Got a few nay sayers on here. They can’t stand that you are using an alternative to contractors or subs that charge a fortune. You have freed yourself from the social norms and given us DIYers some hope. Everyone who wants to give you advice hates that you don’t need professionals and can do it yourself. That’s the spirit of DIY. Great work my friend!
That is an incredibly dumb reply. He bought the bags. Mixing them with water would have added 40% strength. Maybe he didn't need that, so its ok but it has nothing to do with an alternative to concrete companies.
@@chuckgemme6733, a wet pour binds much better for strength. There are micro air gaps with dry pouring, so you lose strength that you may need. It depends on the use of the area, and the environment (freeze/thaw). None of this is immediately obvious, but it is very well known in the concrete industry. There are plenty of valid reasons for dry pour, but if you expect the very best, want longevity, have no environmental concerns, it *may* be okay. At the end of the day, wet pour vs dry takes pretty much the same amount of time to me. Material cost is pretty much the same as well.
$2500 was not a bad quote for the size of the slab... the concrete truck itself would have been well about $800..as you can see concrete is labor intensive and I'm sure they would've put some gravel under the slab. But bro you did a really good job doing it yourself and your wife....
Thanks, BIG TIME and yes, it was a different experience on a bigger scale and love the bonding I had with my wife while doing that creating memories together.
Truck would have been cheaper than bags by a long run but you have to work quickly and now how to get it looking good. That's where the concrete guys know better. But this came out nice
@@kanakamokunui1039 it holds up excellent just like traditional wet pour best advice I can give you is take your time. No need to rush go through all the steps. You don’t really need that mesh. I just added it for extra strength. . Learn from my mistake and bevel the edges while they’re still soft, most importantly don’t be shy when adding the water, specially towards the end middle to end that way, you have a solid strong foundation.
no rebar? does the concrete crack how long do these last and how much did this project cost you in material? How did you put that line in the middle? I want to do this for my backyard these contractors are charging me like 20k for my small backyard lol
I used metal mesh, simple misinterpretation in video I said rebar, absolutely no cracks especially if done correctly,cost about $ 800 in materials. I used cement edger for middle line, could’ve been better. I highly encourage you to do it yourself. Even better if you do it with family that way you guys are BONDING and creating MEMORIES.
@@spinks4integrity I totally agree with you on bonding and memories I def have to try this in my backyard. The $800 includied all of the wood, cement, and the metal mesh? This is way better than paying some contractor like 20k for the backyard.
@@spinks4integrity I could probably get my whole backyard in just 2k in materials but man 20k like wtf even with 5 guys they can do in a day thats 4k if split evenly which i doubt just boss takes most of it. and yeah i get they pay for some stuff to so lets just deduct 2k for materials so 18k for labor? Even say materials were like 10k but still 10k for labor that they finish in like one day? Even 10k split with 5 ppl is 2k and no construction worker or handy man should be making more than a avg doctor per day lol at the end of the day this is just concrete not like building some mega structure and idk how they get this idea of like this is the cost for labor lol I get they have to make a living but just say the 20k -10k materials so 10k for labor if split evenly of 5 workers 2k a day is living hella large how the fook do normal ppl min wage ppl afford this labor lol they can't
U talk about contractors being crazy for charging what they charge , well we charge what we charge because the end result will be quality u get an A+ for trying but your end result speaks for itself 😂 that won’t last for too long
Looks good, but man, you really should've used an edger to round over those edges so they don't chip so easily. You can still grind a bevel on them with a grinder now.
You definitely right on that because the edges did chip here and there, so now doing it the hard way by grinding it now…thanks a lot, you sound like a true professional
@@josefgonza6807 absolutely Jose much success to you just remember to do it with family. That way you save money and create memories together,Another thing to add don’t be shy when adding the water that way you have a strong structure foundation all the way through.
