FORMULA FOR HOW MUCH CONCRETE YOU NEED ⬇️ Multiply - Length x width x height in feet and divide by 27. This will give you the cubic yards. Then divide that number by .022. That is the cubic yards in an 80 lbs bag of concrete.
Professional concrete form carpenter here: Concrete finishing can be tricky and large projects can quickly get out of hand when you have a fast cure. You have essentially eliminated the two greatest pitfalls for the first timer. Love the paint roller. Well done.
I have done a lot of concrete work on my backyard with mixer, all successful. Would be better to pour some water on the ground before pouring concrete? Thank you!
Correction: They clearly say they use a "concrete roller" and not a paint roller. I've scoured the local hardware stores, ebay, and Amazon and have yet to find a concrete roller. Deep sigh, what's a feller to do? :-) Now is only these kind folks could learn to speak American.
You shared your tips with us. I'll drop mine while passing trough. ;-) - Given the chance, park your truck closer to the pouring site. Less dragging of all that weight. - When dumping the bags content, don't cut the top of the bag. Cut it in the middle lay on the ground. And lift both sides equally. Less weight (again). ;-) - Last but not least. Unless you're in a rush, leave the forms in place for a longer time. Even a week, or more if it's a large concrete pour! Reason being that it preserve moist, allowing for a better cure. And better than that. When the concrete cure/dry it will contract and release from the form, naturally. Less cracks or potential for damage. Less work also. Hope you enjoy my "lazy" tips. Cheers
45 year construction vet upnawth in Virginia here - I can't see not laying 4 inch or smaller mesh or making such a pad less than 4 inches thick, but if it works - I say good for y'all down there. But ONE THING that is important to point out and that is the dust in concrete is very, very bad because it is so very fine and it's like inhaling tiny bits of glass that go deep into your lungs and don't come out. What I always did was put on safety glasses and pull my arms out of my t-shirt and pulled it up so the neck of my t-shirt went under my eyes and I tied the sleeves behind my head, which covered it all with the t-shirt hanging down my back like the Sheikh of Araby. Beneath that I had on a dust mask. Also, concrete and mortar dust is really bad for your skin - it'll suck the oil right out, and it is a strong alkali. So what I always did was apply Palmer's Shea Butter to my hands and wrists. I suggest having a squirrel-tail brush to dust yourselves off with and laying the bags on the ground and cutting them open to minimize the concrete dust that gets stirred up. I always keep a 5 gallon bucket half full of water to plunge my hands in to get the dust off. It's a good idea to have such a bucket of warm water on hand for drywall or painting work, also. What's most important is you enjoyed doing the project together and are pleased with what you made. That's all that counts.
Such helpful information! Since having covid this last time, I take coughing spells even just dusting my house. I'll make sure I wear protective gear when we try this out!
That was the only thing I saw them doing that I thought hmmm .... Def should wear a mask & protective eyewear when that dust is getting kicked up. Other than that I'm def impressed with this!!!
YOU ARE A SUPER 🤩 FOR REMINDING OF Safety FIRST!! Thank you for some really GREAT ADVICE TO HELP PROTECT YOU FACE AND BODY! This advice will save alot of people from harming their skin and lungs. Not being able to breathe is a really hard thing to go through. And salvaging our lungs at younger ages through all of the advances that medical science has come up with is really important! 🫶🤩
Been around construction all my life I’m 71 years old and today I say that is so true your never to old to learn something new great job thanks for sharing loved it
We have a large patio and walkway of flagstone that the sand between the stones was basically gone. We had someone give us a $2000 quote to repair it. I saw your video about the dry concrete and we removed all the old stuff ourself and poured dry mix in all the joints and topped with a 1/2” layer of polymer sand to match the stone better. It has gone thru one zone 6a winter and it is beautiful. We spent less than $100. Thanks so much for the tip!!
I absolutely love it! My husband was a builder for 30 years and we always worked together like this for home projects. He passed away last month from a brain tumor. Blessings to you both!
I built a brick sidewalk using dry concrete. I set all the bricks an inch apart in a pattern, poured the dry concrete, swept it into the spaces and watered her down. That was about 30 years ago and there have been no problems.
Extremely helpful videos !!! I survive off of RUclips videos lol. After my husband passed away I’ve learned not to rely on anyone but myself so videos like these are much appreciated!! Thanks so much !!❤
Congratulations,I,my self ,did the same ,my lovely wife passed away and I was left with a little boy and a little girl and ,I say ,thank you God for You tube and the video creators they're a saving hand
I almost cried at the end when y’all said something like don’t be scared, try it, get creative. I’m a home improvement gal who had no dad after age 10. You Tube helps me get courageous. Keep inspiring people like me. ❤️ from Nashville, TN.
Hi!! We are so glad you watched this video. ❤️ a lot of our house building videos we do the words of encouragement, so if you ever feel like you need some pick-me-ups, go check those out. Thank you for sharing your story ❤️
You never know until you try Speedy. I could tell you lots of stories about the pro's giving up. Lots of very expensive do overs because the job had to be 'near perfect'.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I saw your videos and I decided to Dry pour my patio slab 11X15 110 bags of 80lbs. It was a lots of work took me 4 days but It came out Great. You guys are Amazing Im turning 70 years next month and i am going to have friends over for a Barbeque and Happy times once again YOU ARE AMAZING THANK YOU
110 bags? They used 10 on a 5x5...if you built a 15x15' it would be 30 bags... Did you put the 2x4's up on end instead of laid flat? Or use 2x6 up on end instead of flat? (I'm trying to understand why it took so much more quickcrete... Please let me know!
Great job. I'm 62 years old . Disabled and need to do some concrete slabs . I love this ideal . This is the way to go . For someone on fixed income . And the handyman ability. Thank you so much. Loved watching . Thank you
Cool! When I was a kid, I read in Popular Science magazine an article about using dry concrete mix to make concrete slab sidewalks just like your project. The author of the article claimed that this method resulted in stronger concrete than a wet pour. Nice to actually see your work successfully demonstrating this method all these years later.
Popular Science Magazine is a good resource for this kind of project - it may be limited but that doesn’t mean it isn't appropriate for some uses. A science magazine can address the properties and uses of any material. A magazine or book can give a user the knowledge necessary to use any medium or material such as concrete correctly. Thanks for sharing - excellent resource!👍
Did a 10ft x12ft patio Dry pour a year ago after watching your videos. Did everything step by step to the end. A year later, no cracks and no problems at all. It's doing very very well. Looking forward to doing another one. Thanks so much.
After seeing your first video on this , we used this method for our 12' x 20' shed . We went about 3" deep and used wire mesh in it . That shed is now storing thousands of pounds of old parts in it and no issues . Thank you very much for sharing this with us .
Wow, just wow! How I wish I'd known how to do this years ago. The hours I've spent mixing spreading, sore hands, covered in cement mud, the clean up, all of it. I just want to hug you both!!! Absolutely brillaint. ❤
The fact you could pressure wash the slab after 1 1/2 years and it not fall apart is a great indication of the slab integrity. I used this same method for the grouting between the bricks on my patio, and 8 years later, it still looks good.
I know absolutely nothing about any of this, but can’t help thinking this is brilliant… I do have a question though… Do you think this dry method would also work to fill a relatively deep somewhat lengthy crack in an already existing slab..? 🤔
Could you share more details on how you did this to make your brick patio? I would like to do a brick walkway using some old bricks and wondered if it could be done using the dry mix!!
I am a seventy-one year old widow. With help from my DIL we completed a 3’x7’ slab in a few hours. It looks great. Thank you so much for a great couple of videos on dry pouring concrete. Anyone can do this!!
I drove a concrete mixer for several years and this is a first! One thing that I did learn about concrete finishing by watching the finishers in my rear view mirror is that finishers like concrete to be very wet because the concrete is easier to work with. However, excessive water weakens concrete and causes it to crack. Your dry method is a lot drier and therefore allows the concrete to be stronger when it dries. You folks may be new to RUclips, but you all did a great job! I look forward to seeing more of your videos and I would love to have more good people like you as neighbors. Great job guys!
That's what was going thru my mind as I watched this, that slab will likely be stronger than a "wet" slab because less water was probably used. For small DIY projects this is the way to go.
"Super" or superplastisizer, is a chemical additive that makes the concrete more plastic or wetter without adding more water as more water means less strength.
Incorrect fam. Finishers that wanna hurry up and just slick of the pieces. I want my concrete dry, dry, dry. With very lil cream after making my passes.
Thanks for creating and sharing a nice and helpful video. I have been dry filling support posts for fences and decks for years but never attempted a large area slab. Since you were so kind to share I will pass along a trick to you. After you mark and frame your area (remembering to measure from corner to corner to maintain square) place most of your sealed bags of concrete in the location and number that corresponds with the volume required (ie more bags where the slab is thicker fewer where it is thinner), when you think you have it about right cut the bottom of the bags (not the top) and pull the bag off. This allows for less lifting and dumping, correspondingly less dust and drift and keeps much of the aggregate away from the top for an easily smoother surface. (It also keeps the dust out of your Crocs and prevents your foot sweat from making concrete in your shoes). Thanks again
You guys have just saved me so much money and stress. I’m a 5’-1” female @ 112 pounds, but try and do all I can in my own to save money and make my house and yard pretty. I’ve done toilets, sinks, floors, paint, coffee tables, tile, but I have been so afraid to try concrete at all cost. I’m not strong enough to carry giant tubs of wet concrete, etc. I don’t have the money to pay a contractor. I can not wait to try a small slab in my yard for practice and thenI might jump head first into my sidewalks😃 this is my first video I’ve watched of you guys and I love it!!! There have been so many things when I started out 20 years ago without all the videos online that I didn’t know what I was doing, but I did it anyhow and learned from my mistakes. Now that I have people like you guys. I’m gonna kick butt! We can’t be afraid to try things or I would have never remodeled the entire interior of my house and some of the outside. Your channel is my new tv for the summer. Thank you so much for this idea!!!! BTW I love that you don’t get angry at the chickens and roosters and laugh when they crow. It made me laugh every time they did it and saw your smile
I know, you're like myself, I've done most of the work in renovating my home. Can't really afford to pay a contractor to do the concrete work but this is a absolutely amazing job!!! I'm so happy & this will be my next big project! Well I'm looking to build a bathroom where there no plumbing on a slab. That's how I found this video!!!
