Your First Concrete Pour? Here's the Deal
I realize that if you've never had concrete work done at your house, the whole process can seem kinda mysterious. A bunch of guys show up, a giant truck backs into your yard, and a few hours later there's a slab there. But there's more to it than that and I want you to know what's coming so there's no surprises.
Before Pour Day
First we gotta prep the area. Depending on the job this might mean demolishing old concrete (yes it's loud and yes it's dusty - sorry about that), grading the dirt, compacting the base, and setting up forms. The forms are those wooden or metal borders that hold the concrete in shape while it's wet. This prep work usually takes a day, sometimes two for bigger jobs.
We'll also call in the underground locates to make sure we're not gonna hit any utility lines. Don't skip this step. Ever.
The Big Day
Pour day is exciting honestly. The concrete truck shows up early - like 7 AM early. I know that's not fun but concrete waits for nobody, especially in the Sarasota heat. In August right now while I'm writing this it's already 90 degrees by 9 AM so we gotta move fast.
The truck is big and loud. Your neighbors will know something's happening. The driver backs in as close as he can and we start the pour. The crew works fast - screeding it level, floating it smooth, adding whatever finish you picked. The whole pour might take a couple hours for a standard driveway.
A Few Things to Know
- Keep kids and pets AWAY from the work area. Wet concrete is not a toy and it'll burn skin
- We'll need access to a water hose if possible
- Your yard might get some tire ruts from the truck - we'll do our best but those trucks weigh 60,000 pounds loaded
- It's gonna be messy during the pour. That's normal. We clean up after
The Hardest Part - Waiting
Here's where people lose their minds. After we pour, you can NOT walk on it or drive on it right away. I know, I know. It looks solid the next day. It's not ready.
General rule of thumb:
- Walking on it - 24 to 48 hours minimum
- Driving on it - 7 days minimum, 10 is better
- Full strength - 28 days (yes really)
I've had customers in Bradenton call me two days after a pour asking if they can park on it because they have company coming. The answer is always no. Please. I'm begging you. Just wait. You waited this long to get it done, another week won't kill you.
After It's Cured
Once it's cured up you're good to go. We'll come back and pull the forms, clean up any edges, and make sure everything looks right. If you got a stamped or decorative finish we'll seal it at that point too.
Got questions about an upcoming project? Drop us a line. I'm happy to walk you through exactly what your job will look like. No two projects are the same but the general process is pretty much what I just described.