Why NOT To Do DRY POUR CONCRETE | Dry Pour Concrete Slab Start to Finish

#EverythingAboutConcrete #MikeDayConcrete
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[@CajunCountryLivin]

Hello Mike! We appreciate you trying out the dry pour method. We do want address a few issues you had when completing this slab so people who watch this video can know how to fix these issues. The rock showing means more concrete mix needed to be added. When pouring dry, you have to pour enough concrete down that you are allowing the concrete to sit higher than the screed, which you did. However, adding water is where the process needs to differ from wet pour. When you wet pour, screeding is simply used to level the concrete. When dry pouring, the screed is actually a crucial step in achieving a smooth finish making the rocks disappear and the power rise, as you can see up close in our video. The reason we are so strict on the process of screeding then using the paint roller, a method we invented has took us years to perfect, as a professional, you can understand how something’s can’t be changed to get the proper outcome. You stated that not enough concrete was there, and that is exactly the issue. We address the best way to water a dry pour in our video as well. If you can follow our method of dry pour, you will see success. We have stated before that dry pouring concrete takes the complete 28 days to reach the 4,000PSI, same as wet pour. But we are shocked that it held up that well after only two mists, because we shower the slab twice per inch with an hour between showers. Mixing wet is speeding up the process and dry pouring slows it down. This always people who are not in a rush or don’t have access to the tools or man power to still be able to complete a slab. We invite you to watch our dry pour videos on our channel and follow them step by step. We hope this helps you or anyone who is going to dry pour. 😊 If you have any questions, we are here to help anyway we can. Send us over an email if you need anything.

[@chrisbeard8904]

Well said I’m planning a 30x30 slab using your method have watched all your videos

[@jaimeortega4940]

I think you could make dry pour work under some customized conditions. For example, you make your own custom concrete mix instead of "ReadyMix" by using pure cement, specific size and type of aggregate and sand mixture in order to test, dial in and get a good finished "dry mix concrete" finish and strength. Perhaps improvise and have a bit of wet mortar made to cover bumpy spots?

[@chrisbeard8904]

@@Jason99766 😂 if that’s how he does all his jobs I’m surprised he’s employed

[@johnlynch5351]

With a dry pour, you have zero control over the w/c ratio or the consistency of the distribution of water. This is the single most important part for concrete strength and durability. Too little water and you can have dry pockets like the video above. Too much and its weak as hell (might even get plastic shrinkage). For example, you say two pours per inch with an hour in between. So a 4" slab needs 8 pours and takes 8hours? Don't you think some of that concrete has started curing from the first "watering" that would inhibit seepage to the cement below? Best case you're creating laminations in your slab. Maybe your adding a retarder to your mix but then how do you do that with a "dry pour". If you're pouring a little 4x4 pad like above, you can live with cracks and whatever when the concrete shrinks. Maybe you live in an area that doesn't have large temperature swings or expansive soils and these issues don't show up significantly. But the bottom line is that its simply wrong to pitch dry pouring as an equivalent method.

[@whommee]

Dry pouring concrete slabs is the ultimate form of DYI stupidity.

[@chrispeterson7898]

If you don't want something to work, just don't follow the instructions. Just like this guy. 😆

[@chasejohnson4947]

You obviously haven't really watched other dry pour videos. Cajun Country Livin' has a perfect video. It works if you follow their instructions. Also, does that small of pad really need to be tested with a sledge hammer? Especially after only 24 hours. LOL.

[@cavitous9815]

Having worked with concrete myself, and having watched a couple videos on dry pouring, I was interested in your take on it. I'm really disappointed in your execution. You didn't at all do it like the others did it who have done success videos. And you broke a cardinal rule which you as a pro should know, which is using the correct amount of water, and then letting it cure. No amount of curing would of course help under watering it, but you messed up both. The process seems simple. Get a good surface BEFORE misting it. Yours was trash. That surface will be your final surface. Then mist again an hour later. Then you have a crust that can handle the more aggressive watering that will get the rest of your concrete saturated. Water a few times. Cover. Cure. Enjoy. Were you on a mission to disprove something? I have no dog in this fight as I don't do construction anymore, and have never done a dry pour. But it looks interesting, so I'm looking at it. Try again and delete this really poor attempt of a video. It isn't useful.

[@claytonsmith5691]

I fully agree, I’m looking into this for some hardscape in my backyard. Because of various factors dry pour is intriguing. But I am skeptical. I have watched all the videos and I was very interested in a review by someone who was also skeptical. However this video was 100% biased against the method. The only thing this video answered was if I do crappy job at something will I get crappy results. And the answer is yes. If it was worked until the aggregate was not exposed and the finish was appropriate and then the hydration technique was done correctly and then if it were given time to cure we could expect a suitable answer. Going above and beyond would be to do a wet pour slab next to it and compare the time and results when breaking them up. Sadly, in reality, I felt this video did not accomplish any aspect of its goal.

[@DJNaturaultone]

Agree

[@joshuadean1743]

I dry poored a 35' long x 4' wide by 4" deep walkway last year and it turned out perfectly. The guy in the video seems like he was purposfuly failing. Its really not that hard of a concept. Keep the forms on for 48 hours and after the crust has formed soak the crap out of the slab. Its gonna suck in all the moisture. Skreeting dry is way easier that skreeting wet and this guy makes it look like an impossible task. Concreat dosmt dry, it cures and requires moisture for the chemical reaction to take place.

[@MAGAMAN]

Just because they made it look good doesn't mean it's any better inside. Why are you people too lazy to just mix up the concrete? Why risk wasting hundreds or even thousands of dollars, or even worse, injury or death when you can just do it the right way.

[@dchall8]

@@MAGAMAN I replied to you earlier, so this might be a continuation. Yes, we're lazy and I explained why. But I doubt anyone is going to dry pour hundreds or thousands of $$ worth of concrete when they need it to last forever. My DIY stepping stones are not going to cost hundreds of dollars.

[@lashawnmarroquin763]

I think your professional experience is interfering with the DIY process…I think you were supposed to over fill the form with the dry cement and shimmer until they rocks are pushed down where it is no longer visible…no water until the surface is smooth

[@RHEC1776]

None of the videos show that method.

[@DJ-WHAT-DA-KUT]

Cajun country living shows how to sink the rocks for a smooth finish & how often to mist & water the concrete.

[@MikeHeath]

@@DJ-WHAT-DA-KUT But the Cajun Country Living finish wasn't smooth at all. The roller finish made it all lumpy.

[@youdontreallybelievethat]

@@MikeHeath they did a smooth one as well.

[@tamikow7630]

I thought the same thing. I’ve watched a few of the dry pours and he didn't do it the same way. I definitely want to see a contractor do it and give their thoughts but only if they are going to do it the way it was explained in the original video. They also had a video of their first pad and what it looked like one year later. I'm pretty disappointed in this video.

[@bowhunter6852]

I just did a dry pour in my back yard following Cajun country living instructions and it came out awesome!! A outdoor kitchen slab and side walk … about 60 80lbs bags. I would not hesitate to do more!!!

[@kblend7225]

how thick is your slab

[@bowhunter6852]

@@kblend7225 3” with chicken wire.. I did keep watering it for a few days to make sure I didn’t have any dry spots

[@MAGAMAN]

Tell us how great it is in 2 years after a lot of use.

[@retorq]

Exactly what we're looking to do. Do you have any pics of the end result??

