How to Build a Concrete Patio
While building a concrete patio can be difficult, doing it yourself is much less expensive than hiring a contractor. With the help of a friend, some tools, supplies and these easy to follow directions you can build your own patio in just a few of hours.
Before you begin make sure that you have everything that you need.
- Shovel
- Vegetation killer
- Wheelbarrow
- Steel rake
- Circular saw
- Hammer
- Double-headed nails
- Wire mesh
- Wood shims
- Mallet
- Concrete mix
- Concrete mixer
- Edging tool
- Wood trowel
- Darby and bull floats
- 2-by-4” plywood
- Asphalt-impregnated expansion strips
- Gravel
- Polyethylene sheets
- Mark your perimeter. Using a mallet, pound stakes into the ground about every three feet and about three inches outside of your planned perimeter. The stakes should be installed so that the tops of them are at the same height as the top level of the forms you will make.
- Using a shovel, remove all rocks, sod and vegetation. Use vegetation killer to kill the grass and vegetation in the area you will be putting your patio.
- With the shovel, dig a narrow trench around the perimeter of the patio. Make the trench slightly deeper at the corners because this is where the concrete footers will be.
- Using 2-by-4s, build a form to hold the concrete. Use a circular saw and cut the pieces of wood so that the fit the dimensions of your patio. Using the stakes that you placed in the ground as a guide, hold the boards against them and nail them together using a hammer and double-headed nails.
- Place the asphalt-impregnated expansion strips where the concrete meets the wall or foundation. These will compensate for any contraction or expansion that may occur when temperatures change.
- Shovel about three to four inches of gravel into the forms and then use a rake to level it.
- Place shims, then the wire-reinforcing mesh over top of the rocks.
- Mix the concrete according to the directions using a concrete mixer. Then pour it into the form and spread it out with a shovel. Use a 2-by-4 to smooth out any bumps.
- Using a bull and darby float, smooth the surface of the concrete. Stop when you see water beginning to surface.
- When the water begins to dry up, use an edging tool to edge the concrete. Place the edger on the top with the front edge slightly raised and move it forward. When you pull the edger back raise the backside slightly.
- To make the surface skid proof run the wood trowel over the top.
- Use polyethylene sheets to cover the patio and keep the surface slightly moist. After a week you can remove the sheets and the forms.
Be sure to wear rubber gloves, safety glasses. long sleeves, rubber boots and pants because concrete can burn the skin and eyes.