How to Form & Pour Small Concrete Pads

Build wooden forms to hold the wet concrete in place. Using 2-by-4 lumber, frame a square that corresponds to the size of the concrete pad. For example, if you are pouring a 10 feet by 10 feet pad, attach four 2-by-4s, creating a square that is 10 feet wide and 10 feet long.

Attach the 2-by-4s at the corners with 3-inch wood screws. Hammer 2-by-4 stakes into the ground on the outside of the 2-by-4 frame, spacing them 24 inches apart. Level the form by placing a 4-foot level on top of the boards. Raise the forms if necessary, and attach them to the 24-inch stakes with 3-inch wood screws to hold them in a raised position.

Pull a tape measure diagonally across the wooden form to check that it is square. The diagonal measurements should be the same if the box is square; if not, rack the box until the diagonal measurements correspond.

Remove 4 inches of soil from within the 2-by-4 forms with a pickax and shovel. Add 4 inches of crusher-run gravel to replace the soil. Smooth out the gravel, and tamp it down with a hand tamper so that it is fully compacted.

Pour the concrete into the forms, filling it to the top of the boards. Rake the concrete around with a hard rake to distribute it evenly. Smooth the surface of the concrete with a concrete hand trowel, rubbing in circular motions and working from the center to the edges. Allow the concrete to sit for one hour.

Smooth the edges of the concrete where it meets the wooden forms with a concrete edger. Place the edger onto the concrete at the forms, and slide it back and forth until the concrete edges are rounded.

Create a broom finish on the surface of the concrete after the concrete has sat for two hours. Pull a soft-bristled broom across the surface of the concrete to gently raise the sand from the mixture. Softly sweep the surface -- pulling, not pushing -- until the entire surface is sandy rather than smooth.

Remove the forms from the dried concrete after 24 hours. However, do not use the concrete pad until 48 hours have passed.