How to Cement With Wire Mesh

Measure the size of your future cement area to determine how many wire mesh sheets you need. Wire mesh is sold in 10-foot-square sheets at home improvement stores. Lay the sheets out inside the form boards.

Cut the sheets to the proper size using a pair of wire cutters or bolt cutters. It will be much easier if an assistant holds the other side of the wire mesh while you are cutting it. Overlap the wire mesh sheets by 6 inches on each side to ensure proper coverage.

Mix your concrete thoroughly. For homemade concrete, combine two parts of cement with three parts of sand, each part being equal. For instance, if you choose 1 gallon as the part measurement, you should have 2 gallons of cement and 3 gallons of sand. Mix the cement and sand together with a shovel in a wheelbarrow before adding water. Add one part of water to the cement and sand mixture, stirring it with a shovel until you have a workable mixture the consistency of thick cake batter. Alternatively, you can use a premixed concrete mixture to which you simply add water according to the manufacturer's directions.

Pour your cement. Standing on the outside of the concrete form boards, hold the wire mesh screen above the ground and pour the concrete through the wire mesh. When the cement is about an inch below the top of the form boards, let go of the wire mesh and continue pouring the cement on top. The wire mesh must be an inch below the surface of the cement for the best results.

Hold a steel trowel at a 45-degree angle and drag it across the concrete surface. Moving the trowel in a straight line will help eliminate swoops and curves in the surface of the concrete, although the arcs can create an appealing surface texture. The way you maneuver the trowel depends upon the surface appearance you desire. Subsequent passes with the trowel will result in a smoother surface; approximately three passes with a steel trowel will yield a slick surface.