Making a Concrete Patio

Laying a concrete patio is a do-it-yourself job that most people can do, as long as you take care in the preparation and the laying of concrete. Normally, you'll have to mix the concrete yourself from pre-mixed materials so try to buy, hire or borrow a cement mixer. If access allows, you can also arrange for delivery of ready-mixed cement ready to pour straight into the prepared ground.

Spade
Wheelbarrow
Hardcore or rocks to cover base
Wood, 4-inch-by-2-inch for framework
Damp-proof membrane
Cement mixer
Cement
Long length of wood
Trowel
Polythene cover

Instructions

- 1
  Prepare your patio area ready for concreting by digging out 6 inches of soil. Fill the base with 2 inches of crushed and levelled hardcore and tamp it down firmly to create a level base.
- 2
  
  Check the level of the soil before concreting.
  
  Build a temporary frame around the edges of the dug-out area using 2-inch-by-4-inch wood. The top of the wood should be level with the ground. This will keep the shape of the patio when the concrete is poured in.
- 3
  Lay a damp-proof membrane across the base and up the sides of the wooden frame.
- 4
  
  Keep the concrete mixer as near as you can to the patio area.
  
  Mix up the concrete according to the manufacturer's instructions and pour into the frame. Work in small sections at a time and Ievel off the concrete with a spade or strong rake as you go.
- 5
  Take a long piece of straight timber and tamp down the concrete surface from one end to the other in a backwards and forwards motion. This will spread the concrete out evenly and remove any air bubbles. Fill in any low spots, then tamp and level the surface again.
- 6
  
  You can create patterns in the newly laid concrete.
  
  Create decorative patterns or grooves in the concrete surface by lifting and dropping the tamper to create waves or using a hard bristle brush while the concrete is setting. You can also scatter the patio surface with stones to create a textured surface.
- 7
  Trowel the side edges of the concrete to create a neat finish then cover the concrete with a polythene sheet to prevent it drying out too quickly. Clean the cement mixer and all the tools thoroughly before the concrete starts to set.
- 8
  Leave the concrete to dry out and cure for at least 24 hours. Carefully remove the temporary wooden framework so you don't damage the cement, and cut off any surplus damp-proof membrane with a sharp knife. The patio can be used after three days.

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