How To Pour Concrete That Will NEVER Crack | THE HANDYMAN |

[@TheHandyman1]

You might want to watch this video. If you dare. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2SvlGanq6h4erM

[@robertbutler8004]

The only guarantee that this fool could give to a homeowner is I guarantee that it won't crack before I cash your cheque!!!

[@tomkristman1456]

If you are in a freeze thaw area Concrete that holds up the best has about 10-16 inches of 3/4 CLEAN stone underneath. This doesn’t allow the sub base to freeze and move.

[@mac57dave]

The Handyman If women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy! Handyman

[@Melicoy]

Whats stopping it from pulling AWAY from the house... no glue at the dowels...

[@tripjet999]

Hope they correctly "chaired" the rebar, prior to the pour!

[@kelperdude]

I liked the concrete guy. Nothing more satisfying than to have random people admiring your work and getting more work out of it in the process.

[@ToyManFlyer1100]

Usually that whats happens...People see your work and how good it looks....Now you swamped w/ work orders......

[@stormierosado2663]

Mega

[@ExpatTraderFX]

Always the case in my experience

[@lostpony4885]

He's got knowledge and technique yer average contractor doesnt AND he made it look easy.

[@artemshabunya9366]

The Gentleman who was working with concrete did an amazing job smoothing everything out.

[@poppopkustomkars1234]

As an ex concrete inspector, glad you talked about slump. You can have 7000 psi and tons of rebar, but if it is full of water, it doesn’t matter. If it’s soupy, it gonna crack. Good point about the slope too My question is no expansion joint between sidewalk and foundation? Not generally a great idea because expansion joints are so cheap. It will crack there, and around an aluminum gutter, no joint?

[@mrwascallyt9865]

have done flooring for 35 yrs. in central fl. even had to level bad pours before you could even install carpet . lot of jobs where I charged more to fix the slab than install the floor . and these were new houses big and small . and shiny floors like sheet vinyl show everything . there are steps to installing conc. that most do not follow and it shows . most conc. guys I've talked to say they just don't pay enough to take the time . there are some good ones but they are a small percentage . I've walked off jobs because the contractor did not want to pay for me to fix the slab before I could do my job . told them I guess my standards are a little than all of yours . ( making friends and influencing others, ha ) . i'd tell them where are you guys gonna be when the homeowner complains and I tell them you didn't want to pay me to do the conc. guys job . I see i'm on a rant .and that's a tip of a big ol iceberg . could do a whole bunch more on contractors , inspectors , subs , homeowners .only thing needed would be some circus background music .

[@mrwascallyt9865]

edit standards are a little higher than

[@Hoaxer51]

As a reply to why you wouldn’t have to put expansion against the house, the sidewalk is only about four foot wide. You get very little expansion over that four feet and what little there is can easily expand into the landscape. If you use a fiber type expansion, it will probably deteriorate in five to ten years and then you have a half inch gap for water to run into. Or you could use closed cell foam expansion.

[@tkschannel9973]

So as an ex concrete inspector you never noticed that the rebar is sitting in the gravel not doing anything????

[@DavePreissl]

Without reinforcement concrete will crack on exterior 45s as the forces change direction.

[@lilwarrior989]

As a 20+ year concrete guy, they did a nice job on the finish and control joints (other then I would have jointed the step down) I may have put a lateral rebar at the step also but it would be as you said, a little overkill. nice walkway and a good contractor.

[@davideastham]

I hate the concrete guys that do most of the work around me. They always cut the control joint with a concrete saw after it dries. I'll never understand why?

[@davideastham]

@@jaybob275 I hate the cut myself. They did it on the driveway when the previous owner had it put in and when the town replaced our sidewalk, they did it again. I usually power wash them at least once or twice a year and when I do so, the cracks just spit mud all over the place. it makes cleaning take a whole lot longer than it should. Not only that, weeds really love the cracks.

[@robertbutler8004]

Concrete Cowboy, I think you might have noticed that the majority of negative comments here only responded to him saying the concrete will never crack. My question to you would you be stupid enough to say the same thing with your concrete jobs?

[@popey2710]

@@robertbutler8004 nobody would EVER say their concrete will not crack. The replies to this are valid, it's like saying "this car will never crash ",

[@cygnus1965]

Looks nicer.

[@nightwolf2666]

Your finish guy is awesome....I could tell right away by how he was finishing off the top and sides with his trowels. I live in the pacific northwest, and our pours always find a way to crack crack because of our rainfall which, hence, creates a lot of ground water that permeates a lot of pours. The better guys out here know how to do it right, but they are REALLY expensive. However, you guys don't have to worry about that....I like how you pay attention to the most minute details and really care about your work and your reputation with clients. It's nice to see someone that is not just in it for the money. More concrete work for you!!