Love that paint roller trick! Minor tip - position the unopened bag in the form, so all you have to do is score the bottom of the bag with a blade and lift up, then spread - will save you the risk of spilling outside the form!
Yeah, that's great but, he called it a "cement roller." I wonder how many people are gonna go to the home improvement center this week and have looks of puzzlement from the employees when they ask for it that way.
I have to admit...I need to rethink pouring concrete now. I didn't think it was going to turn out right, but I was proven wrong. I'm sold on this method! 💯 It looks amazing.
My mom taught me this years ago. She poured a slab for a shed by using a truck bed to get close, cut the bags then empty it on the ground. She couldn't carry the bags. It's lasted for well over a decade. Didn't think about dry smoothing it though. Great job guys!
I've formed and dry placed concrete landscape curbs and put brick on top, it's quite common. They take a long time to fully cure but after a few weeks it's as hard as stone. And the dryer the concrete mix, the stronger the final result. This is a tremendous result and clean. Nice work.
Been in the construction industry for going on 12 years and never seen this done before. When I first started watching and saw you form up the 2x4s the “wrong way” and without any stakes. I was like oh no. Than I kept watching. Learn something new everyday and while this wouldn’t work for all applications it works well for any application that won’t have a lot of weight on it. Pretty much you made one large paver. Thanks for sharing, great video. Your absolutely right about taking risks and trying new things. Creativity and taking chances is good for the soul. One tip I could offer is you can use stakes to support the forms just cut them off flush with the forms with a sawzall after you screw them to the forms or pound them in until they are flush with the top of the form.
I did as well no stakes big problem but no it worked I been in the concrete industry for 30 years and I thought I seen it all but wow I am going to try this when summer hits it is to cold now.
Agree on all points, but a couple of suggestions for garage floors and carports four or more inches deep: Add elevated (6x6x10) wire. Dry level the crete and lightly wet as they did. But submerge the entire slab in water for 2-3+ days afterwards (a week or more is even better).
Ty for this video! As a single Mom on a budget I can now do my own small projects that would have cost me too much money for something I can now do myself! Ty guys so much and God Bless You for teaching us practical and low cost ways to get things done for ourself
I LOVE it! And LOVE what you said about believing in yourself that you can! That's how I built my 5000sq ft house with NO blueprint and most of it with NO scaffolding! And, mostly only ONE Man and myself, just like you two. WE DID IT! It has stood the test of time also. Been standing with no issues since 1998. We mixed our concrete traditionally, (for footings) so I LOVE what you're showing here. We'll use this for the BIG BARN project we're starting now. I want to lay my own barn floor. Oh Yeah!!!! BTW, we're also almost 69, this year and going strong!
2nd time watching...am now over 70yrs old...will have to figure a way of screeding by myself ...have access to reduced cost busted bags at only one specific local "Big Box Store"... God Bless🙌 "Yooz Guys" LDS🫡/"LA": (LowerATL)
@Smooth Ve Thank you! You can do it! Put together the ingredients of desire/want to, patience, perseverance, and for my husband and I, prayer and faith. God helped us in so many ways we couldn't have known what to do otherwise when problems arose. With His help, problems were short-lived and minimized. I didn't even have RUclips when we built. Imagine that! I believe in you. You can do this!
For a quick sod cutter, use an old blade on your circular saw, set deep-,cuts a nice straight line-repeat every shovel width then slide shovel under each row- sod comes right up-easy-peasy !!!
ease of grass pick up will still depend on what type of grass you have as the different types will have different root systems.. so unless you started with sod strips keep this in mind.. the old saw blade is good idea to get an even piece/s though..
Never seen anything like it. I got 😮a 😢10 x 24 foot pad to pour on the back of my property and not any help to pour it. This could be my answer. How big a pad can be poured this way. Do you think I should pour it in sections? Thank you it was an eye opener for me. If I could pour a 5 x 10 foot one day and right beside it another 5 x 10 foot will they bond together it would take 4 days to do the 4 sections and I will need to put a drain. This is to put portable off the ground pens for dogs on I want to put a drain box all the way around the edge😢with a 24” sidewalk. That way I can wash it all to the drain in the bottom of the drain box and then hook too my sewer system. Great for cleaning.
I'm a DIY sort who grew up w/o a dad after age 9 so this sorta stuff is encouraging. Love how you guys do it together and don't overthink it all with digging down, laying sand and gravel and making it a big ta do. Like you said "it's just foot traffic. Cut out all the middle men and expense...How perfect!!
I just finished a 3'x4'x4" slab in a late afternoon, thanks to finding your video. For my needs, and with the strength of todays readymix concrete, i dont foresee touching wet concrete ever again. Thank you so very much!!!
As an engineer on several large construction projects I have inspected a lot of concrete placed and finished and this is the slickest method that I have seen for a light application like a sidewalk or a pad. That final paint roller finish method is genius !!
We (My son and I) tried this method over the weekend. I cannot wait to remove the forms. He hated the many times we had to scree, but I think he will be proud he helped create an awesome patio in the front of our house. Thank you so much! We deliberately made it thick as we live in NE Ohio. .cold and alot of snow. Be well.
Me and my brother's work together every day pouring concrete slabs and footers and driveways patios sidewalks we do anything and everything but working with family it's hard sometimes but being around my brother's and my nephew every day working it's a blessing
I thought I was the only one when I realized how easy it was to do dry pour concrete I made sidewalks, slabs, I went concrete crazy LOL. So easy and you're right I poured one slab up to 6 in thick and it hasn't cracked ,saged, deteriorated,at all. over 10 years now. Best kept secret in concrete.
I'm a tower Crane Operator of 23 years & all I do is pour. So naturally when ever I pour a slab around the house I use the same method as I've seen for so long & spend thousands doing it. I stumbled across this video today & I gotta say I kinda want my money 💰 back 😆 🤣 Thanks for sharing
I wasnt looking for a new project, but I think you just created a new spark for this summer. Concrete for the fire pit and for my garage. Thank you for showing me the simple way to do what I always envisioned to be a difficult task. I can measure. I can cut. I can build it.
I want to create a concrete pad for my winter wood supply. It’s 6.5’ x 50’ area. Will this method of concrete slab be strong enough to endure the weight and winter weather? (Middle of Michigan) I do realize that I will need to break this up into smaller slabs.
Well, I’ll be gobsmacked! Never would have thought concrete mix would set up this way. Not only timesaving, but you avoid the effort of mixing up wet concrete with a mixer or by hand with a shovel. And by the way, you have solved my problem of how to grout a 1000 square feet of laid brick. Instead of working the wet grout into the spaces between the bricks, I can pour dry mix onto the surface, carefully sweep it into the cracks, and then lightly mist with water. This will also save time and effort by not having to remove wet grout from the bricked surface. Perhaps I’ll do a RUclips video of the process and with y’all.
Awesome idea with the grout I’m Curious to know how that works out.I’m not thinking about a vertical brick wall I am thinking about grouting tile on the floor.
I may be overthinking things but wouldn't the dry powder on the bricks set up also and end up creating more of a mess than a solution? If you weren't already going to do it, I would suggest testing a small area first and move on from there. Hope everything turns out well.
Polymeric sand is much easier to work with and that's what it is designed for. If it gets ugly down the line, pressure wash it, sweep in more, blow it off, wet it, done. It'll take you about an hour.
Having poured 10s if not 100s of thousands of yards of concrete building roads, airports and such my hat is off to pure simple genius of this method! For the purpose intended, this brings the value of concrete to a diyer at an enormous savings of money and effort. You guys rock! Best hack ever. I'm guessing this is going to take off like crazy.
As a home owner of multiple buildings and single homes, you are so right about having an open mind to new ways of doing things! Keep doing what you are doing!
I never knew this was even possible… we have two areas, one smallish walkway and one larger patio type size that we’ve always wanted to concrete, but the cost has kept us from having it done and the fear of doing it ourselves and pavers are only a couple bucks each but adds up quick when you need a lot of them. This gives me a lot of confidence that we can do it ourselves and I think we might actually try it on the smaller walkway area first when the weather gets warmer and drier! Thanks so much for this!
We just have enclosed our patio and I have been planning to build a concrete ramp in front of the door. This video is an inspiration and huge encouragement... this tells me I can do it myself and not spend a lot of money paying someone. Thank you very much! You have a new fan in Northwest Florida!
I have NEVER seen a dry pour slab before! that turned out well! and I like the addition of showing the previously dry pour slab you did for the chickens!
Just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. I just finished a 25x11x4 concrete pad in the yard for a dog kennel and storage shed, and your video helped me figure out how to dry pour it. I'd never even heard of doing it that way, and neither had anyone I asked for tips about it. It was infinitely easier than a typical pour, and my family and friends were all very curious to see it when it was done. Turned out amazing and no one could find anything bad to say about it. Thank you for saving me time, money, and headache!
I’m sure family and friends wanted to see the finished job, but we’re they at all curious to be there to help lugging bags on concrete with ya? Lol,lol,lol,lol…
I did this last week but I did a 4" thick sidewalk and it worked out perfectly. It was a lot less work involved and the final results were smooth with exactly the amount of roughness to prevent slipping and falls.
A Great Video...planning on putting together a plastic shed with a size of 6 X 8. I am a 63+ year old widow (have to do this by myself) and have been watching many videos on laying concrete foundations, but none as simple as yours. I have been afraid to try, because of all the do that's, thingy madingies and do hickies one has to have to accomplish this task. Your video ENCOURAGED me to try it your way. I already purchased 6 bags of 80lb. Concrete. It never occurred to me that you set your Gardenhose to mist to wet the concrete a little at a time. Wonderful 🥰👏🏼 The shed will hold in Winter 200 lb. of chicken feed, as well as (at the moment) 8 silky hens and one rooster. I also want to incorporate my door because of the mud...so now i have to start measuring all over again, to find the best solution that works for me, and move the chickens again to do the entire area all at once. I guess I have to purchase 10 more bags of cement, to perhaps accomplish the job? Thank you so much for your video!🥰
27 years as a concrete subcontractor. This both intrigues and fascinates me. There is such market for this application for small slabs, stoops and pads for equipment. Love to see how it holds up to the drips from the roof. 👌🏻
I just tried this today for my back patio. I wonder about the water drips too. It's a 9 foot fall off the roof. I'm thinking I should get some rain gutters.
