Concrete basics for Beginners from top to bottom, ground prep, rebar, sealing & protecting

DIY Concrete Basics for the beginner starting from the ground up. Ground work / Construction, rebar, pro-tips for sealing & protecting your finished job. Driveways, sidewalks, slab construction
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[teter]

Love no so wordy- straight to the point vids. Appreciate it.

[ltanksley]

Looks like a video project, working on your own home, or a contractor that asked for all this. Great video. I live in Washington. We're known for rain. I've never seen prep like this and I've seen schools, roads, and full housing complexes built. That extra layer of cheap insurance, would not be done cheaply by a contractor -- anywhere in America. I just watched a whole school built right next door to me and sidewalks put in as we had none. No special dirt for drainage or underlayment. Just leveling, packing, framing, rebar, and pour. I've always seen these extra products and have never seen anyone but homeowners doing their own projects use them.

[kosycat]

Its good to see someone who does quality work, unlike a lot of people I have worked for

[mitchelldake]

I like it Stan! A few things that I think people should also consider; first where your water shed will be. You NEVER want flat level concrete, this will make puddles and in cold climates like yours and mine, ice! Regardless of what kind of pour it is you always want 1-2% or greater slope in one direction to shed water. Also if you are pouring up against any kind of existing concrete it is essential that you use some kind of foam expansion to prevent cracking when the surfaces differentially expand. If the existing concrete you are working with is going to be part of the pour, such as a driveway extension, consider drilling in #4 rebar to anchor the two together so the don't float apart. And finally cutting in control joints is an absolute must! All concrete is going to crack and cutting in joints about 1/4 the thickness of the slab will control the cracking. Great video!

[blessedng]

We are "newbies" on this site. Awesome info, clear and very helpful.! God Bless you all!

[jefferywilliams]

I was extremely intimidated doing any type of construction to our brand new house due to my lack of experience.
But I've recently started doing minor things.
Anyway I accidentally came across this video and afterwards decided to try some small concrete repairs.
Thank you very much.
My Wiffy was very impressed. VERY IMPRESSED.😁

[TheAefril]

Thanks Stan'
Those were the best tips a beginner like me needs to hear before I do my yard slab in a couple of months.
Cheers from Sydney/ Australia 🇦🇺.

[kipcarroll]

I always find the different mixtures of concrete interesting. What mixture for what application, conditions, needs, etc. And to add it. When not.
Thx.
Good videos. To the point. No extra time wasting stuff.
Thx again.

[chozen]

Great and quick video. Now, I need to know how close to the forms do I need to set rebar. Thanks in advance. Love your stuff brother.

[hamsandwich]

Thanks for the product info, most guys just tell what they do but dont show the products used. Thumbs up.

[YeahPete]

Love this guy. Perfect advice every time even down to the soil and the fabric separating the different materials and actually supporting the rebar on chairs instead of laying it on the ground. Wish he covered control joint spacing.

[phillipwilliams]

These are the types I like. I deal with a lot of people who can't afford brand new, but can too reuse material they have.

[tulw]

Thank you. These few tips added lots to my learning. Thank you for what you do to motivate people to start working outdoors and to own their own business . It is really helping me.

[workinprogress]

Just did my first bid for sod with your videos. Hopefully I can leave the office permanently and do this full time. Also started to do mow/blow/edging after work. Well I will be once I get that first client

[mikejohnson]

Stan, you left out "Control Joints" and drainage-water control. Once you pour a slab of concrete, water runoff and control becomes an issue.
Cheers
MJ

[anayelimogoyan]

Hi,
Your video was very helpful; it helped me understand my ACI/ASCC manual book. I would like to learn more about the purpose of concrete joint types.

Thank you!

[thtsnjw]

I'm going to be adding a concrete walkway alongside the existing asphalt driveway, it will also support partial weight of vehicles from time to time. I would like to see a video and get pointers for this on how to make a nice fit, it will be my first time doing my own concrete. Thanks

[ZussieMakesit]

Thank you! Your videos have helped me so much!! I have a lot of loose and questionable material on a spot I’m going to pour concrete on, it’s a small pour but this info helped me know what to do 👍🏼

[earlgraystoke]

Love it! Neighbor is redoing his half of a shared driveway, so I'm gathering smarts I don't have. Thanks!

[Sleekfalcon]

Good info. I'm learning all I can to start to finish pour a pad for our tiny home to sit on. It's on a slope and we are doing as much as possible on our own. Your videos from equipment, clearing, and this one are just information we need. Definitely looking for more on concrete for certain. A pad foundation is not a sidewalk lol. Thank you for your videos and the time you put into them.