# One man DIY concrete pour & finish?



## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

I have a workshop/storage area for a new pole barn that is 24'X42' floor. 
I know this is crazy, but I was thinking I could handle the pour & finish on my own? The finish will be a smooth surface finish. Total pour area is about 1,010 square feet. What if I divided up the floor & poured about 4 or 5 cu. yards at a time over several days. The total cubic yards are about 13-14 cu. yards. My figures are all material estimates. Concrete here in the Upstate area of SC is around $100. per cu. yard just for material. I'm trying to save money on the labor required to manage the pour & the finish. My wife thinks I'm nuts to do this part of the project on my own. What can you advise? Thank you.


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## landfillwizard (Feb 21, 2014)

I agree with your wife. I don't think even a professional would try to attempt this pour by himself.


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## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

landfillwizard said:


> I agree with your wife. I don't think even a professional would try to attempt this pour by himself.


Yeah- I think this is way over the top even for me. But there's just that ego & bragging rights to say I did the whole thing top to bottom. :jester:


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## ZTMAN (Feb 19, 2015)

We had a picnic shed slab poured that was about the same size. Two guys were working the pour. The picnic area is now known as the Wave Pool Pavillion. That stuff sets faster than you think and you can get to the point of no return real quick.


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## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

ZTMAN said:


> We had a picnic shed slab poured that was about the same size. Two guys were working the pour. The picnic area is now known as the Wave Pool Pavillion. That stuff sets faster than you think and you can get to the point of no return real quick.


Thanks - Yeah, that "wave Pool" thought scares me also. It may not be worth the risk. I do need a smooth & level surface floor because I have tractor attachments that are really difficult to hook up to if the tractor & attachments are not on the same level plane. Guess I will be shopping for a good concrete company at a reasonable rate to do the job. :yes:


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## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

Get some help to work with you or hire a concrete contractor.

A slab can get away from you very quickly depending on the conditions and the concrete. - Warm and windy can go off quickly.

If it has "hot/fresh" cement in it, it will set faster. This time of the year that is not too likely compared to August/September when the cement delivered to the ready-mix plant when it is recently ground and more reactive.

Dick


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

If you are a young fellow, can form so there is no possibility of blow outs, can operate a 12 ft. screed board or HONEY, all you need to do is just hold one end :laughing: , or can rent a power screed, can operate a bull float, can wait until the outdoor ambient temperature is around 50°, are willing to have a mix with enough slump one person can work that will prevent waves, and the ready mix truck has easy access, you may be able to do four 10.5' x 24' sections. After the first pour you will certainly know if you want to continue.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

I have a 12x16 patio that even a pro has refused to do because he works alone and it too big for him.
For a 24x32 slab with a smooth finish you will want a power trowel to finish it.


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## Jnaas2 (Mar 29, 2014)

Check the price to rent a jackhammer and compressor if you try this by yourself you will need one


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## Rough Rooster (Feb 7, 2015)

Get help!

If you try it you will be renting a jackhammer and loader tractor, and hiring a haul truck.

More help the better.
Need a jitterbug operator, two for screed board, one on truck chute, and two 'mortar forkers' with mud rakes. Sounds like 6 to me. Wouldn't hurt to have another lifting rebar to correct position in concrete mix.
When poured then all can join in on the bull float and troweling to get a good pour!

Been there and tried that!

RR


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## jogr (Jul 24, 2007)

Your wife is a brilliant woman. Listen to her.


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## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

Ok! I hear the message loud & clear guys. I need to hire a experienced concrete contractor with possibly a five or six man crew to handle a 24'x42' pour. What I will do to offset the labor cost somewhat, is that I will prep the ground, forms, rebar install, vapor barrier, pitch, etc. In that way, all they have to do is give me the installation of the pour & the finish. That should help control the cost. Thanks for all the advice & steering me away from what could be a costly error in judgment. :yes:


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

If you want to save some bucks then do all of the prep yourself (grading, compacted base, forms, etc) and then hire the crew to do the pour.


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## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

kwikfishron said:


> If you want to save some bucks then do all of the prep yourself (grading, compacted base, forms, etc) and then hire the crew to do the pour.


That's exactly what I plan on doing. It should save some $ & it will be done the way I want.


