In March of last year (2023) I wanted to pour a 3' x10' entry pad to my new garage. While searching TH-cam for various techniques, the dry pour technique from this channel came up. The process looked simple and effective so I decided to try it. Everything went exactly as Jim and Lydia explained. I am happy to report that a year and two months later, the concrete pad I poured using Jim and Lydia's method still looks as good as the day it first cured. Thank you Jim and Lydia!
We are so happy for you Gary! Thanks for taking a chance and following. Just goes to show that everyone can learn something new and we can reinvent the wheel!
My dad taught me how to dry pour nearly 30 years ago. It's just so cool to see someone else actually doing it after never hearing anyone even knowing you can do it! Even being told flat out that you just can't! Boom! 💥💥
Thnx so much for this video. My wife and I live in a rural swampy farming area in the low country of South Carolina. We have a need for several concrete related projects but have been hampered by getting our property torn up by a heavy concrete truck. You guys have given me the inspiration I needed. Can't wait to get started.
I just happened upon this and I am beyond thankful. I bought my house ten years ago. Part of the sidewalk was buried. When I dug it out, a lot of it was nearly gone. I also have a gravel driveway that looks kinda crappy in a nice neighborhood. I’m a single 69 year old without a lot of money. This will be perfect! I can fix a section at a time as I can afford it and have a nice sidewalk after 10 years!!! Thank you so much for sharing your skills.
I feel so blessed to have found you !!!!!!!!! I'm a 72 year old widow who is absolutely going to do this !!!! I kinda sorta did this in the early fall. I kept asking for help but didn't get any. I had already bought the Quikcrete and dug the hole, so I went out, tipped over the wagon that had the Quickcrete in it next to the hole, and cut the bag with a shovel. I had to bring the water out in a gallon bucket half full. GOD BLESS YOU. I'm blessed to have found you
I used to dry pour fence posts for years. Recently I started mixing with water first and the difference in strength is profound. After one day it is hard as a rock. The dry set is basically gravel even after putting water on top.
Just wet pour the corner posts and middle post and the gate posts. You can dry pour all the other posts. When i dry pour the majority of posts i add water to hole first -pour half in add more water then other half then gentle mist/rain the top of dry mix. It’s fast and is strong. Most fence companies make a wet mix that is super watery and that is worse and weaker then the method i just said. Whenever i worried about a certain area i just have one of my guys drill a hole thru the bottom of post and put rebar thru it sideways so it becomes one with cement mix-wet or dry
It looks like they read some of the comments on a previous video where it was suggested they bring the concrete a lot closer to the project and cut the bags on the ground and then pinch both ends in pole as opposed to the way they were doing it which was cutting the top and then pouring it from a standing position
I grew up on base in the jungles of Panama. Being a bold adventurer I spent a lot of time exploring in the jungles. Once I came upon a couple of 20' diameter waist deep flat bottomed what must have been W.W. I I anti aircraft gun revetments. The walls had the appearance of tightly stacked burlap bags but they were solid concrete. My father didn't believe me when I described them. Now the mystery is solved. This was in the dry pour family of techniques. I had just been keeping it in my unsolved X files. Just when you think you might know too much you find out you don't know something like this. I think I also learned I should have picked a Louisiana girl to marry ! Best wishes and Blessings to both of you, and thanks for the video. Now I'm trying to invent something I need to do a dry pour on for ! Haha
I've seen a few videos of dry poured concrete that was cut open. The insides were very porous and crumbly. Just something you may want to look into if planning a project like this
I recently did this for a small pad for my outdoor grill and smoker.now im ready for a bigger project.i see many guys debunking dry pouring saying its not as strong yada yada but i dont plan on parking a tank or dump truck on it.perfect for my application. Good job guys.my back started hurting watching you guys pick up those pavers lol
Hey Jim and Lydia, I know y'all are in South Louisiana next to the Texas border and I hope those flood waters effecting Texas aren't effecting y'all. We're praying for the folks in Texas but saying a special prayer that our Cajun Country family is well and safe.
More than a Helper. She is doing Alot of the heavy work. I seen her pick-up 80 lb bags n put them where they need to go. Alot of men couldn't or wouldn't do that. Waay..more than a Helper.. my $.02
Curious about putting a hot tub slab in back of our house that wouldn't fit a concrete truck, just seen the Picture of a hot tub, do you know how thick they did or or can you tell me how thick and what kind of support should I use...so glad I came upon your youtube video...thx
What I love the most about y'alls videos, is how the two of you, work together.. I feel like you two could accomplish anything together.. no matter whatcha do.. truly appreciate all your shares 🙏🏻
it would be better if there were more people involved and then everyone could celebrate. plus if it was me I would soak the concrete and use a leaf blower to dry it quick
PERFECT TIMING! I am about to tackle my first dry pour and it is a sidewalk!!!! Been thinking about it ever since the first dry pour vid you guys put out. Keep your fingers crossed. 68 Year old is about to make a heck of a mess. If it goes good - I'M crediting you guys. If it tanks - I'M blaming you guys :)
I put in a 5 x 5 ft dry pour slab at bottom of steps that had previously been a weedy muddy mess. I followed TH-cam directions to the tee and it’s been 2 years and it’s holding up just fine and looks good. I’m a 70+ woman with minimal help or funds so this was my only option. I just simply can’t mix and pour wet concrete. I haven’t started it yet and will wait for cooler weather but planning to do 5x5 slabs to form a patio on an area where trees came down after last hurricane. I can do it gradually as help and budget comes together.
New sub here hello from down under remote rural off grid , have started concreting my workshop floor never though that I don't need to add rebar as only I will be walking on it and it will only take the weight of tools like table saws and non bench mounted tools ect. Have been making batches up in wheel barrow so basically laying by hand no mixer, 2 day I learnt something new dry pour thank you Jim and Lydia much appreciate your time and effort not just laying the walkway but the time you took to edit and upload. @ 24:49 you have picked up a shovel like that before , thought I was the only one 2 do that , rakes are more dangerous lol. But I digress have been told I do so occasionally, being this far off the grid delivered concrete truck cement is as dear as poison like most other things out here, like yourself and your lady we think outside the box.
