How to concrete a yard – a high-quality result in the shortest possible time

Concrete surfaces are a fantastic way to transform your yard into a long-lasting, attractive outdoor area with minimal upkeep. With the appropriate strategy and equipment, creating a new patio, driveway, or walkway can be a simple task. This guide will take you through all the necessary steps to guarantee a concrete yard of the highest caliber in the shortest amount of time.

A concrete project’s success is mostly dependent on preparation. Plan your design first, and then mark the location where the concrete will be poured. Ensure that all grass, debris, and outdated paving materials are removed. It is essential to level and compact the soil properly to guarantee a smooth finish and stop future cracks. Stability and drainage will also be improved by installing a sturdy gravel base.

It’s time to erect the formwork, which will hold the concrete in place while it sets, as soon as your base is ready. To build the framework, use solid wooden boards that are firmly staked into the ground and level. The concrete will gain strength by adding a layer of rebar or reinforcing steel mesh inside the form, which will help it sustain large loads and stave off cracking over time.

The project begins to take shape when the concrete is mixed and poured. When mixing concrete, whether it’s your own or it’s already been mixed, you want a consistency that’s manageable but not too thin. After the concrete has been evenly poured into the forms, spread it out and remove any air pockets with a shovel or hoe. Concrete can be given a polished appearance by using a float to smooth the surface after using a screed board.

It’s crucial to give the concrete enough time to cure after pouring. The concrete can reach its maximum strength thanks to this process. For several days, keep the surface damp; to preserve moisture, cover it with plastic sheeting or a curing compound. To make sure the new concrete sets properly, keep it free from heavy traffic for at least a week. You can have a long-lasting, high-quality concrete yard by following these steps.

Concrete volume calculator

Concrete as a building material – No. 1

You might wonder, why concrete.

Yes, everything is very simple. Most people are probably familiar with this material, and it’s easy to work with. Correct pouring can be accomplished by many people who are confident in their physical strength. It follows naturally that a master should possess complete theoretical knowledge, which is precisely what this article will cover. In other words, information to the masses!

• However, these are not all the advantages of concrete that can be highlighted. The final strength of the coating is very important.
• With proper arrangement and subsequent operation, a concrete surface can last 15-20 years, given that the surface is repairable, which allows you to increase the specified terms.
• The price of the components of the mixture is affordable, and their prevalence allows you to carry out work in any region without problems with deliveries.
• Asphalt pavement can be called the closest competitor, but you are unlikely to be able to make it yourself, accordingly, it will cost much more money.
• The concrete surface can subsequently be used as a base for laying other materials, for example, rubber or concrete tiles.

Perhaps one of the drawbacks is its modest appearance, but that really depends on your point of view. Such yards are common in almost all of America, and nobody seems to mind.

Finished surfaces are first mixed with pigments to produce a more vibrant color, then they are meticulously leveled, rubbed until smooth, and occasionally coated with decorative and protective compounds.

Counseling! It should be noted that concrete pathways are impervious to mechanical forces, so in the winter, you won’t have to clutch your heart, worrying about possible coating damage!

Preparatory activities

Let’s start out slowly by outlining the work process. As usual, we begin with the most crucial factor, which is preparation, which is broken down into multiple phases.

Removing soil and backfilling

It is safe to say that this stage requires the most labor. Every tool in the toolbox is employed, including a bulldozer, picks, shovels, crowbars, and drills.

• This procedure is designed to lower the layer of concrete screed to the desired level, while maintaining the minimum layer. A drainage cushion of sand and crushed stone is arranged under the coating, which also needs to be placed somewhere.
• If your building basement has a decent height, and you are not chasing centimeters, you can do without removing it, but only if the existing soil is infertile and you even need backfill in the process.

• Backfill, as you understand, is required in the opposite situation, when you need to raise the level of the yard.
• The procedure itself is extremely simple and consists of covering the surface with crushed stone.
• If the soil is predominantly clayey, then you can do without this procedure, since it subsequently practically does not shrink.
• Returning to soil removal, we note that usually a layer of about 20 centimeters is removed, for the above-mentioned reasons. This work does not require any professional skills from the worker – only physical endurance. Therefore, in order not to kill your health, hire cheap labor in the form of general workers from neighboring countries, who will do everything for you in the shortest possible time and for a reasonable fee. Although who knows, maybe you have long been impatient to wave a hoe, so to speak, to show off your prowess – then see for yourself.

Organization of a drainage system

Setting up a drainage system that can efficiently remove excess water from the yard is the last and second step of preparation before adding concrete. All that the system is is a traditional gravel and sand cushion.