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

I recommend you have the foreman of the crew inspect your work and agree that it is acceptable before you order the truck. It's a bad day if the crew determines that the subbase is improperly prepared, the reinforcing steel is the wrong elevation, the forms are not strong enough etc. after the truck arrives, because then it is really too late to do much.


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## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

Daniel Holzman said:


> I recommend you have the foreman of the crew inspect your work and agree that it is acceptable before you order the truck. It's a bad day if the crew determines that the subbase is improperly prepared, the reinforcing steel is the wrong elevation, the forms are not strong enough etc. after the truck arrives, because then it is really too late to do much.


My prep work will get plenty of attention because after I do it, I will be calling on concrete contractors for a quote. I'm no stranger to form building, grading, base prep & rebar. I'm sure I will get contractors telling me I'm all wrong-as well as contractors who will understand the objective & use in mind & give me an honest evaluation.


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

than look at it this way,,, IF you ' f ' it up, who'll you sue ? you already know the cost,,, your bride :laughing: i'm fairly certain her caustic criticisms will far outlast the conc,, & HOW do i know this ? i married her sister


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## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

stadry said:


> than look at it this way,,, IF you ' f ' it up, who'll you sue ? you already know the cost,,, your bride :laughing: i'm fairly certain her caustic criticisms will far outlast the conc,, & HOW do i know this ? i married her sister


Sometimes advice isn't worth the computer it's written on.


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## mawcm (Jul 7, 2015)

If you're experienced and know what you're doing, it's easily possible.. just split it up.

The problem is, a lot of people try it without prior experience and end up getting in over their head... They end up spending more than they thought they would, not even including their time.... and it becomes not worth it in the end.


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## JustScrewIt (Mar 14, 2015)

maddog1 said:


> That's exactly what I plan on doing. It should save some $ & it will be done the way I want.


Ah yes, "the plan"... Elusive mistress of DIYers everywhere...

I think you've just inspired my new signature quote!


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

its unlikely you can make conc as inexpensively OR mix the same quality as plant mix,,, certainly its not likely you'll 'hold' the grade to what's needed - 4" - using shovel & stringline,,, my calc's show 12.444 cy for a 4" floor w/no steel & 14cy IF you incl #4 bar AND place per aci specs.

that's all just arithmetic, tho - in theory, there's no difference 'tween theory & practice - in practice, there is ! :huh:


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## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

JustScrewIt said:


> Ah yes, "the plan"... Elusive mistress of DIYers everywhere...
> 
> I think you've just inspired my new signature quote!


Ever here this one-Failing to plan-Is planning to fail.


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## JustScrewIt (Mar 14, 2015)

maddog1 said:


> Ever here this one-Failing to plan-Is planning to fail.


That I have, that I have. But I've found a truer truism to be, "The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry." Indeed, I have "lucked out" and gotten good results in many-a unplanned project way more often than I have had a project go completely as planned with no adjustments to the plan when putting it into action. It's the whole theory vs practice scenario

EDIT: I'm assuming that when I said "inspired my new signature quote" in the previous post, you assumed I was referring to the "ah yes, the plan...elusive mistress to DIYers everywhere" quote and thinking that I was saying it was my own made up "signature" quote for all to marvel at my brilliance for. However, when I said "new signature quote", it was referring to the quotes that a lot of other members have at the bottom of each one of their posts, sort of a like a motto. I had written that posts before discovering that a member must have at least 50 posts under their belt before being allowed to have a "signature" or motto or quote or whatever you want to call it attached to their post. So, to clarify, I "new signature quote" that I had been "inspired" to attach to the bottom of all my posts from then on was, "The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry." This is a common modernized version of the famous line in Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse" which reads "The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, Gang aft agley." It also inspired the title of John Steinbeck's novel "Of Mice and Men." Just thought i'd clarify that... But yes, if I had intended to say "The plan is the elusive mistress of DIYers everywhere", you would be absolutely correct in saying that the meaning is similar to the quote "Failing to plan is planning to fail," even though the context in which I said it involved OP believing that the pour will go according to plan. Sometimes the plan doesnt always go accordingly though, which is why it is "elusive" rather than absent completely...


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

no, never heered it :no:


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