"He wasn't even wearing a high-visibility jacket!" -- Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, level rail crossing safety video episode. at about 1:31 in the video th-cam.com/video/ue61c6MZNQw/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=TopGear
Back in about 1955, my dad poured a 60x10 foot driveway by mixing his own concrete in an old gasoline-powered mixer. He had one helper and I remember them screeding the top with two 2x4’s joined together in the shape of a T. That driveway was smooth enough to roller skate on.
@@Parnag10 Rebar should be between 1/3 to 1/2 from the bottom and you will need additional control cuts, doubtful it will work for a garage because this will not be but about 1000 to 1200 psi. I use a similar method to fill flowerbeds around pools. This is not a good example of how to dry pour.
Attention to detail is paramount to a successful and visually appealing and strong concrete slab. Try these three things to help make this job look professional and sustain the test of time. 1) Make sure you don’t follow the watering instructions on the bag. Mist heavily afterwards for 5-6 hours on the hour, then start hourly soaking cycles. Too much water is not an issue, under watering definitely is. Wait at least 3-4 days before removing wood, longer if you can. Keep watering during those days. 2) Use a corner trowel on the edges between the concrete edge and inner slab form to prevent chipping and cracking on the edges as much as possible when you remove the wood form, plus it just adds a professional look. 3) Spray WD-40 on the inner side of your wooden slab form around the entire perimeter BEFORE you add any dry concrete mix inside of it. This will ensure a quick release of the wood form when you remove it and minimize cracking or chipping because the concrete adhered to your wood form. The WD-40 acts as a buffer between your wooden form and the concrete guaranteeing a quick and uniform release with absolute minimum cracking or chipping. Happy project to you all DIYers!
Good on you mate. Ex formwork carpenter here watched a few of these dry pour videos honestly never heard of it before last few weeks , your the first bloke I've seen putting rebar / mesh in, as long as your doing that, for what your using it for. Be fine. If you want it perfect, obviously truck and crew of guys is the way to go, but for a tool shed etc. I see nothing wrong with it. Only thing I'd do is wet it down then roll out plastic over it for a few days. Long as your keeping it wet. I dont know how it would go with a pressure washer on it in parts but generally speaking as long as that mesh is in there and it stays wet it should be more than fine for your uses. The only criticism I have, and it's minor, would be I'd drill each of those connecting slabs and glue rebar into them every 8" or so then when the slab dries it's all tied in and won't crack. But that's a minor thing. I did a slab here, in Aus mind you similar size recently and I paid a crew of guys, was close to that size, but pebble Crete had to be pretty much perfect I think was 11k. But I'm long past the point of doing my own stuff I do bits here and there. But good on you for doing that. You can be as fussy or as rough as you want with concrete. As long as it's functional for you, then it's fine. And even if you wanted to do it extra good, you'd just dig a perimeter footing deeper and put big bar around it, and that's basically then a garage slab anyways. Even just going to big bar over mesh prob enough. Also, what you could do, if you want it perfect, is build your walls and nail / screw them down, then use literally 2-3mm up the bottom plate as a form, and buy a heap of floor leveller. And you'd basically just pour that runny then you have a perfect slab. We'll would look perfect anyways. For your purposes prob still overkill. Even just pouring say an ice cream container of floor leveller and then pouring over the rough bits and screeding would tidy it up. The only other thing I'll say, is your concern ISNT weight down, but probably LIFT UP, ie wind loads. So if you just make absolutely sure there is enough water on the edges specially. As which ever way you do it, spaghetti anchors or chemset or Ramset etc. You NEED that perimeter done right or there's potentially no strength UPWARD under wind loads. I'd be more concerned about that, than weight down. So I'd keep that in mind more water around the edges, and then as you build up, keep eave overhangs to a minimum as that will reduce uplift, tie it with cyclone ties / diagonal bracing etc. But that perimeter MUST be right for that purpose. Even just bigger bar around the perimeter only would make a huge difference. So if you've got for instance, spaghetti anchors every 12 inches, and there's a dry spot every so often, it could be only 1 anchor has any strength out of 2, 3 or 4, which would mean an anchor every 48 inches holding it down worst case scenario. So that's what you want to avoid. I'd also be putting plastic down UNDER the gravel, as that will both hold water in, make for a much stronger slab, AND prevent rising damp on the frame. Even though treated lumber is pretty good now days, a thin sheet of plastic do more than the treated lumber. But do both. Again shed slab, who gives a fuck at the ends of the day, but my 3c.
Retired in the Philippines remodeling an old resort on the beach. We have four more than 20,000 sacks of cement all by hand it’s crazy. How are you Miss modern tools 🧰 Great video👍🏿
I appreciate the video. It helped me see what the dry pour hype is all about. I have been in the construction trade for a long time now and I don't see how this method is any easier or better. I'm going to stick to the traditional wet method I know. I see a lot of questionable things with this method, and it doesn't seem to be any easier. Concrete is messy as it is, and I'd rather have it wet then dry. I mean the dust you're breathing in, the concrete sticking to your skin all over your body because of the sweat and getting in your eyes as well. PPE is a must especially with this method. Getting the concrete dust on your skin is going to be a very bad thing for your skin. The dry pour method in my opinion is ok is certain situations like smaller applications or concrete that you don't care about how it looks. I'm not trying to be negative, I guess the traditional way makes more since to me. If I was having a house built and the contractor said he was going to dry pour my foundation or any concrete slab/walkway I'd say no way! I have a feeling that maybe a year later or so there is going to be a lot of issues with all these dry poured slabs. It reminds me of when I put a post in the ground, dry pour the cement and then add the water. It seems fun and will work in controlled smaller applications, I think.
I am not a construction professional, but having property with horses, I do a LOT of fence-building. I have learned that doing a thing right is seldom the easiest way, and when it comes to concrete, wet is best. When I plant poles, especially load-bearing poles for gates and such, I always pour a footing in the bottom of the hole, let it dry, and then set the post. Always wet. I have had dry pours fail or the post just rots out and doesn't last as long. I would rather take a little extra time to extend the life of my post and have the peace of mind knowing that I did a good job than to shortcut it and have to redo it in a few years.
I am not a construction professional, but having property with horses, I do a LOT of fence-building. I have learned that doing a thing right is seldom the easiest way, and when it comes to concrete, wet is best. When I plant poles, especially load-bearing poles for gates and such, I always pour a footing in the bottom of the hole, let it dry, and then set the post. Always wet. I have had dry pours fail or the post just rots out and doesn't last as long. I would rather take a little extra time to extend the life of my post and have the peace of mind knowing that I did a good job than to shortcut it and have to redo it in a few years. And I agree on the PPE...concrete mix is nasty stuff to get on you or breathe in. I was thinking when he walked out of that cloud of dust after busting up the bags that he is nuts for not at least wearing a mask.
I can only say for a 70 year old woman putting in a 5x5’ slab alone (only had help with screeding) I couldn’t afford to rent a mixer or handle this amount of wet cement. Dry pour worked well for me. We’ll have to see how it stands up to foot traffic. For the most part if I can’t do projects by myself it simply doesn’t get done.
I did an 8x8 slab like that 3.5" deep. I put in a total of 9 round footings 20" deep x 6" diameter. All four corners and midway. I used rebar throughout and left over old pipe. Built a room on it and it's held up great for 9 years so far.