[@beaukneaus]

@@MAGAMAN Not sure WHAT it is, but SOMETHING just tells me that you're the kind of guy that would simply avoid the truth or deny it if you didn't like it.

[@vjf9052]

This didn't look like any of the other dry pours when you added the water, Mike. None of them had pebbles showing. There was another professional guy, I wonder if you saw him, who tried it on a slab around the size of this one, was totally skeptical, and ended up being thoroughly impressed with its strength. But he did it exactly like the DIYers did -- completely smooth, powdery surface first, misting then watering on the schedule they used, not just a few light mists, and he didn't have any problems at all. I love your videos, watch a lot of them and completely respect your professionalism and experience, but this looked like you expected it to fail so you made sure it did. I've been watching all the pro concrete guys I subscribe to to see when they're going to try it to see how it goes. So far you're the second one, but you definitely missed some steps. The kids in Louisiana are on their third slab and they all work fine so far. Maybe they'd like to hear from you! :))

[@gretschclassic]

100%. Cajun Country had a beautiful finish prior to misting by screeding it, then rollering it. This guy has gone out of his way to make it look bad.

[@michaelastuto8003]

​@Jon Carson absolutely. LOVE THE OTHER COUPLE. 3 SLABS ALREADY!!! DOING MINE THIS SUMMER

[@vjf9052]

@@michaelastuto8003 I hope you put up a video! I'm watching all of them while I ponder trying my own. And good luck!

[@tjritterful]

Those cajun country people are going to get a lot of people into a pickle. Especially those living somewhere within a municipalities jurisdiction. By no means does dry pouring concrete achieve appropriate building code standards nor would a building permit ever be given for something constructed by these means. I understand most people are not going to even look at a building permit for small concrete pad around their property, but dry pouring does not create concrete. If they want to call it by some other name that's fine....maybe "fancy hardened rock pile" with some nice unbonded rebar wedged in there

[@michaelastuto8003]

@Troyer Ritter total understand what you are saying, I do. However they live in a rural area. And putting a slab for a shed, chicken coupes, etc.... the dry slab is easy. But code violations...thank goodness I don't have to worry about that lol

[@texaspecanderosa]

If yuou are going to compare a dry pour to wet pour, you should probably follow the dry pour instructions of successful dry pours, just saying,

[@xenaguy01]

1) You stopped the screeding step too soon. Fully screeding dry concrete mix is essential to a smooth finish, as that is what settles the aggregate below the surface. Wet mix does not require as much screeding, as the aggregate more readily sinks into the wet mix. Just add more concrete mix, and screed it well to get the last few inches smooth. 2) Use an edge tool to round off the top edges. This will help to prevent cracking away. 3) *SOAK* the slab every hour for the next few hours, to allow enough water to reach the center of the slab. 4) _"Your slab will be full strength, and withstand a aledge the next morning,"_ *SAID NO ONE, EVER!* 5) For full strength (which is probably only 60% of "real" concrete) you have to *SOAK* the slab every hour. _"I dont know what these other guys are doing."_ Thanks for stating the obvious.

[@agentx250]

A properly poured 3" slab will withstand a sledge hammer blow 24 hours later without breaking into chunks.

[@the497jepthal]

I guess this proves the saying " Hard to teach an old dog new tricks". A wet concrete guy has problems following the rules on dry concrete method. Actually the video proves nothing since it is a blend of wet and dry concrete methods.

[@WonderWomanlovesSuperman]

100%

[@ModelLights]

' A wet concrete guy has problems following the rules on dry concrete method.' Dry poor concrete guy has problems following the rules on the bag to actually make legitimate concrete.

[@FlyingAceAV8B]

You screwed up the process, mike. If you are going to post a video about this because you don’t like the process and want to show it’s downsides, then at least do it correctly before you condemn it.

[@markwilliams4525]

Dry pouring is not as good

[@forthewagesofsinisdeath4967]

​@@markwilliams4525 profound and deep reply. Lol whatever man

[@spinaxchin]

@@markwilliams4525 I don't think anyone that argue that dry pour is superior to conventional methods of pouring concrete, but it's definitely easier and, from all of the videos I've seen, produces acceptable results for small projects. Don't know why concrete guys have to shit on it so much. Don't worry - I don't think Cajun Country Living is looking to topple Big Concrete 😂

[@chucklanders8719]

Agree, left some concrete out at first, then tried to fix by adding to an already scabbed top, and didn't use enough water, and hammered it right away..I see why he didn't use metal rebar, demo ..So we saw all the things he did wrong and he still tried to under hype it...I'm gonna try this next month because I'm solo and this looks less back breaking..

[@gabrielvazquez81]

Cement producers, Quikrete, etc. do not recommend dry pouring and if dry pouring has extra steps where you have to spray or screed multiple times over a period of time, why not just get a dang wheel barrow and mix it as the manufacture recommends. This dry pouring makes no sense, The whole point of premixing is to confirm that the mix has a uniform structure throughout. You can see before pouring if part of the mix to dry or too wet and adjust. However,. with dry pouring you have no idea how wet or dry the slab is in some parts and this creates issues with the overall structure of the cement.

[@CentralPaRcFlyingDays]

Thanks for the example of "how to do dry pour wrong". Trying to figure out if you were out to make this look bad or if you just hadn't followed the actual process for do it.

[@JC-fj7oo]

There's no way he did it that wrong on accident.

[@Nozoki]

@@JC-fj7oo It was like watching the "has this ever happened to you" part of an infomercial. Somebody screwing up a ridiculously easy task.

[@JC-fj7oo]

@@Nozoki My favorite part was when he slammed day old concrete with a sledgehammer and it was totally fine. He was visibly upset that his effort to sabotage it didn't work lol

[@johndorian4078]

I do though like some of his suggestions like wetting the ground. I'd be curious though how the rebar would work if done right.

[@johnlee7085]

JohnD - Concrete principles are the same regardless of the process used to achieve them. Steel/rebar should have a minimum of 3” of cover with the ground and 1” with the air. If rebar is too close to the surface, the rebar will just creates stress concentration resulting in failure. Rebar also needs to be properly bedded; concrete all the way around it. In this video, the rebar cage is still rocking when he stops tamping. That means there are voids/air pockets around the rebar which are weak spots that will fail.

[@marajoyluker1]

You didn’t use enough water. Not even close. You only sprinkled it lightly for a total of 90 seconds. This is a video of how NOT to do a dry pour.

[@mikeonthebox]

I believe he mention he did water it 3 more times as the overlay says, but probably not enough water as per the results shown. But still, I guess all his knowledge about concrete played against him in this case. But his attitude from the beginning was incorrect, even mentioning that other KZbin videos "Fool you"

[@outoftime788]

u hav to constantly wet it down also not jus 3-4 times n thats it lol. 24hrs is not even n not close to enough for this to cure

[@seguine55]

Dude does it all wrong and says it’s not right lol. Maybe watch how to do it before just going in blind

[@Hermod_Hermit]

Anyone that has stored a sack of cement in a damp outhouse for some time knows dry pour works. Because that bag of concrete is most likely the hardest concrete you will ever run into (with your foot).

