How To Form, Pour, And Finish A Concrete Patio Slab 

Hi mike, I’ve come across your channel a about a week ago. I’m from county Derry in Ireland. I’m a plumber by trade myself, but love to watch videos of others trades. Keep the videos coming, and your work is exceptional👍

Hi mike, Once again you are doing a fantastic work, showing us from the beginning to finish. I have recently ( 2 years ago) learned how to do foundation and stem wall for stick build homes I am still not comfortable to do garage slab, which I give those job to others. I am very thankful of your teaching, it does build my confidence every time. Thanks a lot.

Hi Mike, I’m from New York State and I have been wanting to do exactly what you are doing in this video! I plan to put a water mitigation ceiling under the deck and then screen in a portion of it. The slab wii be approximately 10’ by 34’ and will be poured at our place in the Adirondacks so your comments about freezing thawing cycles is exactly what I’ll be dealing with! Excellent timing for this post. Thanks, DC

That picture frame looks nice 👍

The owner gets what the owner wants. I always loved the look and easy maintenance of a smooth finish but I’m not sure that was the most practical finish for an outdoor patio, exposed to the weather. It’s gonna be a little slick when it gets wet. Looks good in any case.

Beautiful. Job well done Mike Day and Company. 👍

Great video Mike, really appreciate the videos you put out. I am a builder from Australia and i am in the process of moving to Russia. I am picking up a lot of tips for pouring concrete in cold climates. Thanks again

Cement work is something I've always wanted to learn. I have a small framing company up in Michigan

Thanks Mike. Looks great 👍

Always very informative watching your videos. Watching from Cincinnati OH

Yes I would. I'm from New Jersey

Yes I’m planning on a diy patio that’s why I’m watching these videos. Mine will be about half the size of this one but I live in OK so I won’t need the foam insulation. The cut lines in this one are cool too.

Thanks for all the video's!

Great job Mike lots of luv and respect from fFt.Collins Colorado

Sydney Australia 🇦🇺

Great work! From MN.

Thanks for the videos Mike!

Arkansas here. Never seen Styrofoam under a concrete patio. Wow now I'm dreaming up all kinds of stuff to do. Thanks Mike.

Belfast, northern ireland, i do this work also but nice to see others go there own way about things

East Tennessee here. Just want to learn as much as you’re willing to share. Very much appreciate your videos. Thank you and please keep up the great work.

Hi Mike, Found you today and the answer to your question is YES. We live on a small farm close to the coast in west Wales, UK. We cannot get access to ready mix concrete here due to our farm lane across an old stone bridge, very narrow and up a steep and winding hill. As concrete pumps would be too far away we have to pay contractors to ferry a yard at a time from a mixer truck parked some distance away. This makes any work here very expensive and as most of our farm concrete is in very poor shape, we are having to look to ourselves to do the work. Therefore any help you offer is gratefully received. Forming, preparation , hard core, membranes, water content , mixing , every aspect is appreciated. We are looking at a pto powered pan mixer loaded by our tractor to make things easier. Thank you. Lloyd.

Doing a slab 14x24 under deck just like this one in Massachusetts in 2 weeks. Thank you for making this video!!

Good work, I enjoy watching your videos. I’m in Chicago, IL, I just did a 13 x 22 cement patio... it is a little bit of work to DIY,... great satisfaction to see it and walk on it every day and bragging rights to your friends... I had some of my guys that I work with help out in prepping and pour... over all I saved about $1000 by doing it with my helpers. Keep up the good work.👍🏻👍🏻

Janusz from Poland always watching you.

I’m from England Manchester I’ve been doing patern imprinted concrete for about 15years I’ve had to stop because we just don’t have the weather over here like in America great work mate

The frame is really nice

Hello from Dublin, Ireland, Mike and thank you for all the videos. I am planning to do a slab for a shed/workshop and your tutorials have been very helpful, making me confident that I can do a good DIY job. I'm also going to be doing some steps in our front garden, probably with an exposed aggregate finish. I have invested in a used mixer, so any day soon....

I'm watching from Belize great video keep up the great work 👌👌

Hi I'm Corey from Garden hill Concrete finishing and I'm from Garden hill ont Canada and what your doing is awesome 👍

I have to pour a foundation for a shed and a gasifier power station so I Definitely appreciate your video thank you!

Hi love the videos and all the info! Thanks! I’m from buffalo Ny. I work for a big school District and we have been doing a bunch of concert work this summer and I have used your tips every time. The stuff we poured came out great!

I’m watching because I’m planning on doing my own patio here in southern Cali :)

Love your work your descriptions are very clear you are very good at what you do from Desmond in Offaly Ireland

Another great Vid. Shout out from up here in Canada. I haven't been working much this year so getting very rusty. Damn Rona was starting to really get the hang of the concrete.

Jennifer from Australia 👍🏼🇦🇺 absolutely love the videos Mike 👍🏼🇺🇸 Finding the videos very informative and interesting. 👍🏼🇺🇸

I love the way u guys grooved it. Gives it a great finished look

Hi Mike. I'm in Michigan. Licensed contractor but never done any substantial flatwork. Very interested in doing my own patio. Currently have 18 inch patio blocks....trip hazard on edge. Definitely need to fix before fall. Love your channel.. lots of good information. I need to incorporate step to back door and patio slider.