You scare me, dry or not, rubber boots, gloves and at a minimum an N-95 though a N-99 mask. I envy your ability to handle the work. I would have fallen over. But you really need to remember, people are going to imitate you, which is a really big compliment. Have them imitate you with some sense of safety. Concrete and especially concrete dust is nasty stuff.
I would love to see a revisit on this video; I wish he left the pad cure for 30 days, then tried to drive a bolt in to put in a sill plate. It would SHATTER the damn thing.
@@matthewcrist1012 some videos strength tested dry pour vs wet pour and the dry pour is not even half the strength. Stuff just crumbles once the outer shell breaks.
Hey man. Instead of just pulling the screed (2×4) towards you try sliding it left to right while pulling it. It will help push the gravel down below the powder. Hope this helps.🙏🙏
Can't begin to tell you how entertaining video was, along with the laughs. Definitely learned and got some ideas to work with too. I'm old but never too old to learn from others. Thank you. ❤
You need to screed the top by sliding a 2x4 in a side to side motion to get it smooth and flat it pushes the stones down and brings the fine cement & sand to the top giving it a smooth top finish
The easiest way to get dry pour leveled is by putting a little too much concrete in your form. Then you just scrape the rest out. Otherwise you’re just trying to fill in holes the entire time. Hope this helps.
👒 off for all your hard work. After researching dry pouring for awhile several steps were consistent. No wetting the cement prior to filling the form and screeding the dry cement to prevent uneven interior spots. If you're adding rebar etc. at the halfway mark. Initially only a light mist the first few times. The cement will absorb the moisture evenly. This was a combo of both dry and regular. For anyone attempting this please be mindful and wear safety gear.
I have a shed that has a dirt floor. So I decided to try dry pour. Did. Mine a little different but same principal. Framed off one side with 2x4. Stack broken concrete and rocks inside forms. Poured dry concrete over it and packed around it. Screeded top to just below top of board. Wet it down good to get saturated. Let it sit about an hour. Poured thin layer of dry mix on top and misted. Walked away. Very solid. Has been that way for a while. No problems. I live in NM. Over 100 in summer and down to 0 to 10 in winter. No cracks.
Couple of things. If you plan on doing this, skin contact with concrete can easily cause cement poisoning. I've seen it. If you don't mind a half dozen layers of skin painfully peeling, go for it. Two, ready mix is actually more cost effective assuming you need more than the three yard minimum. Third, the actual surface finish is terrible. If you want a smooth slab, just get ready mix and finish it properly.
This guy thinks like I do! Not a thing wrong with doing it this way, especially if it’s just for a shed. It takes way more bags then you think, so if you have rocks, chunks of concrete, broken pavers, you can throw that in too. If you want a nice finish, you can skim coat it with a sand mix, for the final finish. Make it like soup, and it’s beautiful! I widened my pool deck 8’x 30’ a little at a time this way… no cracks, and it looks great. Not recommended if your going to drive vehicles across it, or heavy machinery. It makes doing it yourself extremely doable. He even laid out the bags to show you approximately how many to start with, then he added as he was leveling it. Well done video……👊👊👊
Not a thing wrong with it? Dudes breathing in silica like I’ve never seen before 😂 chronic lung disease called silicosis coming straight for this dude 😂😂
One reason to mix concrete in the traditional way is air entrainment. When concrete is mixed with water for the proper length of time billions of tiny bubbles are made. These bubbles absorb the expansion of wet concrete when it freezes. I'd love to see some dry pour concrete after a few winters in the Midwest. In the south I'd probably try a dry pour.
I think the worst part is lugging the bags of mix around; I'm no athlete. But I find myself wondering if 40 lb bags could work for an indoor project of building a slab in my basement to level my washer and dryer. I can sorta walk them down the stairs from my alley doorway once I get them out of my car's trunk. ** Yes, I know this is meant to be an outside method, but I'm thinking that wetting the existing floor, and adding enough water to the dry pour as if I was wet-pour mixing it would let it bond to the existing floor and cure properly.
I wanted to thank you for your videos. You gave me the faith that I could actually do my own dry pour and am almost done with the filling and leveling it out. Taking a break right now. Will take some pics and let ya know how it turns out. Thanks again for your videos and breaking it down.
Nice job. I have used the same method in UPSTATE NEW YORK at 2 and 4 inches and had pretty good results inside portable shed. 2" is foot traffic only. My family does NOT understand that. 4" is holdig even outside with no covering for 10 years now. Still light traffic only. A dump truck went too far and messed up a section but that was expected outcome. (firewood to shed oh well) Point is the method is solid. IMHO
Dry pouring slabs are great for DIY! Small projects around your home no prob. Its not a method you want to use as a professional. But if you are doing things at your home and it satifies you that is your business.
I have done concrete and its much easier to do it the old way, you get a better mixture and an almost perfect finish depending on your skill. You do not want to be breathing concrete dust. The downside is you have to buy a used mixer for 150 bucks and a few tools. Doing it dry you cant get the air bubbles out which is bad if you live in freezing climates, water gets in there then freezes and cracks.
You can rent all the tools and a mixer. hell now days, they got mini trailer mixers you can rent or they just deliver smaller loads. a few yards or so.
i would be surprised if that slab cured in the center. How many bags of mix, 40? About how many gallons of water? I'd love a follow up video in a year or 5. Very interesting technique if this works and has some longevity to it. Thanks for the video, you got me thinking! Cheers!
You ever have a bag of cement left in the garage last more than a year before turning to stone?? Haha I've been wondering why this can't work for simple slabs for a light shed or patio or walk etc that does not needing to be " structurally perfect " obviously not going to put a house on it lol
Yes @@jak3est I have had several bags of un-opened, un-used concrete turn to solid ! ...I plan on stripping paper off and using them to fill deep ground imperfections, and dry-pouring over them.
As the cement in the dust reacts with water (eg. sweat on the shin, pleural fluid in the lungs, or tear film on the eyes) calcium silicate hydrate and calcium hydroxide (aka caustic lime) will form. Both of these compounds may cause: serious eye damage/eye irritation, and respiratory and skin irritation. Also, inhaling fine particles in large quantity, even if no-reactive, is not good for the lungs.
This is me all day, especially for a shed or patio pad. I need a shed for my dirt bikes and atvs so I'll definitely look more into this. Great video, you got a new subscriber.
Would it not cost more doing it this way ? Hard core and 1,2,3 method on top mixing in a wheelbarrow with drill attachment ,slower but t wouldn't dry each time ?
I am surprised that you did that. I was thinking you were going to fail miserably but you totally got my respect and for that I give you two thumbs up, good job buddy you got a new subscriber
This is a great way of doing it. The only thing that I would do different would be that you need an expansion joint up next to the other pad that you already placed. You could go one step further and dowel them together with the expansion joint foam too. Could make the concrete last a few more year long or at least keep it looking nicer for longer. Just my two cents.
I love how you used LOGIC to simplify this task. In fact, after axing all of the bags, you could have stopped after the first 12 were dumped out, do some relaxing or YT-bing, and come back to empty out the remaining axed' bags, and take another long break - AT YOUR LEISURE. #Winning !