That turned out really nice. I saw another dry pour video that turned out equally as great. One commenter said something that might be helpful to you and wifey. He said to cover your face with a mask to prevent inhaling that dust because it's going in your lungs and you cannot rid yourself of it. Also apply some really thick shea butter to protect your skin while wearing breathable long sleeves and pants because that dust will suck all of the moisture out of your skin as well. Just want you both to be safe so we can see more of your vids. Happy concreting!🙂
When before putting down the cement, mix did you place Sand down 1st before the cement. Then you add in some cement and then the metal bar and then cement?😊
break a piece open, the outside shell is hard but everything on the inside is extremely weak and you can pick it apart with your fingers, that is how weak it is. Because it wasn't mixed wet to compact the cement so it has millions of micro pockets all throughout. it's always dumb to cut corners. This guy isn't even wearing a respirator, he's got concrete in his lungs from playing with dry concrete for hours..
@otallono That makes sense. I'd thought it would be tested for its strength before that technique became so popular. And yeah, they both need to be more careful. That's said with all respect, too.
literally false and is a trade myth. Mucus in your lungs will collect trivial amounts of dust and you will exhale it within a few days. Defects in lung ventilation were strictly related to the duration of mild cases of cement pneumoconiosis diagnosed in a small percentage of workers who were exposed for at least 10 years to high dust concentrations.
Folks, its just a simple residental patio slab; its not a driveway or a foundation, you know. There's always more than one way to skin a cat. Great job!!! 👍🏽
You Wife said : Anyone can do it!!!!! Nothing is impossible. Team work & Family most important. Construction peoples think you owe a house you have 💰 🤑 💸 💲 Thank you for share
if he had money he would simply make a phone call and have a truck come in to pour the wet concrete in the spot and be done. Instead he's breathing in concrete dust and left with an inferior product. Makes no sense. If we want to teach hard work then teach the right way. It's sad to brag about how much money one has.
As a DIYer I’ve had just about enough of contractors charging ridiculous prices just because it’s a contractor’s market right now. Most of them do shit work anyways! Way to take matters into ur own hands and pocketbooks! I encourage everyone to do the same! I’ve learned EVERYTHING on RU-vid! Plumbing, Electrical, Structural and I do everything to make sure I’m code compliant.
Me too I’ve almost remolded my entire house. Painting, electrical, drywall, pluming included changing pipes, some HVAC, NOW IM trying to learn concrete work, that’s why O’m on these channels. I even learned landscaping. We have saved thousands of dollars on our fixer upper home who bought just over 3 years ago.
You have to remember that when you hire a contractor, you are paying for the luxury of not having to do it yourself. Also, keep in mind they are not just trying to feed their family, but also the families of their workers. It is up to you if that luxury is worth it or not.
@david2ljdavid2lj56 great point David that’s why I try to inspire others to learn a trade learn how to do these things themselves and do it with family and create memories together while saving money.
I am going to try this method with my daughters. A contractor quoted me $6500 for my back 12 x 15 and $2500 for my front sidewalk. I am not looking for perfection, but simply to make my backyard space less grass (I am tired of muddy shoes), LOL. Thank you for this video and cuddos to your wife for seeing and helping with the vision. Oh, concrete workers get upset, because they see people doing their own work as losing dollars.
Excellent response and we love the fact that you say you and your daughter are gonna do this together,that’s magical words right here creating projects and creating memories together. follow the process and take your time,much respect good luck on your project.
6500 is crazy high for a 12x15. I poured 65 feet of sidewalk today (4 inches thick with a 4 inch stone base underneith, 65x3 = 195 square feet) for a customer and it wasn't anywhere near that cost. But then again I'm one of the ones who doesn't rip people off. You need about 2.5 yards of concrete for your 12x15 (1 yard fills approx 80 sq feet at 4 inches thick). That's about $450. Cost of stone maybe $100. Cost of lumber maybe $100. Rebar, Wire and Expansion maybe $100. I don't believe concrete workers get upset, we're here for a reason, experience, knowledge and skill to get things done correctly. You just have to find the right one. If you worked 50-60 hours a week, literally killing your body, cause lets face it, its extremely physical work, you might understand why they charge what they charge. If not, try running a 90lb jackhammer for 8 hours straight, you'll understand then. Factor in how large their team is, insurance, supplies, tools, trucks, travel, cost of concrete, stone, forms, wire, rebar, removal cost, experience etc. They might get upset because they know you'll be calling them back in a few years when your home project falls apart and you need it done right. Buy Once Cry Once 👍
@@chasingalaska3997 absolutely, you’ll do fine. Take your time follow the steps and in the end don’t be shy with adding the water. That way you have a strong structure all the way through …much success to you.