[@EazyT8439]

To prevent cracking and increase strength keep a lawn sprinkler on during the hot times of the day. Me personally I left the water on for two days after it cured and turned them off at night it’s been 10 years and not a single crack on my patio in the backyard

[@loawilliams1847]

Been pouring concrete for 50 years and I will guarantee that concrete will crack.

[@lionheart93]

Loa Williams you’ve done this for foundations as well??

[@jeffmays7192]

Loa Williams 40 year here. It will crack. Like I tell my customers “they come in the truck”

[@armidaleconcrete]

I have been concreting for 40 years and in Australia we put mesh throughout the concrete with adequate expansion joints and it will still crack at least once somewhere. No such thing as concrete that wont crack.

[@vladkola8436]

and tow things he did not mention that can minimize cracking, one where you make sure your ground compacted so it does not settle later, and two make sure it does not dry out to fast especially if you have scorching heat, a good way is to have it irrigated for a while after it has solidified enough, a mister or similar thing would work like they do on highway projects.

[@jeffmays7192]

Vlad Kola yes! And it will still crack where you don’t want it too. Right? I’ve poured in lake havasu city Arizona. We would pour, finish and then cover with heavy burlap sacks soaked in water....And cross our fingers😂

[@wsgeo]

A lot depends on where you live in the USA and the type of use the concrete will have depending if it's a sidewalk or driveway. In some parts of California the soil has a lot of clay were over time concrete will eventually crack (even with rebar and base) because of the clay your base has to be compacted and deep. As for always using rebar I've gone back and seen sidewalks I did 35 years ago with no rebar and they are still in great shape but then again that could be because of California's weather. One small trick we did was spray a light coating of diesel fuel on the concrete forms to make it easier to take them off and clean.

[@XbigbadshadowX]

Lol will never crack! That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard. 🤣 poured just about every thing you can, pads, side walks road panels, pre cast walls, foundations all of it. From IMI to kwik bond everything cracks just give it time and pressure.

[@geoffdrew5207]

I hand mixed (electric mixer) a 150' x 8' driveway 40 years ago and it has still not cracked, I put no steel reinforcing in it. Every driveway in every house I have lived in since has cracked, all have been reinforced with steel. An old guy told me my driveway did not need steel as it was on a solid base that would not move, he stated that it is the amount the concrete is worked and the way it is cured that decides whether it will crack or not. He was 100% correct, I have never had any concrete I have mixed myself crack or any concrete that I have had delivered crack because I have had control over how long it was in the truck for and also the curing.

[@942687032679840126]

Hopefully most of the cracks are inside the control cuts, but it will also likely crack by the step and around the curve. Fiber would have reduced the cracking, but still not eliminate it. Anchoring the slab to the house will also contribute to the amount of cracking, but you did not have much choice there.

[@derektrier5221]

Definitely shop around and see their past work if possible. Concrete is not an easy mistake to fix after its set up

[@timslowey4379]

As an engineer with over 30 years experience I will tell you the concrete will crack. Rebar actually doesn't take any load until the concrete cracks and is actually over kill in pours less than 8" in depth. Limit your slump to 4" maximum and do not pin your concrete to the foundation if you live in an area that experiences significant frost in the winter time. Pinning concrete to a foundation will actually cause cracking in areas that the ground freezes. Any contractor that tells you it will never crack, get it in writing along with a warranty.

[@calebmoos7742]

That was a satisfying video to watch. As someone who has lived in newer houses and mid century houses, it makes me happy to see someone fixing problems the right way in newer developments. Nothing is worse than a bandaid. Well war is. War is worse but that’s an extreme jump.

[@GuldeScott]

Good info. I would have mentioned that its important to make sure water pitches away from the house. It seemed that your sidewalk had a downhill slope and was level side to side, so that should be good.

[@CarlosCabrera-mx2to]

"not going to crack" that's the funniest shit I've heard this week.

[@craigcanterbury264]

All concrete cracks. If the expansion joints are deep enough cracks should stay within them but it’s not always the case. Expiation material where it meets existing concrete will help as well I’m sure this guy did it. Due to him finishing sides the day of poor and not just mixing motor the next day

[@jay-rus4437]

Carlos Cabrera .....my thoughts as well. 26 years in civil engineering and construction. Not cracking and concrete never belong in the same sentence

[@Pavideus]

@@craigcanterbury264 you been to the Hoover Dam? Probably not.

[@craigcanterbury264]

@@Pavideus well considering the Hoover dam in its center is still liquid concrete & no one has a defensive calculation on time line for it to total cure. That’s when the stress cracks will form. I’ve been fishing by some massive bridge pilings “ skyway in Florida” since they have cured they show stress cracks that engineers use cutting edge methods to keep up and preserve it. So the Hoover dame isn’t a good example because it’s not yet done with its expansion.

