To all you concrete gurus out there, I’ve poured and finished numerous
slabs, walks, and driveways, but all were of a width that I could screed with a 16′ or less board. I now have a 22 X 28 foot slab to pour and don’t own a motorized trowel or an army of finishers. What’s the best way to achieve a decent slab? I plan to cut expansion joints with a concrete saw after the concrete has set up. The slab will be 4 inches thick.
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Replies
Jimmy:
I sure ain't no concrete guru, but I have seen a few. Around here they usually pound in grade stakes to place the top of the concrete to, then pound them down and out of the way when they have the elevation established. Then finish as you normally would without changing the elevation of the top of the slab. Come to think of it, if you don't pound the stakes all the way down to the bottom of the slab, you should remove them instead.
Hope this helps
Andy
The way I do it is. place a tube( electrical conduit) to grade, Then I have this half round seat that set in the tube. On top of this is a 2 inch pipe that set to grade which I screed off of. Once screed I pickup the half round and pipe and knock the tube below concrete grade.
As much as I hate to do slabs, what is that "half round seat" that sits on the conduit?
I bought a pile of vibratory screeds at auction to try to give my back some relief. These are the 2x attaching screeds that look like a lawnmower on studs. Do you end up with a stiff enough screed base for them? PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I think grade stakes and maybe partitioning the slab with keyway strips may be the way to go with this pour, but I am curious about this half round thing you're referring to.
JimmyG