Dry pour has been around for years. I helped pour a 12’ wide by 300’ long ,4 inch driveway using the dry pour method in 1992. It’s still good today.. has. Few chips and dings in it but otherwise good . Halliburton was cleaning out their silos and a friend of mines older brother worked there so he bid and got the concrete and Halliburton trucks even came and dumped it out. Us and about 4 other buddies framed it out and strung out water hoses and nozzles. Hot summer time so it was soaking up the water . Took turns watering it all through the night & pulled boards a couple of weeks later.
You guys are not only very nice and a great couple but you're also very smart and informative. Thank you for your time to show how dry concrete can work for anyone else. ❤
I dump a couple of bags in post holes with the posts. The dry mix wicks enough moisture out of the soil that even in the driest conditions they’ll set in just a few days.
Instant subscriber! I'm neurodivergent and so many videos that offer step by step instructions have key details missing that perhaps novices don't think to include for people who need every single detail included to fully comprehend the project plan, and I am scared to mess things up. That's money if I mess up. You guys went down to an actual shot of the spray flow, and my neurodivergent self appreciates this so much! ❤ We can't afford all the things this girl wants done to our home, so I've been on a journey to learn things on my own, and this video made me feel so much more comfortable to tackle our entryway walkway.
This method seems to be a time and money saver for the diy community…would love to see a strength test of a cured 3.5 inch thick section compared to a wet pour concrete similar to other tests I’ve seen on TH-cam to see if you’re watering technique improves the strength compared to the the brittle nature of the dry pour concrete in other test videos. If you could do like a 1sqft and 3.5 inches thick test slab of each and let them cure and then cut them in half and do some strength tests that would be a great video to see if your dry pour technique produces stronger strength concrete.
Several just such videos on TH-cam. Some not so and some good. To me there's just to many air bubbles or pockets in the dry pouring method that it cuts down the strength of it. I don't think it will hold up long term.
Someone please explain…I’ve been pouring flatwork for 18 years and I can’t comprehend how this method saves any money, furthermore time or labor. I’m not a DIY’r, but I know it’s enough work just going to the hardware store to pick up 80# bags of concrete. You do all the same prep, set forms, move 80# bags (again), and screed just as you would if it were batched with water. Tool the edges/joints and so on. Even if access is limited for a 10-12 yard mixer it’s much easier to move around wheelbarrows/georgia buggy’s with wet concrete that’s premixed and delivered. No dust, comes straight down the chute and put it where you want it. 2-4 hours depending on temps and you could have the forms stripped and on to the next. One guy’s opinion 🤷🏻♂️
@@tylerspinuzzi8172 well, common sense on how it saves money is any laborer you pay to do this is additional cost right off the bat. Doing it yourself obviously saves that money. For those of us that do diy projects on our time outside of work, it’s our time and labor but essentially free because I’m not shelling out hundreds or thousands paying someone else. Going to a hardware store to get materials is the easy part, unless you have difficulties lifting. The materials used are also inexpensive. They broke this down in the video if you watched it. This specific project for a 3’x75’ sidewalk to do themselves was
My first job out of High School before going to college was driving a concrete truck. I can tell you over the years of being around construction and a 47 year career working for a utility company, there are many ways to do a lot of jobs, well. It is like Jim said, this method works well for some things and the cost is very comparable, especially for small jobs with access issues. I have used it for two patio additions and have had no problems for two years ---- and I live close to Canada, where frost is a major issue. I would recommend putting stress joints every 8 to 10 feet if you live in the north like I do. You can buy a joint trowel just like an edger like Jim used, or you could cut in the joints after the concrete has set. There are only two rules with concrete ---- it gets hard and it cracks.
The first starter dry pour project for me was a simple 3-slab pad for the RV. Just enough to keep the the tandem wheels and tongue out of the dirt and keep RV level. Two 5'x2' pads and a 2'x2' pad. I did add some wire mesh since it was going ot be holding over 10k lbs. Followed your plan to a T and had awesome results. I really appreciated the material calculator, which was spot on. Pads came out great and have had the RV roll on/off quite a few times since placed. No issues at all. Cajun Country Living for the win!! BTW, that new sidewalk will hold up just fine for the occasional "Rapid Projectile Bang Noise Making Hootis" storage container delivery.
I did my first dry pour!!! Im an the second hour. Thank you so much for all your videos. I did a 4ft × 7ft about 1.5 inchs thick. I had to back to the store 2 times to get more concreate. The calculation from web said 12 but needed 15. The skreeding was the toughest with my wife getting it as smooth as possible. My pour goes up to the house foundation which made it hard to skreed. Rocks kept popping up. So I sifted some of the powder and added it. This helped a lot. Then we edged and used the paint roller was fantastic. My pad will be used for our trash and recycle cans. Next is small side walk. Thanks again!! Jeff.
My mom was doing this back in the 1970's and an ex fiancee did this for his mothers shed floor in the 80's. I did a 10x10 concrete pad back around 2005. It's about 4 incjes thick and waa a dry pour. That thing is still there, NO cracks, NO chips. Built it to use it for working on my riding mower.
I actually made a nice walkway with your technique! But I was completely lazy and just dumped the bags of concrete without forms or any rebar and raked it smooth and misted it on and off and job came out perfect! Your wife is such a great trooper!!
Maybe I missed something, but did you only lightly mist / spray only the top? How did that 6" of rain impact the project? It seems that _some_ water would have to seep or filter down, below the top slightly wetted concrete powder.
years ago I wet poured a pad for my air compressor behind my shop and you can tell I poured it! Last week I used yalls method for my generac pad and it looks professional! only thing I did different is I used a small foam roller, instead of a nap roller. the finish came out slick and as I had to drill into it for the lag bolts I can say its very sound!
thats the way to do it,i have a long driveway in the woods with rock and it gets washed away so instead of mixing concrete in a wheel barrel then taking it and filling in the holes and low spots i waited till it rained a ton and then just dumped a bag of dry concrete in my wheel barrel and went out there with a small bucket to skoop it up and sprinkle it in the holes and 3 bags went a long way.i have 3 more bags and waiting for ti to rain when were not going to be driving for a few days.super easy and you get a lot more holes filled in.
Tried dry pour because of your videos and now, if I'm the one who is doing the job, I will never go back to the old way again. Thanks for adding all the improvements in techniques. And thanks for giving Americans something to agree about. 😊
If you read this... do you think it's possible to dry pour on top of existing concrete? I want to build a level step in my garage to put my cabinets on top of... starting out at about 1 iinch thick to about 6 inches thick.