[@mcs4189]

This dude didn’t even attempt to do a good job 😂. You can’t make a diss video without doing it exactly how the ppl you’re dissing done it!! Just my opinion

[@djboomizbad]

Did he intentionally do the wrong😂😂😂

[@mcs4189]

@@djboomizbad 🤣🤣🤣looks like it

[@paulrnash]

It seems like an uncharitable test to try and break it up the next day. It seems like the point is that concrete being a porous material, would continue to absorb water from the ground, from the air, etc. until it becomes fully hydrated over a longer time period.

[@gabrielvazquez81]

Its not that simple. Concrete has to have a specific combination or mix of cement vs liquid, too much liquid and the cement thins out and becomes weak, too little and it cant bond and create the proper bond. this is what he was trying to demonstrate in breaking the cement up. Sure he could have sprayed more water over it multiple times over several minutes or hours, but how much? how do you know when to stop or add more? Thats the whole reason you premix cement, to confirm you have the right consistency throughout.

[@JC-fj7oo]

@@gabrielvazquez81 You spray it with water until it absorbs what it needs. Once it sets up it will stop absorbing. Seems to work really well for everyone else... MAYBE he could have just *followed the directions* and done the dry pour method that is working for everyone else instead of doing it wrong on purpose.

[@calvin-coohey2112]

@@gabrielvazquez81 You're a clown.

[@RicRanch]

I would prefer to do a dry pour the right way, the way the preppers did . don't know if you skipped parts of their method on purpose to prove a point or you just didn't understand their process. you are a very excellent wet pour professional contractor...stick to that method

[@boatrvme8478]

You helped me make a decision!!! My tenth dry pour coming shortly 😂

[@Bob_Adkins]

Follow instructions from the pro, not Mike's.

[@treseabrand1105]

Yeah Just FOLLOW the Dry Pour Instructional Videos By Cajan Country Living Not This Guy Who Can't FOLLOW Instructions 😅😢😂

[@timbob987]

This was nothing more than an advertisement for his company. If someone hires this guy because of this video they are an idiot. I'm surprised he didn't come back with a jack hammer instead to try and disprove the concrete would not hold.

[@beachboardfan9544]

Should've let this sit longer. Even wet concrete is said to take 30 days to cure...

[@MAGAMAN]

The guy does concrete for a living. He knows a hell of a lot more about it than you do.

[@beachboardfan9544]

@@MAGAMAN Yea he knows how to make something seem a certain way, whether its honest or not...

[@dchall8]

@@MAGAMAN He doesn't do dry pour for a living, and it shows.

[@als8518]

@@dchall8 no one does dry pour for a living.

[@leahrowe847]

@@als8518 they do in other countries... LOL

[@greenwolf401]

OK, now how about a comparison video doing it your preferred way and destroy it after the same amount of time.

[@MAGAMAN]

You mean doing it the right way? You people that fall for this dry pour crap are seriously stupid.

[@youdontreallybelievethat]

It’ll crumble the same way and he knows it.

[@stephensawyer2511]

They would never

[@jdgvee9313]

It'll be hydrated, but break up just the same.

[@nicpedia2432]

Unfortunately this is very true. Concrete is not cured in 24 hours lol.

[@darrylkimble4294]

Been studying this method quite a lot. I poured concrete for a while commercially and from what I have seen from different people using this method this guy made quote a few crucial mistakes. I would love to see him actually give this a try. This entire video was laced with skepticism which inherently let him to those mistakes. I am considering this method for a slab for a shed because of the cost difference and I like projects.

[@johndorian4078]

Curious, how is there a cost difference? Just like man hours i'd like to see a video comparing the 2 processes from a cost standpoint. I hear the DIY couple is going to have a testing video come out in a few weeks so maybe that will answer some questions as they test the 2 methods

[@phillhuddleston9445]

Buying concrete by the bag at least in my area is far more expensive than by the yard from a concrete truck as long as you have at least three yards or more it is pretty cheap to get premixed concrete delivered from a concrete truck. The tools are a one shot purchase and if your doing the labor yourself it should be cheaper to call for a truck.

[@agentx250]

You can buy a 3 or 6 cubic foot mixer for minimal cost and electricity isn't _that_ expensive.

[@michaelwooden5331]

The only people who do not follow directions are the ones who do not read the instructions on the bag. Over 38 years and 1000s of yards of concrete poured and finished this is no surprise whatsoever. Get a wheelbarrow and a hoe and do it right.

[@rantuneplanet]

Thank you for this video. I consider you an absolute expert wet pour guy. For sure. However, I believe you may have missed a few steps in the dry pour process. I have not done a dry pour (Yet) but have been studying it quite thoroughly. First, it needs to look exactly how you want it to look dry. Must be smooth and bump free. Then mist to cover, wait an hour, mist to cover again, wait, and mist one last time. Then show the area a few times. Then. you need to wait a full 24 hours before removing the forms. That is my understanding anyway. We'll be doing BOTH a dry pour AND wet pour in May (2023).

[@iyannikajohnson6132]

Recently I've done 1 dry pour and 1 wet, both for the first time in my life. I found the dry pour easier for me even though it was a larger slab than the wet. But I agree, I made sure the dry pour was how I wanted it to look before I misted it. It's just going to be me and my dogs walking on it so it works for now

[@dchall8]

Better still, wait 48 hours to remove the forms AND, more importantly, NEVER let the water completely evaporate during the curing process. Cover it with fabric of some sort (burlap is popular), and cover that with plastic to keep the moisture in for 5 days.

[@leahrowe847]

The original people only misted it a few times b4 really saturating it after that. The misting was to let the top set without messing up the finish. This guy purposely made this fail with only 2 extremely short mists!!

[@rodobrien3488]

HE MISSED MANY STEPS

[@berserkerusmc7613]

I have to say that you did not do it the way the other DIY's did it. Additionally, would you do that to a wet pour slab within 24 hrs of pouring it?

[@leahrowe847]

Right...

[@99cachorro]

Exactly!

[@brock8199]

He did that to a wet slab within 24 hours of pouring it because it looked like crap and he had no intention of keeping it. I wouldn't have kept it either lol.

[@berserkerusmc7613]

@Brock Yes it did🤣. But for experimental purposes, he should've let it cure properly.. Either way, he was biased against this method and it showed.

[@DrPaladium]

I was able to destroy a wet pour slab within 24 hours too. 😄

[@randybarrett6677]

You have to take into account the fact that this guy is a professional concrete guy, he didn’t really want it to work properly. First thing he did was he didn’t water it enough, second he didn’t screed it enough, third he didn’t round off the edges which makes it stronger also, fourth he didn’t give it the required time to set up (which it wouldn’t set up with as little water as he used) . He did this trying to discourage people, so that he could make more money in his business. If you do this correctly and follow the example of people with experience in pouring concrete this way, you will have success, but you must follow all of the steps to accomplish a quality job. This guy I feel for sure does a more quality job in his business, if he doesn’t don’t use him for your work.

[@Arizona1776]

And he lostval credibility.

[@HeliRy]

Honestly Mike, you should have another go at it. Take the time to do it the way others have, who’ve had success with it. And be totally fair to the process, maybe wait more than 24 hours before taking a whack at it lol.

[@treseabrand1105]

He Didn't FOLLOW THEIR Instructions 1) Skreet the Surface More to Raise the Powder Concrete to the Top BEFORE ADDING WATER 2) MIST TWICE waiting an hour in Between Then WATER 4 More Times on the Shower Setting waiting 1 hour Between each Watering 😉🙃 Simple IF U FOLLOW Instructions 🤔🤪

[@mikeknoll1130]

We poured a church floor in Hunduras in the eighty’s it was 100’ x 45’ 3 1/2-4” thick, we mixed all of it right on the ground adding the gravel and cement then wheel barreled it into place it turned out great. Had services on it a few days later.

