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Community Corner

Building A Concrete Patio

Hard, But Can Come Out Good

 This is a physical job and requires some endurance to dig and pour concrete.  It depends on the size of the patio you are going to do.  Naturally the bigger the patio, the more physical the work is.  If the patio is bigger than 12’ x 16’, a small machine may be required to dig out the dirt.

The Big Dig

First you should dig down 8” of top soil and fill with 5” of process gravel.  Tamp down the new fill with a tamper and water the area very well to settle the gravel.

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Make a Form

Now that you have your base ready, build either a 2” x 4” or a 2” x 6” frame (depending on how thick you want your concrete) and make it the size you want your patio to be.  Put 12” wood stakes around the perimeter and level all sides of the frame with a level that is at least 4’ long.

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Pour Concrete

You are now ready to pour the concrete.  If it is less than one cubic yard, you can attempt to mix the concrete by hand but I suggest you call a ready mix concrete truck company.  This makes the job a lot easier.

How Much Concrete?

To figure the amount of concrete, you multiply the length of the patio by the width and then by the height.  That will give cubic feet and then divide that number by 27 to get cubic yards.  That is how you would order the amount of concrete needed for the project.

Just the Numbers

Say you have a patio that is 12’ x 16’ x 4”, you would have 64 cubic feet which would equate to 2.37 cubic yards (64 cubic feet divided by 27).  Always order 15% more concrete so you are not short.

Finish

Smooth the top of the wet concrete with a long 2” x 4” piece of lumber to get it level.  Run the piece of lumber back and forth over the top of the concrete.  Then as it is drying, you trowel with a steel trowel to make a smooth surface.  You can make a 2’ x 2’ x 1/2 “ plywood piece to kneel on to get around the concrete to trowel it.  Let the concrete stand for three days and you will have a nice patio to enjoy. 

Remember if you have any questions, contact me at William.petrone@yahoo.com

Your Blue Thumb Builder, Bill

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