How to Pour a Concrete Slab from Start to Finish!! DIY Concrete Prep and Finish

[@terryguin9529]

Cut your form supports off flush with top of form to make screeding easier

[@th7480]

As a concrete professional, I think you did a really good job for a do it yourselfer. And by the way, a lot of guys, including myself, come back a day or two later to cut the Expansion Joints in

[@Drew04.20]

Despite pouring all at once I give you props this is hard work

[@KomarProject]

Many thanks. Ya we totaly screwed the pooch there

[@Drew04.20]

@ well I bet you won’t do that next lol you live and you learn.

Hello my talented friend, Thank you for showing me the process of pouring concrete on the ground for a structure to be built in the garden. Thank you for showing the details. Good job. Preparation of the ground and a well-explained step-by-step work. See you. Greetings.

[@KomarProject]

Thank you so much friend

@@KomarProject You're welcome. See you. Greetings.

[@BillSW]

Nice video. A few suggestions: * (3,4,5) triangle is too small given the large sides you have. Consider using other larger Pythagoras dimensions like (5, 12, 13) or (8, 15, 17) to be extra sure the corner is 90 degrees. If you used these larger dimensions you would have caught those 2x4 that were not straight. * Another tip is measure the length of the diagonals (opposite corners). The two diagonals should be the same length if all corners are 90 degrees * (BONUS MARK) If you did everything correctly then: diagonal x diagonal is equal to length x length + width x width (D*D = L*L + W*W)

[@KomarProject]

These are all great tips Bill!!!! Awesome that you posted them for others to reference !! Many thanks !

[@johnnyhopkins7297]

Bonus tip figure the diagonals beforehand and use two tapes to lay it out right the first time.

[@ajamesbertman]

Just curious - if you used the entire pad for the shed framing, would you do footings?

[@Paul_Hanson]

Any multiple of 3,4,5 works. In this case 12,16,20 would be a good fit to the 12x24 dimensions. Also, since Pythagorean numbers other than 3,4,5 have been mentioned, here's my favorite: 119,120,169. This translates to 9 feet 11 inches by 10 feet with a diagonal of 14 feet 1 inch.

[@Paul_Hanson]

One other note. You should probably make sure that your reference string line is level. Otherwise you will be measuring a right angle in a plane not parallel to ground level. To understand that think of looking at a cube from different angles. Its outline is not always a square. If viewed from a certain angle the outline of a cube becomes a perfect hexagon which indicates that the right angles formed by intersections of the cube's faces can be made to look like 120 degree angles by projecting them onto a plane that is not parallel to one of the cube's faces. So if the right angle you have measured does lie in a plane parallel to the ground it might not be a right angle when projected onto the ground plane. However, it is enough to guarantee that only one of the strings is level because then you know that even if the right angle you measured doesn't lie in a plane parallel to the ground, its projection onto the ground plane it will still be a right angle.

[@genxer74]

half way through and I love how this guy goes over the common problems of every day DIY and teaches you how to spot it and solve it.

[@helderlage]

FANTASTIC! an excellent example of the practical application of the Pythagorean theorem.

[@KomarProject]

I keep telling my kids that they will always use math. They laugh at me lol

[@darrellscott7980]

Angle grinder and a diamond cup wheel will clean them corners up. Nice job. Looks good.

[@KomarProject]

Thanks Darrell. I just bought a diamond wheel for a grinder and was hesitant

[@darrellscott7980]

@@KomarProject I’d recommend a face shield. Don’t apply a lot of pressure, let the wheel do the work. Wet the concrete down first. It’ll cut down on dust and help prevent chipping since it will help keep the concrete from heating up as much.

[@air7tv]

If the concrete is only a day or so old you can use a cheap gritty sanding disc in your angle grinder, just wear a good mask and if possible have an assistant with a vac 😂

[@wolfeman7558]

You did an amazing job. Everything was all the way it was supposed to be. I was just going to say. When you were pouring the pad, while you were pouring it, to save time and spread it out all more quicker, I often used a vibrator to make it move out more without having to rake it and shovel it as much saving your back. Plus it makes the concrete settle with the surface more. It has a better bond.

