Pouring Concrete Walk

[jwstewar]

I'm getting ready to pour a walk to go from the deck to the driveway. It'll be 4'X16'. I'm going to mix & pour myself. I've already got the sand, gravel, & concrete but I'm getting ready to go buy lumber for forms. I know it needs to be 6" thick. With the 2" of sand in the bottom should I buy 2X6's and put them in place and then my sand, plastic, & then finally the cement. 2X4's and put the sand down then the forms? Or should I go with a 1X material? Help!!!!!!
Jim

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

If you want a true 4" formed edge to your walk a standard 2" x 4" board won't give it to you. Those are the old nominal dimensions. The finished board you buy is smaller in each dimension. I just thought you ought to consider that. Good luck with your project. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[jwstewar]

Yeah, I had thought about that and knew that I could only get the 3 1/2 that way. I ended up going with the 2X6 - was cheaper than going with the 1X material. This will give me a couple inches of sand and then I know that I can get my true 4" walk. Not sure when they were saying 4" if they meant 2X4 height or a true 4". I going with the true 4" were rather error on the side of caution than have a walk that is all cracked. As this is my first attempt at finished concrete work I would like for it to look decent. Thank you for your reply.

Has the judge came out to your property yet?

 

[patrickg]

Many flatwork contractors use finished 2x4 when pouring 4 inch sidewalks (3 1/2 inches, actually). If you don't mind the expense, 4 inches is great and less likely to crack.. I recommend that you use wire mesh and or rebar, use a tool (less than $10) to make your "expansion joints" or whatever they are called in your area. These purposely weaken the concrete at regular intervals so that hopefully if it cracks it will be in these "control joints" (another popular name). All concrete guys I have talked to say concrete will crack it is just a matter of where and when so engineer for it. Another good option and not too constly is to order at least 3500 psi mix AND get the fiber additive. The fibers help reduce cracking and help keep any hair line cracks, hairlines. Keep the job cool, pouring in a cooler part of the day, misting so it never dries out, covering to shade it or whatever. If it is allowed to get too hot it will crack more and not be as strong and crack resistant as it would have been if cured more slowly.

Oh yeah, compact the substrate if it is not already highly compacted and compact the sand too before pouring. A lot of folks don't do any of the things I mentioned and a few probably get away with it. Some folks could play Russian Roulette and not get killed but that doesn't make it a good idea. NOt much cost in doing a better than average job but if you want a higher probability of long term success, ask a knowlegeable concrete guy if any of these things are bad ideas or will weaken your job. Many will say it is overkill and different ones will say different ones of the ideas aren't needed but can't tell you that any of them won't make for a stronger longer lasting result.

Patrick

 

[chim]

Around here, it's common to see contractors use 2x4's. They usually form and pour on top of a compacted crushed stone base that extends well beyond the finished edge of the concrete. One thing that could happen if you place the form and add the sand, then pour is the sand will most likely fall out from beneath the concrete at the edges when you strip the forms.

Mebbe someone already mentioned it, but when you stake the forms, keep the top of the stakes below the top of the form - makes screeding a lot easier.................chim

 

[wroughtn_harv]

You've got some good tips. Do remember your expansion joints and one other thing. Keep in mind you need to have the cove tool for rounding the edge. You can get a cheapy at the box store but do get one cheap or not.

That rounded corner protects the edges from breaking and chipping.

As for the expansion joints. I had a sidewalk crack at my house. One of these old boys stood there chewing on his toothpick and with no emotion said, "that concrete will tell you where you should have put in an expansion joint." Gotta hate them know it all old pharts./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color=blue>"Has the judge came out to your property yet?"</font color=blue>

I think you have me confused with someone else, possibly MDNY

 

[jwstewar]

I guess I did. You are the one trying to foreclose on the property which you hold the mortgage. Too many threads here at TBN to keep up. Too much for my small mind to keep track of. Sorry for the confusion, I'm just curious how both of these situations turn out.

 

[jwstewar]

I did pick up one of the little cheapy edgers while I was at Lowe's yesterday. I already had the tool for doing the expansion joints not sure why I had bought that and not the edger. Not sure what I was thinking way back when I bought that and the trowels several years ago. I guess I'll plead ignorance.

<font color=blue>"Gotta hate them know it all old pharts"</font color=blue> But the good thing is I do that at work too. "You really don't want to run this new system on Windows 98, we need to go to 2000." Now all of a sudden a year later, we are installing 2000 and they are all coming to me saying yeah we should've listen to you, it would've have been much easier & cheaper. And I'm only 30, wow that hurts I remember when I was 21 and saying the same thing. Guess I'll wonder off and sulk about getting old /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Jim

 

[jwstewar]

Great tips. Hadn't thought about packing the sand that I'm using for the base. I guess I thought the sand would already be settled. I'll have to figure out a way be it a roller or a vibrator. As this is just a small walk from the deck to the driveway there isn't enough concrete to have delivered we are only talking around a yard so I'm just mixing it myself. Will probably aim for the 3500 psi rating though. Never know when you'll have to back over the walk with the truck be it on purpose or accident as it is right beside the driveway.