I need to pour a concrete pad 20'X28' in a corner (L-shaped house). How do I screed the concrete?

Question

Pictures would help. Thanx

Answer 1

Use a piece of 2x4 that is long enough to span over a section of the pour. You can also set stakes inside the pour to locate the top of the concrete, just be sure to pull them out as you level off to them.

Answer 2

If you need to ask that question, you do not need to be trying this for the first time on that large of an area.

Trust me, start with a smaller project or two-then tackle something a little larger. You are going to risk over $900 in concrete to try this.

You will be totally overwhelmed once the truck arrives.

Respect what people learn in their trades, if it were that easy - cement finishers would make only $5 hour.

I told you so.

Answer 3

That is a lot of concrete, you need to get some scaffold boards and form the shape you want the concrete to be you need to get some metal spikes about 20 inches long and support the boards by putting them either side of the board at the ends  of the board and one each  side in the middle of  the board driving the spikes in to the ground with a sledge hammer.  This will form the shape that you require the concrete to be.   Get on to a concrete delivery company and tell the the dimensions of what you need and how deep you wish the concrete to be, they will advise what mix you need and how many concrete trucks will be needed to pour the mix,

get a couple of lengths of "6" x "2 " timber to make a tamper that is when the concrete is poured you use the timber to level it it by having the timbers across the scaffold boards so that it levels out the concrete   you can form handle on to these timbers and have plenty of mates around as this is back breaking work

If you are having say "9" deep of cement when you have about two inches in put in the first reinforcing mesh more concrete on top say another three inches put in the second lot of mesh then have the rest of the mix poured in and then begin tamping.   If you are going more than 12 to 15 inches  deep you will need more reinforcing mesh and possibly a vibrator to get out the air

Answer 4

Snap chalk lines on the house.Put up expansion so the top of the expansion is on your chalk line.Ride your screed stick on top of the expansion when your striking off.

Answer 5

That's a big pad, and you may want to include some expansion joints.  If these are done as wood forms, you can do the individual sections, and then remove the wood and fill in the gaps (or leave the wood in place).  Use your gapping tool to define expansion lines.