In order to get the best possible results when doing cement work, you should have the right concrete tools. Those who have done concrete work using the wrong tools know how hard it is to do that kind of a cement job.
Before you can pour new concrete, there is often old concrete that needs to come out. Cutting the concrete with a diamond saw blade can be a great way to get a solid and straight line in the existing concrete to butt up to.
After you remove the old concrete, it is time to prepare the ground for the new concrete. If the old concrete sunk and that is why you are replacing it, then you may need to add some base and do some major compacting work to make sure that the new concrete does not have the same problem. Once the ground is prepped, you then will need to place concrete forms. When forming, it is always better to use too many stakes rather than not enough. If you try to skimp by, you may find a form bulging from the weight of the cement during the pour, causing the concrete to not have a straight edge or a weird curve to it. For some concrete pours, you will also need to place rebar in the concrete area to reinforce the cement. When pouring the concrete where the rebar is, you will pour a little over it, then raise it up and let it sit on the bottom of the concrete and then pour over the top of it. The goal is to have it in the middle of the concrete as much as possible.
Before the concrete truck ever shows up, you should have preparations in place. Think about how big the pour is and if you will need help from family and friends. Will you need wheel barrows to haul concrete or can the truck reach the pour site? if the truck cannot reach the pour site is the job large enough to justify getting a concrete pump truck. Most importantly, make sure that you have and know where all of the tools needed to finish the concrete are.
When you get close to being ready, you will be able to call the concrete place and schedule the pour. Be ready to tell them how many yards of concrete you need them to bring. It is best to pour early in the morning if you can so that you have the whole day to finish the cement.
When the truck arrives, the driver will ask you what slump you would like. This essentially means how runny or stiff would you like it. The stiffer it is, the quicker it will set, but the tougher it is to work with. Do not make that decision until the truck arrives because you will want to base that on the weather and the amount of help you have at that moment. If it is hot or if you do not have a lot of people you should make sure that you have a really wet concrete to give yourself more time to finish the concrete.
Once the concrete is down, it needs to be screeded using a concrete screed. Some people use a 2X4 to do this, while others have an actual screed tool. The idea of using a screed is to make the concrete level with the top of the concrete forms. Once this is done the concrete will be worked with a float to bring the moisture, or cream as it is called, to the top to create a smooth surface.
While one person is working the float, another will come behind them and put a rounded edge on the top edges of the concrete using a tool called and edger. Another person comes behind them to smooth the lines with a trowel. This series of steps is repeated several times during the concrete curing time until the concrete is stiff enough to put the finishing touches on it.