Thanks man. About to pour my slab by myself 2 yards in the next couple of hours

Atlanta Georgia I really enjoy your teaching methods and would like very much to learn the process for a DIY patio.

Texas currently in Mexico I’ve learned a lot from you sir

Crown Point IN. Great ideas, I’m looking to put a patio in under my deck as well. Thank you for the video!

Thanks! Vermont

Beautiful work Mike!

From San Francisco I like your videos !!

Really enjoy your channel. Kansas City Missouri

I’m doing one today

Ohio . Trying to learn I'm contracting for the first time. We use pea gravel 2 inches and 4 inch 4000 concrete

Nice 🤝

Hello from Manitoba, Canada I subscribed to your channel awhile ago, I will be doing a diy soon and I like your videos.

Hi mike I used to work with concert I really love working with concert

great video like usual, i am watching you from Austin, TX

North Florida checking in. I'm in the process of forming 18'x18' with 4'x4' center opening. (Fire pit) Lots of work just yo get to this point. Tempted to work pour solo but not sure if it'll be too much for one person.. Thanks for posting.

beautiful job, Love the extra steps even putting plastic and taping off when spraying sealer.

Hey man anyway you can show a video on how to set grade and slope away from the house? How do you make it go downhill? Take out some base gravel or less concrete

Thanks Mike for posting this informative video, watched from Washington DC, thanks for clarifying the need for adding styrofoam, i recently got an estimate on ~10k for under deck patio, now i am thinking adding styrofoam would lower the cost as it would reduce the quantity of concrete.

So helpful… looking to do a patio where our deck currently is….would love information on how to prep the ground prior to putting down the styrofoam.

Hi I'm Nils from Belgium, I'm going to try a DIY power trowling floor for a garden house and if this goes ok i will try to do my patio as well. Great video's for learning!

From North Carolina where subterranean termites love foam not good in this area

Great Job !! Love your Videos and what you guys do ! Very Inspiring! Quick Question... The Sealer in this Video...Did you let in dry 24-hours between the 3 coats ? What do you recommend? Lui from Hoboken, New Jersey

Beautiful work bro! Thank you for sharing! This is the first time that I have seen someone placing foam pads on the bottom before pouring the concrete. Can you comment on that? I am from the Caribbean. So, I guess this location is where you see freezing temperatures, correct?

thanks Mike, watching a lot of concrete clips. Glad I found yours. too bad your not in california :)

I want to do my own patio slabs for two reasons - 1 shady contractors 2 - price charge is outrageous from shady contractors.

TN I would like to pour a small patio for my back door myself.

UK, looking to sort out pathways and patio

Wanting to do my own patio but at a standstill

CT. Thanks

Trinidad and Tobago :-)

I did one but another guy poured it. I'm 62 and thinking of getting into concrete.

I am from ennis, tx

I AM from Nashville TN. I want to build a DYI patio slab off of a 12x30 shed. My wife would like to sit and watch our home being built. I would love if you are able to help showing how to set frame it for a 8x30 patio. Thanks

I'm looking to build a 17x13 patio. I'm from Clarksville, Tennessee

That turned out great. Do you ever use any water reducers in your mix?

Ireland..

Mike, what’s APAWT, 😂😂 can I assume you are from Massachusetts. I am from the north shore now spending most of my retirement in Florida. Great video.

Hi Mike, I have a personal project were im looking to have a similar color how much color would you use for 12 to 16 yards? Also can you tell which color you used?

Im doing a large raised concrete patio in wisconsin, do i need to dig a frost wall in around the perimeter of the patio/concrete slab?

I want to do a suspended porch slab.

Hi Mike, great videos, I didn't see the Concrete Underground link you talked about??

Would love to know how to do a DYI patio. Akron/ Canton area in Ohio.

What kind of boards are used to make forms?

3:45 the guy steps on the tripod foot and lowers your laser beacon about a half inch while you're taking shots... is that noticeable in the slab?

Is the styrofoam a code you have to obey where your at? We get a lot of freeze and thaw here in Kentucky to but we dont use styrofoam. Btw this patio you poured looks sweet! Tom Fravala Bg. Ky.

What psi concrete you recommend for gym pad?

Do you have a link for the sprayer you're using for solvent based sealers? Great vid.

How to put forms on a foundation and then how to remove them?

Thanks for this Mike...what kind of Styrofoam do you use? Can the styrofoam be used over a bad basement floor before pouring conocrete? If so, what is the minimum thickness? Can the styrofoam be used under concrete paver patio?

How do you add color to concrete? What brand and color?

Mike the isolation strip you demonstrated in the video, the strip between the house and poured pad; is there a brand name for that? I cannot find that product anywhere.

how thick is the concrete on top of the Styrofoam?

Why the gravel around it? Is that how its going to always be or will some dirt eventually be filled next to it? I'm just a homeowner in NC

wow , never knew about the styrofoam

Would love to know how to do a DIY. From Cincinnati

Great work! curious of why you keep the string line on while pouring, I've seen you guys do that before? - Mike Norcal

Did you put air in concrete?

This is way to hard for the home owner, why the ins. board out side ? only saw it used inside under the slab.Good video.

Mumbai 🇮🇳

How much pitch do u give something like this 1/4 a foot or is that to much for something like this

Good job as usual my brother. Always sexy once u put the sealer to it.

Im from arizona, actually im a concrete carpenter i just make the frame and thats why i do not know how to finish concrete

How many inches of concrete were there above the foam?