How to Enlarge a Parking Area Around a Garage

Spray paint the ground to mark the perimeter of the new parking area.

Excavate the ground inside the area you marked off. For a project this size, you'll most likely want to rent a 1 1/2-ton excavator to do most of the digging, although digging the area immediately adjacent to the garage with shovels may be a good idea, especially if you're not experienced with the excavator. Dig deep enough to go beneath the frost line (your local zoning board can tell you how deep this is).

Drive wooden stakes into the ground every 3 feet around the perimeter of the hole and nail 2-by-4 boards to them to complete the wooden form for the concrete.

Lay a vapor barrier on top of the soil inside the hole. This plastic sheet protects the concrete from moisture in the ground.

Place expansion strips along the side or sides of the garage floor that are adjacent to the form. These provide room for the concrete to expand and contract due to temperature changes.

Pour a layer of gravel or sand into the hole, following local building codes regarding the depth and type of material to use.

Lay wire mesh or rebar on top of the gravel or sand, again following local building codes.

Mix a batch of concrete, following the instructions on the packaging.

Fill the hole with concrete until it is slightly higher than the top of the wooden form.

Screed the surface by dragging a 2-by-4 board across the top of the form with a side-to-side motion. This smoothes the surface of the concrete, removes excess concrete and exposes low spots in the pour. Fill in any low spots, and screed the surface again.

Place a bull float on the edge of the form closest to you, with the back edge tilted into the air. Push the float across the concrete, then lower the back edge to the surface when you reach the other side, and pull it back towards you. Continue doing this until you've completed the entire form.

Cover the concrete with a plastic sheet. Remove the plastic daily to add water to the concrete, then re-cover it. Add just enough water to keep the concrete damp, and do this for a week. Allow the concrete to cure for four to five days.

Remove the plastic sheet and the wooden frame.