
You’ll save 40 percent to 50 percent by pouring your patio yourself. (Taking the DIY route also means you can be sure the technical details are done correctly.) You’ll save even more if you mix your own concrete instead of having a ready-mix truck deliver it.
How do you prepare ground for concrete?
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.
Can you pour concrete directly on dirt?
Long story short, yes you can pour concrete over dirt.
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 much does it cost to pour a 24×24 slab of concrete?
A typical 24×24 garage slab costs between $3,057 and $5,944 with prices ranging from $5.31 to $8.31 per square foot for a 4” reinforced slab of concrete, and $6.83 to $10.32 per square foot for a 6” slab of reinforced concrete.
Is it cheaper to lay concrete or pavers?
But what’s cheaper, concrete or pavers? On average, According to Home Advisor, concrete costs about $6-$10 per square foot, while paving stones have a cost of approximately $10-$20 per square foot. But not always what is cheap has superior quality. In fact, in most cases, it’s the other way around.
Do I need rebar for a concrete patio?
All concrete patios should be laid with a rebar or ‘reinforcing bar’ grid, to stop large cracks then areas of crumbling concrete forming over time. You will still get some small cracks with rebar, but these will not grow larger as the rebar effectively ‘knits’ the concrete together.
How deep do I need to dig for a concrete patio?
Excavate the slab area to a depth of about 7 inches, allowing 3 inches for a gravel base and 4 inches for concrete.
Is it cheaper to pour your own concrete?
Is It Cheaper to Pour Concrete Yourself? Whether you’re pouring concrete countertops or a patio out back, it may be cheaper to pour concrete yourself rather than hiring someone. The materials needed to pour concrete yourself cost about $1.76 per square foot, based on data from Porch.com.
Why do they put sand under concrete?
The simple answer is to prevent the concrete from cracking and breaking. If you provide a good foundation for your concrete, it will last longer, and you won’t have to re-pour it in a few years.
Can you pour concrete over gravel?
Laying a concrete driveway over an existing gravel one is possible, but it is not generally recommended. However, if the gravel in your driveway is small enough, it is possible to create a cement driveway over the existing one.
Do you need plastic under concrete driveway?
The American Concrete Institute (ACI) recommends a minimum of 10-mil polyethylene or thicker for vapor retarders under concrete. Their Guide to Concrete Floor and Slab Construction ACI 302.1R-15 identifies that thicker poly provides a better barrier and is also more puncture resistant.
How much slope is needed for a concrete slab?
If possible, place concrete on undisturbed, firm soil. 2. Set forms so that the concrete slab surface slopes a minimum of two percent, or 1/4 inch per foot, to provide adequate drainage.
How many inches of gravel do you need for 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.
Can you pour concrete on grass?
You should not pour concrete over the grass directly. For your concrete to harden flat and smooth, it is best to clear all vegetation and pour the concrete on top of smooth and debris-free soil. Leaving grass under your concrete slab can cause some unnecessary issues for you in the future.
How thick should a concrete slab be?
Standard concrete floor slab thickness in residential construction is 4 inches. Five to six inches is recommended if the concrete will receive occasional heavy loads, such as motor homes or garbage trucks. To prepare the base, cut the ground level to the proper depth to allow for the slab thickness.
How many bags of concrete do I need for a 10×10 slab?
The thickness of your 10′ x 10′ slab will determine just how many bags you need. The average thickness of a 10′ x 10′ concrete slab for a shed is 4 inches thick. At 4″ thick, your 10 x 10 slab will take 56 bags of concrete that weigh 80 lbs.
How many bags of concrete do I need for a 10×20 slab?
Regarding this, “how much concrete do I need for a 10×20 slab?”, at 4 inches thick, generally you will need approximately 2.44 cubic yards or 66 cubic feet or 1.969 m3 (either 144 bags of 60lb or 111 bags of 80lb) of premixed concrete for a 10×20 slab, at 5 inches thick slab, 3.07 cubic yards or 83 cubic feet or 2.35.
Can you pour a concrete slab yourself?
Used for walkways, patios, and floors, concrete slabs are inexpensive to install and durable enough to last for years. When you pour your own concrete slab, you’re giving yourself a design material that is adaptive to many of your outdoor design needs, while saving money that would have been spent on a contractor.
Is stamped concrete worth the money?
Many homeowners wonder if it is worth the cost to install a stamped concrete patio or driveway. The answer is yes, because it adds curb appeal and aesthetic value to your home, allowing you to maximize the return on your investment.
How long does a concrete patio last?
You can expect a concrete patio to last about 30 to 50 years, with an average of 40 years, except that the freeze/thaw cycles and salt de-icers in colder climates are not kind to concrete and will shorten the life expectancy below that range.
How much does it cost to put down a concrete patio?
Concrete Patio Costs The average cost to pour a concrete patio is $2,433, with most homeowners paying between $1,212 and $4,318 for professional installation. Labor costs can run between $3 and $10 per square foot and materials cost $1 to $2 per square foot.