I actually had a similar situation . I did the dry pour in 2 layers I also used a heavy hammer to break up the old pavers . Then spread them out save me on disposal cost,and concrete cost Then I dry pour over the broken concrete,then add water 💦 over the concrete as I go in sections then add another layer of dry pour to top it off . Level smoothly and add final misting. . I also wet the soil before I started just to also help with the dust . I lover the way you guys finished off👌
Pretty cool you have gotten famous for doing something farmers have done in secret for decades. Good on you for sharing the method and taking the heat for it. I have some dry slabs that have held up for decades.
Hi! We have talked in previous videos that this has been around for decades, but the way we do it is a method we have created that works great for us! For example, using the paint roller. Thanks for watching!
Yep you're exactly right. Concrete outside doesn't need plastic or a pea gravel or any gravel. If there was excavating and you had to add dirt the a compactor would be needed. But you guys did it perfect by just removing sod. That was all that needed done. Great job you two ❤
Looks great. Would it be possible, while the cement is still wet, to take flagstone, or another type of flat stone, and press them into the cement and have a stone pathway rather than just concrete. Was wondering what you thought.
So glad you guys are back to doing 'dry pours' and lighting the internet up. I have to say it : You can't do that!!! There, got it out of my system. I dry poured a 12' hexagonal pad for my Solo firepit. Did it myself. It's turned out ok - I sealed it with a color sealer to match my deck. Used rock underneath with galvanized fence wire for reinforcement - I'm in Central IL and concerned about cracking due to our really bad winters. So far, so good! Thanks for the informative content and trying new things.
Haha, hey everyone has different ways and that’s okay! This is for the people who are willing to step out of the social norms and help themselves by saving thousands! We are so glad you gave it a shot!
You guys did an awesome Job. Steve Carney had actually commented on a dry poor we did last year for our 2 - 10 by 16 pads for our min barns and told us about your video's. Excellent work!! We were one of those situations where a truck wouldn't get to the location. Cheers ~ Bert & Cindy
So you are saying that i can put my forms right over dirt and grass combination with not issues? This would be helpful as removing turf is a really back breaking work! Thanks
Several other people on TH-cam are questioning the strength and durability of dry pour. I've seen strength tests showing dry pour crumbling like chalk. Could you guys address those strength and durability concerns?
Wow yall worked hard on that,bet yalls parents will enjoy it for years to come. I want to do that in an area thats 4x4. I was going to put ornamental rocks in but when I saw ur old video on dry pour I was so amazed how it could be done. I haven't done it yet,but will in near future. When it comes to posts for fencing I pour water in the hole of the posts,then dry cement then water again. Pack it down get rid of air bubbles,and add dirt on top. I've done it for years and are so sturdy and strong. Anyways,cost so much cheaper than wet,time and muscles. Great video!
how do you determine your slope? You said you made it level with the existing slab, but I was always taught to slop it away and lower , like a half inch or 3/4 lower on the outside...
Works good for putting post in the ground, I add water into the hole just to moisten the soil and then add post, and of course dry concrete. Works really good, nice video!
why would he share his technique publicly if he hadn't already done what you're asking.. Hopefully you followed through with seeing his other video on a 1yr + old project.......................... hopefully
Great video. I noticed you didn't cut joints every 3' to 4' for cracking and you didn't use expansion joint material along the existing concrete. Is this necessary, will the concrete eventually make its own cracks? Thanks!
Years ago I called Quikretes technical expert to ask about this Dry setting technique. He said “We recommend this method of placement “ “ The concrete achieves greater strength over time because it only absorbs the proper amount of water to cure ( crystallize) the mix”. “ Too much water that aids in placement can actually weaken the concrete “
It was so cool to see you both doing a dry pour again. That is what led me to your channel years ago. The OG's in dry.pour. Great video, as always. Till next video.
Cool video and breakdown. I need a new sidewalk at my house. This is very helpful. I build fences and work with concrete a lot, so I’m glad you addressed using a face mask. It was my only concern when I was watching the intro. Stay safe and keep up the great work!
Amazing you guys! It looks absolutely phenomenal! And the wood grain where the form board was!? 😍 LOVED seeing the other dry pour projects that people from all over have done! The wheels are spinning now for what our next one will be! Such a great video and what a special thing for you guys to be able to do this for Jim’s parents! Xoxo
Hey Friends! Yes! It looks so stinkin’ good!🤩 Almost looks as good as y’all’s dry pour! We can’t wait to see what y’all do on your next dry pour! What we love is how y’all take on dry pours in an extremely cold climate vs our warm! Great for people to watch both our videos to show it’s possible to do anywhere and for any season!
Can you use this process to resurface and existing slab to the garage? I live in an area that gets 40 below consistently during the winter months. It has taken a toll on the surface as well as a couple of cracks.
Im glad i found u guys. Never heard of dry pour until your channel.im looking for a reason to pour concrete now lol.hard work but i like the look of fresh concrete.
and yet another fine job you two rock i have done several of these pours since i watched your first vid so easy and they last i live in nebraska so we have heat and cold from 100 degrees down to -30 still no problems thank you so much for teaching me this idea
My Dad would have loved this I showed him it he watched from heaven His concrete projects use to be such big projects around our pools when I was a kid Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing your method with the world. Could you in the interest of science make a plug cut at the center of the form to see if it’s completely solid throughout? My fear is the outer surface will cure as a casing and prevent full solidification of lower portion. That’s one thing you get when you mix manually is you know it’s all mixed.
We will be performing various tests in the near future. However, the slabs always cure throughout using our method. We have busted them apart and they are always cured completely. We’ve poured 8” slabs this way.
Looks great and you guys are motivating me to do my own. just wondering about the lack of contraction joints on your walkway and if they are even needed.
Thanks for the video ! Question though, I have see other TH-camrs refer to your method and they have had some failures on the edges being brittle. Any idea why or how to stop this from happening? Thanks for your insight.
We completed a few days ago a 3 ton or 80 x 80lb bag dry pour of a shed base. First time dry pour. It went really well . A couple of minor spots that are already patched . I followed the water curing process carefully , added covering the hardened concrete pour with tarps to improve cure. After only 4 days it is not porous , water pools on the surface as it should on cured concrete. I would suggest that before smoothing/screeding the surface walk on it to compress the dry mix. I think our friends here do that but don’t pointing that out. 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊 Very happy , thanks everyone . Cheers Warren 11x17 x3+” shed base. 48 cubic ft of concrete.