[@brucemartini2288]

I cant wait to try my 1st slab ever😏

[@HB-600]

Have you tried it yet?? Curious to see how your experience was. I’ve learned that everything looks a lot easier…until I try to actually do it 😂

[@KrisFerdy]

You should upload more often... Been waiting for a full fledged video for a long time... Keep up the great work... And do keep us posted... 😉

[@KomarProject]

Thank you !! This video took a bit more time to produce. But I have a few more on their way for sure very soon

[@SchysCraftCo.]

Turned out very well there Bart. Keep making. God bless

[@KomarProject]

Thanks so much Jared!!!

[@charleswatkins5628]

Chuck Watkins I just watched your video twice and I really enjoyed watching the how to do demonstrations portions. I'm in the middle of my ground preparation so I found all of your information to be very helpful. Thanks for taking the time and sharing your project. CW

[@KomarProject]

You are very welcome. The only thing I would add is to cut the brace stakes even with your form. Helps the skeeting process

[@HB-600]

Hi! Way late with this reply…but how did your ground prep and concrete pour go??

[@goetzfrank4090]

For a cold climate i would add a frost skirt, basically a thickened slab edge all around to prevent the ground below the slab freezing and lifting the slab.

[@charleswatkins5628]

Just saw your reply today. IT ALL WENT VERY WELL! I used my compact tractor to remove the grass/ put in 3 inches of gravel/ rebar added/ supported the frame/ had four strong friends show up to run the mixer and dump in the 72 60 pound bags. 8'X12 slab finished in 4 hours. All of the pre-work was done before my friends showed up. CW

[@ryeboy2u]

I always use a roll of plastic underlayment, to prevent the water in the concrete from soaking into the gravel or ground to quickly. Some guys use this and some don't. However I always do, and I have poured a lot of concrete on small projects. In my trade i have installed thousands of tons of rebar, I worked as an ironworker all my working years; both rebar and structural.

[@fdort3971]

I've never done this before but I remember seeing plastic laid. It makes sense to me to stop the cement running off. At the same time...with no plastic it fills in the cracks around the gravel...I'm conflicted...lol

[@michael_house]

Better done than perfect. :D Great video. Thanks for putting the work in.

[@KomarProject]

Thanks mi

[@gerggerggy7757]

Exactly. Sometimes agonizing over perfection keeps the project from getting finished or even started. Shoot for perfection, but dont beat yourself up if its not.

[@deanlang3894]

Another great video Sarge. 👍💪🇨🇦

[@KomarProject]

Thank you sir !

[@MrTakoyaki1]

Wet concrete is a strong alkaline chemical solution it can cause some gnarly burns. Best to keep yourself covered whole working with it. Loved the video!

[@KomarProject]

Omg yes. After a he pour I googled it and concrete burns is actually a thing. Never knew that

[@MickSupper]

I'm in the process of building my own forms and all for a 12'x35' slab, but I will be paying someone to spread and float it. After seeing this video, I definitely don't want to tackle the whole thing with amateurs and myself.

[@icephoenix111077]

I really hope you got your friends some beers after this.😀

[@waynelavarinhas]

Thank you for an informative video. I have a question that I need help with. We are building a small cabin but the problem is the existing concrete slab (which looks like yours in the video) is too small and we need to extend the concrete slab by 16 inches on each side. How would you recommend we go about extending the slab as the actual walls will be built on the new extensions.

[@mauronovara4830]

Excellent ! I´ll try it in the far Argentinian Patagonia. Cheers !

[@OmegaWalple]

why not use a garden rake instead of the shovel to move the gravel around?

[@KomarProject]

You can. I did in some instances

[@carriestrong591]

The tool that worked best for me, believe it or not, was a garden hoe! Same physical action as a rake, but you can move more aggregate, like a shovel…. try it next time. ;😀👍

[@ludwigvonrothbard1207]

Amazing video. Thank you for taking the time to produce it.

[@th7480]

To find the square from corner to corner would be the square root of the product of the length plus the product of the width which equals 26'10". The square root of 24x24 + 12x12.

