Concrete Question

I have a spot in the yard that is 10ft by 8ft that I want to fill with a 4in thick slab of concrete. There is already a roof covering the area and I just want to park my dirt bikes here and work on them. I calculated the amount of concrete I would need and it looks like a yard even. So how do I go about getting a yard of concrete to the spot were I want it.

I have seen people use a wheel barrow and mix and pour but that would take forever.

I called a local construction place and he quoted me around 500 but I think he was thinking he would do the hole job not just deliver and pour the concrete.

Any tips would be nice.

I know this is a machining forum but I didn't know where else to ask and you all seem very knowledgeable.

Thanks!

Tool rental places have small concrete mixers you can rent. You pull them behind your vehicle like a trailer. I think they will hold a yard. The one here will mix the cement for you and all you have to do is back it up to your forms and dump it.

What starlight said...I did a 4 by 8 one a few years back...used a couple of 5 gallon buckets...not too difficult if ya can't get a mixer...just time consuming, but "relaxing" (i.e. knowing ya did somethnig from scratch)

Hey Mototraxtech, I read what your post and just had to reply. As a former Concrete Pumper I would have to suggest that you ask yourself what a quality slab is worth. If you go the "do it yourself" route do you have the necessary tools and skill required to put a proper finish on a slab that size? What kind of finish do you want for your slab? Sand finish? Smooth finish? Exposed aggregate? If you mix it by hand, are you concerned about the potential strength and uniformity issues that may arise? If this slab is for your home and you want it to last a lifetime my suggestion would be that you contact your local "ready-mix" company and see if they have a 4 yard Truck available in order to avoid a "short load" fee then ask if they can reccomend a good Concrete pumper and finisher. (BTW that's two seperate tradesmen) I will say that this route is CONSIDERABELY more expensive but ultimately worth it. That being said, if none of what I said is a concern, then your local tool yard should sell pre-mixed concrete that comes in a little 1 yard trailer that you tow with your pick-up. Tow it home, have 4 or 5 buddies standing by with 2 or 3 wheelbarrows and you'll get it done in no time! Just make sure you do some solid prep-work and have Pizza and Beer's for your Pals because they are going to need them!

I just got done doing the same thing myself; and believe me, like "guitar hero" suggested, the "prep-work" is the most important IMHO. Make sure you have a foundation of varying hardcore size under the concrete that is packed down solid and then some, preferebly with a motorized "packer" of some sort; before you consider "pouring" anything on top of it. Even at 4 inches thick; concrete will crack if the ground underneath is not solid and stable. It would be a bummer if you spent a lot of money and time on the concrete; then have it crack 'cos of poor base preparation.

The soil we have locally is quite expansive, meaning when it goes from wet to dry, it changes volume quite substantially. The impact of this can be seen easily at my house for two different projects:

a) Back patio
- 6 inches of drain rock
- perforated drain pipe at the bottom
- 6 inches of base rock (specifically for concrete base use)
- 6 inches of concrete, steel rebar reinforced
- Shifted after about 10 years and some cracking at the seams

b) Sidewalk next to the house
- 20 inches of drain rock
- perf drain pipe
- 8 inches of base rock
- 6 inches of concrete, steel rebar
- has not moved at all

Both jobs were done at the same time, by a good quality concrete firm, with high cement mix concrete, pumped into place.

Getting the finish of concrete to come out right is not as easy as it seems. It might look easy, but there is a definite method and touch to it.

I poured a 1 cu ft footer for a large post in the yard. It was too large for my mixer, so I had to make it in 4 batches. I though I did it right, but there was an interface at one batch, and it cracked off right away. It wasn't all that fun to dig it out and do it over. Even then, the surface isn't even close to the quality of the pro poured stuff.

I am pretty sold on any project even approaching 1 cu yd to do it by pumping and to get a high cement mix concrete. You can see from the projects above the importance of prep.

Have fun.

Harry

well I though I would get it pumped by the pros and do the smoothing a stuff myself. This is actually a rental anyways.


After thinking it through I have decided to just put down some gravel so the the ground does get mushing and if I need a work surface put down some thick plywood.

When I get my own place I will make something nice like a massive garage or something.

Thanks for the help though!