thank goodness you were wearing your Safety flipflops while swinging that axe !!

Back in about 1955, my dad poured a 60x10 foot driveway by mixing his own concrete in an old gasoline-powered mixer. He had one helper and I remember them screeding the top with two 2x4’s joined together in the shape of a T. That driveway was smooth enough to roller skate on.

I hope you remember to do a 1 year review next year. I would love to see how the dry pour concrete pad stands up after a year.

Good on you mate. Ex formwork carpenter here watched a few of these dry pour videos honestly never heard of it before last few weeks , your the first bloke I've seen putting rebar / mesh in, as long as your doing that, for what your using it for. Be fine. If you want it perfect, obviously truck and crew of guys is the way to go, but for a tool shed etc. I see nothing wrong with it. Only thing I'd do is wet it down then roll out plastic over it for a few days. Long as your keeping it wet. I dont know how it would go with a pressure washer on it in parts but generally speaking as long as that mesh is in there and it stays wet it should be more than fine for your uses. The only criticism I have, and it's minor, would be I'd drill each of those connecting slabs and glue rebar into them every 8" or so then when the slab dries it's all tied in and won't crack. But that's a minor thing. I did a slab here, in Aus mind you similar size recently and I paid a crew of guys, was close to that size, but pebble Crete had to be pretty much perfect I think was 11k. But I'm long past the point of doing my own stuff I do bits here and there. But good on you for doing that. You can be as fussy or as rough as you want with concrete. As long as it's functional for you, then it's fine. And even if you wanted to do it extra good, you'd just dig a perimeter footing deeper and put big bar around it, and that's basically then a garage slab anyways. Even just going to big bar over mesh prob enough. Also, what you could do, if you want it perfect, is build your walls and nail / screw them down, then use literally 2-3mm up the bottom plate as a form, and buy a heap of floor leveller. And you'd basically just pour that runny then you have a perfect slab. We'll would look perfect anyways. For your purposes prob still overkill. Even just pouring say an ice cream container of floor leveller and then pouring over the rough bits and screeding would tidy it up. The only other thing I'll say, is your concern ISNT weight down, but probably LIFT UP, ie wind loads. So if you just make absolutely sure there is enough water on the edges specially. As which ever way you do it, spaghetti anchors or chemset or Ramset etc. You NEED that perimeter done right or there's potentially no strength UPWARD under wind loads. I'd be more concerned about that, than weight down. So I'd keep that in mind more water around the edges, and then as you build up, keep eave overhangs to a minimum as that will reduce uplift, tie it with cyclone ties / diagonal bracing etc. But that perimeter MUST be right for that purpose. Even just bigger bar around the perimeter only would make a huge difference. So if you've got for instance, spaghetti anchors every 12 inches, and there's a dry spot every so often, it could be only 1 anchor has any strength out of 2, 3 or 4, which would mean an anchor every 48 inches holding it down worst case scenario. So that's what you want to avoid. I'd also be putting plastic down UNDER the gravel, as that will both hold water in, make for a much stronger slab, AND prevent rising damp on the frame. Even though treated lumber is pretty good now days, a thin sheet of plastic do more than the treated lumber. But do both. Again shed slab, who gives a fuck at the ends of the day, but my 3c.

This is me all day, especially for a shed or patio pad. I need a shed for my dirt bikes and atvs so I'll definitely look more into this. Great video, you got a new subscriber.

You scare me, dry or not, rubber boots, gloves and at a minimum an N-95 though a N-99 mask. I envy your ability to handle the work. I would have fallen over. But you really need to remember, people are going to imitate you, which is a really big compliment. Have them imitate you with some sense of safety. Concrete and especially concrete dust is nasty stuff.

I appreciate the video. It helped me see what the dry pour hype is all about. I have been in the construction trade for a long time now and I don't see how this method is any easier or better. I'm going to stick to the traditional wet method I know. I see a lot of questionable things with this method, and it doesn't seem to be any easier. Concrete is messy as it is, and I'd rather have it wet then dry. I mean the dust you're breathing in, the concrete sticking to your skin all over your body because of the sweat and getting in your eyes as well. PPE is a must especially with this method. Getting the concrete dust on your skin is going to be a very bad thing for your skin. The dry pour method in my opinion is ok is certain situations like smaller applications or concrete that you don't care about how it looks. I'm not trying to be negative, I guess the traditional way makes more since to me. If I was having a house built and the contractor said he was going to dry pour my foundation or any concrete slab/walkway I'd say no way! I have a feeling that maybe a year later or so there is going to be a lot of issues with all these dry poured slabs. It reminds me of when I put a post in the ground, dry pour the cement and then add the water. It seems fun and will work in controlled smaller applications, I think.