This might work if you don't plan on building any walls on it. Otherwise, when you drill your still plate anchors they will anchor into Concrete powder.
@@PakehaParker Nope you mist the pour once every hour for 3 hours, Then one final spray. When you pull the forms there will be no dry pockets. Dry concrete mix absorbs the water by osmosis. And it will be even.
I love this idea and will be trying this myself! Please wear a mask!! Those dry particles are getting in your lungs. (My dad has PF - pulmonary fibrosis- due 30+ years of projects with none)🥰
Don't, this is a crap method. He's going to end up with a thin slab of half assed concrete on top of an unstable bed of completely dry concrete mix. This shit is going to crack and crumble with any sort of weight on it.
Yeah I definitely would like to see a follow up video a year from now. I don't think this will hold up. No where near enough water used. The only way to get away with a dry pour is to practically flood it. Concrete will set up under water as long as it is kept contained and not allowed to disperse.
Flooding it won’t help it would essentially be just as bad minimal water. With to much water the top will peel and eventually crumble with to little you get the same. Just mix it
alternative way to get a level surface is to install the slab very slightly low, then finish off with a top layer of self-leveling concrete (be sure to first use concrete bonder on the slab)
Of course the best way is to mix the concrete instead of having to jump through insane hoops doing a dry pour and work twice as hard to bust up your faulty slab 10 years later.
Thanks for sharing your project, I'm faced with a simillar project myself. For how long did you water the slab? Have you had any problems with the slab? Rock On!
I am putting up a garage in a box with 10 by 20 floor space. I'd start 10 by 10. How many bags, of mix would I buy. Or how many lbs in case they different sizes?
Hello, Paul. I was just quoted last week $1,900.00 for a 20’x20’x3” slab for my backyard. I want to build a shed and a carport on it. Thankfully I’ve been watching videos about Dry pouring concrete and your videos are really convincing me to go this route. Thank youl!
No disrespect, but a 20' by 20' for 2k is insanely good. Honestly, I haven't done the calculations, but you'll be spending quite a bit on the concrete alone for your DIY version if you try it yourself. Do the math and let me know.
I did the math for you…At $5 per 60lb. bag of quickrete, a 20’x 20’ x 3” pad would require 221bags. That’s over $1,100 just for the dry concrete. That $1,900 quote is a Godsend…hope you jumped on that one…
I thank you all for your suggestions and calculations. I had not done the math yet. I enjoy the journey of doing something I haven’t done before because I get to keep the learning experience, but only if it’s cost effective. Yes the quote includes material, forming, and labor. Y’all gave me something to think about. Much Mahalos!
For a dry pour, that was a HUGE undertaking. I've seen people do HVAC pads dry...but not that big! Wow. Hey good on you. Good enough for government work.
Obviously you don’t do government work…there are rules ,design,engineering,specifications,inspection and most people doing are required to have qualifications..etc Once it’s turned over …all bets are off
Wow, I absolutely cannot freaky believe it. You're getting done what I want to get done. I just got into woodworking, but I dont have any place that I can use as a woodshop and to put all of my different saws, tablesaw, circular saw and other saws, all of my different sanders such as, drumsander, orbital sander beltsander, plainer. So, I will order a shed something like a 10' x15' and 6.5' high is good enough for me. But first, I need a foundation for the shed and floor. I believe I'll use your idea make a slab.
People, this method is VERY dangerous. To the uneducated and inexperienced in construction, your video may seem like a cool idea. And, your method may be just fine for many non-critical backyard projects where proper structural integrity is not important. But if concrete neds to be used for something where properr structural support is needed, then your method is very dangerous. Without mixing concrete properly and with correct ratios of water then the strucural properties and integrity of the concrete will be dramatically changed.
Yeah I was thinking for a DIYer doing this for a small tool shed or walkway is one thing but I am concerned about building a structure on this. I have poured a number of pads and driveways and even have a small mixer for small house projects but a structure on it. I sure hope he means one of those sheet metal lawn mower sheds.
Yeah but it's one thing if the concrete is for a foundation for a house or a concrete driveway. When building a base for a chicken coop or a small shed yeah it's weaker but not enough to matter for what it's being used for.
All jokes aside, I commend you for ccx such hard work and great videos showing others that this CAN be done without breaking the bank. Today everything is so expensive that to hire a contractor to pour that size slab in an isolate area not so close to a cement foundry will cost you over 12K. Great job man!!🎉💪💯👊💥🚀🍺🍺🍺
@@randyjohnson5179 I had a contractor pour a 1000 ft 4 inch slab at $9000...that's 9 dollars a foot, he was the cheapest of 4 estimates. The more isolated you are from the concrete manufacturer, the longer the truck and ccx workers need to travel that adds to cost as well. It's crazy after covid Danes as lumber prices. Why?? Are we running out of trees?? Noo...same as we are not running out of gas or concrete. It's just supply and demand effect
Thanks for this very informative video. I am just curious how many bags did you need for this area and what was the cost? Did you compare it to having a cement truck come by and just pour it for you? How are things holding up?
Would i need to reinforce a slab for a pergola? It's not a ton of weight but some, nothing like a vehicle or anything though. The slab is going to be 30x10 but in 3 sections so 3 - 10x10's.
There are some who will say this is not the way to do concrete and say all that is wrong with it. Here are my findings which will save you hours of research. This method of doing a concrete slab works for many applications. I would not use it for a garage floor or driveway due to the weights of the vehicles, but I would love it if someone did a test on that to see if it works. I have seen dry pour slabs which had to later be removed. The broken fragments look the same as wet pour, meaning that the cement managed to wick moisture all the way through. This seems very suited to things like a shed, back patio slab, barn floor, slab for items such as ac unit or generator (I personally have one for my generator did many years ago). The techniques used in this video are just a little faulty, he should not use his bare hands in cement and should try to avoid inhaling the dust. The biggest advantage to this method is you can do it by yourself and you don't have to be in a hurry like you would with wet pour. I would suggest anyone who plans to try this, watch some other videos. The better technique seems to be when you slid a 2x4 back and forth while going down the form, this seems to make the little rocks sink below the surface and leave you with a layer of dust on top. Also, I like the videos showing them using a roller to get the surface even, I would try using the widest roller I can get along with a stick. I think the ground should be soaked before you start, definitely use rebar or mesh and I would do a presoak like he did before I do the final layer on top. Another advantage of this method is that if you need a small slab poured, most concrete guys won't do it because it's not worth their time, so you simply can't get anyone to do it even when you've got the money in hand to pay for the service.
I don't want to be rude, but there are quite a few people in comments here who seem to think this is an acceptable alternative to a "wet pour." By any metric, this is the dumbest and least efficient way possible to pour concrete. Even though he shows 28 bags at first, a pour this size would REQUIRE a minimum of 71 60# bags of quickrete, which is what he seems to be using here. That's iF you mix it with water, which actually helps "stretch" the dry mix slightly over this volume, which is a little bit over a cubic yard. A cubic yard, from a concrete company, costs an average of $120-$150. That's mixed, hauled, and delivered to your forms, ready to go. Most drivers are happy to pour in lifts, letting you get a bed down, put your remesh in, and then finish the pour. Based on Home Depot prices, which is a generally ok basis for estimation, 71 bags of concrete cost a little over $300. So, for the cost of a truck and hiring a couple guys who actually know what they're doing, you could have poured a proper concrete slab, and saved yourself probably 8 hours of back-breaking labor hauling, dumping, and spreading bags of dry mix. Not to mention the potential risk to your health of breathing cement and silica. I guess you wouldn't have been able to post such prime youtube content, but for everyone else who might see this video, don't do what this gentleman did. Hire a professional, or at least watch a DIY video with good information.
