How to Pour a Cement Pad
The first step in building a detached garage or a shed is determine what type of floor your going to put the structure on. One option when building a shed is to put it on a wooden floor but that's not the best option if your building a garage. The best option in my opinion is to put the structure on a concrete pad. Then you won't have to worry about wood rotting out or wondering if the wooden floor can handle the weight of all the stuff you cram inside the building. So here's how you build a slab on grade pad......... Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape Measure Hammer Cordless Drill Garden Rake Shovel Wheel Barrel Steel hand Trowel Bull Float
Instructions
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First thing is to find a somewhat level area to build your structure. Slight variations in the pitch of the land won't require any major landscaping. If your area is not level you may need to lower or raise the landscape to level the area. One option is to bring in a truck load of gravel and level the area using the gravel.
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Once the area is somewhat level it's time to build the forms. In most cases you can build your forms using 2x4's which will give you a 3 ½" thick slab of concrete but if your building a garage you'll definitely want to use 2x6's to build your forms. This will give you a 5 ½" thick slab.
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Build a box to your desired size using the 2x6s. The 2x6s need to be supported on the exterior side of the box to stop the concrete from pushing the boards over. Drive metal or wooden stake every 8 feet or so and screw the 2x6 to the stake. As your screwing the 2x6s to the stake make sure the form is level or pitched if desired. You can also pile gravel or rocks up against the form.
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Now that the form is secure and level order the concrete. There are several websites that will allow you to enter the dimensions of your form and it will calculate the amount of concrete you need. The formula is Length X Width X Depth / 27 = Cubic Yards of concrete.
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Now depending on the size of your pad you may want to call up a few friends. Pouring concrete is a pretty strenuous job especially if you can't back the concrete truck right up to the form. Once you starting pouring the concrete into the form you'll need a garden rake and shovel to move the concrete around trying to keep the concrete level with the tops of your form. Next get a long 2x4 or 2x6 and rest it on top of the forms and using a back and forth motion pull the 2x4 across the concrete to ensure the center is level with the edges.
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After leveling the concrete you'll need to smooth the freshly poured concrete. One tool you'll need to rent will be a bull float. A bull float is a 3' long and 1' wide trowel made of magnesium with a long handle that comes in sections. This will allow you to smooth the middle of the pad without stepping in the fresh concrete. Push and pull the bull float across the fresh concrete until the surface becomes smooth and no gravel is showing.
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In this case the pad is being used as a garage floor so we want the surface smooth, if your pouring side walks you would want to finish the surface with a rough texture for traction. Since we want our surface smooth we'll wait until the surface gets firm and go over the entire pad with a steel hand trowel to achieve the desired finish.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear gloves.
Pick a day when rain is not expected.
Get some young help
Avoid getting concrete on your skin.
Wear safety glasses when pouring concrete.
