Dig 'n pour a sidewalk tips?

[RexB]

After ten years I'm finally ripping the paving stones out and pouring a genuine concrete sidewalk. I poured the foundation and shop pad already and am always looking for tips to make it easier. The walk will be 40" wide x 38' long, poured 4" deep on a gravel base, on a down-sloping yard to the driveway.

Dig out the form with trusty 'ol Kioti, 1"x6"s and stakes make the form.

I used fiber-concrete for the shop pad 10 yrs ago and there's no cracking or heaving at all, under the trucks and tractors {beautiful result if i say so myself patonback haha} so I have the tools already. . . do I really need a steel mesh screen for a measly private sidewalk? And it's a mild climate, max temps are +17F - 98F. I'll cut up some old field fence to use if necessary . . .

Pour 4in of concrete on a gravel base, one asphalt expansion strip in the middle, float, broom it for traction, put in control joints every 5ft, edge it and let dry. Water occasionally the next couple of days.

What am I forgetting?

Here's the mild slope it will be on

[Egon]

You need three young fellows to do the concrete work while you supervise.

[RexB]

ROTFL you're right, but it's me and Donna doing it again. She's quite the craftwoman and has fun getting dirty

[PAB_OH]

Originally Posted by RexB

And it's a mild climate, max temps are +17F - 98F.

Wow!!!

I guess my opinion and yours regarding climate are drastically different. I'll bet you believe in Global Warming don't you?LOL

[Highbeam]

We don't require mesh in our city sidewalks.

Are you proposing one expansion joint in 38'? We require the 3/8" thick by 2" wide asphalt felt dummy joints every 10' and 1/2" deep scribed joints every 5'.

You don't want concrete to dry. As soon as it dries the reaction stops and it stops gaining strength.

How are you mixing the mud? Delivery truck?

[rimshot]

Originally Posted by Highbeam

We don't require mesh in our city sidewalks.

Are you proposing one expansion joint in 38'? We require the 3/8" thick by 2" wide asphalt felt dummy joints every 10' and 1/2" deep scribed joints every 5'.

You don't want concrete to dry. As soon as it dries the reaction stops and it stops gaining strength.

How are you mixing the mud? Delivery truck?

====================

I think Rex means he is striking a tooled joint every 5' and he should include a control joint consisting of an oiled strip of celotex to break the sidewalk and provide relief for temperature extremes. It's OK to exclude the 6" x 6" steel wire reinforcing but don't count on those fibres to be anywhere near as effective. If this sidewalk is going to have to bear the brunt of a car being driven on it then consider using the steel. You could use 3/8 rerod down each side like in 3" from the forms. It's always a good idea to compact and tell the dispatcher at the concrete batch plant to send you a load with at least 5 1/2 sacks per yard to resist freezing weather.

Don't pour on a day you are expecting rain. Good luck...

rimshot

[RexB]

Highbeam our county code is a genuine asphalt expansion joint every 30ft and control joints 1/4th the thickness of the concrete every 8ft. So I'll put in the asphalt joint midway at 19ft, and 1" deep control joints every 5ft (i like the looks of tooled joints closer than every 8ft.)

Will have a truck deliver it -- I'm getting too old to mix up 2yds of concrete by the wheelbarrow full. HA it's getting to where I whine mixing up enough to set a dozen 4x4 posts for the dog kennel.

Rimshot, that 5 1/2 sack is good for a >3000 psi pour with normal curing, it too meets code here and Rempel's Concrete just down the road doesn't let me mess up. A car won't be driving on it but the tractor will be. I may go ahead and use mesh or rebar . . . a cool and dry pour is the word(s).

We don't have a frost line like in y'all's cold country

Originally Posted by PAB_OH

Wow!!!
I guess my opinion and yours regarding climate are drastically different. I'll bet you believe in Global Warming don't you?LOL

global warming is when the PETA hotties march nekkid in Seattle every summer (I can't figure why they don't march in our 'winter', what with the warming and all.)

[Highbeam]

I've been meaning to go to that parade in Fremont but worry that I will be classified being on "their" team. The nekkid folks even ride their bicycles around. Weird.

The genuine through joints are only required in our city at driveways and alleys to make replacement easier. I like the looks of some sort of joint every 5' in a 5' wide walk as well. We, and the state DOT, have actually switched to a 6 sack mix for concrete. I think the local plant's standard mix will be fine here though.

[RexB]

Originally Posted by Highbeam

I've been meaning to go to that parade in Fremont but worry that I will be classified being on "their" team. The nekkid folks even ride their bicycles around. Weird.

And its gotta' be real uncomfortable on a narrow saddle-seat. Yowch!

Sheesh . . . Digging stumps is a heckuva' lot easier, in a way, than precision digging a sidewalk trench 6 inches deep and level -- my hands keep wanting to dig deep. I curse to myself "NOT STUMPS! NOT STUMPS!". I'll figure out the finesse of a 6" cut keeping the boom draw and bucket curl moving at the right depth -- in about a hundred more hours

And who's got a dump truck to loan? My wheelbarrow and ridermower trailer get filled up in about six scoops. Climb off 'n on, off 'n on, to dump them out in the woods. And the dogs are having a ball watching.

.......Is there a country song in here somewhere?......

[IXLR8]

Originally Posted by RexB

And its gotta' be real uncomfortable on a narrow saddle-seat. Yowch!

Sheesh . . . Digging stumps is a heckuva' lot easier, in a way, than precision digging a sidewalk trench 6 inches deep and level -- my hands keep wanting to dig deep. I curse to myself "NOT STUMPS! NOT STUMPS!". I'll figure out the finesse of a 6" cut keeping the boom draw and bucket curl moving at the right depth -- in about a hundred more hours

And who's got a dump truck to loan? My wheelbarrow and ridermower trailer get filled up in about six scoops. Climb off 'n on, off 'n on, to dump them out in the woods. And the dogs are having a ball watching.

.......Is there a country song in here somewhere?......

Lets see... you have dogs, tractors, work, folks in pain.... yup... there has to be a Country song in here somewhere.