Can't begin to tell you how entertaining video was, along with the laughs. Definitely learned and got some ideas to work with too. I'm old but never too old to learn from others. Thank you. ❤

This Video was pure entertainment, a fellow Dry Pour Concrete Specialist!!

I did something similar that worked great and that was to soak the ground then add an inch or so of mix then wet that and repeat until filled. When filled tamp it to consolidate it then trowel it. It will set fast. It's like how gunnite works. The water to cement ratio was fantastic and the concrete turned out super hard.

I did an 8x8 slab like that 3.5" deep. I put in a total of 9 round footings 20" deep x 6" diameter. All four corners and midway. I used rebar throughout and left over old pipe. Built a room on it and it's held up great for 9 years so far.

Perfect example of working twice as hard to do something half-assed than to just do it the right way from the start.

2:05 so true!! It dries before you get done unless you have 20 people spreading lol Lovin these videos!

That's what I call a real DIY job hope it work out for you 👍

I love watching people build shit. Hope you show us the process of the building going up as well. Would be fun to watch. :)

Great video! I never seen this done before and done construction all my life. Thanks! Love to do this for an off grid project some day.

Hey man. Instead of just pulling the screed (2×4) towards you try sliding it left to right while pulling it. It will help push the gravel down below the powder. Hope this helps.🙏🙏

This guy thinks like I do! Not a thing wrong with doing it this way, especially if it’s just for a shed. It takes way more bags then you think, so if you have rocks, chunks of concrete, broken pavers, you can throw that in too. If you want a nice finish, you can skim coat it with a sand mix, for the final finish. Make it like soup, and it’s beautiful! I widened my pool deck 8’x 30’ a little at a time this way… no cracks, and it looks great. Not recommended if your going to drive vehicles across it, or heavy machinery. It makes doing it yourself extremely doable. He even laid out the bags to show you approximately how many to start with, then he added as he was leveling it. Well done video……👊👊👊

Nice job Bri! I feel like you had fun as well. 😊

I am impressed single-handedly got it done. Good show of stamina.

"The strength of concrete increases when less water is used to make concrete. The hydration reaction itself consumes a specific amount of water. Concrete is actually mixed with more water than is needed for the hydration reactions. This extra water is added to give concrete sufficient workability." I did like the demo with the truck, but you need not worry... this slab is going to be ultra hard.

The easiest way to get dry pour leveled is by putting a little too much concrete in your form. Then you just scrape the rest out. Otherwise you’re just trying to fill in holes the entire time. Hope this helps.

Retired in the Philippines remodeling an old resort on the beach. We have four more than 20,000 sacks of cement all by hand it’s crazy. How are you Miss modern tools 🧰 Great video👍🏿

I am surprised that you did that. I was thinking you were going to fail miserably but you totally got my respect and for that I give you two thumbs up, good job buddy you got a new subscriber

Breathing in that concrete dust can’t be too healthy. This is what N95 masks were invented for.

A thinking man watches his steps,and is frugal,with His time,and effort.Keep it up Paul.

With all people testing the dry pour method and 99% of them saying the slab is weak, it still amazes me how people still try it.

You are one funny and entertaining person. I admire your enthusiasm for your cause.

One reason to mix concrete in the traditional way is air entrainment. When concrete is mixed with water for the proper length of time billions of tiny bubbles are made. These bubbles absorb the expansion of wet concrete when it freezes. I'd love to see some dry pour concrete after a few winters in the Midwest. In the south I'd probably try a dry pour.

Nice job. I have used the same method in UPSTATE NEW YORK at 2 and 4 inches and had pretty good results inside portable shed. 2" is foot traffic only. My family does NOT understand that. 4" is holdig even outside with no covering for 10 years now. Still light traffic only. A dump truck went too far and messed up a section but that was expected outcome. (firewood to shed oh well) Point is the method is solid. IMHO

👒 off for all your hard work. After researching dry pouring for awhile several steps were consistent. No wetting the cement prior to filling the form and screeding the dry cement to prevent uneven interior spots. If you're adding rebar etc. at the halfway mark. Initially only a light mist the first few times. The cement will absorb the moisture evenly. This was a combo of both dry and regular. For anyone attempting this please be mindful and wear safety gear.

I've never done anything like this. You are making it look easy to me. Not as intimidating. I'm sure its not easy but looks good.

Made my lungs hurt just watching this....but when he wiped his nose and breathed in deep at the end...WOW.

Never knew that there was any other technique besides premixing the concrete first, interesting..thank you

That was a fantastic job that you did. You were so right about doing it that way with a one man crew. Lol. Props to you.

Couple of things. If you plan on doing this, skin contact with concrete can easily cause cement poisoning. I've seen it. If you don't mind a half dozen layers of skin painfully peeling, go for it. Two, ready mix is actually more cost effective assuming you need more than the three yard minimum. Third, the actual surface finish is terrible. If you want a smooth slab, just get ready mix and finish it properly.

