Instructions on How to Bulid a Concrete Patio

Maintain the patio's slope throughout so that water drains off the surface.

A concrete patio provides a solid surface for entertaining friends or having a family meal outdoors. Additionally, it provides a spot to rest in the fresh air and enjoy your backyard. If you want to have a patio for these purposes, you can build it yourself with a few supplies from any home improvement store. Once done, you need to let it cure for at least a week in order to develop a durable surface that lasts.

Things You'll Need

• Twine
• Stakes
• Spray paint
• Shovel
• Level
• Measuring tape
• Circular saw
• 2-by-6s
• Screws
• Drill
• Cement
• Wheel barrows
• Trowel
• Plastic
• Water hose

Instructions

1. Mark off the area for your patio. Tap a stake at each corner and check the distance with a measuring tape to ensure it is square. The sides opposite each other should be the same length, and the corners diagonal to each other should also be the same angle.

2. Dig out the area inside the lines. Use shovels to remove the soil to a depth of 8 inches. Check the surface of the soil with a level to ensure it is flat.

3. Fill the hole with 4 inches of crushed gravel or limestone. Pack the stone down with a plate compactor. Push the machine across the surface slowly to pack it down.

4. Build a frame. Measure the width of the dug section and cut two 2-by-6 boards to fit. Use a circular saw to make the cuts. Measure the other two sides of the dug area and subtract 3 inches from the measurement to accommodate the boards you are using for the width. Place the 2-by-6 boards in the hole up against the sides. Drill 3-inch screws through the ends of the boards at the corners to attach them.

5. Mix cement mix with coarse sand according to the directions on the cement package. Mix the cement in a wheelbarrow so that it is easy to dump it into the hole.

6. Pour the cement in and spread it out with a trowel. Fill it up to the top of the 2-by-6 boards, which should only be 1-1/2 inches above the ground.

7. Place a board across the wood frame and drag it from one end to the other in order to level the surface. If you want the cement smooth, rub over it with a trowel after it is leveled off.

8. Let the surface dry for about 2 hours, then cover it with a piece of polyurethane.

9. Leave the plastic in place for a day, then lift it up and spray the surface with water. Place the plastic back down. Repeat each day for 1 to 2 weeks. The more you slow down the curing process, the harder and more durable the concrete surface will be when it is dry.

References

• Berkshire Eagle: Step by Step to a Concrete Patio
• Ask the Builder; A Patio of Concrete the Right Way; Tim Carter