A concrete patio stands best amongst its competitors. It’s aesthetically pleasing, proofed against weeds, durable, relatively cheaper, and can be easily built, especially if you follow this guide. Maintenance is what determines the durability of concrete patios, and concrete patios are not hard to maintain. But before you get mesmerized by all of the advantages of having a concrete patio, be sure it’s what you want because concrete patios are expensive and difficult to replace.
In this article, you’ll be learning how to build a concrete patio so you can DIY.
Necessary Materials
- 2×4 lumber
- Oil
- 3 ½ inch and 2-inch deck screws
- Stakes
- Plastic sheeting
- Gravel
- Concrete nails
- Bagged concrete
Equipment
- Shovel
- Line level
- Hammer
- Tape measure
- Steel rake
- Wood saw
- Concrete mixer
- Darby
- Plate compactor
- Mason’s line
- Concrete edger
- Wood float
- Screwdriver and drill bit
- Concrete groove
- Wheelbarrow
- Straight 2×4 board
Instructions
1. Excavate patio area
The first thing you want to do is excavate the slab location. Measure the depth of the slab, concrete, and gravel base. You want the edges to be about 6 inches on all sides. After you must have removed everything on the surface, dig the soil to a level of 8 inches.
2. Add a gravel base for the slab
After you’re done excavating, fill the hole with gravel. If you measured the excavation correctly, then you’d be pouring 4 inches of gravel. Make sure you rake the gravel to smooth levels and compact using your plate compactor.
3. Construct good concrete form
We’re getting to the main course of concrete patios. This is where you’d use your lumber and screws to build a concrete form. After the construction, use stakes to secure the form by driving those stakes 2 feet apart on the outside of your concrete form.
4. Pour the concrete
Empty the concrete from your wheelbarrow in the form. Make sure the concrete is even and that it fills the entire form. You can achieve this by simply using a shovel to level and fill the form. If it isn’t smooth enough, then use your straight board to smoothen the surface. After leveling, use your shovel to add more concrete if needed or remove excess.
5. Cover and cure
When your concrete is smooth and without blood water, covers the concrete but keeps it moist for about 2 weeks straight. After 2 weeks, you can now remove the covering and enjoy your concrete patio.