@@ECBSB2013 that’s actually great advice and I have seen that done before , so you are absolutely correct. Thanks for the advice for others to see and share.
If you watch enough videos on RU-vid you can do this. Don't be afraid. You guys are great!!!! That's right, do it yourself and put your money in your own pocket instead of somebody else's pocket. Just like the wife said, if you put your mind to it, you can do it. Most people are afraid to tackle home projects. You guys did a great job.
Great job-- one thing that one of the Dry Pour pioneers on YT found out is the importance of "moist curing" to increase the strength-- he recommends keeping it watered a couple times a day for at least seven days, but ideally 28 for maximum cured strength. You can't water it too much, it will absorb as much as it needs to cure. Thanks for sharing this video!
No, that's now how concrete uses water to cure. FFS do a little research about the chemical reaction that takes place and how the internal structures form that give concrete actual strength.
@@spinks4integrity want me to draw a picture? Maybe give a google link? Maybe I'll do a free webinar and create free downloadable content. Would that make you happy?
The two of you did really well on this project. The two of you showed the world how God intended the family to work and build. Great message for young men to see. I think that you did very well. Of course there are technical issues, but who cares. I have seen people who call themselves pros do much worse.
@@alexandrasustache759 that sounds great Alexandra, you and your husband doing this project together will save money and create memories together much Success to you both.
@@randyhauck4084 what’s up, Randy? I definitely do not disagree with you ,wet pour more than likely is the stronger of the two just thought we’d tried something different and it turned out beautiful hoping it’ll last.
😂😂😂 those contractors be trying to rip people off and definitely looking for suckers, and I know you NOT no sucker, do it yourself with family and create memories while saving lots of money.
Dry pour at your own risk. If you don’t need your concrete to be strong or long lasting this method is for you. In a dry pour the ingredients in the bag will not be completely blended making the chemical reaction as the concrete cures will be uneven, making the slab more prone to crack and chipping. Don’t believe me, try it on a 1’ x 1’ square and see for yourself before attempting something you might end up having to rip out later.
@@thewatchdogs1109 I appreciate the acknowledgment however it’s about a year and my concrete slab is 16 x 16 and 4 inches thick. I would never do a 1 inch thick nor should anybody do a 1 inch thick concrete of anything cause that surely will crack ,dry pour or traditional mix but my slab have absolutely no cracks ,no chips,no breakage ,none whatsoever, but I do appreciate your perspective.
And with that, I am fully convinced to add a concrete slab to extend my patio, DIY. Outstanding! Only question, why didn't you divide the slabs into 4 squares, instead of 2 long rectangles? Does the rebar negate the need to do this?
Your slabs gonna come out great just take your time and don’t be shy when adding the water to have a strong foundation and to answer your question about why I didn’t divide into four slabs opposed to two long slabs. I just didn’t think about it at the moment I didn’t even need the rebar, only reason I added is because old habits.
@@aubreyowen5146 dont...16x20 is not a shed...thats a structure, your slab needs to be load bearing....that will crumble and ruin your shed/garage in the process...you can do it yourself...just go rent a mixer and mix your concrete...its not hard....i wouldnt dry pour a 2x2 square...certainly not a 16x20 slab to support a structure
What’s the point of the divider line . I’m paving something similar. Just need advice. Can you keep it one solid pace or do you need the divider line ? Thanks
@@Sp22530 normally it’s a good rule of thumb to put expansion joints anywhere from 8 to 12 feet apart from each other, but you can do one solid piece. The expansion joints, help aid in crack prevention, although truth be told overtime all concrete crack specially if you drive in it,or have heavy equipment on it.
Dry pours hoold up short term..5yrs from now itll be very weak. And alot of work...2 times the effort..half the price..half the structure. 180 per yd..2.75 a sqft..my price
I’m definitely going to do a future video next year showing it and an additional video five or more years from now showing the concrete still structurally sound and in good condition.
thats awesome. did ypu just flatten the land or did you put a stone base? also on a dry pour do you not need to put in control joints (other than where you joined the pieces)??
I flatten the land, and that’s correct you don’t really need control joints. I just did it to be on the safe side considering I did the two pieces four days apart from each other.