You need to screed the top by sliding a 2x4 in a side to side motion to get it smooth and flat it pushes the stones down and brings the fine cement & sand to the top giving it a smooth top finish

I have a shed that has a dirt floor. So I decided to try dry pour. Did. Mine a little different but same principal. Framed off one side with 2x4. Stack broken concrete and rocks inside forms. Poured dry concrete over it and packed around it. Screeded top to just below top of board. Wet it down good to get saturated. Let it sit about an hour. Poured thin layer of dry mix on top and misted. Walked away. Very solid. Has been that way for a while. No problems. I live in NM. Over 100 in summer and down to 0 to 10 in winter. No cracks.

Very cool !! I think I am going to have to try this with a section of my driveway that is all busted up.

Wow. Im so glad about the number of views you are getting on your new videos Paul. Youve cracked it. I mean this sincerely - well done pal. The king is back full swing!

How's the concrete burns on your bare feet???

@2:43 .... just say it, "I've got *rocks* in my Crocs!!" 🤠

A one man crew think smart work easy and take your time. Great video.

This is a great way of doing it. The only thing that I would do different would be that you need an expansion joint up next to the other pad that you already placed. You could go one step further and dowel them together with the expansion joint foam too. Could make the concrete last a few more year long or at least keep it looking nicer for longer. Just my two cents.

i would be surprised if that slab cured in the center. How many bags of mix, 40? About how many gallons of water? I'd love a follow up video in a year or 5. Very interesting technique if this works and has some longevity to it. Thanks for the video, you got me thinking! Cheers!

I love the way you did it brother!!!!

enjoyed watching the whole thing King.

“Bob Vila can kiss my….” Made the whole video worth it

When you dry pour, you expose your lungs to the concrete dust, which in turn leads to silicosis.

With the exception of the lack of dust protection and the painted black toe nails, I thought he did a great job!

You worked hard. Thank you for sharing. I’m looking to have a concrete pad, not sure if I will give it a go or let a professional do it.

All jokes aside, I commend you for ccx such hard work and great videos showing others that this CAN be done without breaking the bank. Today everything is so expensive that to hire a contractor to pour that size slab in an isolate area not so close to a cement foundry will cost you over 12K. Great job man!!🎉💪💯👊💥🚀🍺🍺🍺

For a dry pour, that was a HUGE undertaking. I've seen people do HVAC pads dry...but not that big! Wow. Hey good on you. Good enough for government work.

Love the safety workwear, gloves, mask, footwear. 😊😊

Thank you for recording and posting this educational video.

Yeah I definitely would like to see a follow up video a year from now. I don't think this will hold up. No where near enough water used. The only way to get away with a dry pour is to practically flood it. Concrete will set up under water as long as it is kept contained and not allowed to disperse.

I love this idea and will be trying this myself! Please wear a mask!! Those dry particles are getting in your lungs. (My dad has PF - pulmonary fibrosis- due 30+ years of projects with none)🥰

We were so excited to watch your video thanks for sharing your story with all of us viewers Joe n Christina

Hey Paul, just found your video and i will be tackling the project. With the forms you created between the other slab do you leave that they or do you take em out aftwr its completed. Instruction video will be great. Thanks much

alternative way to get a level surface is to install the slab very slightly low, then finish off with a top layer of self-leveling concrete (be sure to first use concrete bonder on the slab)

This might work if you don't plan on building any walls on it. Otherwise, when you drill your still plate anchors they will anchor into Concrete powder.

I needed this video an the comment in my life .. thanks everyone 😂😂😂much respect for the man with the flip flops ppl think is easy but is hard work man 👏👏👏

Interesting. Never thought of doing it like this. Great video thanks

Nice work man. Good to know how to do it this way.

There are some who will say this is not the way to do concrete and say all that is wrong with it. Here are my findings which will save you hours of research. This method of doing a concrete slab works for many applications. I would not use it for a garage floor or driveway due to the weights of the vehicles, but I would love it if someone did a test on that to see if it works. I have seen dry pour slabs which had to later be removed. The broken fragments look the same as wet pour, meaning that the cement managed to wick moisture all the way through. This seems very suited to things like a shed, back patio slab, barn floor, slab for items such as ac unit or generator (I personally have one for my generator did many years ago). The techniques used in this video are just a little faulty, he should not use his bare hands in cement and should try to avoid inhaling the dust. The biggest advantage to this method is you can do it by yourself and you don't have to be in a hurry like you would with wet pour. I would suggest anyone who plans to try this, watch some other videos. The better technique seems to be when you slid a 2x4 back and forth while going down the form, this seems to make the little rocks sink below the surface and leave you with a layer of dust on top. Also, I like the videos showing them using a roller to get the surface even, I would try using the widest roller I can get along with a stick. I think the ground should be soaked before you start, definitely use rebar or mesh and I would do a presoak like he did before I do the final layer on top. Another advantage of this method is that if you need a small slab poured, most concrete guys won't do it because it's not worth their time, so you simply can't get anyone to do it even when you've got the money in hand to pay for the service.

seems you would have lots of dry spots in the layers

Thanks for this very informative video. I am just curious how many bags did you need for this area and what was the cost? Did you compare it to having a cement truck come by and just pour it for you? How are things holding up?