[@Oldcrow77]

“Mixed” is the optimum word. You mix ALL the ingredients, so that the portland, which is the bonding agent was evenly distributed. Dry pouring doesn’t allow for that.

[@mikeknoll1130]

@@Oldcrow77 true , we mixed it dry then added water then wheelbarrowed it into place, a different procedure.

[@leahrowe847]

Thus guy did this all wrong... watch Cajun County Living to see how it's supposed to be done with reviews a yr later of the slabs.

[@joshb8105]

Do you normally take a sledge to a wet pour after a day to see how well it set up?

[@qatpatience2K]

Suggestion: To make a fair comparison you need to do a wet mix pour (with same finishing effort) and take a sledgehammer to it. Seems you put minimum effort into this demonstration. Just like wet mix you gotta follow the process .

[@glenmccall8854]

BEEN FOLLOWING FOR A LONG TIME I really liked this. You convinced me to "TRY the DRY". Thank you

[@bigcws4522]

Really. Not even comparing apples to apples should keep it wet with Burr lap bags for a few days at least. The longer you keep slow moisture to it. It will continue to cure you know this. Mike you know how to make it work your a pro😊

[@KiiLLinTiME]

I dry poured a walk way 6x20 and decorated it with a few paving stones 10 years ago. I have had vehicles driven over it. I have more cracks in my wet poured concrete around the house 🤷‍♂️

[@BennyPoppie]

Nice that you stated your bias up front "I'm a wet mix guy" then went about making a few mistakes to support your bias. If you'd done the job properly with more mist, many more times, fixing the surface properly with no gravel showing, etc etc you would have got a result that was contrary to your bias. Dis-information can be helpful. Thanks for your post.

[@xsasx]

You definitely need to go back and watch some videos on how they did a dry pour. Your wet pour bias is interfering.

[@life-pm5xl]

You didn't even wet it enough. Lol

[@tishomingo4524]

concrete work is the combination of brutal hard work and the necessity of super high competence. This guy makes it look easy. Thanks Mike!

[@byfunkyoid2917]

Needed more water. And probably watching the proper dry pour videos. This isn’t a direct comparison at all 😮

[@jonathanfritz1104]

It’s funny how you did a test you didn’t want to work and lo and behold “it doesn’t work” No disrespect but it is only fair to give it an honest try, not just do it halfway simply because you don’t want it to turn out. I have done two slabs myself and they turned out great! You have to bring the powder to the surface before wetting it. The goal is to “finish” the top of the slab before water ever touches it. (Hence the “dry pour” term)😁

[@MikeDayConcrete]

That's part of the problem, I couldn't easily bring the powder to the surface in some areas. That's what I wanted to show people.

[@jonathanfritz1104]

@@MikeDayConcrete I noticed that. The issue was you needed to add more dry concrete to that area and screed some more before applying water. It may take a minute, but it will go smooth. And when misted properly several times, then watered as well, you would find as the rest of us have that the slab would turn out smooth and complete. Does the psi match the strength of wet mixed concrete? Probably doesn’t I don’t know. But in small home slab projects you don’t have to be able to drive a tank on it. I challenge you to go watch Cajun Country Livin’s video and then do this pour again. Because in all fairness I think you misrepresented an easier diy method for some who don’t have access to the tools necessary for a good wet pour, and in most cases it is for non structural foot traffic areas or similar so it doesn’t matter. Just because “I’ve always done it this way,”doesn’t make it the only way to do things.

[@troybower9419]

You clearly tried to prove dry concrete as unreliable. “I don’t know what these other guys were doing.” Well, they added a lot more water allowing penetration where you did 1-2 mists and was confused why it was dry. And naturally it would be weak where you did the least prep work where the rocks were exposed.

[@dchall8]

Troy, you have to read as you watch. He never showed that he wet it 3 more times, but that text appeared at 24:49 in the video. Still, if he ended up with dry holes in the slab, he did a crrrrrrap job of wetting it.

[@troybower9419]

@@dchall8 I see that. All the videos i've seen, others do a relatively heavy mist with each watering becoming more of a spray than a mist. The mist that this guy shows, is the lightest mist you can do. I'm surprised any of it hardened.

[@dchall8]

@@troybower9419 He did 3 more sprays off camera, but I fully agree. There is some text over the video at, I believe, somewhere in the 28 minute point of the video. Look for it. But the only way you end up with dry spots is not enough water. Note that in his early part of the demolition he was surprised at how it didn't break. So apparently he got it wet enough in some places and not others.

[@troybower9419]

@@dchall8 I realize that. But after seeing how little water he used on the 1st mist, i have to assume he used very little on the mists off camera as well. All the other videos, they used a fair bit of water each time.

[@calvin-coohey2112]

The guy is a clown for sure.

[@clarapatterson5803]

You have to pour enough water .. just misting a few times is not enough .. still have to use the amount of water it says on the bag

[@safffff1000]

Definitely enough water or cure time or keeping wet when curing for days.

[@lnspintranet]

Mike, you discovered what I learned: The fine content of pre-mix may vary by region and batches. The paint roller is brilliant but it may be difficult to pull up enough cement dust to get a smooth finish on top. Here is what worked for me. 1. Screed the dry pre-mix concrete to a reasonably smooth finish, postpone the paint roller. 2 When you buy your pre-mix concrete, get a bag of sand mix as well (aka topping or bedding). 3. Borrow an collander from the kitchen and sift 1/8" to 1/4" of sand mix over your still dry pre-mix. 4. Paint roll if you want. 5. Mist and wet per the cajun technique. 6. If you skip the paint roller you will get a finish that looks like a spray on rubberized truck bed with some grit, perfectly good for a non-slip finish. Thanks for sharing your good work.

[@PhilVerryChannel]

What does sprinkling the top with sand do? How does this makeba smooth finish as you were saying you desired?

[@lnspintranet]

Some batches of sack concrete don't have enough fine sand/cement to be drawn to the surface to create smooth finish with the dry method. Sprinkling sand mix (a mix of sand and Portland cement) provides the extra measure of fine material needed. You will find a bag of sand mix next to the bags of sack concrete mix at your store. @@PhilVerryChannel

[@chrisbeard8904]

Funny how many steps you skipped and didn’t even try to get a smooth finish I’m gonna guess you’re a concrete salesman who’s losing money

[@gretschclassic]

Yep, looks like he went out of his way to make it not work.

[@rafaeldiazus]

I think it's safe to say Mike doesn't care for dry pour.

[@christyinthecarolinas]

I've seen so many people doing this since that Cajun family's video. Seems people want to discredit it, but I haven't seen anyone doing it like they showed how to do in the video. Their video is really simple and has pretty cut and dry instructions. I did see one dude who works with concrete try their method and he did a bunch of test and it held up well. I can't wait to try it the way they had shown. It seems like something I'll be able to do myself and that makes me happy since I don't have the funds to hire someone to pour it for me.

[@Awed1b]

was you "cut and dry" comment a pun?