I don't know dry pour but I do know concrete...if you do so, keep the finish of your first 2" really rough cuz the 2 layers may not stick to each other. I don't know if you got winter where you live but If layers doesn't stick to each other, water will go between and the concrete will crack in really few years
This method looks very doable for a walkway I’d like to do. For durability, what’s the oldest walk you’ve put in? And how has it held up? I see questions about dry pour being durable after a few years.
Love your videos! Have a question, and I’m sure from watching this video it’s possible. I need to lay a concrete slab in my backyard. Only two gates on each side of the house at about 3 feet wide, so no way to get a concrete truck back there. So the dry pour is probably my best option. Need a slab for a 12x 16 shed. Question, can I do it the same way you two did it in sections? Like four slabs of 6x8 next to one another? It will take days for curing each slab, but can I go right up against the other slabs?
It is completely fine to pour in sections as you mentioned or pour the entire slab at one time. As you said…. If you pour in sections…. It’ll just take a little more time.
This is exactly what I needed even though at the time I didn’t know I needed it. I have an old flat rock sidewalk out front that just doesn’t mix well at all with my wife’s walker. This will be a perfect fix.
❤thank you guys so much for teaching us a safe and efficient way to make our own concrete projects because of you we have been able to enjoy a beautiful patio for relaxing in all seasons. Thanks so much we appreciate you.
Well... At first I thought this wasn't gonna hold up because I didnt see the lil 3 ft. supervisor out there, but I did catch a glimpse of at the end so job well done. Not gonna lie, when I saw the title of the video, I thought to myself.... well, Jim and Lydia are stirrin up the haterade today 🤣🤣 I just cant understand why people have to hate on a process just because its not how they would have done it. I think yall do a great job and I truly believe that has contributed to your rapid success on youtube. Thanks for another great video and cant wait to catch yall in the next one... Have a fantastic week, yall!!
Thank goodness she was there. We wouldn’t know what to do without her wise words of wisdom!🤓 HAHA!😂 Let the haters hate. We agree with you whole heartily!
I absolutely love watching these dry pour projects. I'll bet Jim's mom is happy. Kudos to all the people who did this, and posted their project photos. Especially Ted & Jenna, and Cody & Summer. I follow them too. I have yet to get my helpers to devote a day to get my walk to the shed, but maybe one day soon this summer. Thanks for another great video! Hugs!! 😊
In March of last year (2023) I wanted to pour a 3' x10' entry pad to my new garage. While searching TH-cam for various techniques, the dry pour technique from this channel came up. The process looked simple and effective so I decided to try it. Everything went exactly as Jim and Lydia explained. I am happy to report that a year and two months later, the concrete pad I poured using Jim and Lydia's method still looks as good as the day it first cured. Thank you Jim and Lydia!
We are so happy for you Gary! Thanks for taking a chance and following. Just goes to show that everyone can learn something new and we can reinvent the wheel!
Q009pil
I will be trying soon also and will come back and update yall! ty so much for sharing
Oh really? and how good does it actually look? Not convinced
Could you please please please send me the watering schedule?
My dad taught me how to dry pour nearly 30 years ago. It's just so cool to see someone else actually doing it after never hearing anyone even knowing you can do it! Even being told flat out that you just can't! Boom! 💥💥
Thnx so much for this video. My wife and I live in a rural swampy farming area in the low country of South Carolina. We have a need for several concrete related projects but have been hampered by getting our property torn up by a heavy concrete truck. You guys have given me the inspiration I needed. Can't wait to get started.
I just happened upon this and I am beyond thankful. I bought my house ten years ago. Part of the sidewalk was buried. When I dug it out, a lot of it was nearly gone. I also have a gravel driveway that looks kinda crappy in a nice neighborhood. I’m a single 69 year old without a lot of money. This will be perfect! I can fix a section at a time as I can afford it and have a nice sidewalk after 10 years!!! Thank you so much for sharing your skills.
I feel so blessed to have found you !!!!!!!!! I'm a 72 year old widow who is absolutely going to do this !!!! I kinda sorta did this in the early fall. I kept asking for help but didn't get any. I had already bought the Quikcrete and dug the hole, so I went out, tipped over the wagon that had the Quickcrete in it next to the hole, and cut the bag with a shovel. I had to bring the water out in a gallon bucket half full. GOD BLESS YOU. I'm blessed to have found you
She is a work horse she lifting those 80lbs bags one after another. Love how you work so well together
I used to dry pour fence posts for years. Recently I started mixing with water first and the difference in strength is profound. After one day it is hard as a rock. The dry set is basically gravel even after putting water on top.
For fence post, you can get away with that because the weight is just anchoring the post there’s no compressive or tensil strength needed
Just wet pour the corner posts and middle post and the gate posts. You can dry pour all the other posts. When i dry pour the majority of posts i add water to hole first -pour half in add more water then other half then gentle mist/rain the top of dry mix. It’s fast and is strong. Most fence companies make a wet mix that is super watery and that is worse and weaker then the method i just said. Whenever i worried about a certain area i just have one of my guys drill a hole thru the bottom of post and put rebar thru it sideways so it becomes one with cement mix-wet or dry
It looks like they read some of the comments on a previous video where it was suggested they bring the concrete a lot closer to the project and cut the bags on the ground and then pinch both ends in pole as opposed to the way they were doing it which was cutting the top and then pouring it from a standing position
I suggest wearing gloves. That’s pretty tough on the old hands.
I grew up on base in the jungles of Panama. Being a bold adventurer I spent a lot of time exploring in the jungles. Once I came upon a couple of 20' diameter waist deep flat bottomed what must have been W.W. I I anti aircraft gun revetments. The walls had the appearance of tightly stacked burlap bags but they were solid concrete. My father didn't believe me when I described them. Now the mystery is solved. This was in the dry pour family of techniques.
I had just been keeping it in my unsolved X files. Just when you think you might know too much you find out you don't know something like this. I think I also learned I should have picked a Louisiana girl to marry !
Best wishes and Blessings to both of you, and thanks for the video. Now I'm trying to invent something I need to do a dry pour on for ! Haha
Good to hear Zoner stories. I second the Louisiana girl recommendation.