@@pilotandy_com Gutters are best. But much easier project if you just want the water to avoid a few feet of the ground are rain diverters. Basically just an angled metal piece that tucks under your shingles and keeps water from following into a specific area. Of course, you then get more water flowing off on both sides of the area you are protecting. But depending on your situation it could be much cheaper and easier than installing gutters with drains. I used one for my doorway and only it took about half an hour. Good luck with your project!
@@pilotandy_com do you have the option just to put a section of gutter just over the concrete, I have seen where they, have decorative chains as the down spouts may be an interesting look. This old house did one with copper and a chain link copper thing for the down spout, Looked good, Anyway just throwing ideas, Hope it works out for you,
@@raybucbolt Just small info but I've seen more diverters than not cause roof rot - probably from catching leafs and dirt over the years and then the water backing up - plus the shingle can't really seal down properly because the diverter is in the way. I do gutters and screen rooms/patio rooms and got a few calls - on rooms where they had diverters over the back door - saying they are leaking but it's really the diverter and water coming through the soffit. Most of the time I catch it before hand because you can see the dip in the shingles where the decking is rotted. I don't recommend diverters - if you must grab a 10 foot piece of gutter and some hangers and just leave it open on each side.. not very nice looking but it won't cause problems - unless you have wood siding or something..
yeah like when we build decks we just pour the bag in for the posts there sitting on cookies already. no water just throw the dirt back in the cement gets hard eventually. but never seen this before.
This was a phenomenal video and the information is priceless, I have a two formal degrees a JD and a PhD and they have nothing on this channel!!! This is the most amazing University I have ever attended! LOLOL Thank you I’ll be using this for my tiny house!!! And thank you for your positive words at the end of the video!!! So worthwhile to watch you guys in action.
Tried this technique this morning, I've never done any concrete work before, the only process I deviated from was using some sakcrete and quikcrete, vs all quikcrete, the reason is i had 3 bags of the sakcrete laying around. I did a 4 inch thick slab over an existing 3inch slab, extending it 10 inches in length and 10 inches wide. I'll do the 8th watering in about 15 minutes. Here's hoping I followed the instructions well enough for a solid slab.🤞
Tried it last year after watching your chicken coop slab video. My husband thought I was nuts. Had him watch the video and he too was convinced enough to give it a try. We poured a pad in front of his side entry door into his 30x40 pole barn. Worked like a charm. Couldn’t be happier. Thanks @Cajun Country Livin’
Thank you so much! Yesterday I was able to extend my new sheds floor to the new size by using your technique. This 66 year old grandma was able to do it with your help and my little brother. I also shared this with a friends who said “It worked!”
A very big thank you. Our shed wooden floor has failed after 7 years. So I am lifting the shed, cutting away old flooring and will be using this technique to make 4 inch 10x12 cement slab. Perfect solution to replacing floor permanently and for good. Probably cheaper that wooden floor, and solid permanent floor
FYI for those that don't know, doing concrete this way makes the overall pour actually stronger then if water was added. As mentioned when the concrete wicks water from the ground it allows the concrete to harder in an unconventional way which is why it actually turns out stronger. I learned of this decades ago building decks for a living. I used to use all sorts of bracing and pored the concrete wet and of course it was dry the next day; then I had to remove all the deck bracing. When I started to pour it dry and tamp it solid there was almost no need for bracing as the dry concrete was able to hold things steady. The next day the concrete was hard and all the bracing was very strong. I got this idea from a person that did Fences and I asked way he was filling the holes with dry concrete... Concrete is amazing stuff...
Yeah I was just about to say the same... most people add WAY TOO MUCH water when doing a wet mix and as you say this will take moisture from above and wick it from below until it stops taking it and will usually result in a stronger mix... For those concerned about the edge you can make the edge slightly deeper so that it doesn't break off. I've also on numerous occasions stuck some fencing wire in the hole about 1/2" below surface and that really adds strength and even if you do get a crack it minimises the crack opening. Great job! Have never done the roller trick though, that leaves a great finish... will be trying that next time!!
WOW! That is wonderful, wish that I would have known this a year ago. Last year I poured my back steps, but they were not on the ground, they were on a wood frame that formed the steps. Don’t know if that would work out the same?
I can think of my next two projects o can use this method for. However, I am not sure if it can be used, here's why: You mention concrete will wick moisture from the ground. I want to redo my cracked up (but stable) garage floor and asphalt driveway. In both cases there's limited, or no access to the moist soil. Can I still drypour with sprinkling from the above? I intend to pour just 1 -1.5 overlay.
I'm watching from the concrete jungle known as The Bronx. I don't even have a need for a concrete slab but I admired your work and your can-do approach. Also, so refreshing to see a beautiful young couple working together in a family friendly way without trying to get unnecessary attention or twerking. Just peace. Thank you!
Oh my God, I'm so happy I found this video. All I need is a slab area for my grill. This is perfect, something I can actually do. THANK YOU!!! Stay blessed 🙌 💜
I used to build fences and I would often dry pour my posts, and then water them all at the end of the post grade. I never had a problem and 25 years later those fences still stand straight as an arrow. Great job!! Never again will I mix concrete.
@@andrewlaiz7648 Depends on the sidewalk. If it's not getting a lot of heavy traffic, then it would probably be fine. I personally would not try this for a driveway, but if you just want to add or repair a walkway between the back door and the gate, I imagine it would be fine for that
Same here. Wife and I did over 400 feet of cedar fencing in 1993 and set the post with dry pour. Lost 1 post about 10 years ago when a tree fell and snapped the post off. No problems with the other posts. Have replaced the rails and fence boards, but used the same posts.
Thank you for this DIY! It was simple, you showed and explained EVERY step and WHY you did it that way! You didn't go into all the "lingo", kept it simple and uncomplicated. I have an area in front of my shed that I need to get a slab in front of but didn't want to pay a company for or rent a mixer and all that extra stuff. Going to give this a go this spring!!! THANK YOU!!🤩
I did this for a growing rut between my mailbox and our blacktop road. I had 3 bags of dry-mix ready in a handcart, ready and waiting for the mail carrier to finish for the day. Then I eased a cut at the bottom of each bag, into the ruts. They were still half-filled with rainwater, per normal(!) and with each splash of wheels going through them dispersed more soil and made them deeper. I smoothed out each bag of dry mix, which was already absorbing water from below. When I saw that, I waited an hour or so and went out to add more water to the edges and then across the top, using my fern-mister. Three years later, it's still holding strong!
Thank you so much for posting this. I have been thinking about doing it this way for a sidewalk I need badly but I don’t have a lot of money to pay all these companies to come in and laid me a sidewalk. My husband recently passed away and I don’t have a lot of money I am doing good by just making it, and I have no help so I have to do everything on my own unless I want to pay $3000 and I don’t have that. So thank you very much for posting this you don’t know how much I appreciate this. I just turned seven years old and I have what they call crippling arthritis. What they told me was one day I could now I say could not be able to walk at all. God bless both of you. 🥰 🐾
I'm a brick, block, and stone mason, but I do some concrete work too. This is actually amazing, honestly. I don't know why I haven't seen this done already or thought of it myself. It's easy enough that anyone can do it, and i guarantee it's just as strong as the traditional way too, for smaller pads. I would just make them no thinner than 3- 1/2 to 4". Especially if you live in colder climates with freeze and thaw issues. Well done!!
@Tyler Anderson Maybe you could lay 2 inches, water that, then lay the rest. Also, it might be an idea to measure the water. After the first misting you could apply it with some kind of flower watering container. If you know how many bags you placed you can figure out how much water you should be adding. Just a thought.
My wife has been put on notice that I'll be needing her help one weekend this spring for a little concrete work, and she is actually excited about it. Thanks for the updated video!
I did a 10x20ft slab using your method and it looks & feels amazing. Thanks for putting this out there. No idea why so many elitist contractors feel the need to knock this method. Getting concrete "professionally" poured is ridiculously expensive and I feel like this is a fantastic alternative. Time will tell. Best of luck to all of your future projects!!
This is genius level. I have never tried a dry pour. But I can tell you I have great success with post holes by setting the post on a rock, getting it plumb with a few extra rocks round the sides. Then I fill the hole to the top with water and pour the dry mix through the standing water. As soon as it has rocks to the top I use a small stick or dowel to slide through the mix and move it up and down on all sides until the top looks well mixed. Then I take a small board or trowel to make the top slope slightly away from the post (or up to the post if you have excess concrete).
I am a 60 year old retired contractor in East Tennessee and wish I had seen this in my earlier days. It makes sense because we used to always set our posts in dry concrete mix and just either let it soak in the moisture from the ground or add a little water on top. Looks good, I'm impressed and thank you very much for sharing this. My next project with concrete will be your way.
Wow! Great job. I did something similar to this in 2016, a 10' x 7' patio and it worked great. Glad I'm not the only one thinking outside of the norm of what's possible.
I never thought to do this and it looks like a really good idea! I want to say that the background music in the video is pleasant to hear and does not overpower the video. Many RUclips creators will have the music volume set too loud and I get frustrated and often time I cannot continue watching. This mainly happens in documentaries and I think the music is meant to be mood or drama setting. Anyway, you have given us a great idea and did a fantastic job with your video! Thank you! We will keep an eye out for more of your videos.
I have been doing this for years. I do almost all of my work by myself and I love to experiment. I live in a cold climate of Michigan and it still works great.
I've poured my fair share of concrete in the military & it's a lot of work. This is mind-blowing how much less back-breaking work & mess there is. I'm trying this soon! Thanks for sharing.
