How to Lay Concrete Around a House

Dig up the sod in the areas around your house where you want to lay concrete. Take this time to remove well-established plants, dead tree stumps and other growth that currently occupy the space where your future concrete slab will be. Compact the soil to provide a firm base for the concrete you lay around your house.

Install a solid framework of wooden forms to prevent the concrete from seeping. Forms help ensure that poured concrete ends up with smooth, even sides and surfaces, and they protect your sod or other plants from coming in contact with wet cement. Wooden pegs or stakes can be driven into the ground next to the forms to prevent the framework from moving once the concrete is poured.

Take accurate measurements of the area of your forms so you know how much concrete you will need. Then you can make a better assessment of what kind of concrete to use. The Home Depot notes that fast-setting cement is best for small areas, while mixed concrete is ideal for larger areas like driveways or sidewalks.

Pour the concrete mixture into the forms. Use a stiff piece of lumber to compress and level the poured concrete to ensure a solid, air-free slab around your house. Cover the still-wet concrete with a tarp or piece of plastic to slow the drying-out process. While the concrete is still damp, use a float, trowel or broom to give the surface either a smooth or textured surface.