I've seen a few videos of dry poured concrete that was cut open. The insides were very porous and crumbly. Just something you may want to look into if planning a project like this
I recently did this for a small pad for my outdoor grill and smoker.now im ready for a bigger project.i see many guys debunking dry pouring saying its not as strong yada yada but i dont plan on parking a tank or dump truck on it.perfect for my application. Good job guys.my back started hurting watching you guys pick up those pavers lol
Wait till you see what some of our subscribers have done with the dry pour then we will see if it’s not strong enough. 😉
And yes.. we were hurting bad the next day!🤣
Hey Jim and Lydia, I know y'all are in South Louisiana next to the Texas border and I hope those flood waters effecting Texas aren't effecting y'all. We're praying for the folks in Texas but saying a special prayer that our Cajun Country family is well and safe.
Thank you! We have got 12” of rain over the past week. Our hearts go out to those families as well. 🫶
No explanation joints either?
Man your one lucky dude to have such a good helper and doesn’t even have a smirk on her face while helping.
😊
More than a Helper. She is doing Alot of the heavy work. I seen her pick-up 80 lb bags n put them where they need to go. Alot of men couldn't or wouldn't do that. Waay..more than a Helper.. my $.02
Curious about putting a hot tub slab in back of our house that wouldn't fit a concrete truck, just seen the Picture of a hot tub, do you know how thick they did or or can you tell me how thick and what kind of support should I use...so glad I came upon your youtube video...thx
And she’s smoking hot
Will have back problems later😊
What I love the most about y'alls videos, is how the two of you, work together.. I feel like you two could accomplish anything together.. no matter whatcha do.. truly appreciate all your shares 🙏🏻
Thank you so so much! Don’t give Jim any ideas.. he already wants to build a helicopter!🚁
@@CajunCountryLivin
I wouldn't put that past him 😂
it would be better if there were more people involved and then everyone could celebrate.
plus if it was me I would soak the concrete and use a leaf blower to dry it quick
@@thethinkingman- You don't want to dry concrete quickly
I live in Ohio and I've been dry pouring since 1989. My first dry pour was a sidewalk with flagstone steppingstones in it.
Awesome!!
I am in Michigan. Thank you for your post. I was curious if this would work in cold climates. Do you have any further advice to DIY?
I live in Indy and I did a dry pour for my outdoor kitchen 2 years ago. 12x15 and it holds up just fine no problems at all.
@@mycharmedunicorn8715I was wondering the same thing. I have a house in MI and was wondering if I could dry pour there (vs. Louisiana).
PERFECT TIMING! I am about to tackle my first dry pour and it is a sidewalk!!!! Been thinking about it ever since the first dry pour vid you guys put out. Keep your fingers crossed. 68 Year old is about to make a heck of a mess. If it goes good - I'M crediting you guys. If it tanks - I'M blaming you guys :)
Awesome!! We are so happy for you! Wish we could be there to lend a helping hand!! Bahaha, we have thick skin. 😉
I put in a 5 x 5 ft dry pour slab at bottom of steps that had previously been a weedy muddy mess. I followed TH-cam directions to the tee and it’s been 2 years and it’s holding up just fine and looks good. I’m a 70+ woman with minimal help or funds so this was my only option. I just simply can’t mix and pour wet concrete.
I haven’t started it yet and will wait for cooler weather but planning to do 5x5 slabs to form a patio on an area where trees came down after last hurricane. I can do it gradually as help and budget comes together.
@lorihamlin3604 Great job!! 🌟
Even being down south, I think I would still have installed this in 4 to 6 sections to prevent heaving or cracking.
New sub here hello from down under remote rural off grid , have started concreting my workshop floor never though that I don't need to add rebar as only I will be walking on it and it will only take the weight of tools like table saws and non bench mounted tools ect. Have been making batches up in wheel barrow so basically laying by hand no mixer, 2 day I learnt something new dry pour thank you Jim and Lydia much appreciate your time and effort not just laying the walkway but the time you took to edit and upload. @ 24:49 you have picked up a shovel like that before , thought I was the only one 2 do that , rakes are more dangerous lol. But I digress have been told I do so occasionally, being this far off the grid delivered concrete truck cement is as dear as poison like most other things out here, like yourself and your lady we think outside the box.
Dry pour has been around for years.
I helped pour a 12’ wide by 300’ long ,4 inch driveway using the dry pour method in 1992. It’s still good today.. has. Few chips and dings in it but otherwise good . Halliburton was cleaning out their silos and a friend of mines older brother worked there so he bid and got the concrete and Halliburton trucks even came and dumped it out. Us and about 4 other buddies framed it out and strung out water hoses and nozzles. Hot summer time so it was soaking up the water . Took turns watering it all through the night & pulled boards a couple of weeks later.
Since it was a driveway, did you use anything extra for reinforcement? Like rebar?
You guys are not only very nice and a great couple but you're also very smart and informative.
Thank you for your time to show how dry concrete can work for anyone else. ❤
I dump a couple of bags in post holes with the posts. The dry mix wicks enough moisture out of the soil that even in the driest conditions they’ll set in just a few days.
Yup!!! Great method!
Instant subscriber! I'm neurodivergent and so many videos that offer step by step instructions have key details missing that perhaps novices don't think to include for people who need every single detail included to fully comprehend the project plan, and I am scared to mess things up. That's money if I mess up. You guys went down to an actual shot of the spray flow, and my neurodivergent self appreciates this so much! ❤ We can't afford all the things this girl wants done to our home, so I've been on a journey to learn things on my own, and this video made me feel so much more comfortable to tackle our entryway walkway.
This method seems to be a time and money saver for the diy community…would love to see a strength test of a cured 3.5 inch thick section compared to a wet pour concrete similar to other tests I’ve seen on TH-cam to see if you’re watering technique improves the strength compared to the the brittle nature of the dry pour concrete in other test videos. If you could do like a 1sqft and 3.5 inches thick test slab of each and let them cure and then cut them in half and do some strength tests that would be a great video to see if your dry pour technique produces stronger strength concrete.
Several just such videos on TH-cam. Some not so and some good. To me there's just to many air bubbles or pockets in the dry pouring method that it cuts down the strength of it. I don't think it will hold up long term.