Curious bc I'm about to do the same for an 8x6 shed. Did you do 1.5 inch like they did on the chicken coop slab? Any cracks? Did you rebar reinforce? The heaviest thing im putting in there is a 24in snow blower
I absolutely love this. We've discussed prices with multiple contractors and just could not offord it. My brother in law is a contractor and he told us the long hard way. This is simple & you did it over grass. We were going to have to rent an excavator or borrow from his brother. We've done an amazing job with the house, it's the landscaping that looks horrible(we have 5 dogs though & kids). I'm sooo happy to have come across this video!!!❤
WOW! Way back after graduating High School, 41 years ago, I worked construction with the concrete team before eventually moving to the painter's team, but from then to now, I had NEVER heard you could pour a concrete slab like this. My wife and I could have used this a few years ago in our previous home, because this sure as heck turned out better than the paving stones we used to create a small patio and walk way to our back gate.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment. This is the reason that we wanted to share this on RUclips. We wanted people to know that you could have your concrete needs met without having to hire people and spend a fortune.
I enjoyed your project ! Your right , we do things different up north , but the idea and end result results will be the same with a couple modifications !…..steel mesh will help hold the slab together when it moves with the freeze thaw cycle . Sooner or later most slab pours up here will crack when their open to the harsh winter it’s just a fact of life . Good job !…
After watching your vids I tried this method and it worked great. At first I struggled with getting the surface smooth... the trick I learned was to tilt the top of the 2x4 screed board rearward about 10 degrees while screeding forward. Doing so helped to push the aggregate downward without causing the pebbles to create skid streaks. Also, after the surface had a crust I placed an old beach towel over the slab and soaked it down every hour. That seemed to help with keeping it saturated over night. Keep up the good work!
A MILLION Views in 8 days! I would say you've found the formula for a great video that does exactly what the title says. Wow, so impressed and thank you for all the hard work that went into this demonstration.
I did this same thing about 30 years ago alongside my garage, then 20 years later when i had to break it up to make a drain for the drive it was the hardest thing to break up, was harder than the poured concrete of the driveway. great video, thanks for sharing
Interesting.. I am a concrete truck driver for the last 19 years. I don't know everything about concrete, but I think you are alright with walkways and porches.. thanks for the video. I enjoyed it
As a new diy and a single mom i feel confident I'll be able to do this. And with those last encouraging words i know i can and will do it. Thanks for sharing
There’s video on RUclips to help fix everything around your house washing machine dish washer sprinklers tile paint toilets it’s endless just type it into the search bag and someone will have a video to help cheers
As I watched this video I kept thinking to myself it would have a rough finish but would serve the intended purpose. When y'all started prepping it for a smooth finish I started scratching my head on just how in the world you'd keep it that way after adding water. I wrecked my head over the many thoughts I had, especially when you broke out the roller. I figured there was no way in hell it would stay that way and that you'd have to refinish it after adding water. And then, BEHOLD, mist! I never in a million years would have thought of misting the slab in stages causing a "scab" if you will, to protect the finish before soaking it. Dude! That was f*cking genius!! There's a reason why I have never done something like this before, I was just too ignorant to even think of tackling such a project! Unfortunately, now I'm old and decrepit and can only do stuff like this in my mind, OR watch you two do it! Thank you so very much. I just happened across this video but have subscribed, will share it and look forward to watching your other videos.
You know I am almost 69 year old woman and I am going to do it in my woods to make 4 base squares I migh even shape them like the flagstones in the pattio, to hold a gazebo, I am thinking of putting together myself....Two years ago I hired two 18 year old young men to help me build 50 feet of retaining walls and two flagstone pattios out of edend stones. We had to move all rock, minus, gravel, dirt, eden stones, boulders, flagstones by hand down a hill to the back of my house, about 100 to 150 feet and dig out the ground with a pick, ax and shovel...I did as much as they did...It is rustic looking but I live on a lake with woods in the back of my house...I also put about 200 feet of flagstone paths through the woods to the lake and built a 50 foot rock wall and a flagstone path on a hillside top just behind my house...
I've dry set concrete for some time, these folks know what they are doing all great advice. One small tip that could make it easier for some, especially if you are alone. You can fill your form 1/8 to 1/4 inch short then top it with mortar or portland to make the top creamier and cover the aggregate easier
Hey guys, I watched your video before my project and did like but I went ahead and did it the traditional way, which is mixing with water and buying a $300 concrete mixer, and it was tough though, now I have another section to complete and I decided to use your method it seams more convincing after what I did, I will make a video and show both methods of my project and posted so you can see it.ty❤
I’ve been doing dry pour for projects large and small. I got inspired by ConEdison, the NYC electric company. That’s how they completed underground projects. It’s never failed me. BUT… that paint roller! That’s a huge improvement Thanks 🥰
I have used this dry pour method 4 times now over the past year. I wanted to say THANK YOU!. I have also mixed concrete too, but the dry pour method works great and gives me time to do other things or time to even go buy the concrete bags after prep. Looking forward to what you have in store for 2024.
The irony that this would be a suggested vid and not something I was searching for just as I decided I was buying an 8x6 shed is unreal. Guess I'll start leveling my ground today. Simple process and a great step by step from you both. TY
Thank you!!! My Father passed away years ago and always kept our yards so perfect! This really helps since I want to lay some concert in the back and put slate slaps for a walkway. You guys' rock and very happy to find your channel. Thank you so much!
FORMULA FOR HOW MUCH CONCRETE YOU NEED ⬇️
Multiply - Length x width x height in feet and divide by 27. This will give you the cubic yards. Then divide that number by .022. That is the cubic yards in an 80 lbs bag of concrete.
How many bags did this project take?
@@JC-fj7oo 23:46
Height is the thickness of slab right how would make that into feet?
Lol I thought carpentry math was tough 🤣
@@caseG80 each inch is roughly .08 ft.
Professional concrete form carpenter here: Concrete finishing can be tricky and large projects can quickly get out of hand when you have a fast cure. You have essentially eliminated the two greatest pitfalls for the first timer. Love the paint roller. Well done.
Thank you so much!
I have done a lot of concrete work on my backyard with mixer, all successful. Would be better to pour some water on the ground before pouring concrete?
Thank you!
Correction: They clearly say they use a "concrete roller" and not a paint roller. I've scoured the local hardware stores, ebay, and Amazon and have yet to find a concrete roller. Deep sigh, what's a feller to do? :-) Now is only these kind folks could learn to speak American.
@@CajunCountryLivin is a thin slab required for this method? Or could you do this same thing with a 4” slab?
@@OlTrailDog k
You shared your tips with us. I'll drop mine while passing trough. ;-)
- Given the chance, park your truck closer to the pouring site. Less dragging of all that weight.
- When dumping the bags content, don't cut the top of the bag. Cut it in the middle lay on the ground. And lift both sides equally. Less weight (again). ;-)
- Last but not least. Unless you're in a rush, leave the forms in place for a longer time. Even a week, or more if it's a large concrete pour! Reason being that it preserve moist, allowing for a better cure. And better than that. When the concrete cure/dry it will contract and release from the form, naturally. Less cracks or potential for damage. Less work also.
Hope you enjoy my "lazy" tips. Cheers
Move the truck closer - yep
Great tips! Thanks!
I was thinking the same thing about the truck.
Great tips🎉
Yup, my first thoughts on the truck and how to cut and pour. At 68 you look for shortcuts and the easy way out
45 year construction vet upnawth in Virginia here - I can't see not laying 4 inch or smaller mesh or making such a pad less than 4 inches thick, but if it works - I say good for y'all down there.
But ONE THING that is important to point out and that is the dust in concrete is very, very bad because it is so very fine and it's like inhaling tiny bits of glass that go deep into your lungs and don't come out.
What I always did was put on safety glasses and pull my arms out of my t-shirt and pulled it up so the neck of my t-shirt went under my eyes and I tied the sleeves behind my head, which covered it all with the t-shirt hanging down my back like the Sheikh of Araby.
Beneath that I had on a dust mask.
Also, concrete and mortar dust is really bad for your skin - it'll suck the oil right out, and it is a strong alkali. So what I always did was apply Palmer's Shea Butter to my hands and wrists.
I suggest having a squirrel-tail brush to dust yourselves off with and laying the bags on the ground and cutting them open to minimize the concrete dust that gets stirred up.
I always keep a 5 gallon bucket half full of water to plunge my hands in to get the dust off.
It's a good idea to have such a bucket of warm water on hand for drywall or painting work, also.
What's most important is you enjoyed doing the project together and are pleased with what you made.
That's all that counts.
Such helpful information! Since having covid this last time, I take coughing spells even just dusting my house. I'll make sure I wear protective gear when we try this out!
P ok
That was the only thing I saw them doing that I thought hmmm .... Def should wear a mask & protective eyewear when that dust is getting kicked up. Other than that I'm def impressed with this!!!
YOU ARE A SUPER 🤩 FOR REMINDING OF Safety FIRST!! Thank you for some really GREAT ADVICE TO HELP PROTECT YOU FACE AND BODY! This advice will save alot of people from harming their skin and lungs. Not being able to breathe is a really hard thing to go through. And salvaging our lungs at younger ages through all of the advances that medical science has come up with is really important! 🫶🤩
Nice
Been around construction all my life I’m 71 years old and today I say that is so true your never to old to learn something new great job thanks for sharing loved it
We have a large patio and walkway of flagstone that the sand between the stones was basically gone. We had someone give us a $2000 quote to repair it. I saw your video about the dry concrete and we removed all the old stuff ourself and poured dry mix in all the joints and topped with a 1/2” layer of polymer sand to match the stone better. It has gone thru one zone 6a winter and it is beautiful. We spent less than $100. Thanks so much for the tip!!
Thank you so much for sharing this with us Sandra! So happy that we were able to help!
I absolutely love it! My husband was a builder for 30 years and we always worked together like this for home projects. He passed away last month from a brain tumor. Blessings to you both!
Bet that made for some good memories. Hopefully you are doing well, will say a prayer for you.
Blessings to you ma’am
I am so sorry for your loss. May God provide you peace during this difficult time.
Sending you some love through the universe 🧙🏽♂️
Keeping you in My Thoughts and Prayers. GOD Bless You
I built a brick sidewalk using dry concrete. I set all the bricks an inch apart in a pattern, poured the dry concrete, swept it into the spaces and watered her down. That was about 30 years ago and there have been no problems.