[@MrFredsDIY]

There are two absolute 100% guarantees with concrete!!! 1). It will get hard. 2). It will crack.

[@richardrobertson1331]

Maybe a more accurate title should be "How to Pour Concrete that will crack where you want it to crack". Good video and thanks for posting.

[@c_b8s4]

Still wont be a true title. Cracks have a mind of their own.

[@raymondward8932]

@@c_b8s4 especially at a 4 and 5 inch slump, might last a little longer w 2 or 3 in , and 3 to 2 to one mix ratio, had to laugh my ads off and shake head after seeing this, let see him pos over 1500 yrds in. 8 hours a 6 man crew. And one batch man,

[@DaveR-lo6hq]

The concrete union teaches that you place concrete. 3” Sidewalk 90 degree turn, did control joints across each way from inside corner and she cracked from inside to outside, almost a perfect 45 angle! We try to control cracks by using sufficient jointing but it’s concrete

[@predatorysage1]

@@raymondward8932 my uncle raked 750 yards of concrete for a Honda plant by himself because his boss was too incompetent to get more laborers on the site in time. It took 16 hours.

[@Aepek]

Some really nice concrete work💪🏼👍🏻. Liked that they curved the sidewalk, & bull nosed the edges....also liked how that guy took care in the job & really made it “pop” compared to what was there. Looks 200% better, now that it’s done. Also impressed he brushed the sides😊 My entire neighborhood had the sidewalks redone few months ago, & was done....just to get it done. No grading of any kind, or care at all. At least the sidewalks are fixed now, but when it rains....get pooling & ponds everywhere. Contemplating whether to repair the sidewalk next to driveway, as it fell, just like at this house. It’s down about 2-3 in; but so far, driveway is just fine. Thanks for the vid, enjoyed watching this. Can be hard to find a good concrete guy/contractor at times; especially for small projects..... Looking forward to the next job in this house repair/remodel series. Have a good one✌🏼

[@kheff46]

Your skills show! That's why neighbors ask you to fix their issues. My brother in law has far too many people on a waiting list after doing quality work for a neighbor. But that's an easy way to build a name for yourself if you're new!

[@richcollins3490]

One thing you can be sure of all concrete cracks, the reason for the score joints is to weaken the slab in that area so the crack will be in that weakened plane when it shrinks. 99% of the time it's the case but I've seen a crack form 2 inches away from the score joint it sucks but that's the nature of concrete.

[@pensive69]

Handyman does nice work but I'd have placed an expansion joint along the entire home foundation, And I've had added one at the near corner where the walk turns. And below the porch step.

[@jeffp7776]

Expansion joint is not needed here there is nothing restricting the OTHER SIDE.

[@pointhigh2441]

@@jeffp7776 if you are in a state that has cold winters it is absolutely needed. In a cold state never bond a walk to a structure.

[@haroldgobbel8339]

@@pointhigh2441 That's right. Never bond a walk to a structure.

[@jose________5953]

Correct expansion joint all along the foundation and under the step

[@Longeno55]

The concrete finisher guy sure did a superb job. The walkway upgrade looks very nice Handyman ; )

[@solardiver7]

I've poured a lot of concrete and I've learned from my experience. 1-Do it right the first time. 2- The sub-grade, sub-base and base are as important as the slab. 3- Adding fiber is cheap and well worth the money 4 - Rebar is better than wire 5- More rebar is better. You are absolutely correct on 4000lb concrete and the correct slump. I've seen basements poured where the mix runs from one end of the form to the other. The wetter the weaker. Last, concrete takes approximately 28 days to cure. Keep it wet and keep off of it as long as possible.

[@joshnabours9102]

Is the "wetter the weaker" still true when using plasticizer additives to make it flow easily instead of using water?

[@autumn_b905]

Should you use dirt under the cement or gravel? I always believed dirt is ok but a contractor said gravel is better and prevent the concrete from expanding

[@adamdeyton4953]

@@autumn_b905 gravel on things like sidewalk or slabs

[@autumn_b905]

@@adamdeyton4953 thank you

[@BeholdMyStrength]

@@autumn_b905 I know this is 9 months late, but the blanket response of "ALWAYS GRAVEL", isn't always necessary. It depends on the type of ground you're pouring on for instance. If you're base is primarily clay, then yeah you're going to want to dig out and have either sand or gravel compacted down. But if you have a hard base, for a sidewalk that already has good compaction, (and you're not in a place like California that is prone to high "movement", then you can make do without and be just fine.

[@1969CampEvans]

Pretty Profesional WORK.... done by this 2 man team... quality WORKMANSHIP!!!!!

