How to Lay a Concrete Sidewalk
Easy, all-weather access to your home or service areas is easy to accomplish with nearly maintenance-free concrete walkways. They can also lend to the beauty of your home by framing and putting your home on display as the centerpiece of your yard.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Concrete Forms
- Concrete Tools And Concrete
- Garden Hoses And Attachments
- Rocks
- Sand
- Lumber
- Twine
- T Squares
- Carts Or Wheelbarrows
- Levels
- Tool Sets
- shovels, spades, & scoops
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-
1
Set sidewalk forms in place. The standard width is three to four feet for main walks and two feet for service walks.
-
2
Set forms running parallel and at a height that is level with existing walks or at a level very close to that of the ground surface level for easy yard maintenance.
-
3
Place a movable bulkhead at the working end so that you can pour amounts of concrete that are comfortable for you to work with. This technique works great when ready-mix concrete is used because it usually results in very little wasted concrete.
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4
Prep the walk area carefully by removing all sod and loose dirt to the depth of the walk plus approximately two inches for a sub-base of sand or crushed rock. Make sure that any loose or spring-y soil is carefully compacted to avoid sinking, tilting or excess cracking later on in the sidewalk's lifespan.
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5
Get some extra help from friends if the planned pour is a large one. Concrete work is heavy and tiring. There can never be too much help.
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6
Use a cross slope of one-eighth of an inch per foot in width away from any nearby structures to help with drainage.
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7
Use asphalt-impregnated joint material at points where the walk comes in contact with a structure or another large body of concrete (a driveway edge, patio edge, etc.)
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8
Be sure to cut control joints every 4 to 5 feet along the length of the walk. These run across the surface and are made with a groover.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If you are not physically up to heavy labor or don't feel comfortable with the concrete finishing process, it may be wise to call in professionals.
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Comments
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kooljulz
May 25, 2009
Hi i would like to know if i can pour a side walk by an existing side walk and a old rock house. -
kooljulz
May 25, 2009
what if i am pouring concrete between the house and the existing side walk. It is a very old house made out of rocks.
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kooljulz
May 25, 2009
what if i am pouring the concrete between the house and an exsiting side walk.
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Sep 06, 2006
One does not lay concrete, we pour it. The reason all sod and vegetation has to be removed is because it will rot and cause a gap between the ground and the underneath of the concrete. When it cracks (and it will crack), if the concrete is not reinforced this will cause separation of the concrete and unleveling of sections that may cause pedestrians to trip and fall, thus suing you. We never use sand or lose gravel as a base because they do not compact well. Best base for concrete is ¾ crushed limestone with screenings. Be sure to compact it well. One yard of concrete covers an area of 81 square feet at a four-inch depth. When ordering from a ready mix concrete company they will charge a cartage fee for orders under four yards, it is just not profitable to deliver small orders. One can rent the concrete tools necessary pretty much anywhere. The proper tools are of most importance in producing an excellent finish with concrete, and someone who knows what they are doing with their own tools is even better. The rule of thumb on pitch (slope) for water runoff (drainage) is one inch for every ten feet. As for drilling holes into existing flatwork for re-bars I have never drilled eight inches into an existing slab. Four is sufficient. BUT drill down on a slight angle, then after pounding the re-bar in, step down on the exposed section of re-bar until one is sure it is two inches below the top of the concrete grade. I have drilled deeper for industrial and foundation projects for the use of heaver re-bar. I have never coated re-bar with grease and do not understand zig zags reason for this unless he is referring to rusted re-bar.
-
Sep 06, 2006
One does not lay concrete, we pour it. The reason all sod and vegetation has to be removed is because it will rot and cause a gap between the ground and the underneath of the concrete. When it cracks (and it will crack), if the concrete is not reinforced this will cause separation of the concrete and unleveling of sections that may cause pedestrians to trip and fall, thus suing you. We never use sand or lose gravel as a base because they do not compact well. Best base for concrete is ¾ crushed limestone with screenings. Be sure to compact it well. One yard of concrete covers an area of 81 square feet at a four-inch depth. When ordering from a ready mix concrete company they will charge a cartage fee for orders under four yards, it is just not profitable to deliver small orders. One can rent the concrete tools necessary pretty much anywhere. The proper tools are of most importance in producing an excellent finish with concrete, and someone who knows what they are doing with their own tools is even better. The rule of thumb on pitch (slope) for water runoff (drainage) is one inch for every ten feet. As for drilling holes into existing flatwork for re-bars I have never drilled eight inches into an existing slab. Four is sufficient. BUT drill down on a slight angle, then after pounding the re-bar in, step down on the exposed section of re-bar until one is sure it is two inches below the top of the concrete grade. I have drilled deeper for industrial and foundation projects for the use of heaver re-bar. I have never coated re-bar with grease and do not understand zig zags reason for this unless he is referring to rusted re-bar.