[@cognizable1]

Looks amazing. Thanks for the video

[@LetsTalkCarpentry]

Great video! Only thing I’d change is how you ran your strings. Spray paint is 2” wide. Try using a small stake or something to mark your measurement instead to be accurate. Also 3,4,5 is a small triangle compared to your overall distances. Id use 9,12,15 and use 3,4,5 to double check if necessary. Turned out awesome though thanks for sharing, you gained a new subscriber!

[@angelamoll7348]

Do they make a concrete putty that you can roll on the outside to help with the edges?

[@daytonafuntim]

Super helpful! Thanks!

[@KomarProject]

Very welcome Daytona

[@drpc98014]

any thoughts on doing a dry pour for same pad size?

[@Queen-jc8fd]

Thank you.

[@KomarProject]

Thank you

[@prakashambastha7530]

Thanks for this detailed video.One question, how did you make sure form is dropped by 1/8th of inch every foot? Did you any reference point on both opposite ends to measure the slope? Thanks again!

[@TheBarnick6]

Run a string line level and measure then measure from the string how much you need dropped

[@ramiygr.3629]

Very informative. What would you recommend if I should place my prebuilt shed on compacted gravel, Bassrock or on concrete? Is there an advantage of one over the other?

[@farayra33]

Good job well done

[@quejm]

How has this pad held up? You are absolutely correct, you need to be doing the screed work and the floating as you go. Because you got behind, the finishing process was done all wrong, you should not be throwing water all over the surface of the concrete! The sections where you are hand floating, the surface is a mess... Yes, you can save money doing concrete on your own, but the process is not something you can learn quickly. You need many years of experience to do it right. And if it is done wrong, it probably won't hold up.

[@ajamesbertman]

Would you do footings if he made the shed the full size of the pad (10x12 or so)?

[@quejm]

@@ajamesbertman It depends on the application. What type of shed are you putting on the pad? If it is just a standard shed with 8 foot walls ("Tuff Shed" style) it is not necessary. However, if you are doing anything taller, or maybe something with a garage door, you should definitely put in footings. The nice thing is that you can pour the footings/foundation at the same time that you pour the rest of the pad. You just have to dig a trench with the rebar and pour that in when your pour the pad. Its called a monolithic pour. There are plenty of videos on KZbin with advise on how to do that.

[@ajamesbertman]

​@@quejm First, thank ya for giving your thoughts here! I'm familiar with the monolithic concept and done it a couple times, but those decisions were not mine to make - I just did the work. I'd like to build something of my own "tuff shed" like you mentioned with a crete floor (10x12x8 most likely). No garage door though. I'm also putting a fence up and will be auguring some post holes soon. I was curious if using the auger to also dig a few piers around the perimeter of the pad would be worth while to meet in the middle of the monolithic footings and just a flatwork pad. Can I get your thoughts on this?

[@MickSupper]

Yep, I do all of the work except the pour. I just got a quote for a 12'x35' slab and if they do just the concrete it will be $900, but if they do the forms and all they will charge me $3,800. It's a no brainer to leave the pour to someone else.

[@chrisloesch1870]

@@MickSupper wow. What part of the country do you live in and how thick is the slab they quoted you for? I had a 10x20 quote of $4800 which really should be six inches and reinforced.

[@russellsalinas295]

There’s a tool you can use to give the edges a curbed edge. I don’t know the name of that tool, but I know it exists because I’m a ready mix truck driver, that’s the guy who brought you the concrete in that big truck that spins round.

[@jamibeckham4544]

How many yards is this?

[@newvilla8115]

Thanks, how do you level in relation to the horizon.

[@TheCyleRitchie]

no plastic under the concrete?

[@HB-600]

Just curious, why plastic under the concrete?

[@ontisitsemanyeneng3154]

It's for protecting the foundation against moisture build up.