[@Rmorris325]

I believe you will have cracks in the pour everywhere you fastened to the foundation. The freeze of winter will lift the concrete but not the foundation because it is poured down to below frost line this will break up your concrete. Your video is an excellent example of a job that will need to be redone in the future. I worked on a concrete repair crew. We fixed and are kept in business by people not knowing what they are doing with concrete. A big thank you.

[@mosialive]

Exactly! Everyone is cheering the finishing... But man, I am afraid.

[@chingkheiakoijam1822]

Yep no expansion joint / separation between foundation and the new slab will cause lifting issues and eventually cracks and disintegration

[@karlarmbrust8846]

Where I come from, (Nebraska), sidewalks move up and down with the seasons---frost heave. So I believe best practice there is not to rebar the sidewalk to the house foundation. Instead, typically a foam or fiberboard expansion joint is placed against the foundation so the sidewalk can move and so it doesn't adhere to the foundation.

[@WS1_AUTOS_N_STUFF]

Konstantin M 🤦🏽 or proper ground prep ! Can’t pour on dirt because of that

[@WS1_AUTOS_N_STUFF]

Karl Armbrust , if your sidewalks r moving up and down they failed the dirt work ! EJ and dowels work good to keep wall from and slab from binding so it can move a lil but stay put

[@fperreault]

That's a beautiful concrete job. That man has some great skills!

[@monabale8263]

something about it seems so claustrophobic all jammed up against the side of the house like that. i'm a klutz and would be scraping myself bloody every time on something seemingly so narrow. wish the homeowner would've spread the whole thing out a little wider at the entrance and then equal to the width of the little porch. would've made a nice place to park your butt, surrounded by some plants & a few rock features...oh well, it's DEFINITELY better built now.

[@BlackMountainCycles]

Guys it’s not a crack... it’s a “random-expansion-joint”.

[@goldenretrieverdad]

No such thing as a random expansion joint

[@indialanticrob508]

Its a joke dude

[@waldfink_]

Thumbs up for the concrete guy, he did a terrific job 👍 How do you handle the waste concrete in the states? Here in Germany they put it on the ground and insert a hook, so that it can be removed by a digger.

[@poppopkustomkars1234]

Excess concrete is sometimes brought to cemeteries to pour in precast coffin enclosures. Nothing is really wasted.

[@nabeshin-j9865]

I believe some take it back and make block out of it.

[@igarasjen1128]

You can just add a lot of water, and all you got is sand. Easy to shovel

[@leeb.7188]

We put it on a barge and ship it to China.

[@BoulderCreekSteve]

We have bridges here built in the 30’s under the WPA. The bridge rails and sidewalk have zero visible cracks that I can find, though I am sure there must be cracks under the many layers of asphalt laid down. You can see where there are gouges from being struck by vehicles, but no cracks. I have asked concrete guys what they were doing so much better back then. I was told the quality of ingredients was better, plus they had unlimited man power to have guys watering it for weeks to better cure. On jobs I worked on, poured concrete would begin cracking within a week, or days. I just can’t believe the craftsmanship.

[@danc3831]

Every concrete contractor knows one thing for absolute certain: concrete can and will crack and as a matter of fact concrete finishers actually induce cracking in the concrete at a specific place. Whenever you see lines in the concrete sidewalks (usually 3-4-5' apart made by the finisher they are weakening the concrete at that exact location so the concrete will crack at that place inside the line and present a pleasant visual crack vs. a crack without direction and wandering. The foundation of anything is most important and concrete is no different. Soil variations will contribute to the finished product and compaction of the soil and aggregate base is critical. Steel Reinforcement, expansion and control joints will aide to prevent cracking but invariably concrete can still fail, fail, yes but still be serviceable. A little unknown fact discovered by the Romans: configuration is the one constant that will cause a natural concrete product to crack more often than not. A concrete pad 20' long x 5 ft wide is 100 sq.ft. In this configuration the concrete more than likely will develop multiple cracks if not reinforced. However another pad 100 sq ft concrete area with the configuration being (10' x 10' --100 sq ft) will most likely hold its position in regards to cracking with all things being equal. Concrete are cut in configurations of square as close as possible: if the side walk is 3 ft wide the blocks are normally made 3' long/4 ft the same and so on and so on. The closer you can cut your joints to square the less chance of cracking because concrete expands and contracts the same in all directions. If all the direction of stress are the exactly same...........Again...concrete will and can crack no matter what you try do to prevent it but if you incorporate all the known factors that can cause the failure your chances of success rise dramatically.

[@2-scoops975]

I never thought watching concrete being put down could be so hypnotic. Amazing job.

[@thomream1888]

It's only because it's not YOUR back that hurts the next day! Man, just WRITING about this makes my back hurt... Anybody else been there?

[@damon79]

@@thomream1888 yes. I've pored a few slabs in my day and anyone that's says it's therapeutic has never poured concrete. It's the equivalent of saying being kicked in the balls looks like a nice massage.