Someone please explain…I’ve been pouring flatwork for 18 years and I can’t comprehend how this method saves any money, furthermore time or labor. I’m not a DIY’r, but I know it’s enough work just going to the hardware store to pick up 80# bags of concrete. You do all the same prep, set forms, move 80# bags (again), and screed just as you would if it were batched with water. Tool the edges/joints and so on. Even if access is limited for a 10-12 yard mixer it’s much easier to move around wheelbarrows/georgia buggy’s with wet concrete that’s premixed and delivered. No dust, comes straight down the chute and put it where you want it. 2-4 hours depending on temps and you could have the forms stripped and on to the next. One guy’s opinion 🤷🏻♂️
@@tylerspinuzzi8172 well, common sense on how it saves money is any laborer you pay to do this is additional cost right off the bat. Doing it yourself obviously saves that money. For those of us that do diy projects on our time outside of work, it’s our time and labor but essentially free because I’m not shelling out hundreds or thousands paying someone else. Going to a hardware store to get materials is the easy part, unless you have difficulties lifting. The materials used are also inexpensive. They broke this down in the video if you watched it. This specific project for a 3’x75’ sidewalk to do themselves was
My first job out of High School before going to college was driving a concrete truck. I can tell you over the years of being around construction and a 47 year career working for a utility company, there are many ways to do a lot of jobs, well. It is like Jim said, this method works well for some things and the cost is very comparable, especially for small jobs with access issues. I have used it for two patio additions and have had no problems for two years ---- and I live close to Canada, where frost is a major issue. I would recommend putting stress joints every 8 to 10 feet if you live in the north like I do. You can buy a joint trowel just like an edger like Jim used, or you could cut in the joints after the concrete has set. There are only two rules with concrete ---- it gets hard and it cracks.
The first starter dry pour project for me was a simple 3-slab pad for the RV. Just enough to keep the the tandem wheels and tongue out of the dirt and keep RV level. Two 5'x2' pads and a 2'x2' pad. I did add some wire mesh since it was going ot be holding over 10k lbs. Followed your plan to a T and had awesome results. I really appreciated the material calculator, which was spot on. Pads came out great and have had the RV roll on/off quite a few times since placed. No issues at all. Cajun Country Living for the win!!
BTW, that new sidewalk will hold up just fine for the occasional "Rapid Projectile Bang Noise Making Hootis" storage container delivery.
Hey Matt! We are so so happy for y’all!! So glad y’all were able to do it!
I did my first dry pour!!! Im an the second hour. Thank you so much for all your videos. I did a 4ft × 7ft about 1.5 inchs thick. I had to back to the store 2 times to get more concreate. The calculation from web said 12 but needed 15. The skreeding was the toughest with my wife getting it as smooth as possible. My pour goes up to the house foundation which made it hard to skreed. Rocks kept popping up. So I sifted some of the powder and added it. This helped a lot. Then we edged and used the paint roller was fantastic. My pad will be used for our trash and recycle cans. Next is small side walk. Thanks again!! Jeff.
My mom was doing this back in the 1970's and an ex fiancee did this for his mothers shed floor in the 80's.
I did a 10x10 concrete pad back around 2005. It's about 4 incjes thick and waa a dry pour.
That thing is still there, NO cracks, NO chips. Built it to use it for working on my riding mower.
Did you put any bars or mesh to reinforce it?
I actually made a nice walkway with your technique! But I was completely lazy and just dumped the bags of concrete without forms or any rebar and raked it smooth and misted it on and off and job came out perfect! Your wife is such a great trooper!!
Maybe I missed something, but did you only lightly mist / spray only the top? How did that 6" of rain impact the project? It seems that _some_ water would have to seep or filter down, below the top slightly wetted concrete powder.
years ago I wet poured a pad for my air compressor behind my shop and you can tell I poured it! Last week I used yalls method for my generac pad and it looks professional! only thing I did different is I used a small foam roller, instead of a nap roller. the finish came out slick and as I had to drill into it for the lag bolts I can say its very sound!
Love love LOVE it!! That’s awesome!! We did some bolts in the dry pour we did for our AC unit. Holding up strong!!🙌
thats the way to do it,i have a long driveway in the woods with rock and it gets washed away so instead of mixing concrete in a wheel barrel then taking it and filling in the holes and low spots i waited till it rained a ton and then just dumped a bag of dry concrete in my wheel barrel and went out there with a small bucket to skoop it up and sprinkle it in the holes and 3 bags went a long way.i have 3 more bags and waiting for ti to rain when were not going to be driving for a few days.super easy and you get a lot more holes filled in.
If it keeps raining, you might have yourself a complete driveway.😊
Tried dry pour because of your videos and now, if I'm the one who is doing the job, I will never go back to the old way again. Thanks for adding all the improvements in techniques. And thanks for giving Americans something to agree about. 😊
yes all americans can agree the cheap, fast, easy, LOW QUALITY way is the way to go! hahhaha stupid americans *puhh*
I’m here to watch two people working in harmony. Good job on the teamwork!
Im here enjoying the scenery & realizing how lucky / blessed some people are .
Thank you!!
Your videos taught me how to do this on my own. Poured my first about 5x3 slab today. Followed all of your steps. Thank you! I'm a fan now!
Because you did this for your parents and not yourselves I had to give your video a like. Thanks for sharing.
you guys turned me on to dry pour last year, and thank goodness!! I've saved so much money doing it myself and I thank you !!!
That’s so awesome to hear! We love that our process is helping people 😊
Is there a reason you can't wet pour it yourself?
I prefer wet pouring all day long over dry pouring
If you read this... do you think it's possible to dry pour on top of existing concrete? I want to build a level step in my garage to put my cabinets on top of... starting out at about 1 iinch thick to about 6 inches thick.
I actually had a similar situation . I did the dry pour in 2 layers I also used a heavy hammer to break up the old pavers . Then spread them out save me on disposal cost,and concrete cost
Then I dry pour over the broken concrete,then add water 💦 over the concrete as I go in sections then add another layer of dry pour to top it off .
Level smoothly and add final misting. . I also wet the soil before I started just to also help with the dust .
I lover the way you guys finished off👌
Thanks!
Pretty cool you have gotten famous for doing something farmers have done in secret for decades. Good on you for sharing the method and taking the heat for it. I have some dry slabs that have held up for decades.
Hi! We have talked in previous videos that this has been around for decades, but the way we do it is a method we have created that works great for us! For example, using the paint roller. Thanks for watching!
Yep you're exactly right. Concrete outside doesn't need plastic or a pea gravel or any gravel. If there was excavating and you had to add dirt the a compactor would be needed. But you guys did it perfect by just removing sod. That was all that needed done. Great job you two ❤
👏👏👏
Nice to hear a positive comment!!