[@christyinthecarolinas]

@@Awed1b not intentionally lol but it works huh

[@robertsmart5600]

You needed to add more dry concrete on the dry slab and screed it again to bury the aggregate, don't mist surface till it has a smooth or your preferred profiled finish :)

[@Astoclecius]

One thing I saw someone do is finish the top with rapid setting mortar. This mix is not full of aggregate but rather mostly powder, so skreeting gives you a smoother surface. For a 4x4 area, it's about 2 50 lb bags.

[@dflowers1477]

My grandmother used this method exclusively for generations. It does work but not overnight. Cement is like a sponge (even when fully cured) and the longer it takes to set the harder it gets.

[@Disappointed739]

Wet concrete hardens only about 80% in the first one or two days. After that, it slowly hardens to some 98% by six weeks if there is moisture present. So the solution to helping the hardening/strengthening is to wet the concrete twice a day. In this case, it is clear the center of the slab did not get wet at all. If it had been soaked down regularly, water would have wicked in because concrete is pourous.

[@trafficsignalman]

Concrete gains 60-70% of compressive strength (f'c) in 7 days, at 48 hours, unless it is a mix specifically for pavement, (high cement content and low w/c ratio) it is still quite weak as the cement has not had enough time to hydrate and gain sufficient strength. Foot traffic, may be fine, but no heavy loads. Misting the surface of the concrete aids in curing, but truly does nothing to increase hydration below the first 1" or so. If water is penetrating below that, then the surface is cracked and the slab will have maintenance issues for the remainder of its short life. Concrete is not porous, it is permeable depending on what cement and admixtures are present. There are porous concretes available from many suppliers, however, they are for parking lot and low load situations. Personally, if I am spending $6/bag for concrete, I'm going to mix it per the bag, and ACI guidance. All that said, if you are happy with a dry pour result, and are comfortable with the durability, by all means, do it.

[@MikeHeath]

If concrete were really that porous, it wouldn't take much rain at all for rebar to rust, expand, and break the concrete.

[@trafficsignalman]

@@MikeHeath that is why rebar is not placed in pervious concrete. It is amazing how much water can go through pervious concrete, great product.

[@MikeHeath]

@@trafficsignalman I agree 100%. The point I was trying to make is that I don't see how repeatedly misting a slab over any length of time is going to properly hydrate a dry packed slab. The outside is going to harden first and once it does, I don't see how it could possibly be "pourous" enough to allow enough water to percolate down to the dry cement. Concrete has pours, yes, but water doesn't pass all the way through a 3.5 inch concrete slab. If it did, any slab with rebar would fall apart after a few rain storms. I am curious now though. Would fiberglass rebar have any utility in pervious concrete? I've only seen pervious concrete used in small sections for drainage.

[@trafficsignalman]

@@MikeHeath fiberglass rebar would be an interesting application, but since pervious concrete is nonstructural, it would be overkill. I've seen fiberglass used in prestress piles and bridge beams, works great.

[@ringerson4x4]

The only time I have ever done dry poor was on my mail box post. The post was installed next to a road side pond, so when I dug the hole it was at least half full of standing water. 19 years in and no problems so far.

[@MAGAMAN]

Post holes is the only time you could use a dry pour and you still need to use the correct kind of concrete for that

[@aytviewer2421]

Hi Mike, in the other videos I have watched they all finished the dry concrete BEFORE misting. I've seen people make the edges rounded over, apply texture, and overall make it look perfect BEFORE any water hits the concrete mix. In addition, many do two mist sprays over two hours, and then do a complete soaking at a formula of two soaks per inch (i.e., a 3 inch slab would be six soaks after the initial couple of mists to lock in the finishing look and feel. Thanks for your video --everything is a teachable moment even when things do not come out as you like.

[@timbob987]

They also don't come back the next day on a wet pour or dry pour and beat the edges with a sledge hammer, it needs 28 days. This video is more of a scam then the spray on hair thickening commercial.

[@aytviewer2421]

Several weeks after watching several dry pour concrete videos (both PRO and CON) I went ahead and did my own "pour" for a 3' x 7' x 4" pad in front of my wife's she-shed. It was easy to pour and I tamped down the concrete halfway through, added metal mesh, and then filled up the remaining form and repeatedly tamped down that too especially around the edges. I will admit that I did spend considerable time trying to make the surface look good before the first misting spray of water was applied. I misted the concrete about every 30 minutes for two hours and then as luck would have it, it rained pretty hard. Yeah, thank you Florida weather. The rain did a little bit of cosmetic damage to the surface (nothing major) and on one side where a stream of rain flowed off a front roof edge and that of course made a hole against the form that was a couple inches deep and maybe an inch or less wide. No worries as this is all covered by a step platform up to the she shed's porch. I kept spraying water on the block a couple of times a day for about a week. Of course, here in Florida it rained several times during that period. It's now been about two months and I think the pad turned out perfect for an entry to the she-shed. I've had some considerable weight on it (two humans, and a fridge on a dolly) and nothing has cracked or marred the surface beyond what happened from that initial rain storm. I am planning on doing this again for a 4' x 10' floor for an outside garden tools shed that will be attached to the back of my garage. Planning on "pouring" that soon and will let it sit for 5-6 weeks before I build the front and side walls as I want to ensure the concrete is thoroughly hardened prior to sinking some 1/2" redhead bolts into the concrete to make sure the walls are firmly attached to the pad and back of the garage (cinder block wall). If I was planning on doing a large pour for driveway or vehicle parking pads, I might be a little leery and would likely do a traditional wet pour. But for small pads this has worked out fantastic and is easier on the back than mixing each bag and pouring. Hope this helps someone else. Thanks!

[@user-bf9xl5tq8i]

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” - Upton Sinclair

[@WonderWomanlovesSuperman]

I think this is the BEST, most accurate comment on this joke of a video.

[@domg7359]

100%

[@verdedenim662]

Hey Mike. Now do the same slab with traditional pour, same parameters, same materials, and see how well that stands up to being pounded the same way.

[@pbc1951]

I would never hit Factory Wet pour with a sledge 24 hours later.

[@woo545]

same materials = same amount of water.

[@agentx250]

It would stand up far better even though hair-line cracks and minor spalling may be present.

[@IndependenceIron]

You have obviously never tried to demo any wet pour concrete. Yes 24hours later is a bit soon, but a wet pour still would have performed a good bit better. I have not seen Cajun Country Livin do any comparative strength tests on their method. If iit cracks out a few years later its just a bigger mess to clean up down the road before its done right.

[@FRUGALWITHJOHN]

Thanks for showing everyone how not to do a dry pour, I think you need to watch more YT videos before trying it again (lol). Enjoy your day.

[@alreyes4882]

I've been studying the dry pour method and the project variables and sustainability are all individually based including the region where you live . Is it a pad for a/c unit, walkway, side entrance, back patio for outdoor furniture light traffic or a roof structure, full bar and dance floor? Using common sense and factoring in cost effectiveness is all subjective. I live in Florida and I believe a dyi dry pour of slabs integrated with gravel design for a back patio geared for leisure, sunbathing & BBQ will work perfectly and extremely cost efficient vs conventional wet pouring and renting mixer buying all the tools or hiring contractor pulling permits or scheduling a cement truck or just using break back hand mixing method? What we have here is old school vs new school conflict. Put the ego's aside and get to work on what better suits your project!