[@TsetsiStoyanova]

That concrete looks amazing. I would have done it double width though!

[@lplp765]

Septic line running to the street runs along the sidewalk.

[@oldschoolfoil2365]

@@lplp765 yeah so? like you never seen that before. Depending on the hood what do you expect.

[@onlythewise1]

me to

[@John-qd6xm]

You do know it's a walk way to get to his front door he put in, not a patio you suggesting that would be to small.

[@NikeFlow23]

Not his choice it’s whatever the customer wants he can make suggestions but it’s whatever the customer wants

[@kevinhighsmith5376]

I'm no contractor, but why wouldn't you replace the bottom damaged siding BEFORE this pour?

[@charmaynedavid3054]

The contractor does excellent work🔥

[@wdane794]

You might get some issues at the corner of the house. We see that some times, smaller cracks due to the stress/forces from the house corner. We advise people to put a little extra rebar down to catch that. Or use fibers. It will add a little extra work with the finish, but it works really nice. I guess 3000 psi is what we in the EU call a Moderate concrete? Which should be just fine. The finish lokked real nice

[@ryszardbargiel7256]

I hope that steel was raised higher in the concrete, preferably above middle. Not too far from the top. Didn't see it in the video. Personally, there are a few details I would have done differently. Something surrounding the drain, instead of concrete all the way to the pipe. This would provide easier access if needed to unclog, repair, replace... A small piece of larger diameter PVC pipe would work. Another change would be to add something between the foundation and the concrete. For multiple reasons. Also, seal it.

[@GuldeScott]

It appeared like there was something around the downspout. I'm not sure though. Also, he said that he installed rebar into the foundation to secure the sidewalk directly to it, so a barrier would have defeated his method.

[@louf7178]

Very nice. Just looking around. I do want to remark about sawed joints (as was NOT done): I see this had been a trend in the past decades (especially of driveways), but I hate them - they chip, and its because of stress concentration at a sharp edge; corners (at intersecting cuts) chip even worse. Rounded edges last MUCH longer - the life of the slab - and stress concentration (reduction of) is the reason why.

[@seanhassard5668]

Pouring my own concrete driveway. You rock!‼

[@Kyle-ev4fk]

Post a video. How many guys do you have helping? Good luck.

[@seanhassard5668]

@@Kyle-ev4fk me and my father and might hire some help

[@ellydavis2066]

These guys did a brilliant job.

[@danbailey96]

I have poured concrete since 1966 and don’t believe that I would ever say concrete wouldn’t crack . I always use mesh and rebar in my pours and sometimes use fiberglass reinforcement also....a lot of our pours were under Army Corp of Engineers that required a 3.5 to 4 inch slump which worked your ass off finishing before it set these jobs required slump test cylinders also some of the hud and shopping centers I worked on required slump test. And someone said boomers in a responses but concrete pouring is really a young person’s job after doing construction in part of 7 decades my body no longer is good for concrete work.

[@tomrobison4274]

There are factors to consider with an irrigation system is the best way to go like where you live colder regions where you have to winterize I had a sprinkler system and it was a pain. There was still small areas of trapped water that caused freezing damage then there was unintentional damage so make sure that your yard warrants a sprinkler system. If you think that it does then next make sure that you use premium soil to plant you seed or sod in so that you’ll have the proper amount of drainage and your lawn will have the best chance to be healthy. Another thing that I see many people forget about is the downspouts from your roof gutter system. Now that your adding water to your existing drainage system it could disrupt the balance that was in place so the downspouts need to be properly routed which depends on what type of soil is under your topsoil. I had red clay so the downspouts had to run to the edge of my property where it didn’t effect the neighbors luckily I was on a corner lot so I was able to route seven downspouts off of the property without sending it to the neighbors. My present home is sandy soil with great drainage not near as much as a concern but I still plan to bury them because of other serious problems that unburied downspouts can cause leaky basements, soil erosion and others. I noticed the home that you’re working on has a steep grade so drainage and planting selection will will aid in getting the best result. If you do go with an irrigation system use premium pipe like CVPC or PVC it’s much more durable than the standard black pipe on rolls and your fittings can have more options and CPVC pipe and fittings are much more durable against freezing. I had seven zones irrigating two thirds of an acre that I was annually needing repairs not to mention the accidents with the snow blower and lawn mower. Where it’s warmer I’d put in a sprinkler system in but I wouldn’t use the standard pipe a probably have to do it myself. Best of luck with all of your projects.

[@marye8624]

Thanks Handyman!. Also, please give a shout out to the guy, his name and business, who helped you with the project. He did a nice job.

[@anthonydaguanno579]

I put mesh and rebar in my garage floor 18 years ago it still has not cracked. It will only crack where you put control joints. Thanks for this video it tells all you need to know.