Thanks, BIG time. We really appreciate it. I highly encourage you save your money and get family and friends together and do it yourself and create memories together. as far as how is holding up is going on a year later no chips no cracks, foundation is excellent just as good as traditional, wet, poor concrete.
Would be advisable NOT to do this on a load bearing concrete slab. Cement generates a lot of heat when drying, and as the slab is all cement it will not be quite as strong as normal concrete - and will be prone to surface crazing and possible cracking. I have used this method successfully on small areas, but personally I wouldn't advise this for larger areas.
I hear you say "it's still got some moisture in it". You want to water cure the concrete. That means once it sets up and is hard, you must keep it wet for as long as you can. 28 days is the best. Concrete cures with water, it doesn't "dry". Must keep it wet. Keeping it wet also keeps the concrete from shinking to much, which could cause cracks. Some professional jobs, they literally make a pond around the slab and literally keep puddles of water soaking the slab. That's a little extreme, but the best. If you hose it down, and keep plastic or blankets on it so the water doesn't evaporate so fast, that's good too. Concrete takes 28 days to fully cure. Water cure!
@@spinks4integrity no problem. I watch a lot of videos, do research. I'm going to do a small dry pour ramp on top of an existing slab driveway. It sunk in front of my garage. I don't want the stones to be in the way. Problem is, those bags here in Canada are almost twice the price, so use them only for the top! Cheers
@@spinks4integrityit's not that bad. a regular bag of concrete with stones in it, costs CAD$7.55 per bag. That's USD$5.40 per bag in the states, out the door. A bag with no stones cost CAD$11.85, or USD$8.45 per bag out the door. Both bags have the same rating of 4000psi, but one costs more. That's why I only use it as a top layer, for screeding purposes. There is also no chance of a stone getting washed clean, making the slab look splotchy. Costs a bit more, but I think it is worth it.
How many bags did you used for each section and how much $ I know each area is different on price I was going to do 24 by 16 but I decided to do 16 by 16 I'm just getting stuff and materials to do that
Gonna crack like a mother...thats gonna have at best 1000 lb psi compared to 3000-4000 psi for wet poured mixed concrete. Science has already tested and proven this a billion times. Have fun tearing it out later 😃
For the septic inlet cover I'd just build a wooden cover out of some 2x4's and put a big potted plant on the wood cover. That way when you need access to the inlet, the cover is light so you can move it easily.
It's not saving money to not mix the concrete. Can you not add water and mix? That's a junk concrete pour. Just lazy. Dry to dry make a cake. Just put ingredients into the oven. Don't mix anything. Lmao.
How is this holding up after this long? I want to try and do this myself to build a patio abiut 11x13 and people keep telling me im dumb and kts a waste lf money and i need to wet pour or hire someone to do it, but i really want to just aend it and give this a try.
@@Lunatics695 just remembered this when someone tried to insult you by calling you dumb that’s the last person you wanna listen to furthermore I’m sure they’re not paying your bills …now on a more positive note. Almost a year later and my concrete patio has absolutely no chips, cracks or breakage whatsoever only thing I regret is not Beveling the edges when it was dry…do your dry pour it’s gonna come out perfect just follow the steps and don’t be shy when adding the water to make sure you have a strong foundation… much success to you.
Thank you for such a great video. Now, I am motivated to do mine. I've been looking at many videos as well, and the prices are very ridiculous. My concrete slab will be only 11 by 13, so yours is huge, and they come out very nice. Thank you and your wife for a great video and information.
No Sir, No silly mistakes all experiences. The silly mistake you could have made was pay those crazy concrete prices. I am in NC and concrete is seriously overpriced. Again great job !
I think it looks great guys , great job !!! And look at all the money you saved and you got to spend quality time together and learn something. Thanks for sharing with us all. May God bless you and keep you.
Hello from Denmark. Considering doing the same thing as you, only question I have is what is the height of the 16x16x? Just trying to figure out how big of a frame I should buy. Anything you would have done differently? Is it still holding up without cracks?. Thanks for a great video ❤
The height is 4” thick, and I wish I curved the edges before it dried, because doing it dry is more work…and yes it holds up great , I drilled through a month and a half later and installed beams for outside furniture. SOLID all the way through.