Great idea 🎉
That's actually a brilliant idea
Did the same with flag stone for a fire pit area. Worked perfectly
wonderful idea! do you have photos?
Is there a way to see a picture? I'm trying to picture it in my head but it's not going well.
Extremely helpful videos !!! I survive off of RUclips videos lol. After my husband passed away I’ve learned not to rely on anyone but myself so videos like these are much appreciated!! Thanks so much !!❤
Same 😊
Congratulations,I,my self ,did the same ,my lovely wife passed away and I was left with a little boy and a little girl and ,I say ,thank you God for You tube and the video creators they're a saving hand
@@zocalo1990im sorry about your wife ... Praying for you
I almost cried at the end when y’all said something like don’t be scared, try it, get creative. I’m a home improvement gal who had no dad after age 10. You Tube helps me get courageous. Keep inspiring people like me. ❤️ from Nashville, TN.
Hi!! We are so glad you watched this video. ❤️ a lot of our house building videos we do the words of encouragement, so if you ever feel like you need some pick-me-ups, go check those out. Thank you for sharing your story ❤️
and for us guys who didn't have a dad to show us either. Love the people that are willing to take the time to make videos sharing the wealth.
You never know until you try Speedy. I could tell you lots of stories about the pro's giving up. Lots of very expensive do overs because the job had to be 'near perfect'.
Speedy BNA, I too was touched by what he said about believing in yourself and allow your mind to be open and creative! Thank you!
As a licensed contractor, it also made me cry...lol..serious though, don't be afraid, you'll learn as you do things.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I saw your videos and I decided to Dry pour my patio slab 11X15 110 bags of 80lbs. It was a lots of work took me 4 days but It came out Great. You guys are Amazing
Im turning 70 years next month and i am going to have friends over for a Barbeque and Happy times
once again YOU ARE AMAZING
THANK YOU
So happy that our videos helped!!
Please post a picture!!!!
110 bags? They used 10 on a 5x5...if you built a 15x15' it would be 30 bags... Did you put the 2x4's up on end instead of laid flat? Or use 2x6 up on end instead of flat? (I'm trying to understand why it took so much more quickcrete... Please let me know!
how thick. what was your watering schedule?
lots of side by tests showing dry pour are junk.
Great job. I'm 62 years old .
Disabled and need to do some concrete slabs . I love this ideal . This is the way to go . For someone on fixed income . And the handyman ability. Thank you so much.
Loved watching . Thank you
Thank you for watching! So glad we were able to help. We appreciate the comment James. ❤️
Beautiful work, what’s more beautiful is loving husband and wife working together and encouraging others to try new things ♥️ love the accent too
I SO agree ❤
And getting along!
Goodness, I thought they were daughter and father
Cool! When I was a kid, I read in Popular Science magazine an article about using dry concrete mix to make concrete slab sidewalks just like your project. The author of the article claimed that this method resulted in stronger concrete than a wet pour. Nice to actually see your work successfully demonstrating this method all these years later.
Popular Science Magazine is a good resource for this kind of project - it may be limited but that doesn’t mean it isn't appropriate for some uses. A science magazine can address the properties and uses of any material. A magazine or book can give a user the knowledge necessary to use any medium or material such as concrete correctly. Thanks for sharing - excellent resource!👍
Did a 10ft x12ft patio Dry pour a year ago after watching your videos. Did everything step by step to the end. A year later, no cracks and no problems at all. It's doing very very well. Looking forward to doing another one. Thanks so much.
planning on a 10 X 12 also. Did you use rebar to strengthen it and did you also use quikrete as well? thanks
How many bags did you need?
And what was your total cost?
Total cost?
After seeing your first video on this , we used this method for our 12' x 20' shed . We went about 3" deep and used wire mesh in it . That shed is now storing thousands of pounds of old parts in it and no issues . Thank you very much for sharing this with us .
Any tips for doing that big of slab!?
I take the wire mesh helps the concrete from cracking?
@@hecmacias7604 : Wire and or rebar does indeed strengthens the concrete.
Is your area prone to freezing?
I'm so glad u posted this, I plan to do a porch and foundation in my pole barn and wondered would dry pour work in larger setting
Wow, just wow! How I wish I'd known how to do this years ago. The hours I've spent mixing spreading, sore hands, covered in cement mud, the clean up, all of it. I just want to hug you both!!! Absolutely brillaint. ❤
The fact you could pressure wash the slab after 1 1/2 years and it not fall apart is a great indication of the slab integrity. I used this same method for the grouting between the bricks on my patio, and 8 years later, it still looks good.
I know absolutely nothing about any of this, but can’t help thinking this is brilliant… I do have a question though… Do you think this dry method would also work to fill a relatively deep somewhat lengthy crack in an already existing slab..?
🤔
Could you share more details on how you did this to make your brick patio? I would like to do a brick walkway using some old bricks and wondered if it could be done using the dry mix!!
You spread your grout dry first and then wet it?
I am a seventy-one year old widow. With help from my DIL we completed a 3’x7’ slab in a few hours. It looks great. Thank you so much for a great couple of videos on dry pouring concrete. Anyone can do this!!
Thank you for sharing!!!
I'm so interested in doing this in the Spring. Thanks much. God Bless You All
I’m a 76 yr old widow tired of waiting for others to fix things, or saving to pay someone to do it. This will help me fix my yard. Thank you.
@@marywolfe5003Yeah it will
I drove a concrete mixer for several years and this is a first! One thing that I did learn about concrete finishing by watching the finishers in my rear view mirror is that finishers like concrete to be very wet because the concrete is easier to work with. However, excessive water weakens concrete and causes it to crack. Your dry method is a lot drier and therefore allows the concrete to be stronger when it dries. You folks may be new to RUclips, but you all did a great job! I look forward to seeing more of your videos and I would love to have more good people like you as neighbors. Great job guys!
That’s why we use superplasticizer.
That's what was going thru my mind as I watched this, that slab will likely be stronger than a "wet" slab because less water was probably used. For small DIY projects this is the way to go.
@@davidmontoya1400 what is 'superplasticizer'?
"Super" or superplastisizer, is a chemical additive that makes the concrete more plastic or wetter without adding more water as more water means less strength.
Incorrect fam. Finishers that wanna hurry up and just slick of the pieces. I want my concrete dry, dry, dry. With very lil cream after making my passes.
Thanks for creating and sharing a nice and helpful video. I have been dry filling support posts for fences and decks for years but never attempted a large area slab.
Since you were so kind to share I will pass along a trick to you.
After you mark and frame your area (remembering to measure from corner to corner to maintain square) place most of your sealed bags of concrete in the location and number that corresponds with the volume required (ie more bags where the slab is thicker fewer where it is thinner), when you think you have it about right cut the bottom of the bags (not the top) and pull the bag off. This allows for less lifting and dumping, correspondingly less dust and drift and keeps much of the aggregate away from the top for an easily smoother surface. (It also keeps the dust out of your Crocs and prevents your foot sweat from making concrete in your shoes).
Thanks again
You guys have just saved me so much money and stress. I’m a 5’-1” female @ 112 pounds, but try and do all I can in my own to save money and make my house and yard pretty. I’ve done toilets, sinks, floors, paint, coffee tables, tile, but I have been so afraid to try concrete at all cost. I’m not strong enough to carry giant tubs of wet concrete, etc.
I don’t have the money to pay a contractor. I can not wait to try a small slab in my yard for practice and thenI might jump head first into my sidewalks😃 this is my first video I’ve watched of you guys and I love it!!! There have been so many things when I started out 20 years ago without all the videos online that I didn’t know what I was doing, but I did it anyhow and learned from my mistakes. Now that I have people like you guys. I’m gonna kick butt! We can’t be afraid to try things or I would have never remodeled the entire interior of my house and some of the outside. Your channel is my new tv for the summer. Thank you so much for this idea!!!! BTW I love that you don’t get angry at the chickens and roosters and laugh when they crow. It made me laugh every time they did it and saw your smile
Thank you so much for watching!
I know, you're like myself, I've done most of the work in renovating my home. Can't really afford to pay a contractor to do the concrete work but this is a absolutely amazing job!!! I'm so happy & this will be my next big project! Well I'm looking to build a bathroom where there no plumbing on a slab. That's how I found this video!!!
your not the only female homeowner to do stuff on their own to save money, am glad am not alone.
Hi! If you do live in a state that freezes over winter, how does that affect the dry pour method? Would you need more or have to dig deeper? Thanks!
I am the same way, whatever I feel I CAN do on my own i'm trying it
Love that paint roller trick!
Minor tip - position the unopened bag in the form, so all you have to do is score the bottom of the bag with a blade and lift up, then spread - will save you the risk of spilling outside the form!
Yeah, that's great but, he called it a "cement roller." I wonder how many people are gonna go to the home improvement center this week and have looks of puzzlement from the employees when they ask for it that way.
@@curiouscharacter1 Surely those kinds people don't exist
Same thought here, and I would add that it creates less dust that would be inhaled.
@@2008mmvii / Masks. Or are they all "anti-maskers" down in Loosianna?
@@jamespyacek2691 They are anti James down there in the Loo
No James allowed.
I have to admit...I need to rethink pouring concrete now. I didn't think it was going to turn out right, but I was proven wrong. I'm sold on this method! 💯 It looks amazing.
You can do it!
You are so clear, specific & well spoken with your details! Great job !!
Thank you so much!
My mom taught me this years ago. She poured a slab for a shed by using a truck bed to get close, cut the bags then empty it on the ground. She couldn't carry the bags. It's lasted for well over a decade. Didn't think about dry smoothing it though. Great job guys!
Did it crack after a decade?
I've formed and dry placed concrete landscape curbs and put brick on top, it's quite common. They take a long time to fully cure but after a few weeks it's as hard as stone.
And the dryer the concrete mix, the stronger the final result.
This is a tremendous result and clean. Nice work.
I want to do landscape forms, so dry pour will work!?!!