Well said and there was no rebar or wire to " keep in tact. Don't even think this concrete had rocks just straight concrete for flashing and not strength.
What wrong with just ordering it in a truck like normal, you like to make things harder than they need be. I'm betting it will lack strength, and over time may not hold up as good as wet pour would.
I mean he kinda explained exactly what all the problems were with it in the video- lots of extra time and work. One thing he didn't mention though was the cost of renting a cement truck, which would've been who knows how much.
@@tonyfrontuto1140 bags of concrete are not free, there would be little difference in cost. He just wants to do it his way. Truck could drive up the side and dump it right into the forms, level it with a 2x4 and trowel, job done. Ps mixers also have wheels, move it to where you want it dumped, no barrow needed.
If anyone has worked concrete they would know this way is much much easier. No worries about it setting up on ya, no rush, and most importantly the cost would probably be a third of what a truck cost. Call a concrete delivery and price it then get back on here and tell us the price. Great job here.
@@TUGG75 some ppl have more time than money. As far as the price being really close....I call BS on that. Call and get a quote on Crete. I've worked concrete too it's a hard job no matter which way you go. Dry compared to wet yeah you have to deal with bags but think of all the money you save.
I'd like to see 2 test "bricks", 1 with wet mix and 1 with this method and do a strength test, just out of curiosity. Try weights to break them in half so it can be measured 👍🙂
A wet mix will be stronger than the dry mix if tested within a certain time frame. The longer concrete has to set, the stronger it is. It actually takes about 12 years for concrete to reach its maximum strength potential.
It's a cool idea/concept and certainly has its place for very small projects, however when you price the cost per 80 lb bag @ roughly $5.00 per bag (45 needed to make a yard) and ready mix concrete per yard, you are at $225.00 per yard. The national average for ready mix delivered is approx $110 per yard + roughly 15-25 dollars per yard. the ready mix is always a better deal for projects of 1 yard or more.
"The strength of concrete increases when less water is used to make concrete. The hydration reaction itself consumes a specific amount of water. Concrete is actually mixed with more water than is needed for the hydration reactions. This extra water is added to give concrete sufficient workability." I did like the demo with the truck, but you need not worry... this slab is going to be ultra hard.
Awesome man! Truly inspiring to see someone do it without buying expensive equipment by yourself. Your thought process of the typical renting wheel barrel and concrete mixer is exactly what I have concluded. So glad there is someone as lazy as me.
Do not follow these directions unless you want to have a mess you have to pull up shortly after you realize it failed! This is the dumbest idea I’ve ever seen
Will it get enough water all the way thru? Ive done this with grout gaps on stepping stones out doors and wet it down pretty good that works but a whole slab i dont know
I needed this video an the comment in my life .. thanks everyone 😂😂😂much respect for the man with the flip flops ppl think is easy but is hard work man 👏👏👏
thank goodness you were wearing your Safety flipflops while swinging that axe !!
And no mask...
😂😂😂😂😂
Man on TH-cam people do construction work as if they were on an All Inclusive in Cancun!
"He wasn't even wearing a high-visibility jacket!"
-- Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, level rail crossing safety video episode.
at about 1:31 in the video
th-cam.com/video/ue61c6MZNQw/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=TopGear
@@prodigyxl 😄🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣these are youtube experts that watch other youtube experts that think how can i do it even smarter.. lol
Back in about 1955, my dad poured a 60x10 foot driveway by mixing his own concrete in an old gasoline-powered mixer. He had one helper and I remember them screeding the top with two 2x4’s joined together in the shape of a T. That driveway was smooth enough to roller skate on.
Yep, the T-shape allows one person to screed the entire form and hit all sides equally!
I love these videos, dry pour.
Dry pours is too much work, and it takes more than 40 sacks of ciments to do so..
@emalex250do you think it's easier to do it wet?
@@emalex2501 by my estimate it took the guy in this video 70 bags for that small area!
I hope you remember to do a 1 year review next year. I would love to see how the dry pour concrete pad stands up after a year.
Check out the video I just posted. I'm already putting the dry pour to the test.
I just put post on telling him what he did wrong
@@renettocan I put re bars under the dry pour for a garage?
It won’t
@@Parnag10 Rebar should be between 1/3 to 1/2 from the bottom and you will need additional control cuts, doubtful it will work for a garage because this will not be but about 1000 to 1200 psi. I use a similar method to fill flowerbeds around pools. This is not a good example of how to dry pour.
Attention to detail is paramount to a successful and visually appealing and strong concrete slab.
Try these three things to help make this job look professional and sustain the test of time.
1) Make sure you don’t follow the watering instructions on the bag. Mist heavily afterwards for 5-6 hours on the hour, then start hourly soaking cycles. Too much water is not an issue, under watering definitely is. Wait at least 3-4 days before removing wood, longer if you can. Keep watering during those days.
2) Use a corner trowel on the edges between the concrete edge and inner slab form to prevent chipping and cracking on the edges as much as possible when you remove the wood form, plus it just adds a professional look.
3) Spray WD-40 on the inner side of your wooden slab form around the entire perimeter BEFORE you add any dry concrete mix inside of it. This will ensure a quick release of the wood form when you remove it and minimize cracking or chipping because the concrete adhered to your wood form. The WD-40 acts as a buffer between your wooden form and the concrete guaranteeing a quick and uniform release with absolute minimum cracking or chipping.
Happy project to you all DIYers!
So 3 should be 1???
I recall people from my town using petroleum or old engine oil on the wood as well, good tip as I had forgotten all about it lol.
Good on you mate. Ex formwork carpenter here watched a few of these dry pour videos honestly never heard of it before last few weeks , your the first bloke I've seen putting rebar / mesh in, as long as your doing that, for what your using it for. Be fine. If you want it perfect, obviously truck and crew of guys is the way to go, but for a tool shed etc. I see nothing wrong with it. Only thing I'd do is wet it down then roll out plastic over it for a few days. Long as your keeping it wet. I dont know how it would go with a pressure washer on it in parts but generally speaking as long as that mesh is in there and it stays wet it should be more than fine for your uses. The only criticism I have, and it's minor, would be I'd drill each of those connecting slabs and glue rebar into them every 8" or so then when the slab dries it's all tied in and won't crack. But that's a minor thing. I did a slab here, in Aus mind you similar size recently and I paid a crew of guys, was close to that size, but pebble Crete had to be pretty much perfect I think was 11k. But I'm long past the point of doing my own stuff I do bits here and there. But good on you for doing that. You can be as fussy or as rough as you want with concrete. As long as it's functional for you, then it's fine. And even if you wanted to do it extra good, you'd just dig a perimeter footing deeper and put big bar around it, and that's basically then a garage slab anyways. Even just going to big bar over mesh prob enough.
