Compacting Fill and Concrete GradingMaking a final grade and compacting fill are the next steps in pouring your own concrete patio. You should begin this process only after you have prepared the ground and set up your concrete forms. Check the Final Grade Run a string line across your patio set-up. The string line should run from the top of your form on one side of the patio to the top of the form on the other side of the patio. (the width/length of your patio). The ground should be 4 inches below the string line. If it is not, you will need to add more fill in the areas that are greater than 4 inches below the string line, and remove ground or fill in areas that are less than 4 inches below the string line. Move the string line over all of the patio to make sure the grade level is correct. Compacting the fill - This is called "tamping". If you needed fill for your project as determined when making the final grade above, it is critical that you compact the fill. You will need a compactor. A compactor can be as simple as a hand tamper that you can get at a hardware store or you can rent a plate compactor at a rental shop. If you choose to do it by hand, it will take longer. Just simply pound the ground with the hand tamper where you placed the fill, until the ground is compact and hard. Another easy method to compact the fill is to run water from a garden hose over the filled sections until they get compact and hard. If you choose this method, you will need to wait until the ground is dry to pour the concrete. This may take a few days. If you choose to rent a compactor, First level off the fill with a concrete rake, a garden rake, or a shovel - anything that will spread the fill around. Then, run the compactor over the ground. If you have more than 12 inches to fill, put in about 6 inches of fill, then run the compactor over the fill before you add another 6 inches.
Don't want to bother with doing it yourself? If so, and you live in the Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs area, request a quote on your project here.
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