• Such a cushion consists of two layers – sand and gravel. For a concrete coating whose weight will be distributed over a fairly large area, it will be enough to make each layer 5 centimeters thick.
• It is very important that both layers are very carefully compacted, otherwise over time they may shrink, followed by the concrete platform, naturally, with cracks and subsequent destruction.
• The photo above shows a tamping machine that will give you an excellent result in the shortest possible time. However, you can use such equipment only if you have it available (you are a master or there is a construction tool rental point nearby), which happens in 5% of cases at most.

• In the absence of equipment, manual devices are used – these are rollers and mashers of various configurations, including such an interesting option as in the last photo. Some craftsman welded a drill from a hammer drill to a channel, and voila – kill the power tool as much as you want… joke.
• A very effective method of compaction is to water the cushion, especially if it is mined in wells in unlimited quantities. Sand and gravel settle together with the liquid passing through them.

Counseling! To ensure that the compaction is done correctly, watering can take some time, so exercise patience.

The gravel cushion and sand layers are compacted individually. It is crucial to avoid using material with a large fraction for the second layer of crushed stone or gravel because large stones will prevent the layer from lying tightly, directly contradicting the technology.

Main work

Proceed gradually to the following section of the work, which is separated into stages as well. Although the process is straightforward, it must adhere to all standards.

Tool

You’ll need the following supplies and tools to finish the job:

As you can see, every household has access to these fairly basic gadgets. The materials are also satisfactory; no costly ones are needed.

• This profile is perfect for use as beacons along which concrete is pulled. They are strong and even enough.
• Instead of individual beacons, you can use the sides of the formwork, set up in the right way. This approach is quite convenient, although it requires the use of good boards for the formwork – this is convenient and allows you to organize expansion joints at the same time.

• Steel rods will be required to organize the reinforcing frame. You can use a ready-made mesh, which is very convenient, but you may not have it at hand. To reinforce the concrete platform, rods with a diameter of 6 mm or more will be enough.

• Formwork material – most often boards of different thicknesses are used. If desired, you can limit yourself to slate, and for paths with a curved shape, you can use plywood or plastic panels, which can bend quite easily.

• All the ingredients for preparing the concrete mixture. We will talk about the composition in more detail a little later, in the corresponding chapter.

Making the formwork

Very strong materials are not needed for this because the mass of concrete will be spread out over a large area and won’t put much pressure on the formwork walls. Thin 15 mm boards, frequently strengthened with pegs, suffice. After the solution hardens, the formwork will prevent it from spreading, giving you even edges.

As was already mentioned, the only requirement is that they have smooth walls. Various materials can be used. It is advisable to coat a material that actively absorbs moisture with used oil; this is particularly important for structural elements positioned in the center to divide the surface into sectors. Then, without causing any damage, these components are readily separated from the solidified concrete mass.

Pegs and extra struts can be used to reinforce the sides if the layer of poured concrete is sufficiently large.

Reinforcement

The construction of a reinforcing frame comes next.

For every concrete structure that is subjected to mechanical loads, this component is required. It will increase the surface’s strength and durability.

There is no complexity involved when using a mesh; simply roll it out across the website and proceed. You will need to adjust them slightly in order to join them into a single piece if you choose to use rods. You’ll need knitting steel wire for this. If you have a welding machine, you can use it as well, but keep in mind that this will not affect the final strength.

The rods are arranged to create 15 by 15 centimeter cells. There is wire tied at every intersection. You can use specialized stands to raise the frame slightly above the ground, as this is a recommended practice.

If you choose not to invest in these components, you can leave the site as is and just lift the grate as needed while the concrete is being poured.

Installation of beacons

If you would prefer not to use the formwork’s edges as beacons, you can install individual ones that are made from the galvanized metal profiles that are used to assemble drywall frames.

• There is nothing complicated about displaying these elements. Usually for this they use either pads (which is not very convenient) or a solution that, when dried, securely fixes them.
• So, put a pile of solution in the right places.
• We apply the profile on top and control its position using a building level.
• After installation, excess mixture is removed and the structure is left to dry for about one day.

Once the allotted time has passed, you can begin to pour.

Working with concrete mixture

Technically speaking, there shouldn’t be anything more difficult for you to accomplish, but every business has some tips and tricks that can help simplify the process. Along the way, we will also voice a few of them.

Therefore, if you plan to use the surface primarily for pedestrian traffic, you will need a concrete solution of at least M200 grade (class B15). If cars will be driving on the site, however, it is better to spend a little more and pour M300 concrete (B 22.5).

Counseling! Exact recipes for one cubic meter of the mixture can be found online in the form of text articles or tables like this one.

Ordering concrete from a factory is preferable if you are unsure that you can follow the recipe exactly. This will also cut down on the amount of time it takes to pour. It’s critical to keep the mixture flowing constantly; lengthy pauses should be avoided because freshly mixed dough does not combine well with previously kneaded dough.