Also, what you could do, if you want it perfect, is build your walls and nail / screw them down, then use literally 2-3mm up the bottom plate as a form, and buy a heap of floor leveller. And you'd basically just pour that runny then you have a perfect slab. We'll would look perfect anyways. For your purposes prob still overkill. Even just pouring say an ice cream container of floor leveller and then pouring over the rough bits and screeding would tidy it up.
The only other thing I'll say, is your concern ISNT weight down, but probably LIFT UP, ie wind loads. So if you just make absolutely sure there is enough water on the edges specially. As which ever way you do it, spaghetti anchors or chemset or Ramset etc. You NEED that perimeter done right or there's potentially no strength UPWARD under wind loads. I'd be more concerned about that, than weight down. So I'd keep that in mind more water around the edges, and then as you build up, keep eave overhangs to a minimum as that will reduce uplift, tie it with cyclone ties / diagonal bracing etc. But that perimeter MUST be right for that purpose. Even just bigger bar around the perimeter only would make a huge difference.
So if you've got for instance, spaghetti anchors every 12 inches, and there's a dry spot every so often, it could be only 1 anchor has any strength out of 2, 3 or 4, which would mean an anchor every 48 inches holding it down worst case scenario. So that's what you want to avoid.
I'd also be putting plastic down UNDER the gravel, as that will both hold water in, make for a much stronger slab, AND prevent rising damp on the frame. Even though treated lumber is pretty good now days, a thin sheet of plastic do more than the treated lumber. But do both. Again shed slab, who gives a fuck at the ends of the day, but my 3c.
Great info, ty
I'm learning a lot all the time from people like you who are generous with their time and knowledge. It's much appreciated.
This Video was pure entertainment, a fellow Dry Pour Concrete Specialist!!
Breathing in that concrete dust can’t be too healthy. This is what N95 masks were invented for.
Nerd
I thought they were invented for pysop19? 🤔
People has nothing to do other than criticized?????
He's right, cement dust is bad, not criticism, just concerned about his health 👍🙂
Dry curing is much stronger
Retired in the Philippines remodeling an old resort on the beach. We have four more than 20,000 sacks of cement all by hand it’s crazy. How are you Miss modern tools 🧰 Great video👍🏿
I'll be honest, I am not too much of a safety guy, but my eyes were wide for most of this video!
😂
@@kublatardYou mean you don't pour concrete in shorts and sandals with no gloves or mask?
@@ytmndan no i meant ditto
I appreciate the video. It helped me see what the dry pour hype is all about. I have been in the construction trade for a long time now and I don't see how this method is any easier or better. I'm going to stick to the traditional wet method I know. I see a lot of questionable things with this method, and it doesn't seem to be any easier. Concrete is messy as it is, and I'd rather have it wet then dry. I mean the dust you're breathing in, the concrete sticking to your skin all over your body because of the sweat and getting in your eyes as well. PPE is a must especially with this method. Getting the concrete dust on your skin is going to be a very bad thing for your skin. The dry pour method in my opinion is ok is certain situations like smaller applications or concrete that you don't care about how it looks. I'm not trying to be negative, I guess the traditional way makes more since to me. If I was having a house built and the contractor said he was going to dry pour my foundation or any concrete slab/walkway I'd say no way! I have a feeling that maybe a year later or so there is going to be a lot of issues with all these dry poured slabs. It reminds me of when I put a post in the ground, dry pour the cement and then add the water. It seems fun and will work in controlled smaller applications, I think.
I am not a construction professional, but having property with horses, I do a LOT of fence-building. I have learned that doing a thing right is seldom the easiest way, and when it comes to concrete, wet is best. When I plant poles, especially load-bearing poles for gates and such, I always pour a footing in the bottom of the hole, let it dry, and then set the post. Always wet. I have had dry pours fail or the post just rots out and doesn't last as long. I would rather take a little extra time to extend the life of my post and have the peace of mind knowing that I did a good job than to shortcut it and have to redo it in a few years.
I am not a construction professional, but having property with horses, I do a LOT of fence-building. I have learned that doing a thing right is seldom the easiest way, and when it comes to concrete, wet is best. When I plant poles, especially load-bearing poles for gates and such, I always pour a footing in the bottom of the hole, let it dry, and then set the post. Always wet. I have had dry pours fail or the post just rots out and doesn't last as long. I would rather take a little extra time to extend the life of my post and have the peace of mind knowing that I did a good job than to shortcut it and have to redo it in a few years.
And I agree on the PPE...concrete mix is nasty stuff to get on you or breathe in. I was thinking when he walked out of that cloud of dust after busting up the bags that he is nuts for not at least wearing a mask.
I can only say for a 70 year old woman putting in a 5x5’ slab alone (only had help with screeding) I couldn’t afford to rent a mixer or handle this amount of wet cement. Dry pour worked well for me. We’ll have to see how it stands up to foot traffic. For the most part if I can’t do projects by myself it simply doesn’t get done.
I did an 8x8 slab like that 3.5" deep. I put in a total of 9 round footings 20" deep x 6" diameter. All four corners and midway.
I used rebar throughout and left over old pipe. Built a room on it and it's held up great for 9 years so far.
I love hearing stuff like this! 💪 nice
Really
How many bags?
Made my lungs hurt just watching this....but when he wiped his nose and breathed in deep at the end...WOW.
You scare me, dry or not, rubber boots, gloves and at a minimum an N-95 though a N-99 mask. I envy your ability to handle the work. I would have fallen over. But you really need to remember, people are going to imitate you, which is a really big compliment. Have them imitate you with some sense of safety. Concrete and especially concrete dust is nasty stuff.
Perfect example of working twice as hard to do something half-assed than to just do it the right way from the start.
Exactly. All that work to create a slab that is probably 5MPA. :)
Designed concrete for 20 years. I see these videos and just shake my head. What a wasted of time and energy…and money for that matter.
I would love to see a revisit on this video; I wish he left the pad cure for 30 days, then tried to drive a bolt in to put in a sill plate. It would SHATTER the damn thing.
@@matthewcrist1012 some videos strength tested dry pour vs wet pour and the dry pour is not even half the strength. Stuff just crumbles once the outer shell breaks.
Is that how you get your jollies? Does it give you a warm glow to be so unnecessarily critical?
Hey man. Instead of just pulling the screed (2×4) towards you try sliding it left to right while pulling it. It will help push the gravel down below the powder. Hope this helps.🙏🙏
I believe his 'screed' was a stalk of conduit.
Don't forget to tamp
@@pedridemperi9872 Yes, tamping very important. 👍👍👍
@@OneWildTurkey Lol🤣🤣
Can't begin to tell you how entertaining video was, along with the laughs.
Definitely learned and got some ideas to work with too.
I'm old but never too old to learn from others.
Thank you. ❤
You need to screed the top by sliding a 2x4 in a side to side motion to get it smooth and flat it pushes the stones down and brings the fine cement & sand to the top giving it a smooth top finish
Will that work dry?
@@DigitDesign it works very well. Here’s what it will look like.
th-cam.com/video/GC0j2Ey5NNk/w-d-xo.html
I've been a professional builder for 40 years and I gotta say, I love this channel.
The easiest way to get dry pour leveled is by putting a little too much concrete in your form. Then you just scrape the rest out. Otherwise you’re just trying to fill in holes the entire time. Hope this helps.
