DIY: Pouring a Concrete Patio

Site Preparation

• 1

  Mark out the area to house the patio with marking paint. Draw a line indicating the desired size and shape of the patio on the ground.

• 2

  Lay out 2-inch by 2-inch wood planks along the edges of the marks to determine the proper size for the wood form. Cut the planks to size with a circular saw.

• 3

  Assemble the wood form by driving 3-inch self-tapping wood screws through the end of one piece into the start of the second. The planks need to stand so that the 6-inch edge is vertical. Lay the completed form out on top of the painted marks to verify the dimensions are accurate.

• 4

  Dig the area out to a depth of 6 inches and extend the hole slightly beyond the marks to allow the concrete form to sit in the hole. Lower the form into the hole.

• 5

  Compact the ground with a hand tamper, a long metal pole with a heavy, square base and two handles on the sides, or a mechanical tamper available for rent at most hardware stores.

• 6

  Hammer wood stakes into the ground along the outer edge of the concrete form approximately every 2 feet. Place a level on the concrete form to obtain a slight down angle away from the house and secure the form to the wood stakes with nails hammered through the stakes into the form. The tops of the stakes need to be flush or slightly lower than the upper edge of the concrete form.

• 7

  Double-check the level around the perimeter of the concrete form. Adjust the height as necessary.

Pouring the Patio

• 8

  Pour 1 to 2 inches of crushed gravel into the base of the hole for drainage. Tamp the gravel flat so that 5 inches of height remain in the hole. Add or remove gravel as necessary.

• 9

  Mix cement together with water in a cement mixer. Pour the cement into the area until the hole is approximately half full.

• 10

  Lay out steel rebar reinforcement rods across the surface of the patio spaced two feet apart. Lay a second layer of rebar perpendicular to the first layer creating a grid pattern. Press the grid into the surface of the wet cement slightly.

• 11

  Fill the remainder of the hole with cement until it is flush with the surface of the concrete form. Drag a 2-inch by 2-inch wood plank across the surface of the wet concrete. The plank should rest on opposing edges of the form. Drag the plank in a zig-zag manner to saw at the surface of the concrete. This will smooth out the surface and remove excess concrete.

• 12

  Drag a float across the surface to remove any signs of gravel and to smooth the surface. Allow the surface water to evaporate and smooth it out with a trowel.