Looks great. Would it be possible, while the cement is still wet, to take flagstone, or another type of flat stone, and press them into the cement and have a stone pathway rather than just concrete. Was wondering what you thought.
You guys are definitely the Masters of dry pour!!
So glad you guys are back to doing 'dry pours' and lighting the internet up. I have to say it : You can't do that!!! There, got it out of my system. I dry poured a 12' hexagonal pad for my Solo firepit. Did it myself. It's turned out ok - I sealed it with a color sealer to match my deck. Used rock underneath with galvanized fence wire for reinforcement - I'm in Central IL and concerned about cracking due to our really bad winters. So far, so good! Thanks for the informative content and trying new things.
Haha, hey everyone has different ways and that’s okay! This is for the people who are willing to step out of the social norms and help themselves by saving thousands! We are so glad you gave it a shot!
@@CajunCountryLivin would you think cold winters would require a bed of rock?
Hiya, just one question. Is the dry pour comparable to a wet pour in it's eventuaĺ hardness when it cures? Thankyou
Hi! The cure time for dry pour is the full 28 days.
You guys did an awesome Job. Steve Carney had actually commented on a dry poor we did last year for our 2 - 10 by 16 pads for our min barns and told us about your video's. Excellent work!! We were one of those situations where a truck wouldn't get to the location.
Cheers ~ Bert & Cindy
So you are saying that i can put my forms right over dirt and grass combination with not issues? This would be helpful as removing turf is a really back breaking work! Thanks
The sidewalk looks great. I am sure Jim's parents appreciate it. Thank you for showing our dry pour. Have a great week.
Thank you Jill! Hope the sky’s are clear for y’all this week!✈️
Several other people on TH-cam are questioning the strength and durability of dry pour. I've seen strength tests showing dry pour crumbling like chalk. Could you guys address those strength and durability concerns?
Hi! Yes! Video is in the works right now!
Wow yall worked hard on that,bet yalls parents will enjoy it for years to come. I want to do that in an area thats 4x4. I was going to put ornamental rocks in but when I saw ur old video on dry pour I was so amazed how it could be done. I haven't done it yet,but will in near future. When it comes to posts for fencing I pour water in the hole of the posts,then dry cement then water again. Pack it down get rid of air bubbles,and add dirt on top. I've done it for years and are so sturdy and strong. Anyways,cost so much cheaper than wet,time and muscles. Great video!
We did our post for the fence like that! We love any type of dry pour! We hope your project turns out great!!
Okay, after this video, I think you have given me enough ammo to try this myself…been a little in-nerved but y’all make it look easy!!
Awesome!! 👏
YOU TWO WORKING TOGETHER GREAT TEAM .GOOD LUCK BE SAFE
Thank you Nathan!
Have you ever attempted to stamp concrete surfaces with the dry method?
Hi! Yes we have! Here is the link. DRY POUR CONCRETE - Garden Patio COMPLETE!
th-cam.com/video/Nv0AArA9UO0/w-d-xo.html
how do you determine your slope? You said you made it level with the existing slab, but I was always taught to slop it away and lower , like a half inch or 3/4 lower on the outside...
If you had checked the weather forecast before doing this pour, would you have waited for dry weather?
Works good for putting post in the ground, I add water into the hole just to moisten the soil and then add post, and of course dry concrete. Works really good, nice video!
You dont need anything between the two meeting concrete? Old and new?
Make sure to do a review on that sidewalk in 6 months and then 1 year so we can all see how dry pouring really holds up
Not a problem. Make sure to check out of video on our dry pour that we checked up on our dry pour that was over 1 year old.
why would he share his technique publicly if he hadn't already done what you're asking.. Hopefully you followed through with seeing his other video on a 1yr + old project.......................... hopefully
Yes, ck out the chicken coop vides... so impressive!!
What about freezing? LIke as low as -!0F? Would it be better to add steel for heaving issues?
They mention this is not for heavy weight. This is for foot traffic they mentioned.🐾
No issues…. It will handle it like a champ. Always add reinforcement steel if you feel that it’s needed.
The older folks, will greatly appreciate, your hard work.
Thank you!
Great video. I noticed you didn't cut joints every 3' to 4' for cracking and you didn't use expansion joint material along the existing concrete. Is this necessary, will the concrete eventually make its own cracks? Thanks!
Years ago I called Quikretes technical expert to ask about this Dry setting technique. He said “We recommend this method of placement “ “ The concrete achieves greater strength over time because it only absorbs the proper amount of water to cure ( crystallize) the mix”. “ Too much water that aids in placement can actually weaken the concrete “
Hey quick question how do you calculate how much concrete you’ll need for a particular size of Pad?
It was so cool to see you both doing a dry pour again. That is what led me to your channel years ago. The OG's in dry.pour. Great video, as always. Till next video.
Thank you Darren! And thank you for watching!!!
Noticed you didn't put the expansion joints across the middle. Not sure what they are called. Any reason why?
Thank you fir sharing . I can tell when a couple really like to give back . Blessing over yalls whole vision in both lives .
Thank you so much!
Cool video and breakdown. I need a new sidewalk at my house. This is very helpful. I build fences and work with concrete a lot, so I’m glad you addressed using a face mask. It was my only concern when I was watching the intro. Stay safe and keep up the great work!
Lotta haters. Thanks for showing us a good way to dry pour.
Thanks for watching!
When people see what others are doing and they are to lazy to try they get mean 😂
You two are the hardest working people in real life. Looks great!
Thank you!!
I love this way of pouring concrete. My husband and I are going to try this soon. Seems so much easier
Exceptional work from The Dynamic Cajuns; Captain Croc and The Lovely Lydia!
Thank you!!
So you're not using any type of wire mesh on any of diy projects?
Amazing you guys! It looks absolutely phenomenal! And the wood grain where the form board was!? 😍
LOVED seeing the other dry pour projects that people from all over have done! The wheels are spinning now for what our next one will be!
Such a great video and what a special thing for you guys to be able to do this for Jim’s parents! Xoxo
Can't wait for you to do another dry pour. 😊
Hey Friends! Yes! It looks so stinkin’ good!🤩 Almost looks as good as y’all’s dry pour! We can’t wait to see what y’all do on your next dry pour! What we love is how y’all take on dry pours in an extremely cold climate vs our warm! Great for people to watch both our videos to show it’s possible to do anywhere and for any season!