[@Carolineandthecompany]

Every single time I hear your surname I'm smiling because is a Polish obviously ;)

[@mazarykorn1721]

в підтримку каналу 👏👍👌

[@fdort3971]

@KomarProject thanks for the lesson. I'm about to do this for the first time. I'm second guessing myself left, right and center..lol. I can't afford a professional but I don't want to screw it up. I'm making a workshop with a 6 foot round room entrance into a 20 foot x 40 foot rectangular room. I have to worry about a 2 foot deep frost line. (Nova Scotia). Height I'm unsure of the height yet. I've been accumulating free building supplies from marketplace and roadside riches. My goal is a wedge shaped roof (higher in front) because of snow. The lower side inside will be 8 feet. With my crappy math (sorry...not a math genius) how thick should my slab be please? I'll be making a woodworking business so somewhat heavy machines. How does the 2 foot frost line affect the process? Do I or don't I line under the gravel with vapour barrier? I've seen both ways.

[@johnlebeau1]

You live in Naperville- not Chicago. Big difference, good job

[@christophertaylor3001]

A monolithic slab has a footing dug deeper around perimeter with min 1/2 inch rebar.

[@miken2604]

doing a pickleball court...how do i make sure its level

[@ajamesbertman]

How did this hold up so far?

[@HB-600]

Still going strong!!

[@funtyes1970]

i like watching his videos but he need to upload more videos at least 1 video a week like most youtubers do , just saying. great video and good job on Concrete slab

[@HB-600]

Have you seen his new videos?? They’re pretty cool!!

[@angelamoll7348]

Hi! What kind of doggo is Stella?

[@jamesmoore8156]

I had to...😂😂😂😂😂

[@Parabellum-X]

Why didn't you place Visqueen down instead of all of that gravel?

[@jellybeansupra]

awesome, thank you!

[@KomarProject]

You're welcome! And thank you !

[@brucemartini2288]

amount of friends you get, depends on how many cases of beer you have🤣

[@chancesellers5425]

You really need to round the edges because sharp edge concrete has a tendency to crack easier just get a concrete grinding wheel and round those corners as good as you can

[@KomarProject]

Your totaly right. I think I found a technique for it. Should I do a video on it ?

[@chancesellers5425]

@@KomarProject Absolutely I think if someone else runs into the same issues a help video would really be awesome 👌😎

[@chancesellers5425]

@@KomarProject I really injoy your channel love the content you put out please never stop thanks 😊

[@HB-600]

Why do sharp edges cause easier cracking?

[@MickSupper]

@@HB-600 I know they chip easier, but not sure about cracking.

[@twagner6155]

You don't need to remove grass roots, you don't need a compactor for the dirt or wet anything, you don't need to square the stones.or dirt You could build on top of the grass as long as the forms are level. You don't need to dig deep holes unless all that is code. You can use any stone as long as you follow code. 8" for driving on or rebar.

[@MitchWoolums-i9s]

Oh jeeze how wrong you are is amazing

[@twagner6155]

@@MitchWoolums-i9s I differ with you.

[@Kid617]

So you did a 2inch pad and driving equipment on here thinking I need 4 inch base and 4inch concrete for my work shop😅😊

[@robertelliott44]

They sent you a hot mix ! Not really your fault ! Shouldn't harden up so fast !

[@Ryan-ky3nr]

That's not a hot mix lmao

[@joeyoliver579]

You need a tractor. It would do EVERYTHING for you. Compared to your back, they're worth every dime they can cost.

[@HB-600]

Does the John Deere lawn mowers with a small trailer attachment count?? 😅

[@TheDrew2022]

Stella: Brown merle Mini-Aussie I'm guessing?

[@OmegaWalple]

The wife and I are arguing about how old Stella is, can you tell us how old she is?

[@KomarProject]

Hahahaha almost 4 months lol

[@HB-600]

So who was closest?? You or the wife? :)

[@OmegaWalple]

@@HB-600 I think I was but this was 2 yrs ago and I've slept a lot since then

[@LyricalInjectionRec]

Concrete burns 17:29

[@YanajRettun]

12x24 cost you $1754 ($6 a sqft?!?!?) I have contractors that would do it for $6 per sqft… this was pricey

[@HB-600]

Where are you at that that’s the pricing you could get?

[@printer1105]

Too close to the fence , can't get a riding mower in there. ...bad layout from the start. Slump on Crete was great.

[@rodneyball6496]

you are very lucky you did not end up with concrete poisoning

[@bobhmail7161]

Good video to learn how not to do it.

[@MickSupper]

As he pointed out in this video.