Concrete Solution to Backyard Blues
Concrete Solution
to backyard blues. 
Now you can have the satisfaction of building your own patio, sidewalk or driveway with our
easy to use Ready-Mix-Concrete System that has been developed for the do-it-yourself homeowner.
Read on to find out how you can turn your backyard blues into family fun!
1. To begin - make plans!
A project made with concrete is so permanent that it will become a
lasting monument to your lack of planning! Make sure you know exactly what you’re
going to do and who’s going to help you before the
concrete arrives!
Stake out the area you will cover. Make sure that water will drain
away from buildings and that you do not interfere with tree roots! Remove grass, level
your ground (use a carpenter’s level), fill in low spots and then pack and dampen the
area.
2. Forms
Use 2"x 4" planks set on
edge. Hold the 2"x4" in place with stakes driven into the ground every 18
inches. The stakes must be on the outside of the forms and must be even with the top of
the forms.
If your concrete will be poured next to an existing
concrete slab, you must insert an expansion joint between the
old slab and the new pour (you can obtain the expansion joint material at Aba Daba).
OPTIONAL:
You can nail together a gridwork of permanent dividers and
place them inside your forms for decorative effect. These dividers must be rot resistant
cedar or redwood and nails must extend from them to anchor them in the concrete.
3. Gather your tools
1. Tamper
2. Garden Hose
3. Edger
4. Bull Float
5. Rake
6. Steel Trowel
7. Hand Float
8. Wheelbarrow
9. Stakes
10. Soft Bristle Broom
11. 2"x4" Screed Board
12. Square Nose Shovel
Most of these tools are available for rent at Aba Daba Rents.
The
Concrete Arrives and the fun begins!
4. Make sure you have several people to help you! (at least three people
for three yards or less of concrete.
Wet your area several times the night before you
pour your concrete and sprinkle the ground once before the cart arrives. This insures a
good cure and also keeps the ground from drawing water from the concrete (you will have
more time to work the concrete before it sets.)
Pour concrete out of the trailer or wheelbarrow.
Begin at the far end of the forms and dump each load close to the last. Use square nose
shovels and rakes to spread the concrete evenly to top of the forms.
5. Have two people use a 2"x4" screed board 
to level the concrete, moving back and
forth in a sawing motion as well as across the concrete.
6.Use a tamper
to bring moisture and sand to the surface and to
move large aggregate down into the concrete. Don’t be afraid to step out on the
concrete but make sure you always move in a backward direction, covering your footprint as
you go.
7.Run an edger
lightly around once following the tamping to establish a groove. This will simplify final edging.
 8. Next use a long handled bull float
Back and forth strokes will smooth the ridges left by screening and tamping.
9. Use the hand float 
with flat strokes in an arch motion. Do not apply pressure or you
may cause a rough, sandy finish.
10. Use the edger
again following the hand float to produce a rounded edge that will not chip easily when forms are removed.
11. When the concrete can hold a man’s weight and not make an
impression,
and when it has lost its surface moisture use a steel
trowel to finish the surface. Kneel on a piece of board as you move across the concrete. Use firm, flat, even pressure in an overlapping circular motion.
OPTIONAL: you may create a broom finish after the steel trowel by dragging a broom with very
soft bristles (in one direction) across the concrete.
 12. To cure your project,
dampen the area daily for 5 days.
13. After your area is finished and cured,
remove the forms and enjoy your handiwork for years to come!
Concrete Facts:
Too much water weakens the
Concrete causing sandy surfaces, peeling and chipping.
Hot days or windy days can
affect the finish of your job.
Too little moisture causes the Concrete to cure too fast and will
result in wind check and cracking.
Concrete will reach half its strength in 10 days and its
full strength in 27 days.
To Help You Estimate The Amount Of Concrete You Need
A. Draw out the dimensions of your project using graph paper.
Use a scale appropriate to your
project. (try one square = two feet.)
B. Compute the area you will cover:
Length in feet
x Width in feet
_________________
= Area in sq. feet.
C. Decide how much concrete you need:
A patio, walkway or driveway should be 3 1/2" to 4" deep and that means you’ll need:
• 1/2 cubic
yard to cover 40 sq. ft.
• 1 cubic yard to cover 80 sq. ft. at 4" thickness
• 1 1/2 cubic yards to cover 120 sq. ft.
(You may also just divide your total area by 80 sq. ft.
and get the exact number of cubic yards that you need.)
BE ACCURATE! Remember that a little miscalculation can
cause you to be short of concrete and can ruin your job! Extra concrete can always be
poured into small stepping stone or walkway forms.
D. Now call Aba Daba Ready Mix at 1-800-969-7433
and decide on the date and time you will pour.
E. Finally, make a list of people who'll help you!
And then make a list of all the food and drink you'll need
to make sure that your help is well rewarded.
F. Keep the beer cold
until the last load of concrete is poured.
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