Have anyone pour a concrete slab before? I been thinking about pouring one for my new shop if I build one. It will be a 14x18 Garage/Workshop. Wont park in a car in there thou.
Dig a shallow trench about 4or 5 inches deep and a foot or so wide around the perimeter--
That's the 'thickened edge'
Make your cement forms---2x 8s would be ideal---use pointed 2x4 stakes to keep it in place.
If you use thinner wood like plywood for the forms use lots of stakes---concrete will push out the forms very easily----
Make sure the forms are level and square----a water level is the easiest way to level up a foundation.
Cut off the tops of your stakes so you can drag a long board (screed) across the top of the forms)
A bed of gravel is nice for drainage but not essential--you can pour it right on the earth if you hose it down well---
Next you will need--concrete--a bull float (you can rent one) some L-shaped anchor bolts --and a pool trowel (long finishers trowel with rounded ends)
Pour the concrete unto the form-----level it out with a shovel--rake--whatever you have---
Go all the way around the form with your shovel and jamb it into the concrete to make sure you have good contact with the form (air pockets at the edges are bad_)
Level off the concrete with your screed board--this takes a helper
Next--The bull float----(might be good enough if you aren't looking for a fine finish)
Last the pool trowel---(and a scrap of plywood as a kneeing board))
Often you must wait a bit to trowel the final finish---keep testing the surface to see if it's set enough to hold a finish when stroked with the trowel.
Someone else will give you more clear instructions--Like I said --I'm allergic to trowels----Mike---
( I meant shovels--The medicine must be kicking in)
You will learn a lot if you hire someone who is experienced------Knowing when the cement is right to smooth out is hard to figure the first time----to wet and it won't trowel out----to far along and ---you're not happy either----
Just me, but I would not build any type of structure without at least a rat wall, and, regardless of that, you will definitely want help with the slab, hired or otherwise.
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