Good job. I might try this for a shed slab

Hello, Paul. I was just quoted last week $1,900.00 for a 20’x20’x3” slab for my backyard. I want to build a shed and a carport on it. Thankfully I’ve been watching videos about Dry pouring concrete and your videos are really convincing me to go this route. Thank youl!

I'd like to see 2 test "bricks", 1 with wet mix and 1 with this method and do a strength test, just out of curiosity. Try weights to break them in half so it can be measured 👍🙂

I enjoyed your video. The pain and hopefully a great pad. Keep us posted.

Bob Vila most likely will not be puckering up! lol Nice job on the dry pour.

I watched all 6mins, 59 seconds.

Hey Paul, I really enjoyed this second concrete instructional video, here. As much, even, as the 1st concrete pad instructional video you recently published. That episode included an extra element of, “Shock & Awe”, which is what will happen when a video style, that has not been seen in a decade & a half, arises from the ashes… Very personal, very expressed ending here. Great stuff Sparks

Thanks I learned a lot here. I think it came out great.

I don't want to be rude, but there are quite a few people in comments here who seem to think this is an acceptable alternative to a "wet pour." By any metric, this is the dumbest and least efficient way possible to pour concrete. Even though he shows 28 bags at first, a pour this size would REQUIRE a minimum of 71 60# bags of quickrete, which is what he seems to be using here. That's iF you mix it with water, which actually helps "stretch" the dry mix slightly over this volume, which is a little bit over a cubic yard. A cubic yard, from a concrete company, costs an average of $120-$150. That's mixed, hauled, and delivered to your forms, ready to go. Most drivers are happy to pour in lifts, letting you get a bed down, put your remesh in, and then finish the pour. Based on Home Depot prices, which is a generally ok basis for estimation, 71 bags of concrete cost a little over $300. So, for the cost of a truck and hiring a couple guys who actually know what they're doing, you could have poured a proper concrete slab, and saved yourself probably 8 hours of back-breaking labor hauling, dumping, and spreading bags of dry mix. Not to mention the potential risk to your health of breathing cement and silica. I guess you wouldn't have been able to post such prime youtube content, but for everyone else who might see this video, don't do what this gentleman did. Hire a professional, or at least watch a DIY video with good information.

You should wear a mask, safety first throat cancer is real

I think it looks great! Salute to you 🫡

I miss your long form videos, so much. Take Care

Don't breathe that shit in!

please use a mask next time bud

You shoulda filmed this video in India. No shoes, no mask, no gloves and using an axe to smash bags open. Next video: How to eat school paste.

Safety first with this guy.

People, this method is VERY dangerous. To the uneducated and inexperienced in construction, your video may seem like a cool idea. And, your method may be just fine for many non-critical backyard projects where proper structural integrity is not important. But if concrete neds to be used for something where properr structural support is needed, then your method is very dangerous. Without mixing concrete properly and with correct ratios of water then the strucural properties and integrity of the concrete will be dramatically changed.

Please remember safety first guys. Wear an N95 mask when you are dealing with dry concrete, that dust is very very bad to breathe in.

Looks great!

ROFLOL! The very end... "Bob Villa can kiss my...." Now that was funny as hell. Great job Paul!

What wrong with just ordering it in a truck like normal, you like to make things harder than they need be. I'm betting it will lack strength, and over time may not hold up as good as wet pour would.

Do not follow these directions unless you want to have a mess you have to pull up shortly after you realize it failed! This is the dumbest idea I’ve ever seen

My nose burns just watching this guy stand in a cement dust cloud.

Dry pouring slabs are great for DIY! Small projects around your home no prob. Its not a method you want to use as a professional. But if you are doing things at your home and it satifies you that is your business.

Bib Vila's was a television HOST(script reader). He can't even swing a hammer.

There will be cracks in this pad. There's a reason the mix needs mixing according to directions.....

If it has already been posted I apologize but do you have an update of putting a building/shed on this? How is it holding up? Any pictures or video you can post?

Genius. Great job.

Your video was organic and funny. Good job 👏 😂😂😂

Renetto I found you again, glad to subscribe and I hope you're doing well. Never change

Breathing in all that cement dust should clean your airways a treat. Legacy reminder on the way!

I live in south Florida. How important is a gravel pour before you do your dry pour?

great method - thanks! You had me at the bag smashing 😆