Can you use this process to resurface and existing slab to the garage? I live in an area that gets 40 below consistently during the winter months. It has taken a toll on the surface as well as a couple of cracks.
Im glad i found u guys. Never heard of dry pour until your channel.im looking for a reason to pour concrete now lol.hard work but i like the look of fresh concrete.
Hi! We are so glad you did! We hope you find a great place to do the dry pour! It’s worth the work for sure!
It is good to see that rain did not wash or beat spots into concrete. Looks amazing!
Probably set it good & hard...
and yet another fine job you two rock i have done several of these pours since i watched your first vid so easy and they last i live in nebraska so we have heat and cold from 100 degrees down to -30 still no problems thank you so much for teaching me this idea
Thank you Gary!! 👏
Question did you angels the bored for the water can wash to the grass. ?
Yes, 1/4” of fall per inch.
My Dad would have loved this I showed him it he watched from heaven His concrete projects use to be such big projects around our pools when I was a kid Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing your method with the world. Could you in the interest of science make a plug cut at the center of the form to see if it’s completely solid throughout? My fear is the outer surface will cure as a casing and prevent full solidification of lower portion. That’s one thing you get when you mix manually is you know it’s all mixed.
We will be performing various tests in the near future. However, the slabs always cure throughout using our method. We have busted them apart and they are always cured completely. We’ve poured 8” slabs this way.
@@CajunCountryLivin wow thanks for sharing! Ill try out your method!
Why didn't you level it out and reuse the pavers? How many hours did it take total and how much in material?
We moved them to a different location for another use!😁
I’m wondering if can I still use steel bars to making stronger,?
It won’t hurt to add it!
No expansion joints???
Right I was thinking the same thing
They don’t have frost
What is the largest slab you can do with this method? If I wanted to do a driveway, would I have to do it in smaller sections? Thanks! :)
Hi! At the end of this video we show a lot of projects people have done and a sweet couple that watches us did their driveway dry pour in sections!
@@CajunCountryLivin Ok, thank you!
Yaa! More Concrete! Exposed aggregate looks so nice!
It does!
I have a old brick patio that I would like to level. Will dry poor work over brick?
It will if they are well compacted and settled. I’d pour at least 1.5”.
Looks great and you guys are motivating me to do my own. just wondering about the lack of contraction joints on your walkway and if they are even needed.
Hi! We are going to add them in after the 28 day cure time.
@@CajunCountryLivin thank you how deep they should go?
How do you get all of the cement completely wet all through top to bottom
You guys are the OGs of dry pour concrete. Love it!!
👏🫶💪
@@CajunCountryLivin 😎
Thanks for the video ! Question though, I have see other TH-camrs refer to your method and they have had some failures on the edges being brittle. Any idea why or how to stop this from happening? Thanks for your insight.
We completed a few days ago a 3 ton or 80 x 80lb bag dry pour of a shed base. First time dry pour. It went really well . A couple of minor spots that are already patched . I followed the water curing process carefully , added covering the hardened concrete pour with tarps to improve cure. After only 4 days it is not porous , water pools on the surface as it should on cured concrete.
I would suggest that before smoothing/screeding the surface walk on it to compress the dry mix. I think our friends here do that but don’t pointing that out.
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Very happy , thanks everyone .
Cheers Warren
11x17 x3+” shed base. 48 cubic ft of concrete.
If I need to pour a 4” slab, might it be necessary (or smart) to put approximately 2”, spray it down, then put the rest, screed and finish spraying?
I don't know dry pour but I do know concrete...if you do so, keep the finish of your first 2" really rough cuz the 2 layers may not stick to each other. I don't know if you got winter where you live but If layers doesn't stick to each other, water will go between and the concrete will crack in really few years
Where do I find your watering schedule?
its in this video
Hi! At 19:24 in the video.
This method looks very doable for a walkway I’d like to do. For durability, what’s the oldest walk you’ve put in? And how has it held up? I see questions about dry pour being durable after a few years.
Y’all are killing it!!
Thank you!!
Love your videos! Have a question, and I’m sure from watching this video it’s possible. I need to lay a concrete slab in my backyard. Only two gates on each side of the house at about 3 feet wide, so no way to get a concrete truck back there. So the dry pour is probably my best option. Need a slab for a 12x 16 shed. Question, can I do it the same way you two did it in sections? Like four slabs of 6x8 next to one another? It will take days for curing each slab, but can I go right up against the other slabs?
It is completely fine to pour in sections as you mentioned or pour the entire slab at one time. As you said…. If you pour in sections…. It’ll just take a little more time.
This is exactly what I needed even though at the time I didn’t know I needed it. I have an old flat rock sidewalk out front that just doesn’t mix well at all with my wife’s walker. This will be a perfect fix.
I have railroad ties as a driveway, I can't wait to do this.
❤thank you guys so much for teaching us a safe and efficient way to make our own concrete projects because of you we have been able to enjoy a beautiful patio for relaxing in all seasons. Thanks so much we appreciate you.
Well... At first I thought this wasn't gonna hold up because I didnt see the lil 3 ft. supervisor out there, but I did catch a glimpse of at the end so job well done. Not gonna lie, when I saw the title of the video, I thought to myself.... well, Jim and Lydia are stirrin up the haterade today 🤣🤣 I just cant understand why people have to hate on a process just because its not how they would have done it. I think yall do a great job and I truly believe that has contributed to your rapid success on youtube. Thanks for another great video and cant wait to catch yall in the next one... Have a fantastic week, yall!!
Thank goodness she was there. We wouldn’t know what to do without her wise words of wisdom!🤓 HAHA!😂 Let the haters hate. We agree with you whole heartily!
Have you guys tried coloring the dry concrete?
Video coming soon….
Have an awesome day guys love to watch each new project you BOTH work together Keith from Canada
Thank you so much Keith!
I absolutely love watching these dry pour projects. I'll bet Jim's mom is happy. Kudos to all the people who did this, and posted their project photos. Especially Ted & Jenna, and Cody & Summer. I follow them too. I have yet to get my helpers to devote a day to get my walk to the shed, but maybe one day soon this summer. Thanks for another great video! Hugs!! 😊
Thank you Charles! I know that means a lot to not just us, but everyone named. 🫶
I want to try this up in my property in west Virginia, up in the hills small sidewalk to the porch.