Been in the construction industry for going on 12 years and never seen this done before. When I first started watching and saw you form up the 2x4s the “wrong way” and without any stakes. I was like oh no. Than I kept watching. Learn something new everyday and while this wouldn’t work for all applications it works well for any application that won’t have a lot of weight on it. Pretty much you made one large paver. Thanks for sharing, great video. Your absolutely right about taking risks and trying new things. Creativity and taking chances is good for the soul. One tip I could offer is you can use stakes to support the forms just cut them off flush with the forms with a sawzall after you screw them to the forms or pound them in until they are flush with the top of the form.
Thank you Andrew!
I did as well no stakes big problem but no it worked I been in the concrete industry for 30 years and I thought I seen it all but wow I am going to try this when summer hits it is to cold now.
@@JAM-zb2vhIf your elevation is low (11 feet) and your soil gets muddy, should you put sand down first before the concrete?
Agree on all points, but a couple of suggestions for garage floors and carports four or more inches deep:
Add elevated (6x6x10) wire. Dry level the crete and lightly wet as they did. But submerge the entire slab in water for 2-3+ days afterwards (a week or more is even better).
@@Rev22-21 How do you completely submerge a larger poor?
Ty for this video! As a single Mom on a budget I can now do my own small projects that would have cost me too much money for something I can now do myself! Ty guys so much and God Bless You for teaching us practical and low cost ways to get things done for ourself
You are so welcome! Thank you for watching! If you have any questions, shoot us an email! 😊
I LOVE it! And LOVE what you said about believing in yourself that you can! That's how I built my 5000sq ft house with NO blueprint and most of it with NO scaffolding! And, mostly only ONE Man and myself, just like you two. WE DID IT! It has stood the test of time also. Been standing with no issues since 1998. We mixed our concrete traditionally, (for footings) so I LOVE what you're showing here. We'll use this for the BIG BARN project we're starting now. I want to lay my own barn floor. Oh Yeah!!!! BTW, we're also almost 69, this year and going strong!
🎉wow that’s amazing you rock all it takes is a little time and patience and measurements
2nd time watching...am
now over 70yrs old...will
have to figure a way of screeding by
myself
...have access
to reduced cost busted bags at only
one specific
local
"Big Box Store"...
God Bless🙌
"Yooz Guys"
LDS🫡/"LA":
(LowerATL)
Awesomeness I dream to transform me 53ft dry trailer to a home with a deck. You inspire me.
@Smooth Ve Thank you! You can do it! Put together the ingredients of desire/want to, patience, perseverance, and for my husband and I, prayer and faith. God helped us in so many ways we couldn't have known what to do otherwise when problems arose. With His help, problems were short-lived and minimized. I didn't even have RUclips when we built. Imagine that! I believe in you. You can do this!
@@IWeasel Thank you! Yes, both, for sure!
For a quick sod cutter, use an old blade on your circular saw, set deep-,cuts a nice straight line-repeat every shovel width then slide shovel under each row- sod comes right up-easy-peasy !!!
Thanks you!!
ease of grass pick up will still depend on what type of grass you have as the different types will have different root systems.. so unless you started with sod strips keep this in mind.. the old saw blade is good idea to get an even piece/s though..
Never seen anything like it. I got 😮a 😢10 x 24 foot pad to pour on the back of my property and not any help to pour it. This could be my answer. How big a pad can be poured this way. Do you think I should pour it in sections? Thank you it was an eye opener for me. If I could pour a 5 x 10 foot one day and right beside it another 5 x 10 foot will they bond together it would take 4 days to do the 4 sections and I will need to put a drain. This is to put portable off the ground pens for dogs on I want to put a drain box all the way around the edge😢with a 24” sidewalk. That way I can wash it all to the drain in the bottom of the drain box and then hook too my sewer system. Great for cleaning.
I'm a DIY sort who grew up w/o a dad after age 9 so this sorta stuff is encouraging. Love how you guys do it together and don't overthink it all with digging down, laying sand and gravel and making it a big ta do. Like you said "it's just foot traffic. Cut out all the middle men and expense...How perfect!!
I just finished a 3'x4'x4" slab in a late afternoon, thanks to finding your video.
For my needs, and with the strength of todays readymix concrete, i dont foresee touching wet concrete ever again. Thank you so very much!!!
As an engineer on several large construction projects I have inspected a lot of concrete placed and finished and this is the slickest method that I have seen for a light application like a sidewalk or a pad. That final paint roller finish method is genius !!
As an engineer, is there anything you'd do differently for a large slab?
🎉Zzz,,
@@adamedwards4305 if your going to do a large slab put joint breaks and rebar in, that’s about all you need to do
Also removing organic soil AND vegetation under the slab would help with longevity
We (My son and I) tried this method over the weekend. I cannot wait to remove the forms. He hated the many times we had to scree, but I think he will be proud he helped create an awesome patio in the front of our house. Thank you so much! We deliberately made it thick as we live in NE Ohio. .cold and alot of snow. Be well.
How thick? 4"? 6"?
@@eckel4574they said Ohio ... So ... could be 16"
Me and my brother's work together every day pouring concrete slabs and footers and driveways patios sidewalks we do anything and everything but working with family it's hard sometimes but being around my brother's and my nephew every day working it's a blessing
I thought I was the only one when I realized how easy it was to do dry pour concrete I made sidewalks, slabs, I went concrete crazy LOL. So easy and you're right I poured one slab up to 6 in thick and it hasn't cracked ,saged, deteriorated,at all. over 10 years now. Best kept secret in concrete.
Do you get snow and ice in winter?
Do you have snow and ice in winter?
I'm a tower Crane Operator of 23 years & all I do is pour. So naturally when ever I pour a slab around the house I use the same method as I've seen for so long & spend thousands doing it. I stumbled across this video today & I gotta say I kinda want my money 💰 back 😆 🤣 Thanks for sharing
I wasnt looking for a new project, but I think you just created a new spark for this summer. Concrete for the fire pit and for my garage. Thank you for showing me the simple way to do what I always envisioned to be a difficult task. I can measure. I can cut. I can build it.
I want to create a concrete pad for my winter wood supply. It’s 6.5’ x 50’ area. Will this method of concrete slab be strong enough to endure the weight and winter weather? (Middle of Michigan)
I do realize that I will need to break this up into smaller slabs.
Man I said the same thing. Like I’m about to go build something for my dog outside
Thanks for a great video
This 64 year old single mom will do starting my 7’ x 9’ slab this week!!! Love you our attitude!!!
Well, I’ll be gobsmacked! Never would have thought concrete mix would set up this way. Not only timesaving, but you avoid the effort of mixing up wet concrete with a mixer or by hand with a shovel. And by the way, you have solved my problem of how to grout a 1000 square feet of laid brick. Instead of working the wet grout into the spaces between the bricks, I can pour dry mix onto the surface, carefully sweep it into the cracks, and then lightly mist with water. This will also save time and effort by not having to remove wet grout from the bricked surface. Perhaps I’ll do a RUclips video of the process and with y’all.
Awesome idea with the grout I’m Curious to know how that works out.I’m not thinking about a vertical brick wall I am thinking about grouting tile on the floor.
I may be overthinking things but wouldn't the dry powder on the bricks set up also and end up creating more of a mess than a solution? If you weren't already going to do it, I would suggest testing a small area first and move on from there. Hope everything turns out well.
Polymeric sand is much easier to work with and that's what it is designed for.
If it gets ugly down the line, pressure wash it, sweep in more, blow it off, wet it, done. It'll take you about an hour.
Great idea 👍🏽
This was so helpful, I'm 65 years old and wanted to put a walk way in front of my tiny house. I know I can do this. Thanks for the step by step video.
Where are you located ? I'd help you no charge ,👍
@@ourblissfuldreams That is the great spirit of good old America! God Bless!
you know what's greater than the marvelous job you did - it's two of you!
Having poured 10s if not 100s of thousands of yards of concrete building roads, airports and such my hat is off to pure simple genius of this method! For the purpose intended, this brings the value of concrete to a diyer at an enormous savings of money and effort.
You guys rock!
Best hack ever. I'm guessing this is going to take off like crazy.
THIS is what the whole world needs to see....Family working together! Great video!
Yes! Thank you!
Most attractive thing is seeing the team apply...I'd go ahead and have the retriever start digging the walkway though...
Yep, them chickens would have much helpful fried!
As a home owner of multiple buildings and single homes, you are so right about having an open mind to new ways of doing things! Keep doing what you are doing!
I never knew this was even possible… we have two areas, one smallish walkway and one larger patio type size that we’ve always wanted to concrete, but the cost has kept us from having it done and the fear of doing it ourselves and pavers are only a couple bucks each but adds up quick when you need a lot of them.
This gives me a lot of confidence that we can do it ourselves and I think we might actually try it on the smaller walkway area first when the weather gets warmer and drier! Thanks so much for this!
We just have enclosed our patio and I have been planning to build a concrete ramp in front of the door. This video is an inspiration and huge encouragement... this tells me I can do it myself and not spend a lot of money paying someone. Thank you very much! You have a new fan in Northwest Florida!
I have NEVER seen a dry pour slab before! that turned out well! and I like the addition of showing the previously dry pour slab you did for the chickens!
Just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. I just finished a 25x11x4 concrete pad in the yard for a dog kennel and storage shed, and your video helped me figure out how to dry pour it. I'd never even heard of doing it that way, and neither had anyone I asked for tips about it. It was infinitely easier than a typical pour, and my family and friends were all very curious to see it when it was done. Turned out amazing and no one could find anything bad to say about it. Thank you for saving me time, money, and headache!
Very nice..... did you used any reinforcement mesh mat under?.....
Interested to know if this worked out for the shed.
I’m sure family and friends wanted to see the finished job, but we’re they at all curious to be there to help lugging bags on concrete with ya? Lol,lol,lol,lol…
Awesome video! I want to try this method for a small sidewalk. Thank you for posting.
I'm curious in what state you did this? Just because of weather/ground heaving.
I did this last week but I did a 4" thick sidewalk and it worked out perfectly.
It was a lot less work involved and the final results were smooth with exactly the amount of roughness to prevent slipping and falls.
So happy that your project turned out great! Thank you for sharing!
Talk about shattering myths and legends in one small video! Love it!
A Great Video...planning on putting together a plastic shed with a size of 6 X 8.
I am a 63+ year old widow (have to do this by myself)
and have been watching many videos on laying concrete foundations, but none as simple as yours.