I am impressed single-handedly got it done. Good show of stamina.
👒 off for all your hard work. After researching dry pouring for awhile several steps were consistent. No wetting the cement prior to filling the form and screeding the dry cement to prevent uneven interior spots. If you're adding rebar etc. at the halfway mark. Initially only a light mist the first few times. The cement will absorb the moisture evenly. This was a combo of both dry and regular. For anyone attempting this please be mindful and wear safety gear.
Especially a dust mask...
I have a shed that has a dirt floor. So I decided to try dry pour. Did. Mine a little different but same principal. Framed off one side with 2x4. Stack broken concrete and rocks inside forms. Poured dry concrete over it and packed around it. Screeded top to just below top of board. Wet it down good to get saturated. Let it sit about an hour. Poured thin layer of dry mix on top and misted. Walked away. Very solid. Has been that way for a while. No problems. I live in NM. Over 100 in summer and down to 0 to 10 in winter. No cracks.
Couple of things. If you plan on doing this, skin contact with concrete can easily cause cement poisoning. I've seen it. If you don't mind a half dozen layers of skin painfully peeling, go for it. Two, ready mix is actually more cost effective assuming you need more than the three yard minimum. Third, the actual surface finish is terrible. If you want a smooth slab, just get ready mix and finish it properly.
what do you like better? cement on bare feet or flip flop / axe combo ?
Cement on the bare feet was feeling pretty good. Combing the textures of flower and gravel is a sensation worth taking note of.
This guy thinks like I do! Not a thing wrong with doing it this way, especially if it’s just for a shed. It takes way more bags then you think, so if you have rocks, chunks of concrete, broken pavers, you can throw that in too. If you want a nice finish, you can skim coat it with a sand mix, for the final finish. Make it like soup, and it’s beautiful! I widened my pool deck 8’x 30’ a little at a time this way… no cracks, and it looks great. Not recommended if your going to drive vehicles across it, or heavy machinery. It makes doing it yourself extremely doable. He even laid out the bags to show you approximately how many to start with, then he added as he was leveling it. Well done video……👊👊👊
What is sand mix? That sounds like it would look something like a brush finish?
Not a thing wrong with it? Dudes breathing in silica like I’ve never seen before 😂 chronic lung disease called silicosis coming straight for this dude 😂😂
How many cinder blocks did you cough up after that day????
How's the concrete burns on your bare feet???
One reason to mix concrete in the traditional way is air entrainment. When concrete is mixed with water for the proper length of time billions of tiny bubbles are made. These bubbles absorb the expansion of wet concrete when it freezes. I'd love to see some dry pour concrete after a few winters in the Midwest. In the south I'd probably try a dry pour.
What Happebs if you mix rock or gravel with the concrete as a filler?
I've never done anything like this. You are making it look easy to me. Not as intimidating. I'm sure its not easy but looks good.
I think the worst part is lugging the bags of mix around; I'm no athlete.
But I find myself wondering if 40 lb bags could work for an indoor project of building a slab in my basement to level my washer and dryer. I can sorta walk them down the stairs from my alley doorway once I get them out of my car's trunk.
** Yes, I know this is meant to be an outside method, but I'm thinking that wetting the existing floor, and adding enough water to the dry pour as if I was wet-pour mixing it would let it bond to the existing floor and cure properly.
I wanted to thank you for your videos. You gave me the faith that I could actually do my own dry pour and am almost done with the filling and leveling it out. Taking a break right now. Will take some pics and let ya know how it turns out. Thanks again for your videos and breaking it down.
Nice job. I have used the same method in UPSTATE NEW YORK at 2 and 4 inches and had pretty good results inside portable shed. 2" is foot traffic only. My family does NOT understand that. 4" is holdig even outside with no covering for 10 years now. Still light traffic only. A dump truck went too far and messed up a section but that was expected outcome. (firewood to shed oh well) Point is the method is solid. IMHO
Dry pouring slabs are great for DIY! Small projects around your home no prob. Its not a method you want to use as a professional. But if you are doing things at your home and it satifies you that is your business.
That's what I call a real DIY job hope it work out for you 👍
how many bags of concrete did you use and what type of concrete? Love your idea
6:30 taking a little bump of concrete dust 😳
I have done concrete and its much easier to do it the old way, you get a better mixture and an almost perfect finish depending on your skill.
You do not want to be breathing concrete dust.
The downside is you have to buy a used mixer for 150 bucks and a few tools.
Doing it dry you cant get the air bubbles out which is bad if you live in freezing climates, water gets in there then freezes and cracks.
You can rent all the tools and a mixer. hell now days, they got mini trailer mixers you can rent or they just deliver smaller loads. a few yards or so.
i would be surprised if that slab cured in the center. How many bags of mix, 40? About how many gallons of water? I'd love a follow up video in a year or 5. Very interesting technique if this works and has some longevity to it. Thanks for the video, you got me thinking! Cheers!
You ever have a bag of cement left in the garage last more than a year before turning to stone?? Haha I've been wondering why this can't work for simple slabs for a light shed or patio or walk etc that does not needing to be " structurally perfect " obviously not going to put a house on it lol
Yes @@jak3est I have had several bags of un-opened, un-used concrete turn to solid !
...I plan on stripping paper off and using them to fill deep ground imperfections, and dry-pouring over them.
As the cement in the dust reacts with water (eg. sweat on the shin, pleural fluid in the lungs, or tear film on the eyes) calcium silicate hydrate and calcium hydroxide (aka caustic lime) will form. Both of these compounds may cause: serious eye damage/eye irritation, and respiratory and skin irritation. Also, inhaling fine particles in large quantity, even if no-reactive, is not good for the lungs.
Ettringite in the lungs........ I nominate this guy for the darwin award!!!!!
This is me all day, especially for a shed or patio pad. I need a shed for my dirt bikes and atvs so I'll definitely look more into this. Great video, you got a new subscriber.
My god, my back is killing me from watching this. And the skin is peeling off my feet.
Would it not cost more doing it this way ? Hard core and 1,2,3 method on top mixing in a wheelbarrow with drill attachment ,slower but t wouldn't dry each time ?
2:05 so true!! It dries before you get done unless you have 20 people spreading lol Lovin these videos!
I am surprised that you did that. I was thinking you were going to fail miserably but you totally got my respect and for that I give you two thumbs up, good job buddy you got a new subscriber
A thinking man watches his steps,and is frugal,with His time,and effort.Keep it up Paul.
You are one funny and entertaining person. I admire your enthusiasm for your cause.
This is a great way of doing it. The only thing that I would do different would be that you need an expansion joint up next to the other pad that you already placed. You could go one step further and dowel them together with the expansion joint foam too. Could make the concrete last a few more year long or at least keep it looking nicer for longer. Just my two cents.
Cost wise... and health wise... it's a terrible way to do it.
Getting in a concrete truck was probably less than what he spent.
I love how you used LOGIC to simplify this task. In fact, after axing all of the bags, you could have stopped after the first 12 were dumped out, do some relaxing or YT-bing, and come back to empty out the remaining axed' bags, and take another long break - AT YOUR LEISURE.
#Winning !
