I show how I was able to pour this large concrete patio, using over 150 bags of concrete (80lbs.), by myself. My goal is to show concrete pads can be poured by yourself no matter how large. At the end of the video, I show an efficient method to mix concrete by yourself.
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The main trick is to break up the entire concrete project into sections that can be poured independently. For example, if the overall concrete pad was to be a 20'X20' footprint, it could be constructed with four 5'x5' squares to make the concrete patio. This process has several benefits. The sections can be made small enough to make it possible for one person to mix, pour, and finish the concrete in a realistic timeframe. The other sections can be poured at any time because they will be isolated via cold joints. This also helps minimize concrete cracking. Since the concrete slabs are smaller and isolated, it is less likely any slab will have significant flexion forces (the main reason for concrete cracking).
Ideally it is nice to pour a large concrete pad using premixed concrete delivered via a truck. However it could be hard to pour and finish that large area of fresh concrete by yourself. If it is possible to pour your concrete patio with fresh concrete off the truck be sure to have your plan in place and a good team.
The hardest part of pouring a concrete slab by yourself is moving the concrete bags and mixing the concrete. No matter what method one uses to mix the concrete it takes time and that time is a limiting factor on how large an area that can be poured and finished. When doing DIY concrete work, only form a and pour a section size that requires the amount of concrete you are able to mix in a reasonable amount of time.
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