I have been afraid to try, because of all the do that's, thingy madingies and do hickies one has to have to accomplish this task.
Your video ENCOURAGED me to try it your way. I already purchased 6 bags of 80lb. Concrete.
It never occurred to me that you set your Gardenhose to mist to wet the concrete a little at a time. Wonderful 🥰👏🏼
The shed will hold in Winter 200 lb. of chicken feed, as well as (at the moment) 8 silky hens and one rooster.
I also want to incorporate my door because of the mud...so now i have to start measuring all over again, to find the best solution that works for me, and move the chickens again to do the entire area all at once.
I guess I have to purchase 10 more bags of cement, to perhaps accomplish the job?
Thank you so much for your video!🥰
27 years as a concrete subcontractor. This both intrigues and fascinates me. There is such market for this application for small slabs, stoops and pads for equipment. Love to see how it holds up to the drips from the roof. 👌🏻
I just tried this today for my back patio. I wonder about the water drips too. It's a 9 foot fall off the roof. I'm thinking I should get some rain gutters.
@@pilotandy_com Gutters are best. But much easier project if you just want the water to avoid a few feet of the ground are rain diverters. Basically just an angled metal piece that tucks under your shingles and keeps water from following into a specific area. Of course, you then get more water flowing off on both sides of the area you are protecting. But depending on your situation it could be much cheaper and easier than installing gutters with drains. I used one for my doorway and only it took about half an hour. Good luck with your project!
@@pilotandy_com do you have the option just to put a section of gutter just over the concrete, I have seen where they, have decorative chains as the down spouts may be an interesting look. This old house did one with copper and a chain link copper thing for the down spout, Looked good, Anyway just throwing ideas, Hope it works out for you,
@@raybucbolt Just small info but I've seen more diverters than not cause roof rot - probably from catching leafs and dirt over the years and then the water backing up - plus the shingle can't really seal down properly because the diverter is in the way.
I do gutters and screen rooms/patio rooms and got a few calls - on rooms where they had diverters over the back door - saying they are leaking but it's really the diverter and water coming through the soffit. Most of the time I catch it before hand because you can see the dip in the shingles where the decking is rotted.
I don't recommend diverters - if you must grab a 10 foot piece of gutter and some hangers and just leave it open on each side.. not very nice looking but it won't cause problems - unless you have wood siding or something..
As a kid my Dad dry packed fence posts but never seen it done on a slab before. I love the positivity and words of wisdom at the end. Well done ya'll!
Same, a lot of concrete in my shoes when I was younger
yeah like when we build decks we just pour the bag in for the posts there sitting on cookies already. no water just throw the dirt back in the cement gets hard eventually. but never seen this before.
This was a phenomenal video and the information is priceless, I have a two formal degrees a JD and a PhD and they have nothing on this channel!!! This is the most amazing University I have ever attended! LOLOL Thank you I’ll be using this for my tiny house!!! And thank you for your positive words at the end of the video!!! So worthwhile to watch you guys in action.
I would like to suggest a site called skill share for you. I think you have what it takes to gain from it.
I agree! I loved the encouragement at the end of the video.
Yes, I have a tiny house too and I'm planning on doing one like this to stand my grill on. Good luck to us. 🤞
Tried this technique this morning, I've never done any concrete work before, the only process I deviated from was using some sakcrete and quikcrete, vs all quikcrete, the reason is i had 3 bags of the sakcrete laying around. I did a 4 inch thick slab over an existing 3inch slab, extending it 10 inches in length and 10 inches wide. I'll do the 8th watering in about 15 minutes. Here's hoping I followed the instructions well enough for a solid slab.🤞
it's been 3 weeks. Update us! ❤
How'd it turn out?
Any update!? I need to do this to an existing and wanted to know!!
I live in the uk I am a retired construction worker and there is nothing that I couldn't do after 58 years. I loved watching this THANKS. BARRY
Tried it last year after watching your chicken coop slab video. My husband thought I was nuts. Had him watch the video and he too was convinced enough to give it a try. We poured a pad in front of his side entry door into his 30x40 pole barn. Worked like a charm. Couldn’t be happier. Thanks @Cajun Country Livin’
That is awesome! So happy that it worked out great for y’all!
Thank you so much! Yesterday I was able to extend my new sheds floor to the new size by using your technique. This 66 year old grandma was able to do it with your help and my little brother. I also shared this with a friends who said “It worked!”
Thank you for sharing! We are so happy that we were able to help!
A very big thank you. Our shed wooden floor has failed after 7 years. So I am lifting the shed, cutting away old flooring and will be using this technique to make 4 inch 10x12 cement slab. Perfect solution to replacing floor permanently and for good. Probably cheaper that wooden floor, and solid permanent floor
FYI for those that don't know, doing concrete this way makes the overall pour actually stronger then if water was added. As mentioned when the concrete wicks water from the ground it allows the concrete to harder in an unconventional way which is why it actually turns out stronger. I learned of this decades ago building decks for a living. I used to use all sorts of bracing and pored the concrete wet and of course it was dry the next day; then I had to remove all the deck bracing. When I started to pour it dry and tamp it solid there was almost no need for bracing as the dry concrete was able to hold things steady. The next day the concrete was hard and all the bracing was very strong. I got this idea from a person that did Fences and I asked way he was filling the holes with dry concrete... Concrete is amazing stuff...
😊
Yeah I was just about to say the same... most people add WAY TOO MUCH water when doing a wet mix and as you say this will take moisture from above and wick it from below until it stops taking it and will usually result in a stronger mix... For those concerned about the edge you can make the edge slightly deeper so that it doesn't break off. I've also on numerous occasions stuck some fencing wire in the hole about 1/2" below surface and that really adds strength and even if you do get a crack it minimises the crack opening. Great job! Have never done the roller trick though, that leaves a great finish... will be trying that next time!!
And you don't have to be in a hurry, like with wet cement.
WOW! That is wonderful, wish that I would have known this a year ago. Last year I poured my back steps, but they were not on the ground, they were on a wood frame that formed the steps. Don’t know if that would work out the same?
I can think of my next two projects o can use this method for. However, I am not sure if it can be used, here's why:
You mention concrete will wick moisture from the ground. I want to redo my cracked up (but stable) garage floor and asphalt driveway.
In both cases there's limited, or no access to the moist soil.
Can I still drypour with sprinkling from the above?
I intend to pour just 1 -1.5 overlay.
I'm watching from the concrete jungle known as The Bronx. I don't even have a need for a concrete slab but I admired your work and your can-do approach.
Also, so refreshing to see a beautiful young couple working together in a family friendly way without trying to get unnecessary attention or twerking. Just peace. Thank you!
I really like how she explains things thoroughly and walks through reasons of doing things. She'd be an excellent teacher.
Oh my God, I'm so happy I found this video. All I need is a slab area for my grill. This is perfect, something I can actually do. THANK YOU!!! Stay blessed 🙌 💜
Glad it was helpful!
I used to build fences and I would often dry pour my posts, and then water them all at the end of the post grade. I never had a problem and 25 years later those fences still stand straight as an arrow. Great job!! Never again will I mix concrete.
Thanks for watching!!
I did the same! The less water you use, the stronger your concrete will be.
Would this work for a sidewalk?
@@andrewlaiz7648 Depends on the sidewalk. If it's not getting a lot of heavy traffic, then it would probably be fine. I personally would not try this for a driveway, but if you just want to add or repair a walkway between the back door and the gate, I imagine it would be fine for that
Same here. Wife and I did over 400 feet of cedar fencing in 1993 and set the post with dry pour. Lost 1 post about 10 years ago when a tree fell and snapped the post off. No problems with the other posts. Have replaced the rails and fence boards, but used the same posts.
Thank you for this DIY! It was simple, you showed and explained EVERY step and WHY you did it that way! You didn't go into all the "lingo", kept it simple and uncomplicated. I have an area in front of my shed that I need to get a slab in front of but didn't want to pay a company for or rent a mixer and all that extra stuff. Going to give this a go this spring!!! THANK YOU!!🤩
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching!😄
@@CajunCountryLivin could this method be used to widen a driveway or will the weight of vehicle be too much?
I did this for a growing rut between my mailbox and our blacktop road. I had 3 bags of dry-mix ready in a handcart, ready and waiting for the mail carrier to finish for the day. Then I eased a cut at the bottom of each bag, into the ruts. They were still half-filled with rainwater, per normal(!) and with each splash of wheels going through them dispersed more soil and made them deeper. I smoothed out each bag of dry mix, which was already absorbing water from below. When I saw that, I waited an hour or so and went out to add more water to the edges and then across the top, using my fern-mister. Three years later, it's still holding strong!
Sounds like a good idea and makes sense!
Thank you so much for posting this. I have been thinking about doing it this way for a sidewalk I need badly but I don’t have a lot of money to pay all these companies to come in and laid me a sidewalk. My husband recently passed away and I don’t have a lot of money I am doing good by just making it, and I have no help so I have to do everything on my own unless I want to pay $3000 and I don’t have that. So thank you very much for posting this you don’t know how much I appreciate this. I just turned seven years old and I have what they call crippling arthritis. What they told me was one day I could now I say could not be able to walk at all. God bless both of you. 🥰 🐾
I was skeptical at first been a concrete finisher for 25 years I have never seen this before you guys taught me something new today. Look great
I'm a brick, block, and stone mason, but I do some concrete work too.
This is actually amazing, honestly.
I don't know why I haven't seen this done already or thought of it myself.
It's easy enough that anyone can do it, and i guarantee it's just as strong as the traditional way too, for smaller pads.
I would just make them no thinner than 3- 1/2 to 4".
Especially if you live in colder climates with freeze and thaw issues.
Well done!!
im in the same boat. Dont know if its easier than using a mixer for small projects but definitely not harder and easier on the back.
@Tyler Anderson I'm thinking if you soak the ground first, it would help pull moisture into the bottom of the slab.
Should some wire be added to it? Pour concrete....lay wire top with more concrete? I always thought hog panel would make great concrete wire.
@Tyler Anderson Maybe you could lay 2 inches, water that, then lay the rest. Also, it might be an idea to measure the water. After the first misting you could apply it with some kind of flower watering container. If you know how many bags you placed you can figure out how much water you should be adding. Just a thought.