@@spinks4integrity thanks for the quick answer. I have a clear idea how to do it after seeing your video, the paint roller was mind blowing 😊. Happy new year
Do not use dry pour if you need decent concrete like a patio, foundation, pier or generally any load bearing. Dry pour is about 5 times weaker than mixed and is very brittle under the surface beginning at about 1/2 to 1 in deep. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZiEfUtbcquo.html
If you putting a sub layer of concrete wouldn't it be better to wet it before finishing it with the top layer of concrete. That way your concrete will be better lubricated all the way through
Absolutely, thanks for the compliment and I believe in that old saying ( a wise man learns from their mistakes, and even wiser man learns from other people mistakes )
How does it look today? Did you do anything to the top edge, any bevel or radius? I see a lot of guys do that while still dry and looka nice afterwards
Im sure you don’t need an old man like myself telling you that you do good/fine work. I totally agree with you Bondo, a 6’ bull float will lay it down a lot flatter, and those two wheel wheelbarrows make a big difference. You’re not having to balance the all that weight near as much. Good thing you were able to convince the homeowner to cut it, it’s better for you in the long run. Thanks for the video, Sir.
Thanks for all that well received great advice and I do agree with you as well, however I wanted to try a new way that works just as well while bonding with my wife with this project.
@@dad-and-kane yes sir concrete is holding up. Great no chips no cracks no damage whatsoever. Matter fact here is the most latest video relating to it. ru-vid.com1hgPkBy_gM8?si=mmSv_AGh4y0DZtJT
Has anyone ever had to remove a dry pour, I have approximately 12 times so far and every single one had dry cement mix underneath. Take the time and do it the right way. Even if you have to rent a cement mixer.
Plain and simple... if dry pouring worked it would be an industry standard. I'd be interested in what a core / psi test revealed. I'm not trying to talk down to anyone im just trying to figure out the benifits, I've been a general contractor for over 26yrs so I've seen quite a few building methods
@@DjGabrielEscobar973 lol not even close. A century plus of scientific evidence and millenia of practice. Dry poured concrete is at least 3x weaker than wet mixed concrete. Thats a fact of reality.
I agree with that however me and my wife wanted to do a different method on bigger project on a larger scale while creating memories together. I think it worked out great.
@@byrongree1987 excellent ,almost a year and it absolutely has no cracks no chips no breakage whatsoever solid all the way around if you are thinking of doing this, don’t listen to the naysayers. Just follow the procedure of the dry pour and do it yourself with family and take your time it turned out great. Remember naysayers and haters don’t pay your bills so you’ll be fine with your dry pour ,don’t be shy with the water to the concrete.
The strength is pretty good don’t be shy when watering it make sure you wet it consistently making sure it goes all the way through and you’re fine. It’ll be solid. Don’t get discouraged by the know it all concrete so-called professionals always claiming they know better than any and everyone else.
@@srqTactical absolutely ,dry poor works out just as well as traditional wet pour ,don’t believe the naysayers. advice I I would give is take your and time and follow the process and don’t be shy when adding the water to make sure you have a solid foundation all the way through. You’ll be fine.
@@lifewithtaymarie3063 thanks BIG time. We used about 55 to 60 bags per slab totaling about 120 bags all together, the total measurements are 16 by 16.
@@goodtobecaring4035 yes it does. If you’re planning to do it just take your time. Follow the steps be patient and don’t be shy when adding the water that way you have a solid foundation all the way through.
Thanks, BIG time, you just put a huge smile on both of our faces. Just remember if you gonna do it yourself, be sure to do it with family, that way you save money and creating memories at the same time.
I’m wondering if you’re in an area that gets really cold and how the patio will hold up with freezing weather? Should more relief cuts be put in and if so, would that be done while it’s still dry? Thanks for your help! Great video!
@@terridawkins8646 i’m actually in a warm climate however I have associates in cold climates such as Michigan which they’ve done the same process and everything is fine as far as your relief cuts a.k.a. expansion joints that’s every 8 to 12 feet for a 4 inch slab and the concrete has no chips cracks whatsoever is holding up great my only regret is I wish I beveled the edges while it was still soft
@@sokhansang285 long as you do all the procedures correctly and don’t be shy when adding water you should be just fine my concrete. It’s been about a year now and I have absolutely no problems with it. It is sound and strong no chips no breakage none whatsoever and in great shape.
