How To Pour Concrete | Northeast Pennsylvania
If you work with concrete, or are thinking about a career that involves working with concrete, then you have to know how to work quickly and precisely. Concrete can be a difficult material to work with, since you have pour concrete precisely and shape it before it dries. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to make a concrete surface, here are the basics to help you pour concrete perfectly.
STEP 1: SET THE FOUNDATION
First, clear your area of any debris until only exposed earth is showing. The soil beneath the concrete is called the subgrade, and it has to be compacted to provide stability to your concrete. After compacting your subgrade, you’ll add your subbase, which is comprised of either small or large stones. The large stones allow water to flow through easily. The small stones are more compactable but also more costly. Your subbase should be 4 to 8 inches deep, then compacted with a hand tamper or plate compactor.
STEP 2: PREPARE A FORM
A form is a wooden perimeter around the pouring site that is secured with special nails or screws. For perfectly finished concrete, you’ll need to make sure that the angles of your form are exact and that the forms have a slight slope to them to prevent water from pooling in the middle of the concrete.
STEP 3: LAY WIRE MESH
Insert a wire mesh or rebar over your subbase to add stability. This is especially important for load-bearing concrete, like driveways. Adding a wire mesh also helps to prevent cracks from forming over time.
STEP 4: MIX AND POUR CONCRETE
To make your concrete, mix together Portland cement, sand, and aggregate at a ratio of 1:2:4. Then, add just enough water to the mixture to bind all the elements. After the concrete is mixed, pour it into your form until the high point is reached. You and others will spread out the concrete to fill every part of the form.
STEP 5: SMOOTH IT OUT
Smoothing out the surface of your concrete takes several steps. First, move a screeding tool along the form to flatten out the wet concrete. Next, you’ll use a bull float to press down on the wet cement to compact it. This also helps the cream, or gravel-free concrete, to float to the surface. Placing a straight board at a right angle across the concrete surface, use a groover to make straight lines in the concrete every five to six feet. These lines will help the concrete to resist cracking. Finally, take a broom and gently sweep it over the surface of the concrete. This makes the surface less smooth, which helps to improve traction.
STEP 6: FINISHING TOUCHES
After your concrete is totally dry, you’ll will need to cure and seal it so that it will last longer. Simply paint the surface with a concrete sealant, then allow to cure for 28 days. The sealant helps the concrete to cure as well as prevents cracks and discoloration.
ABOUT A+ ENTERPRISES
A+ Enterprises is dedicated to delivering quality products, displaying professionalism within the firm, seeking new opportunities for expansion and profitability, and providing an environment for individual success. If you have a commercial or residential construction project that you need taken care of, please contact Northeast Pennsylvania’s highest rated site-work contractor today by calling 570-373-9996 or filling out the form below. You can also follow A+ Enterprises on Facebook!
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Professional and courteous. We have sought the services of this company twice now. Each time they were more than accommodating with very reasonable prices. A+ service.
Charles Zaffuto
May 2, 2020I got a 100% accurate estimate from the owner and he dispatched a crew to clean out my house the next day (!). The guys were professional and very nice and personable, making a tough situation much easier to handle. Moreover, they worked until the job was done way over my expectations. This company has the best prices in our area and they are complete pros. I would recommend them to anyone...don't hesitate and call A+ first! They will be my first call in the future! Added 3/1/2020: So 18 months later I had to clean out a 2nd floor apartment and 3rd floor attic. This attic was stuffed floor to ceiling with junk and the apartment full of furniture. Sal had a crew there within 24 hrs of my call and cleaned it out in ONE DAY! They even swept up and went through with garbage cans to completely clean the house. I value good service and A+ always delivers...I recommend them to my friends and family and have now used them 3 times. Each time the price is far less than I expected and the work is way better than I'd expect. If you have a job that you're afraid to deal with...call them!!!!! It is the best call you'll ever make! They have always come through for me. Thank you!!!!
Daryl Williams
March 2, 2020Hard working guys got the job done in one day. I recently bought a foreclose property and have A+ Enterprises help do the clean up. Its a 3 bedroom house full of junk, and everything was gone at the end of the day. Image a house hoarders live in, 3 bedrooms, each with bed, dressers, night stand, TV and many other trash, you do not want to be in the room more than 1 minute. Kitchen full of dirty dishes, appliances and dining table with chairs. At the end of the day, whatever not bolted down was gone, including most of the nasty carpet. I will definitely use their service again. Great service and the hard working people.
Calvin L
April 7, 2021 -
A+ Enterprise . . .gave an accurate estimate. . .did a PROFESSIONAL job. . .the team was "on-time" completed the work on schedule. . . very easy to work with. . . Highly Recommend!
Wes Coates
January 22, 2020Top notch. I called and spoke with a Guy named Sal. Very friendly and excellent Customer Service, 100%. I was set up in minutes. The pricing was great. Delivered it next day. When it was time for pick up I advised that I would be working and not able to hear the door so just knock hard. I went out on my Lunch break wondering what the heck? And the Dumpster was gone. Great service. Great Price. I called about 6 Dumpster Rental places and of all of them, A+ Was definitely the best and Props to Sal. Great Service. Truly is A+
Baby Cakes
June 10, 2020The 3 man crew did a fantastic job in clearing out and disposing of several large and small items that still remained after a 2 day estate sale. Items removed included beds and mattresses, 3 couches, bedroom chest of drawers, old refrigerator and electric stove, computer desk, old and very heavy television, several tools plus much more.Very courteous workers and owner was great to work with. Highly recommend and you won’t be disappointed.
Rich Winslow
August 21, 2019 -
A+ is a first-rate, highly professional outfit. They offered courteous, efficient, same-day service at a more-than-fair price. I recommend them with great confidence.
Joel Shuman
July 8, 2019Hired A Plus Enterprises last year to remove some old pool equipment, old yard equipment, and old furniture from my house. There timing, professionalism, and reasonable pricing was overwhelmingly amazing. Great job and look forward to hiring you again!
Ryan Croughn
May 4, 2020Three men came and took everything I wanted to get rid of. They were professional and very nice. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Thank you. I'll be calling again.
Elaine Hungarter
June 23, 2020 -
Sal was great to work with. I was so stressed about a large deck in the back of my house that was collapsing. Sal came right over and gave me a very fair price and two days later the job was done. And a really good job. He even hauled away a piece of junk for me at the last minute. I highly recommend this company and plan to use them again as the need arises
Pam cortese
April 10, 2019Called for estimate for tv removal, good price came that morning I called, Sal is great, will use again.
Debbie Rumensky
March 15, 2020Awesome company! My uncle passed away, and we were cleaning out his house. We had a lot of items to donate to the Salvation Army. I called the Salvation Army but they couldn’t pick up for a month. I called A Plus & they came two days later. The Two young men who came to pick up were polite, respectful & very efficient. The price was reasonable too. I will definitely use A Plus in the future.
Kevin Kittrick
May 6, 2021 -
These guys are the best! Very professional and super courteous and easy to work with! We had a tight space to get it into driveway and they made it look easy and didnt even leave a scratch !! Great prices too!! Thanks for helping us out!!! John and Maryjo
john morrissey
July 18, 2020I called and it was picked up immediately and scheduled the service with ease. Crew arrived and job was completed as promised. Crew was professional, friendly and courteous. Very impressed.
A Thur
March 13, 2021Excellent communication starting from the first call through our entire demolition project. Answered the phone and responded to emails and texts promptly. Got the job done quickly and efficiently. Highly recommend A+ Enterprises.
Michelle Pennington
June 10, 2020