This might work if you don't plan on building any walls on it. Otherwise, when you drill your still plate anchors they will anchor into Concrete powder.
powder? probably not
PROBABLY
@@PakehaParker Nope you mist the pour once every hour for 3 hours, Then one final spray. When you pull the forms there will be no dry pockets. Dry concrete mix absorbs the water by osmosis. And it will be even.
@@JosEPh-zy3yr sounds like a recipe for disaster
What was the length, width and thickness of that section of slab you did? And how may bags did it take?
I love watching people build shit. Hope you show us the process of the building going up as well. Would be fun to watch. :)
CRACKS EVERYWHERE
@@harryballsacky Most poured foundations have cracks everywhere.
We were so excited to watch your video thanks for sharing your story with all of us viewers
Joe n Christina
I love this idea and will be trying this myself! Please wear a mask!! Those dry particles are getting in your lungs. (My dad has PF - pulmonary fibrosis- due 30+ years of projects with none)🥰
I don't think this guy will have 30+ years of projects
Don't, this is a crap method. He's going to end up with a thin slab of half assed concrete on top of an unstable bed of completely dry concrete mix. This shit is going to crack and crumble with any sort of weight on it.
That was a fantastic job that you did. You were so right about doing it that way with a one man crew. Lol. Props to you.
Yeah I definitely would like to see a follow up video a year from now. I don't think this will hold up. No where near enough water used. The only way to get away with a dry pour is to practically flood it. Concrete will set up under water as long as it is kept contained and not allowed to disperse.
Flooding it won’t help it would essentially be just as bad minimal water. With to much water the top will peel and eventually crumble with to little you get the same. Just mix it
My nose burns just watching this guy stand in a cement dust cloud.
alternative way to get a level surface is to install the slab very slightly low, then finish off with a top layer of self-leveling concrete (be sure to first use concrete bonder on the slab)
Of course the best way is to mix the concrete instead of having to jump through insane hoops doing a dry pour and work twice as hard to bust up your faulty slab 10 years later.
Thanks for sharing your project, I'm faced with a simillar project myself. For how long did you water the slab? Have you had any problems with the slab? Rock On!
You should wear a mask, safety first throat cancer is real
I am putting up a garage in a box with 10 by 20 floor space. I'd start 10 by 10. How many bags, of mix would I buy. Or how many lbs in case they different sizes?
Hello, Paul. I was just quoted last week $1,900.00 for a 20’x20’x3” slab for my backyard. I want to build a shed and a carport on it. Thankfully I’ve been watching videos about Dry pouring concrete and your videos are really convincing me to go this route. Thank youl!
No disrespect, but a 20' by 20' for 2k is insanely good. Honestly, I haven't done the calculations, but you'll be spending quite a bit on the concrete alone for your DIY version if you try it yourself. Do the math and let me know.
I did the math for you…At $5 per 60lb. bag of quickrete, a 20’x 20’ x 3” pad would require 221bags. That’s over $1,100 just for the dry concrete. That $1,900 quote is a Godsend…hope you jumped on that one…
I thank you all for your suggestions and calculations. I had not done the math yet. I enjoy the journey of doing something I haven’t done before because I get to keep the learning experience, but only if it’s cost effective. Yes the quote includes material, forming, and labor. Y’all gave me something to think about. Much Mahalos!
That price is too great to pass up. Sign and contract and don't pay the full amount up front
each bag is $8. which comes to about $176. The frame will cost you another $20 max. how did you come up with your # please?
Does this concrete pull water up into it? Another words can you put a laminate floor right on top of this?
For a dry pour, that was a HUGE undertaking. I've seen people do HVAC pads dry...but not that big! Wow. Hey good on you. Good enough for government work.
In hvac we tend to have prefab forms with the styrofoam centers but you are right I have done a few jobs with dry pour like this but very small pads
Obviously you don’t do government work…there are rules ,design,engineering,specifications,inspection and most people doing are required to have qualifications..etc Once it’s turned over …all bets are off
Wow, I absolutely cannot freaky believe it. You're getting done what I want to get done. I just got into woodworking, but I dont have any place that I can use as a woodshop and to put all of my different saws, tablesaw, circular saw and other saws, all of my different sanders such as, drumsander, orbital sander beltsander, plainer. So, I will order a shed something like a 10' x15' and 6.5' high is good enough for me. But first, I need a foundation for the shed and floor. I believe I'll use your idea make a slab.
People, this method is VERY dangerous. To the uneducated and inexperienced in construction, your video may seem like a cool idea. And, your method may be just fine for many non-critical backyard projects where proper structural integrity is not important. But if concrete neds to be used for something where properr structural support is needed, then your method is very dangerous. Without mixing concrete properly and with correct ratios of water then the strucural properties and integrity of the concrete will be dramatically changed.
Agreed. I've been doing concrete pads for almost 50 years.... I would not do this to a paying customer, for sure.
Yeah I was thinking for a DIYer doing this for a small tool shed or walkway is one thing but I am concerned about building a structure on this. I have poured a number of pads and driveways and even have a small mixer for small house projects but a structure on it. I sure hope he means one of those sheet metal lawn mower sheds.
Yeah but it's one thing if the concrete is for a foundation for a house or a concrete driveway. When building a base for a chicken coop or a small shed yeah it's weaker but not enough to matter for what it's being used for.
No, it's not dangerous. It's just for a slab, it's not holding up a house.
@@bigmacdaddy1234 Its very dangerous to someones health
I’ve seen generator pads & a heat exchanger pad done this way and a few fence posts. How’s it doing a year later??
seems you would have lots of dry spots in the layers
i thought thetheory is yes you would, but over time the pad would get harder and harder, as it soaked moisture up.
@@DigitDesign BULLSHEET
How many bags total did you use? Also can you make I’d nice and smooth if you plan on using it as a patio?
When you dry pour, you expose your lungs to the concrete dust, which in turn leads to silicosis.
Groundhog disease
AND THE CONCRETE CURES IMPROPERLY
man that jabbb is sure taking its course
@@walterkopec8111 HEY..HEY...HEY....IT'S THE CLOTSHOT MISTER
So you could put down permeable plastic grass pavers and do the same thing for strength?
All jokes aside, I commend you for ccx such hard work and great videos showing others that this CAN be done without breaking the bank. Today everything is so expensive that to hire a contractor to pour that size slab in an isolate area not so close to a cement foundry will cost you over 12K. Great job man!!🎉💪💯👊💥🚀🍺🍺🍺
No lie, before COVID you could buy a 90 lbs of Ready Mix for 3.90 a bag. Now it's almost $6 a bag.
@@ralphalvarez5465 Its between $7 and $9 here, depending on where you shop. Crazy these dys
Would it really be 12k$
@@randyjohnson5179 I had a contractor pour a 1000 ft 4 inch slab at $9000...that's 9 dollars a foot, he was the cheapest of 4 estimates. The more isolated you are from the concrete manufacturer, the longer the truck and ccx workers need to travel that adds to cost as well. It's crazy after covid Danes as lumber prices. Why?? Are we running out of trees?? Noo...same as we are not running out of gas or concrete. It's just supply and demand effect
Science in it's raw form. Excellent.
“Bob Vila can kiss my….” Made the whole video worth it
I was hoping at least one person would mention it. I think your the first!
when Bob first started it was useful, it was homeowners doing most of the work.