[@thadgiannetti790]

if you live in a part of the country that experiences freeze thaw cycles, pinning a "floating" sidewalk or slab of any kind to a foundation that extends below the frost line isn't a good idea, the ground under the sidewalk will heave in the winter and now it can't move independently of the foundation on one side, it will hinge up with the rebar in the foundation. If you had another foundation under the outer edge of the sidewalk you'd be fine. the reason the original sidewalk sunk against the house is that the original back-fill around that foundation hadn't settled yet before they poured it.

[@scottclark798]

Northern climates have a lot going on in the ground through out the seasons . . You are spot on about the frost heave variable !

[@patrickstockton2091]

You can also save up a bunch of springs from old bic lighters and add them to the mix...(inflation fighting too!...)

[@kurtzcol]

concrete is always going to crack but you control it with the control joints.The old concrete broke so easy because there was no rebar or any kind of reinforcement

[@josephcumberledge8818]

Rebar don’t stop concrete from cracking

[@bunning63]

Concrete guy knows his job, thumbs up bro! Have had debates a number of times re mix/cement ratio. Mixing yourself what's the issue with a stronger mix? Hardly a cost consideration, just do the job right.

[@hyland1984]

A little trick to remove green mould, dirt, moss etc of concrete rather than using a pressure washer is washing powder. Decent biological washing powder. Sprinkle a load on the area, leave for a few hours, sprinkle some water or if it rains. Depending on how bad the area is, use a yard brush to scrub the area. Concrete comes up brand new, smells great & is better for pets.

[@robertgregory2618]

That dude did a beautiful job. I have been around building trades for 50 years. I am impressed.

[@Healthliving1967]

When you cut expansion joints they need to be cut all the way down through the concrete till you cut through the underside of the concrete,thats the only way to stop concrete from cracking,individual concrete sections then you fill the gap with foam backing rod and sikaflex polyurethane sealer.

[@onetwothree4148]

Lol

[@stevepesut5304]

That’s a pretty bold statement to make about a guarantee that the concrete won’t crack!!! Like one gal told me years ago,ice cream melts,concrete cracks.

[@ja3sk3adik55]

7:49 While you were there you could've pitched for the homeowner to install a retaining wall and fill it with soil to support that concrete. The rain will eventually wash the soil away and it will do more than just crack. It will slowly slide away.

[@ichabad]

didn't you see they doweled into the existing concrete?

[@ja3sk3adik55]

It doesn't matter. If they had dug at least 3 feet feet maybe that will work. It's not like they dug for a new foundation or anything. They just did an extension. It's probably starting to chip off by now on the edges.

[@FunDuude]

Nice. I like. But if that house should Shift, like lots of homes here in TX, the house and the "side" walk will shift as 2 separate entities, and you'll see a nice GAP being created between your "side" walk and your Slab, and it will widen over time.

[@jfcustomfab]

They did a great job !! Love to see craftsmanship!!

[@southernexposure123]

Honeycomb can be eliminated with a vibrator. Vibrators aren't generally used for home sidewalks. Honeycomb can be decreased and maybe eliminated by running a piece of re-bar down and up through the wet cement next to the form several times every 4 to 6 inches and by tapping the form with a hand hammer several times at the same 4 to 6 inch distance. Your finishers did a good job.

[@thetommantom]

That finished real nice. looks great!

[@handyscapersllc]

Looks great man. But a tip is to make sure your dowrods are sitting on the base and not in the middle of the pad. Cause now when the slab goes through phases and shifts it can crack. Dowrods are mainly best for keeping the pad from sinking so when the rods sits on a good base it holds the slab up but with the rods in the middle now you only have 2" maybe 3" from the rod to the surface of the pad in return making I easier to crack. Now this depends on where your location is as well

[@MrFIXIT101]

Just a recommendation if you're going to pour without much rebar or wire mesh (like a driveway) you could use a 1"+ aggregate it will make the concrete stronger it's just harder to finish

[@DavePreissl]

Hmm, are you sure about that?

[@MrFIXIT101]

@@DavePreissl yes I'm sure about that... if you want to make it easier for your finisher you could go 50/50 mix as well half pea gravel half larger aggregate

[@DavePreissl]

What size is pea gravel 14mm, 10mm, 5mm? Is it stronger in just compressive or flexal also and increased by how many mpa. Is there a spec on this that could be read on this?

[@MrFIXIT101]

@@DavePreissl when you order Ready Mix Concrete they're probably going to give you the option of 1 inch plus or 1in minus

[@DavePreissl]

@@MrFIXIT101 Nope, Im a batch plant operator for the largest supplier in the world. If those are your two options you should get a better supplier. We stock 38mm, 20mm, 14mm, 5mm, 3mm, Light weight agg. and 2 exposed specific agg. standard and Carsland.