[@Oldcrow77]

Concrete has been around a few hundred years. Don’t you think that if this process worked that well it would have been adopted by professionals. Concrete hundred of years KZbin 10 Couple doing a pad in back yard is not exactly a expert view. As for cost effective Most concrete trucks have a 3 yard minimum. That’s about 450.00 delivered It’s not easier or less time to do a dry pour. Would you just throw bread ingredients in a pan and wet it down an throw it in the oven. Google wet pour vs dry pour before you go any further. As a retired pool builder, I strongly suggest you do more homework

[@alreyes4882]

@@Oldcrow77 I suggest you re read.. I'm not pouring a pool , driveway or foundation for a structure., its a small patio with a BBQ. It will be considerably less especially with these inflated prices. Your just stuck , get over it

[@Oldcrow77]

@@alreyes4882 I couldn’t care less actually. Good luck with your project

[@leahrowe847]

@Oldcrow77 go 2 Cajun County Living channel & read the comments on their dry pour videos... this is done all over the world, just not in America for some reason. Everyone thinks we're backwoods & behind times bc we don't know how to adapt & move forward. Drought wrought places do this bc water is premium, this requires less, & clean-up is nonexistent. It doesn't even require running water. Just saying...

[@billsmith9249]

@@Oldcrow77 you seem to be very bitter and do not know history. Although different from our modern day concrete, Rome (and other ancient civilizations) would fill giant ships with DRY concrete and deliberately sink them to form foundations for bridges and damns and other structures. Most of those structures are still around to this day and yet they used a method of 'dry pouring'......

[@hinternsaubachel5109]

I think one big issue is with this technique is the fact that when you poor on the water, it actually washes or rinses out the cement binder in between the aggregated to a depth significant enough, affect the binding of the surface of the slab. I imagine there would be a great deal of loose sand and gravel on the surface after it has cured.

[@vtbobm]

can you restate your thoughts on the mechanism more explicitly? You may very well be on to something, as my pours have resulted in what's essentially an "always-sandy," however faintly, finish. Are you saying that there are a minimum of three "ingredients" in that quikrete: (1) pebbles; (2) sand; (3) cement binder (glue?) ??

[@transmitterguy478]

I had some leftover bag cement, so I put it in one of those nice dog food bags with the zip lock. I set it outside and checked it 2 years later and it was hard as a rock. This might work, Mike?

[@druminatti]

I would love to see him hammer a wet poured slab after 24hr curing time

[@katana1960]

It seems like the proper way to settle this would be to pour two small test slabs, maybe one foot wide by three feet long and let them dry for a month. You could then do a stress test by putting the ends on blocks and weights in the middle to see which one would fail first. I imagine the dry pour would fail first, but the real question is by how much. If it's close enough, then that my be good enough for most homeowners. I'm too lazy to do this test, but some else younger and more industious than I am might try it.

[@johndorian4078]

i'm considering doing a dry pour in my well house, it doesn't need strength it just needs to be better than the dirt and keep the pump level........... seems easy enough. I defintly think this guy was trying to fail though

[@agentx250]

@@johndorian4078 Grade 8 road base is what you want.

[@johnboykin5520]

From the way the guys did it in Louisiana and what you're doing here is not the same. I watched there videos over and over. And I can tell you one thing you're doing is spraying it with the water to close

[@mvblitzyo]

I’m just an arborist, but I’ve been looking into doing some small projects. Came across to your channel. Wow this video is amazing and informative. Thank you so much.

[@msdarwin04]

So is poured concrete stronger than that after 24 hours? Never seen poured concrete to be remotely strong after 24 hours. Maybe try again but with both regular pour and dry pour having 30 day cure to show actual value vice a mediocre job. Even I could see the aggregate was all wrong.

[@TheFlyingMasterChef]

As some others have said...I think your expertise in WET cement work interfered with the correct method for dry pouring. I've seen your work and you are in fact an expert in what you do.... But for the dry pour I think you should have watched the Cajun Country Living videos on dry pouring. That slab didn't need the rebar at all for what it is... And you needed to screed all that rock down before you ever added moisture. I see they replied to you as well and I'd love to see you and them get together for a video... Greg

[@giovannidigitalart]

I know editing involved to try and keep the video at a decent size. Wondering if you didn't use enough water. The Cajun guys use the 1st mist as an esthetic mist and then go to town on the watering on the hour and so on. Can't wait to try it ( though skeptical) as I'm prepping for a BBQ base. This is why I ended up on this video. Good to see everyone at least giving it a chance. one more thing is that the dry pour is also use as a method for post setting and those seem to do the trick as far as strenght is concern.Thanks for the video.

[@Patty-qh3lm]

Mike, what are your thoughts on a there being alot of air in the creat? Like dry flower,you add water, and it shrinks right down?

[@pauldittmeier3362]

Sorry, but I just completed a dry pour 7’x3’ and 2.5” thick with wire mesh reinforcement. Did it by the book per Cajun Country Living’s instructions. Came out great! Had a few rough spots, but that was because I ran out of concrete (my fault -not the process). It is a stoop out my side door that holds the trash can. Don’t expect to be driving on it, nor pounding on it with a sledgehammer. So I think it will last awhile. The whole purpose of dry pour is letting DIY’ers put down small slabs where needed, without being hosed by the wet pour establishment. You missed quite a few steps, so in my opinion, NOT a valid test of the dry pour process. I’ll try to remember to let you know in a year or two how it’s holding up. I will definitely let the Cajun Country folks know.

[@7heavenfist572]

Applying plastic sheeting to concrete is underrated. The surface under the plastic or any waterproof material remains wet because the water is absorbed through the pores from the ground. This is especially important in the dry concreting method. It is also important to observe a time interval of at least 30 days for the final evaluation.

[@kidcompany]

You only misted with light water. You have to mist a few times over a period of hours and then finally give it a good soak. Then let sit for 48 hours. But good to see what just a light mist does. Thanks!

[@Bob_Adkins]

And 28 days to full strength for regular, longer for dry pour.

[@Samestori214]

If you have a bag of cement and open it and leave it outside it will suck in moisture from the air and rain. Then try breaking it up after a year and see how strong it is. I have one bag i was going to use in my garage now that didn't get rain just moisture from the humidity in the garage and its hard as a rock. Need moisture over time to harden even the dust under the top layer.

[@dchall8]

Yeah, I can still hear my wife..."Are you still going to use this solid bag of concrete? Can we throw it away yet?"

[@messybench]

Glad you are willing to try this. The videos I saw they used a roller to get the finish and edged it. The finish was smooth before they misted it. The first time I dry poured was 30 years ago. I was working for a French guy that was a Silicon Valley millionaire. I was just a a handyman/horse wrangler. He had me build a woodshed they dry pour it. I was telling him it wasn't a good idea. He asked what my father did? I said civil engineer... he said, "Don't tell him." 😅 Anyway it was just a rustic building so it didn't matter. Anyway the videos I saw said they misted it every hour for several hours. And waited 48 hours to pull the forms. I was curious because I have a small shed slab to do. I think I'll premix it.

[@leahrowe847]

JSYK, this guy is bias AF, & he purposely did this all wrong. Go to Cajun County Living & see how it's really done

[@blaisecalandroiii8761]

Mike - to mirror so many others here. I don't think anyone would argue that the dry pour method is potentially as good as a traditional wet pour. But your attempt was nothing like the meticulous process that Cajun Country Living followed or many other detailed videos posted on KZbin of how to get. A much better result. This certainly appears to be a case of cutting corners to achieve a desired failure to make a traditional wet mix approach appear far superior. This appears to be a good example of the straw man fallacy represented with a concrete pour...