At the end it was an ad for contractors doing their thing :(.
Yep :)
Thanks for this very informative video. I am just curious how many bags did you need for this area and what was the cost? Did you compare it to having a cement truck come by and just pour it for you? How are things holding up?
Please remember safety first guys. Wear an N95 mask when you are dealing with dry concrete, that dust is very very bad to breathe in.
Would i need to reinforce a slab for a pergola? It's not a ton of weight but some, nothing like a vehicle or anything though. The slab is going to be 30x10 but in 3 sections so 3 - 10x10's.
There are some who will say this is not the way to do concrete and say all that is wrong with it. Here are my findings which will save you hours of research.
This method of doing a concrete slab works for many applications.
I would not use it for a garage floor or driveway due to the weights of the vehicles, but I would love it if someone did a test on that to see if it works.
I have seen dry pour slabs which had to later be removed. The broken fragments look the same as wet pour, meaning that the cement managed to wick moisture all the way through.
This seems very suited to things like a shed, back patio slab, barn floor, slab for items such as ac unit or generator (I personally have one for my generator did many years ago).
The techniques used in this video are just a little faulty, he should not use his bare hands in cement and should try to avoid inhaling the dust.
The biggest advantage to this method is you can do it by yourself and you don't have to be in a hurry like you would with wet pour.
I would suggest anyone who plans to try this, watch some other videos. The better technique seems to be when you slid a 2x4 back and forth while going down the form, this seems to make the little rocks sink below the surface and leave you with a layer of dust on top. Also, I like the videos showing them using a roller to get the surface even, I would try using the widest roller I can get along with a stick. I think the ground should be soaked before you start, definitely use rebar or mesh and I would do a presoak like he did before I do the final layer on top.
Another advantage of this method is that if you need a small slab poured, most concrete guys won't do it because it's not worth their time, so you simply can't get anyone to do it even when you've got the money in hand to pay for the service.
I don't want to be rude, but there are quite a few people in comments here who seem to think this is an acceptable alternative to a "wet pour." By any metric, this is the dumbest and least efficient way possible to pour concrete. Even though he shows 28 bags at first, a pour this size would REQUIRE a minimum of 71 60# bags of quickrete, which is what he seems to be using here. That's iF you mix it with water, which actually helps "stretch" the dry mix slightly over this volume, which is a little bit over a cubic yard. A cubic yard, from a concrete company, costs an average of $120-$150. That's mixed, hauled, and delivered to your forms, ready to go. Most drivers are happy to pour in lifts, letting you get a bed down, put your remesh in, and then finish the pour. Based on Home Depot prices, which is a generally ok basis for estimation, 71 bags of concrete cost a little over $300. So, for the cost of a truck and hiring a couple guys who actually know what they're doing, you could have poured a proper concrete slab, and saved yourself probably 8 hours of back-breaking labor hauling, dumping, and spreading bags of dry mix. Not to mention the potential risk to your health of breathing cement and silica. I guess you wouldn't have been able to post such prime youtube content, but for everyone else who might see this video, don't do what this gentleman did. Hire a professional, or at least watch a DIY video with good information.
Well said and there was no rebar or wire to " keep in tact. Don't even think this concrete had rocks just straight concrete for flashing and not strength.
How many inches if gravel do I need for 4 inch concrete. So I know I far I need to dig.
What wrong with just ordering it in a truck like normal, you like to make things harder than they need be. I'm betting it will lack strength, and over time may not hold up as good as wet pour would.
I mean he kinda explained exactly what all the problems were with it in the video- lots of extra time and work. One thing he didn't mention though was the cost of renting a cement truck, which would've been who knows how much.
@@tonyfrontuto1140 bags of concrete are not free, there would be little difference in cost. He just wants to do it his way. Truck could drive up the side and dump it right into the forms, level it with a 2x4 and trowel, job done.
Ps mixers also have wheels, move it to where you want it dumped, no barrow needed.
"What wrong with just ordering it in a truck like normal?" Nothing at all.
If anyone has worked concrete they would know this way is much much easier. No worries about it setting up on ya, no rush, and most importantly the cost would probably be a third of what a truck cost. Call a concrete delivery and price it then get back on here and tell us the price. Great job here.
@@TUGG75 some ppl have more time than money. As far as the price being really close....I call BS on that. Call and get a quote on Crete. I've worked concrete too it's a hard job no matter which way you go. Dry compared to wet yeah you have to deal with bags but think of all the money you save.
I live in south Florida. How important is a gravel pour before you do your dry pour?
please use a mask next time bud
Yeah, if you do this for a living for 40 years... definitely. He's probably going to live.
I'd like to see 2 test "bricks",
1 with wet mix and 1 with this method and do a strength test, just out of curiosity. Try weights to break them in half so it can be measured 👍🙂
Seems like you have an idea for a very popular youtube video!
A wet mix will be stronger than the dry mix if tested within a certain time frame. The longer concrete has to set, the stronger it is. It actually takes about 12 years for concrete to reach its maximum strength potential.
Dry pouring concrete cement is the new way! It's save some time and money. Love your video! 👏🙏👍💪❤️
It's a cool idea/concept and certainly has its place for very small projects, however when you price the cost per 80 lb bag @ roughly $5.00 per bag (45 needed to make a yard) and ready mix concrete per yard, you are at $225.00 per yard. The national average for ready mix delivered is approx $110 per yard + roughly 15-25 dollars per yard. the ready mix is always a better deal for projects of 1 yard or more.
"The strength of concrete increases when less water is used to make concrete. The hydration reaction itself consumes a specific amount of water. Concrete is actually mixed with more water than is needed for the hydration reactions. This extra water is added to give concrete sufficient workability." I did like the demo with the truck, but you need not worry... this slab is going to be ultra hard.
Awesome man! Truly inspiring to see someone do it without buying expensive equipment by yourself. Your thought process of the typical renting wheel barrel and concrete mixer is exactly what I have concluded. So glad there is someone as lazy as me.
More about not having the money to spend than lazy. Great work!
Do not follow these directions unless you want to have a mess you have to pull up shortly after you realize it failed! This is the dumbest idea I’ve ever seen
Curious , Total bags used on that one slab you just did in this video...?
I watched all 6mins, 59 seconds.
Did you learn anything??
@@chrisszabados36 DO THE OPPOSITE
Will it get enough water all the way thru? Ive done this with grout gaps on stepping stones out doors and wet it down pretty good that works but a whole slab i dont know
Don't breathe that shit in!
Hello,
So how many bags does it take? For reference like a 1' x1'x 4" thickness?
Thanks
Bib Vila's was a television HOST(script reader). He can't even swing a hammer.
I'm not sure which is worse, the slides or no mask.
Great video! I never seen this done before and done construction all my life. Thanks! Love to do this for an off grid project some day.
I needed this video an the comment in my life .. thanks everyone 😂😂😂much respect for the man with the flip flops ppl think is easy but is hard work man 👏👏👏
Surely it will be weak as piss. Would it fully absorb the water evenly throughout?
FYI the welded wire fabric should be lapped 6" minimum. I recommend using a keyed joint between the slab pours to avoid differential settlement.
Did you do this without any metal reinforcement / no roundbar ? Just plain concrete ?