[@flapjackson6077]

Beautiful concrete work! That guy obviously knows his craft!

[@scotttaylor2569]

There should have been some form of vibration during that pour to eliminate the voids in the finished product. A 4-5 inch slump is too much. A 1-2 inch slump with proper vibration would be better. After finishing the concrete, a sealing agent should have been sprayed on the surface to reduce the rate of moisture loss during the curing process. The more moisture in the concrete during the curing process lends toward a stronger finished product and a reduction in cracking.

[@boatdesigner12]

3rd generation builder here and I'm super critical. I've seen the results of many types of repairs over 50 years. I like how your doing this job. Thumbs up.

[@kiwdwks]

Thanks for the video.! Interesting to see the process.

[@BradHolkesvig]

I NEVER told my customers that my concrete wouldn't crack. I told them it was guaranteed to crack but only in the control joints that I placed in order to get as square a pad as I could. If the pads are long and narrow, you will get cracks without a control joint to divide them up into square pads.

[@derekcorreia7135]

Oh no! That basement is going to retain so much water in time! Also the water that retains between the old Foundation and the new sidewalk will then expand in the winter and crack the entire sidewalk and cause havoc on the foundation, water always travels the path of least resistance and it will make its way into the Porous concrete causing major dams in the sidewalk, and cracks in your Foundation. I would have never taken this job on but if I did I would have tarred the side of the foundation, and ran weeping tile so that everything would drain properly, as to your pitch I don't recall you stating a proper pitch in your video!

[@rakeshbidhar8812]

Your analysis is bang on. But what if he has the right slope . Why would water retain between foundation and side walk? Also what difference would it have without side walk?

[@lostpony4885]

Pulling the forms and finishing same day is the old way and you cant get that result any other way. Most people do it wrong. Great work!

[@irgski]

ALL concrete cracks. The best you can hope for is to control where the cracks occur. Also, you should have placed a fiberboard spacer between the foundation and the new pour.

[@learjet45]

Always use fiber concrete with steel mesh on chairs. ALWAYS use a fiber expansion material when pouring against a solid surface.

[@anthonyhulse1248]

This. I would call this job cheap and cheerful. And bound to crack.

[@Powdermonkey99]

Love the curve, nicer than straight corners!

[@Jitters94]

I was gonna leave a rage comment about Steel Floating a pathway that is meant to be used outside, then I saw them take out the Broom. and was like thank God!!! Great video man What a great type of home project this is.

[@growmas]

There are only 2 kinds of concrete, concrete that’s cracked and concrete that will crack.

[@savannahtraderful]

When I had a slab poured for a shed the concrete guy told me that. It did crack after a year. Funny though you don't see concrete on bridges crack? I guess it's the kind of concrete used and how the rebar and wire screen is positioned.

[@bigvegass]

concrete on bridges is usually post tensioned all to hell.

[@chrismoore9997]

@@bigvegass - and they put in expansion joints with gaps to let the concrete move.

[@savannahtraderful]

@@bigvegass Interesting. Looked it up. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYi6oHSkmL-fbKM There's a bridge construction project in progress on my drive to work. It's a long drawn out process.

[@squidproquo2241]

@Grow Mas _There are only two kinds of humans; the ones that were dead and the ones that will die.

[@SouthBrooklynRR]

It was money well spent, your time & effort in this was well worth the price. You can not put a price on peace of mind if your the home owner

[@waynedepner8593]

Three absolutes in life....Death, Taxes and Concrete Cracks

[@1betterboy]

i CAN BELIEVE YOUR A HANDY MAN! CONCRETE ALWAYS CRACKS, i WILL BET THE FARM ON THAT!

[@ajoking4923]

First like and comment...keep up the good work.

[@johns8600]

I would have used expansion joint foam between house and path, Plastic on the ground curled up against the house (that i cut off later) and mesh rio on top of that. He finished the cement off nicely though. It would have dried quick because the ground would have sucked all the moisture out.

[@jasonrawls6959]

You knew The Handyman was going to find some quality help.

[@bretts3688]

I do concrete and masonry work for a living. Its nice to see other concrete guys doing things right. He did nice work.

[@TheHandyman1]

kzbin.info/door/MDrLJJDIhcXjSYrPy5iOrg

[@alexdavis9711]

Only things you can guarantee on a concrete job: 1. It’ll get hard 2. No one will steal it 3. IT WILL CRACK Edit: HEY BOOMERS, this is just the saying that all the hack concrete guys in my part of the country say everyday. I was making jokes!!

[@unknownuser2737]

Don't forget number 4 It will turn white.

[@dman7425]

Hahahahahahahahahah so true this is click bait.

[@dukhtr3]

This is exactly what I was thinking.