@@mckenziekeith7434 you're overthinking this just do how they showed it's good enought.
My wife has been put on notice that I'll be needing her help one weekend this spring for a little concrete work, and she is actually excited about it. Thanks for the updated video!
Awesome!! We love that!!
Good wife...👍
Thank you for such a cool informational video. The slab was perfect!!!
Glad you liked it! Thank you very much!
I did a 10x20ft slab using your method and it looks & feels amazing. Thanks for putting this out there. No idea why so many elitist contractors feel the need to knock this method. Getting concrete "professionally" poured is ridiculously expensive and I feel like this is a fantastic alternative. Time will tell. Best of luck to all of your future projects!!
I want to do a 10x30ft for a dog run. Just curious… how many bags of concrete did it take you?
I'm working with a 11x20xft. Backyard/patio. I would also like to know about how many bags you used.
Excellent comment 🫡
Perhaps use there measurements and multiply.
@@strongbredbreeder Just watching the video, they did a 5ft by 5ft, just see how many bags they did and multiply that, hope that helps..
This is genius level. I have never tried a dry pour. But I can tell you I have great success with post holes by setting the post on a rock, getting it plumb with a few extra rocks round the sides. Then I fill the hole to the top with water and pour the dry mix through the standing water. As soon as it has rocks to the top I use a small stick or dowel to slide through the mix and move it up and down on all sides until the top looks well mixed. Then I take a small board or trowel to make the top slope slightly away from the post (or up to the post if you have excess concrete).
Awesome!
I am a 60 year old retired contractor in East Tennessee and wish I had seen this in my earlier days. It makes sense because we used to always set our posts in dry concrete mix and just either let it soak in the moisture from the ground or add a little water on top. Looks good, I'm impressed and thank you very much for sharing this. My next project with concrete will be your way.
Wow! Great job. I did something similar to this in 2016, a 10' x 7' patio and it worked great. Glad I'm not the only one thinking outside of the norm of what's possible.
Pure genius I’m a retired carpenter and I’m embarrassed to admit I never saw this before… well done🤠👍
I never thought to do this and it looks like a really good idea! I want to say that the background music in the video is pleasant to hear and does not overpower the video. Many RUclips creators will have the music volume set too loud and I get frustrated and often time I cannot continue watching. This mainly happens in documentaries and I think the music is meant to be mood or drama setting. Anyway, you have given us a great idea and did a fantastic job with your video! Thank you! We will keep an eye out for more of your videos.
Thank you so much. Lydia does all the editing so we really appreciate you acknowledging this. We appreciate you watching!
I have been doing this for years. I do almost all of my work by myself and I love to experiment. I live in a cold climate of Michigan and it still works great.
This is exactly what I was hoping to find in the comments! Thanks! I was really hoping someone else in Michigan tried this method.
What's the minimum thickness to avoid crack? I am from Toronto and the weather is similar as Michigan (in reality could be worse, lol)
I’m in Ohio and was afraid to try it, but what thickness do you pour?
@@benjiang6493 Id say 4in. I'm from NW-WI
@@benjiang6493 definitely 4”.
I've poured my fair share of concrete in the military & it's a lot of work. This is mind-blowing how much less back-breaking work & mess there is. I'm trying this soon! Thanks for sharing.
I poured a slab for my 5x10 shed in the backyard after seeing your first video last year. No issues and it looks great. 😊
Curious bc I'm about to do the same for an 8x6 shed. Did you do 1.5 inch like they did on the chicken coop slab? Any cracks? Did you rebar reinforce? The heaviest thing im putting in there is a 24in snow blower
I’m going to try this for my building!
How many inches deep did you do it because I want to make 2 slabs the same size for my yard
I'm also curious what extra steps you would need to take for a shed.
@R Louis I think their slab went from 4 to 1.5 they tappered it to create a slope.
I absolutely love this. We've discussed prices with multiple contractors and just could not offord it. My brother in law is a contractor and he told us the long hard way. This is simple & you did it over grass. We were going to have to rent an excavator or borrow from his brother. We've done an amazing job with the house, it's the landscaping that looks horrible(we have 5 dogs though & kids). I'm sooo happy to have come across this video!!!❤
WOW! Way back after graduating High School, 41 years ago, I worked construction with the concrete team before eventually moving to the painter's team, but from then to now, I had NEVER heard you could pour a concrete slab like this. My wife and I could have used this a few years ago in our previous home, because this sure as heck turned out better than the paving stones we used to create a small patio and walk way to our back gate.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment. This is the reason that we wanted to share this on RUclips. We wanted people to know that you could have your concrete needs met without having to hire people and spend a fortune.
Omg i can't wait to try this. Thank you so much
I enjoyed your project ! Your right , we do things different up north , but the idea and end result results will be the same with a couple modifications !…..steel mesh will help hold the slab together when it moves with the freeze thaw cycle . Sooner or later most slab pours up here will crack when their open to the harsh winter it’s just a fact of life . Good job !…
After watching your vids I tried this method and it worked great. At first I struggled with getting the surface smooth... the trick I learned was to tilt the top of the 2x4 screed board rearward about 10 degrees while screeding forward. Doing so helped to push the aggregate downward without causing the pebbles to create skid streaks. Also, after the surface had a crust I placed an old beach towel over the slab and soaked it down every hour. That seemed to help with keeping it saturated over night. Keep up the good work!
How did the beach towel affect the surface finish?
@@tinkeriddins2851 he said the surface had a crust meaning it was already semi hard, towel obviously did nothing
A MILLION Views in 8 days! I would say you've found the formula for a great video that does exactly what the title says. Wow, so impressed and thank you for all the hard work that went into this demonstration.
I did this same thing about 30 years ago alongside my garage, then 20 years later when i had to break it up to make a drain for the drive it was the hardest thing to break up, was harder than the poured concrete of the driveway. great video, thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing!!!
Interesting.. I am a concrete truck driver for the last 19 years. I don't know everything about concrete, but I think you are alright with walkways and porches.. thanks for the video. I enjoyed it
As a new diy and a single mom i feel confident I'll be able to do this. And with those last encouraging words i know i can and will do it. Thanks for sharing
Hi! We are so happy to help! If you have any questions, send us an email! Congrats to you in advance!
There’s video on RUclips to help fix everything around your house washing machine dish washer sprinklers tile paint toilets it’s endless just type it into the search bag and someone will have a video to help cheers
As I watched this video I kept thinking to myself it would have a rough finish but would serve the intended purpose. When y'all started prepping it for a smooth finish I started scratching my head on just how in the world you'd keep it that way after adding water. I wrecked my head over the many thoughts I had, especially when you broke out the roller. I figured there was no way in hell it would stay that way and that you'd have to refinish it after adding water. And then, BEHOLD, mist! I never in a million years would have thought of misting the slab in stages causing a "scab" if you will, to protect the finish before soaking it. Dude! That was f*cking genius!!
There's a reason why I have never done something like this before, I was just too ignorant to even think of tackling such a project! Unfortunately, now I'm old and decrepit and can only do stuff like this in my mind, OR watch you two do it! Thank you so very much. I just happened across this video but have subscribed, will share it and look forward to watching your other videos.
You know I am almost 69 year old woman and I am going to do it in my woods to make 4 base squares I migh even shape them like the flagstones in the pattio, to hold a gazebo, I am thinking of putting together myself....Two years ago I hired two 18 year old young men to help me build 50 feet of retaining walls and two flagstone pattios out of edend stones. We had to move all rock, minus, gravel, dirt, eden stones, boulders, flagstones by hand down a hill to the back of my house, about 100 to 150 feet and dig out the ground with a pick, ax and shovel...I did as much as they did...It is rustic looking but I live on a lake with woods in the back of my house...I also put about 200 feet of flagstone paths through the woods to the lake and built a 50 foot rock wall and a flagstone path on a hillside top just behind my house...
@@HouseofTherapy2023Impressive
I've dry set concrete for some time, these folks know what they are doing all great advice. One small tip that could make it easier for some, especially if you are alone. You can fill your form 1/8 to 1/4 inch short then top it with mortar or portland to make the top creamier and cover the aggregate easier
This comment saved my bacon today.
My daughter and son-in-law have something that need done and this will help us immensely that we can do it ourselves. Thank you for the video.
Hey guys, I watched your video before my project and did like but I went ahead and did it the traditional way, which is mixing with water and buying a $300 concrete mixer, and it was tough though, now I have another section to complete and I decided to use your method it seams more convincing after what I did, I will make a video and show both methods of my project and posted so you can see it.ty❤
Worked concrete on and off my whole life. And learned stuff I've never even thought of!!
Trying to think where I need a slab right now!!
Awesome!
My backyard!!!🙂
I’ve been doing dry pour for projects large and small.
I got inspired by ConEdison, the NYC electric company. That’s how they completed underground projects.
It’s never failed me.
BUT… that paint roller! That’s a huge improvement
Thanks 🥰
I have used this dry pour method 4 times now over the past year. I wanted to say THANK YOU!. I have also mixed concrete too, but the dry pour method works great and gives me time to do other things or time to even go buy the concrete bags after prep. Looking forward to what you have in store for 2024.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experience Benny!
The irony that this would be a suggested vid and not something I was searching for just as I decided I was buying an 8x6 shed is unreal. Guess I'll start leveling my ground today. Simple process and a great step by step from you both. TY
That’s awesome! So happy for you!
I know. I was just thinking about putting a slab in my shed but haven't searched it yet, and here we are.
Thank you!!! My Father passed away years ago and always kept our yards so perfect! This really helps since I want to lay some concert in the back and put slate slaps for a walkway. You guys' rock and very happy to find your channel. Thank you so much!
I did a patio slab 23 years ago like this, it is still good uncracked to this day.
Love this!!!
Glad to hear that. Do you leave in a Southern state or somewhere North? I'm in South-East Michigan, and I wonder if it would hold as well over here.
@@bkucinschi I live in Illinois and would like to do this but not sure if it would hold up in our weather.
I'm curious too... live in WA state with serious freezing, but am very eager to give a try
How big was the slab?