[@ericb2247]

what i have learned about spreading gravel roadbase is to never touch it when its dry, because the larger aggregates separate from the fines the more its moved. I think its important not to disturb the mix much if at all or it risks ending up with weird ratio toward the end. Another thought is to leave a little less than needed and top with a sand mix or sift out a portion to remove the rocks so it doesn't become a problem.

[@SchubertTech]

Agree. I did about 80 feet by 40 feet area with road base #2, and you have to pay attention to how you work it. You can end up with rocks and no "fill" gravel/sand to smoothen it out.

[@eyeswideshut2800]

Y'all are being nice, he knows that and not one dry pour video made the mistake of not pointing that out. It was the essential to getting the powder to the surface.

[@ericb2247]

@@eyeswideshut2800 Its not nice its being respectful. I don't know if he dropped the ball on purpose or out of ignorance but I can share what I know and not be a twat. I think you are trying to say using a screed will push down the rock but even that gets harder when its a clump of rocks so be mindful about over-agitating the mix.

[@RedStorm.]

Would it be ok to use a cattle panel in place of the rebar? I know they make mesh for concrete, but how about panels instead?

[@Gordonfan6]

At 10:06 while you were raking the dry mix I was just waiting for a comment along the lines of, "This is what we call a 0 slump mix."

[@kellyngorder7727]

I am a regular watcher and fan of your channel. I’ve never done a dry slab like this but I did do a 36’ long retaining wall built with the leave the concrete in the bag method. I did pour a 150 bag footer with mixed concrete using my small mixer and then put a lot of rebar in and through the bags as I was building the wall. Counting the footer my wall was 350 bags. It turned out really well.

[@leahrowe847]

JSYK, he did this all wrong almost from start to finish... go watch Cajun County Livng & see how it's really done. They have real videos documenting the process & reviewing the slabs a yr later... just saying!

[@onebrightflash]

You should have made a video of your project! How do you get the bag off the concrete after it has hardened? It would look pretty trashy after a few weeks if the part of the bags that are showing are left to weather away.

[@leahrowe847]

@onebrightflash IDK how he did it, but I believe you wet them down & once hardened/cured, you just cut the bag away. In drought wrought areas, they build walls this way & don't wet them, but rather let them absorb humidity & during wet season absorb rain, so they'll stay in the bag for a long cure time. If you're worried about the anesthetics of the wall before paper removal while concrete cures, you could always just paint the paper bags with water-based paint for a different look. 😉

[@kellyngorder7727]

I watered the bags over a two day period. Then the last step was power washing the bags off.

[@tomthompson7400]

Knowledge is easily carried , great idea for a video. To be fair a wet down after the rebar would have been what most folk would have done ,,,, and wetted it out at screeding too ,,, not really giving it the best chance . I genuinely think that with the two extra wettings you would have gotten even better results ,, no its not wet poured but it did better than I expected

[@danhdo8233]

I just did a dry pour in April, 2023, misted 2 times and shower them 3 times. Today is May, I still have not removed the form yet. So far ok! And for the finish, i used my mom's kitchen strainer to remove the rocks and sprinkle them ontop of the slab and smooth it out before I mist with water.

[@Tom-yr1mp]

I wonder if you wet it as you placed it. For instance put a layer of 2 inches wet it then another layer. Also, I wonder if you bought a bag of pure Portland cement dusted the top of the slab with that so that you can work up the paste needed to be able to trowel for a smooth finish.

[@Oldcrow77]

People here are missing the point If you fry pour, you are not mixing the portland equally through out. Adding a portland layer on top is called a screat coat. And is okay for very thin but if you have lots of wet freezing in winter it is prone to flaking off. BTW I’m a retired pool builder

[@jeffcotter2147]

Why do people think that they have to prove that a dry pour is bad by not doing what is shown in other videos. Maybe watch the video and do as they show and say to do not change it to how you think it should be done. All you proved with this video is that you can't do a dry pour because you are unable to try new things.

[@JR-kk6ce]

The secret to the finish is putting in enough concrete and then not using the scree to push it along. With the scree you push it forward and backwards a lot before you start pushing the concrete. The forward abs backward movement is what brings up the powder. Also, it is a fine must of water from 4 feet high. Then the drench.

[@Bravo-ry9st]

I was about to say this dry pour process is done wrong, until I read all the other comments. "I don't know what these guys are doing", should be the title for this video. 😂

[@gettinghealthynow1]

Your finish is bad because you tried to use wet concrete processes to do the finish instead of following the directions of those who are successful and experienced at it. And as to the strength of the finished slab, you clearly did not wet it properly to begin with and didn't allow it to fully cure. This is a failure of you not doing it right, not of the process being bad.

[@Tom-Travels]

You made several mistakes. The main mistake you made is to not top the dry concrete mix finish with dry Portland cement. Also, you rubbed the trowel, stirring up the gravel. The procedure that I use and you should have used: 1. Prepare the bed & side forms as usual. 2. Saturate the the dry ground with water. I try to fill the entire form with water. 3. Let the wet bed sit until the water all soaks into the ground. 4. Dry pour the cement. 5. PAT/push THE DRY CEMENT INTO PLACE. Skree as little as possible. 6. Finally, apply dry Portland over the rough top surface and smooth/even out with a trowel. 7. Let sit dry - DO NOT sprinkle the top with water; as you did. 8. Let the water wick up from the ground. Within a few hours the ground water will soak all through the cement to the entire top. - This process is easy, non-messy, zero clean up, and yields a beautiful, smooth finish. - I own a cement mixer, but I never hardly have to use it. -

[@jjjustin17favs]

Cement and portland are the same thing. You mean concrete mix then apply cement to the top I think

[@court2379]

And it needs to sit for a month to get fully hard. It isn't going to hydrate as fast as wet mixed. He didn't give it enough water, which wouldn't have mattered in a month. Still seems more trouble than a wet pour though.

[@memorysometimers3067]

Definitely Agree with the ground needing to be very well hydrated. That’s actually good for mixed Crete too just not as much water. Helps it bond to the compacted dirt/gravel better.

[@BlueOriginAire]

l like your idea. Less water, let it hydrate from below. Give it plenty of time to cure. Why is anyone rushing to pound a newly poured concrete ? Why not allow it to cure for 30 days first ? Controlled opposition in full effect by the Corporate invaders.✍🏼🙃

[@dchall8]

Very interesting approach. So when, someday, someone comes along to test wet pour, dry pour, they need to consider watering from the top and from the bottom in the dry pour approach. You approach is the laziest yet - I LOVE it!

[@andreabetty]

I have watched several dry pour videos and it seems you missed a few things. On a side note, did you know that Roman cement has chucks of calcium rich deposits in it and when the concrete cracks and water gets in, those chunks get wet and it self heals... interesting science there.

[@RobloxLive9543]

That was pretty good finish for people as new to concrete. It costs less and less strength requires for most home owners who want to do it by themselves.

[@MaximGhost]

Too much aggregate seems to be the issue here. This was a helpful video. It shows that I would have to screen some of the pre-mix back into cement and aggregate and use the pure cement portion for the finishing work and maybe throw the pure aggregate into the mix for the lower portion of the slap or perhaps get rid of the extra aggregate altogether. Obviously, this all adds time but for someone who doesn't have a mixer handy to do a wet pour, it may be worth it.