[@JG-kv4oi]

Three things in life you can bank on: 1 Death 2 Taxes 3 Your concrete will crack at some point in time

[@mathtime4578]

They were stealing stamped concrete sidewalks in Las vegas a few years ago. Why I still dont understand but was on the news.

[@pampierce]

Excellent video on concrete. Several concerns: 1. Hopefully there is a slight tilt away from the home? 2. Concerned about concrete next to wood since concrete might cause the wood to rot next to it if there is nothing used against the wood as a barrier to water. 3. The front has brick as siding. You just covered up the weep holes, so now any water that gets behind will sit there instead of coming out. This may promote mold inside the house.

[@sebastiancyran9879]

Question. Attaching that sidewalk to the foundation of the house helps so the sidewalk doesn't slope, understood. However what if they same thing happens and the drain get clogged and water seeps back down to the house? The dirt below the sidewalk will start to go down and you'll have an air gap between the sidewalk and the ground so the sidewalk would essentit be floating no?

[@onetwothree4148]

Same problem if you do this anywhere where the ground freezes. Sidewalk base doesn't go down to the frost line, so the ground under it heaves up and down during winter.

[@desmondjaghai4481]

Fantastic concrete work. This yard just need good landscaping. First thing I would do is to build a wall. Second thing I would do is to fill up the area with dirt to the level of the walkway. Third thing I would do is plant grass and make the area into a nice level lawn.

[@viking7084]

Please, please tell us how to make crack free concrete! Doweling to the adjacent slab or footing is standard practice.... I'm guessing you don't have a permit or inspections in your city if its "unusual" to dowel.

[@kellyinfanger9192]

If they have frost heave, he increased the likely hood of cracks by doweling a floating slab to a foundation below frost line that can't shift with it.

[@porkchop1343]

That guy did a great job finishing the concrete..

[@MrGrombie]

If it wasn't for these videos, I wouldn't be as good as I am in pretty much any field. At work making fiber glass molds for theme parks as a contractor. Learning about concrete forming. XD

[@rodrigorodriguez8359]

MrGrombie what kind of fiber glass molds ? You guys got a website ?

[@twunderaquatics1770]

Liked!!! That guy knew what he was doing. Looks great.

[@MusicSavesLives509]

ALL concrete cracks, you just need to “tell it” WHERE to crack by jointing it or saw cutting it the next day.

[@bradleyhousley4828]

Finally , someone who has experience !

[@stayonit8026]

Shoot do it same day better off if you can

[@droolbunnyxo9565]

They did a beautiful job for sure! 😃👍 However, I don't see a T.H. Where's the T.H.? You didn't forget to do that, hopefully...?! Useless fun fact: depending on the thickness, it can take over 100 years for concrete to fully cure. eg. the foundation of a large city building. In the case of massive pours, like the Hoover Dam, concrete may take as long as 500 years or more to fully cure ~ if ever. It's a micro compression process that could literally last an eternity.

[@ericjensen3662]

When it comes to flat work you can't have enough help.

[@petersonners4626]

Have you ever tried the concrete admixture Edencrete? Its basically carbon nanotubes in suspension. It dramatically improves every performance characteristic of concrete, and makes it easier to work as well. You can even reduce the amount of cement to save money and still get a stronger concrete. Georgia has recently mandated its use in every concrete road construction in that state.

[@adamv6753]

Nice work. Cant wait to see the landscaping.

[@jmgtrplyr1984]

concrete will crack, and you have to place control joints in it to try and force the crack to be in the joint when it happens. there are plenty of other methods as well, like using a shrink reducer or fibers in the mix, covering in plastic/burlap during the cure or even spraying a curing chemical on it before you float the concrete. Here in California where I work, we use #3-#4 Grade 60 rebar in a 12" -18" mesh pattern and a combo of Fiberboard/foam expansion joints and decorative saw cuts

[@shadow-ny6gd]

Thats my trade, and by far one of the hardest trade ever lol

[@alexzamoradesigns]

Concrete will always crack!! I don’t know if you are a contractor, but I never tell a customer it won’t crack

[@susanjspaulding]

*WOW* !! *Thanks* for the *info* on *concrete* !! *Looks FAB* !! #concrete #TheHandyman

[@phillhuddleston9445]

I've had a long time concrete worker tell me that concrete cracks no exceptions the only thing you can do to minimize cracking is control cuts and expansion joints but eventually it will crack in other places too over time.

[@EM-fi2qg]

Is that radius something the homeowner requested or is that typical for your area? I'm in SoCal and they just put a regular 90° corner out here. I kind of like the radius, maybe a little tighter though.

[@TheHandyman1]

It isn't normal for production home building. I had them add it to dress it up a little.

[@EM-fi2qg]

@@TheHandyman1 Right on. Looks good like that.

[@joeoathkeepernuno7086]

Nice, what I need. Practicing on moms house and uncles house. Going to get into finishing.