For this reason, you ought to give using a standard concrete mixer some serious thought before proceeding, much less combining everything with shovels.

Assuming, therefore, that the concrete has been delivered to the job site, we move forward as follows:

• We supply the solution to the furthest place on the site and begin unloading it. This work will take a lot of effort, so it needs to be mechanized as much as possible. You can use: concrete pumps, small construction tractors, as in the photo above, various wheelbarrows, stretchers, and only as a last resort – buckets.

• We begin to distribute piles of concrete across the site, filling it evenly.

• For this, it is convenient to use a rake or such trowels, like a mop. A shovel will also come in handy. You need to work in rubber boots so that you can move freely along the already poured mixture, otherwise you will constantly have to stretch, which is bad for your back.

• As the site is filled, the reinforcing mesh is periodically lifted and shaken so that it is not under the concrete, but right in it.

• After that, the leveling process begins. It is better to level the edges carefully with a trowel, after which you can move on to more powerful tools.

• Next, using a rule, the concrete is pulled along the guides and lightly smoothed. Please note that the craftsmen in the photo work with an aluminum block, as it is stronger than a simple rule and will not bend when pressed.
• Perfect smoothness is not required at this stage – now the evenness of the resulting plane is more important.

• Then either a vibrating beam or a trowel like this one is used, which can be made by yourself from two paired rules. The surface of the screed is smoothed out and becomes very even.

• It is worth going along the edges separately so that they turn out even and strong. We remove the excess with a trowel, and carefully smooth out the resulting irregularities with a wooden trowel.

• Now you need to make small grooves in the concrete mass with a certain frequency using a construction tool. They are required in order to provide technological gaps in case of thermal expansion of the material. If you skip this step, the grooves can be cut later using a wall chaser, but this takes much longer and creates a lot of noise and dust.

• Finally, the surface can be smoothed more thoroughly. To do this, using a thick board, move over our screed and bring everything to perfection with a hand trowel.
• Now the concrete surface can remain to dry. In order for the concrete to gain maximum strength, you will need to ensure the most uniform evaporation of moisture from its surface. As soon as the cement milk goes away, it must be covered with plastic wrap. If pouring occurs in hot summer, then it is necessary to periodically pour water on the site

In theory, this is all we intended to share. As you can see, pouring concrete in a yard can be done quickly with the appropriate method. The video in this article, in which skilled artisans carry out this task, has "visual instructions."

Step	Description
1. Planning	Measure the area and plan the layout, including any slopes for drainage.
2. Preparation	Clear the area of debris and vegetation. Level the ground and compact the soil.
3. Formwork	Build wooden forms around the edges to shape the concrete.
4. Base Layer	Spread gravel or crushed stone and compact it to create a stable base.
5. Mixing Concrete	Mix concrete according to the manufacturer"s instructions or order ready-mix.
6. Pouring	Pour the concrete into the forms, starting from the far end and working towards you.
7. Screeding	Use a screed board to level the surface, moving it back and forth in a sawing motion.
8. Finishing	Use a float to smooth the surface and edges, adding texture if desired.
9. Curing	Keep the concrete moist for several days to allow it to cure properly.
10. Removing Forms	Remove the wooden forms after the concrete has set, usually after 24-48 hours.
11. Clean Up	Clean tools and surrounding area. Dispose of any waste material appropriately.

A concrete yard is a doable project that can greatly improve your outdoor area. Following a well-organized plan will help you complete the task quickly and with high quality. The most important procedures are clearing the area, constructing a strong form, and correctly mixing and pouring the concrete. The final surface’s durability and appearance are guaranteed by meticulous attention to detail at every stage.

Debris removal and leveling the ground are two aspects of site preparation. Using wooden planks to construct a form gives the concrete shape and helps keep it contained. A robust and level surface is produced by carefully mixing the concrete, pouring it, and leveling it. For the concrete to be strong and long-lasting, it must be given enough time to cure.

While speed is crucial, quality must never be compromised. Using the appropriate equipment and supplies along with a methodical approach will help you finish the project faster without sacrificing quality. It is possible to have a gorgeously concreted yard that enhances the value and usefulness of your house with perseverance and meticulous work.

Your outdoor space can become a long-lasting and beautiful area with concrete, and it’s easier than you might think to get a high-quality finish in the shortest amount of time. You can guarantee a seamless and effective process by checking that the site is ready, selecting the appropriate materials, and adhering to a few simple procedures. With a little preparation and the appropriate equipment, you should be able to enjoy your freshly concreted yard without the typical difficulties and delays.

Video on the topic

How to concrete a yard on beacons with slopes

Correct concreting of the yard… Do-it-yourself path – blind area… How to concrete a yard ..

IRONING CONCRETE (STRENGTHENING THE TOP LAYER OF A CONCRETE SURFACE)