What Are The Steps Involved In Installing a Concrete Patio?

Poured concrete is an excellent choice for a backyard concrete patio, and achieving great results is easier than you might imagine. Transforming your backyard with a poured concrete patio is a rewarding project, but proper preparation is key to success. Begin by familiarizing yourself with this comprehensive guide.

Pouring your own concrete patio can be a fulfilling project that enhances your outdoor space. Follow these steps to ensure success:

About Concrete Patios: Concrete patios offer durability, attractiveness, and ease of maintenance. Unlike other materials, concrete minimizes gaps and cracks that can harbor weeds and pests.

Cost Savings: Pouring your patio yourself can save you 40% to 50%, especially if you mix your own concrete. Consider factors like size, site preparation, and thickness when planning your project.

Tools and Materials: Gather essential tools like a shovel, wheelbarrow, level, and saw, along with materials like lumber, stakes, screws, concrete mix, crushed stone, and reinforcement fibers.

The Process:

1. Start by delineating your work area
2. Excavate the area to the desired depth.
3. Assemble and square the forms.
4. Level the forms using a reference point.
5. Saw the stakes flush with the top edges of the form.
6. Add crushed stone and reinforcement.
7. Calculate the concrete quantity needed.
8. Pour and finish the concrete, ensuring a smooth surface.
9. Use a broom for a textured finish if desired.
10. Remove forms after three days and backfill with topsoil.
11. Make crack control cuts after two weeks to prevent unsightly cracks.
    
    
    
    

1. Start by delineating your work area

   Utilize spray paint or install strings and stakes to define the boundaries of your patio. Extend the marked area by 18 inches in both length and width compared to the desired final size of your patio. This extra space allows for the placement of forms and facilitates maneuvering during the construction process.
   
   

2. Excavate the area to the desired depth

   Employ a shovel or rent a mini-excavator to remove the sod and topsoil from the designated patio area. Strive to dig down six to eight inches below the existing soil level.
   
   

3. Assemble and square the forms

   Join together 2×6 or 2×8 lumber to create the framework for your patio. Secure the corners using #10 x 3-1/2-in. deck screws, employing three screws per corner for stability. If the opposing sides of your form area match in length (as they should), adjusting the diagonal measurements to be equal automatically squares the corners. Drive a stake into the ground at each corner to maintain form squareness after adjustments.
   

   

   
   
   

4. Level the forms using a reference point

   Establish the elevated corner for your patio by adjusting the form’s top to match that level. Secure the form in place by driving a deck screw through the stake and into the form, marking your starting reference point. Utilize a 48-inch level or a laser level to ensure uniformity along the perimeter of the form, adjusting its height accordingly. Secure the form’s position by driving a deck screw through the stake and into the wooden form. Verify that all form boards align evenly along their top edges.
   
   

5. Saw the stakes flush with the top edges of the form

   During the concrete leveling process, you’ll use a long, straight piece of wood to even out the surface by dragging it across the top edges of the form. This technique, known as “screeding,” requires the stakes to be sawed flush with the top edges of the form to ensure a smooth finish. Complete this step now using a handsaw.
   
   

6. Add crushed stone and reinforcement

   Spread crushed stone evenly into the excavated area to create a level base and facilitate water drainage. Use a rake to ensure the crushed stone is uniformly distributed and leveled to match the desired depth below the top edge of the form boards. The depth of the crushed stone layer will determine the thickness of the concrete for your patio.
   

   

7. Calculate the concrete quantity needed

   To calculate the volume of concrete needed for your patio, multiply the thickness (in feet) by the width and length of the patio (also in feet), then divide the result by 27. This will give you the concrete volume required in cubic yards.
   
   

8. Pour and finish the concrete, ensuring a smooth surface

   For small patios, consider purchasing bags of ready-to-mix concrete. Combine the concrete mix with water in a portable drum-type mixer until you achieve a consistent texture, resembling stiff cake batter.
   
   To save costs on larger projects, buy Portland cement, sand, and crushed stone separately, then mix them in a ratio of one part cement to two parts sand and two parts crushed stone. Alternatively, opt for ready-mixed concrete delivery for convenience, especially for projects requiring more than one cubic yard of concrete.
   
   Adding concrete reinforcing fibers enhances durability and crack resistance. Fill the forms with concrete and use a straight piece of wood to smooth and level the surface. Allow the concrete to partially set before further smoothing with a trowel. For a textured finish, use a broom before the concrete fully hardens. Regularly dampen the surface to aid curing.
   

   

   
   
   

9. Remove forms after three days and backfill with topsoil

   After allowing the concrete to cure for three days, begin by removing the deck screws and pulling out the stakes. Next, take out the lumber and scrape off any concrete residue if you plan to reuse it. Finally, fill in the space left by the removal of the forms with topsoil to complete the patio’s perimeter. For a comprehensive understanding of the time it takes for concrete to cure or dry, dive into our detailed article that explores this topic in depth.

10. Make crack control cuts after two weeks to prevent unsightly cracks

    Despite the presence of reinforcing rods or mesh, concrete slabs tend to develop cracks over time. Implementing crack control cuts directs these cracks along a single line, resulting in a more visually appealing outcome. After allowing the concrete to cure for two weeks, rent a masonry cut-off saw and create cuts approximately 1-1/2 inches to two inches deep in a grid pattern measuring about 10 feet by 10 feet.

If tackling the installation process of a concrete patio seems daunting or time-consuming, remember you can always consider expert concrete contractors! Our team here in Palm Coast Concrete is here to help you every step of the way. From planning and preparation to pouring and finishing, we’ve got you covered. Just give us a call at 386 348-8134 or submit our form to schedule a FREE estimate, and let us bring your concrete project to life!