[@nabohac]

Thank you for the in depth how not to video

[@anthonywaigwa3859]

😂🤣 couldn't help it 😂 The mistakes started from screeding all the way😂 You couldn't help putting in your experience in concrete mixing and the rest. Sorry for laughing, but you need to watch "Cajun Country Livin" I'm sorry, but can't stop laughing 😂

[@reginaldmayberry8932]

Thanks for sharing. You're the only one that I've seen had the aggregate issue with the dry pour... Are we comparing similar products (e.g., psi, etc.)

[@finders-keepers1518]

That regular Quikrete is okay for setting posts but even when pouring wet it's hard to get much cream. I always get the 5000 when using bagged mix. Finishes so much better

[@MikeHeath]

Or buy extra portland cement and add it when mixing. It makes a big difference.

[@finders-keepers1518]

@@MikeHeath Sure does!

[@we-must-we-can]

Well done mike 👏 After watching @cajuncountryLivin and a chap that followed their dry pour instructions..I can say congrats at not being able to follow the correct procedure 😁 keep trying mate👍

[@billsmith9249]

YES! Wet pour, Mike is truly a master... dry pour... lol, not even in the same ball park.

[@we-must-we-can]

@@billsmith9249 absolutely mike is a master of wet pour don't get me wrong..I just did my dry pour and it's perfect too.nothing wrong with dry pour just gotta get it right I guess 👍

[@billsmith9249]

@@we-must-we-can what part of the country are you in? Im in NW Ohio, so I have a freeze/thaw cycle I would have to over come for a dry pour. But doesn't mean I'm not gonna try! =)

[@johnholding107]

Very biased video. Did not complete the project as required for a dry pour. Didn’t follow instructions. Probably didn’t water it as required either. After the first two misting you have to really soak it good several times. And only waiting 24 hours before busting it up. Even wet pour concrete wouldn’t be very strong in 24 hours. I poured a 6x6 slab and it’s beautiful and very strong as I followed the proper dry pour instructions and allowed it to cure properly. This guy better just stick to wet pouring since he can’t follow simple instructions for a new technique.

[@alejandrovanags4948]

Agree. Did a dry pour for a small 16”x47” slab as a base for a porcelain paver and it turned out just ok. Had the same problem with stony surface. Would not use this method for finished concrete. If you are putting tile on top it might work fine.

[@7heavenfist572]

Tiles stop water evaporation, concrete absorbs moisture from the ground and becomes stronger. PS. Greetings from Latvia.

[@slimdude2011]

Who puts tile over concrete? If people would start pouring concrete the way it's supposed to be done, they wouldn't have so many issues. The directions are on the bag for a reason! If a person is just going to ignore the proper instructions and run into problem, they can't blame nobody but themselves because, the directions are there big as day in black & white for it to followed.

[@johnds6621]

I saw a bag in Lowes that said it was for dry pours. I would do it that way just think when a bag on concrete gets damp in the garage and hardens it never get fully cured, I would think any of the binding agents wouldn't activate fully in a dry pour because the water isn't distributed evenly over the powder.

[@jbird6609]

Concrete cures with water. If there are some dry spots, they will wait until moisture arrives. Dryer concrete is stronger concrete compared to too much water. given it has time and moisture to complete the chemistry.

[@joejackson73]

What would the price difference be between this method and the mixed? Looks like this would have worked fine for a shop door stoop. Looks like it simply wasn't hydrated enough.

[@MAGAMAN]

None if you mix it yourself.

[@dchall8]

If you mixed it yourself you either have a mixer ($600 to $1000) or a wheelbarrow ($80) and hoe. If you wet mixed it you'd be using floats to get the surface finish you want and, I might add, unless you have many slabs under your belt, you'd be guessing at the timing to come back and float the surface. So you need the room to store the tools, the money to buy/rent the tools, and you would spend more time cleaning the tools with lots of water. There are some added costs for wet-pour concrete plus the anxiety of getting the surface timed properly.

[@leahrowe847]

@dchall8 sooooo True!! I've watched quite a few dry pour videos & never seen such an epic fail. That's how you know he did this on purpose. Even Michael Builds did a better job & he's sponsored by Morter Mix... just saying!

[@bumblebee9019]

For the final coat/top you could have used cement. It would have helped to hide the gravel in the concrete.

[@christyinthecarolinas]

Watch Cajun country livin'. They explain the process the correct way. That's why all of these channels are doing this dry pour stuff because their video went viral with amazing results.

[@freak3dot]

1:54 The dog did not expect that saw to turn on.

[@thehonestman26]

Do you think misting the concrete a couple of times on top of the rebar and then pouring the rest of the concrete would help with hydration, or is there a possible downside to this? I've never done concrete, and I'm curious to have fun with this.

[@iyannikajohnson6132]

I think there's a technique to both methods. I didn't do mine quite like this and had really good results. I did skreed (idk how to spell it) more than he did in this video that's how mine got smooth but it does take more time. I also continued to water it at least once for 5 days. I think I was panicking with the wet pour 😂. I was doing this for the first time by myself and couldn't get it smooth with the trowel. It will just be me and my dogs walking on it. If I can remember to come back and update, I will. It's only been like 2 weeks since I've done it and a few days for the wet. At the end of the day if you want to try it then try it, if you don't then don't, no one can tell you what to do or how to spend your money. It's okay to experiment and try new things

[@leahrowe847]

For dry pour, the paint roller is the key to a smooth finish after getting rid rocks on surface... see Cajun County Living channel

[@iyannikajohnson6132]

@Leah Rowe my dry pour finish wasn't the issue, I did use the paint roller....my issue was getting a smooth finish with the wet pour.

[@naubaucat]

I have watched lot of these dry pours, and I am getting ready to do mine. It almost looks like not enough water. I have a some concrete i put in a bucket years ago for my umbrella, and eight years later I can't break it so I use it for a plant stand.

[@mysticsoundwave6620]

The moment you did your "misting", my lightning reaction while screaming said, "That's not misting.... That's watering!!". That's the whole reason why all those pebbles shown up. For 3 inches slab, you need to mist (watering with very very very fine or almost vapour-like water) 3 times, with 1 hour waiting time between misting. Only after that you may do the watering you just did. I hope that helps.

[@mattsaucier4699]

There is an undstandable amount of respect that people will give you as a experianced concrete guy based on how successful and well documented your videos are so: Please understand the majority of your views are by 2 groups homeowners and construction field. When havinga bad result with a new experement dont judge the way of doing before first trying to figure out what went wrong and asking for advice before condeming something that may weigh heavily on how someone chooses a person for a the job.. for example this might be a price dropping alterant offered to a customer and the person doing it might add motar to powder the top and use proper amount of water and produce a result that is outstanding for the cost difference.. thank you i hope you figure out how to pour dry concrete.

[@newmanfertig886]

Mike, the only epic failure was you pal. You didn’t let it set up long enough and you didn’t properly water it. I’m guessing you’re in the concrete business. Professionals are ALWAYS the last ones to see a paradigm shift.

[@dchall8]

I was a jet engine reliability engineer for much of my career, and you could not have said that any better. My predecessors and I created a way for the USAF to save $3 billion on engine maintenance, but because they never did it that way before, they found ways to do it wrong. Except for one reserve unit. They implemented the program to perfection and accepted a 50% funding reduction...two years in a row, and still flew 50% more sorties than any comparable unit.