The basics of kerb laying 

Same here pal start tomorrow

@@partybwoy8521 you been found out yet? 😂

Blagged civil job been on internet for last few days learning the lot lol

A think the boy on the bed blagged himself into the job asweel the guy got to knock f@ck out of the kerb to get them down

I tell you what if you lay the kerbs shown on this video you will be laughed off the job then sacked lol.

Just got my cscs card, would I be able to get onto ground working before labouring

See That I’ve never done get the string line in the right place it makes no sense at all to lay of the line then mess about kicking them all over

Altering is only used to make a bend or curve better normally on straight forward runs follow your line

If you have got the eye you dont need a cut down shovel fella😉

Not really because then you don't have an established race and when it comes to adoption and you fixing all the damaged kerbs, it's gonna be much harder.

Can u send me some info on the set in place style

Here in Europe it is all precast. I have never seen a curb(kerb) formed in place in Bulgaria.

There is some slip-forming of kerbs in Britain, but I'd estimate over 95% of work is with pre-cast kerbs. Slip-forming is more common in Ireland, but there's not a lot, to be honest.

We use a Kerb Race Machine now on newbuild domestic developments, it is getting more common, were are a groundworks company of mid to large size in the South West UK

Even when taking extreme care and trying to lay precisely to a friont-face line, there will always be some error, which is why we do the compliance alignment once the whole line (or a sizable section of it) is in place. This is particularly true when working with curves, arcs and tangent points which, although accurately set-out prior to work starting, can require a bit of tweaking once the kerbs are out on the bed and look not quite as intended. Generally speaking, there is far less re-alignment needed when laying to a front face line than is required if a back edge line has been used.

There is always a difference in sizes from the kerb mould as well. The front is more accurate to lay to plus the back will be hidden with black....Engineers seem to love to set out to the back though😢

Laying on a race is an option. It is not always mandatory. It depends on the client's spec. many local authorities in the north of England as well as in Scotland, Wales and NI prefer laying directly onto a windrow of fresh concrete....that would always be my preference, too.... but I know laying on a race is more popular south of Birmingham and on certain developments. This is something we are covering in the new British Standard (BS 7533:102) - the pros and cons of windrows and races.

@@TonyMcCormack I've always layed on a race most housing association's and council insist on because its easier to replace the kerb if its damaged..

I'm from the southeast and have always laid on a fresh bed

@@chickendippers8135 if its on a road it should be on a race, its an adoption requirement it just makes them easier to replace when 1 is damaged, but other areas like carparks ect its usually just on concrete...

@jeffsoal5715 maybe on housing site. On 278 hyway works for KCC I have alway laid directly onto a 150mm fresh bed of concrete

It could, but why? Unless there was an over-riding reason to ensure no cracking,settlement or movement of the kerb line, we wouldn't bother. I *have* laid kerbs onto a reinforced race, designed by an inexperiencd and over-anxious engineer who wouldn't accept that rebar was completely unnecessary. It ramped-up the job cost, and though I can't prove it, I don't think it made for a better kerb line in any way, shape or form!

100 m a day gimme good machine man in duck and a labourer with half a 🧠 . Fucking hideous work lol

They are readily available at most contractors' tool suppliers: Greenham; Parkers; Rollins, etc....

Thanks! I’m in the US have never seen one, I’ll keep an eye out.

It's a standard Gen 3 kerb mix -

That's a whole other video in its own right, but the best tip I can recommend is to *thoroughly* check the levels of the race before you start laying. All too often, the kerb race instalkled by others is a bit up-and-down, making accurate kerb laying a damned nightmare. Check it for level and get it put right, if necessary, before you start lining out kerbs or preparing the mortar.

@@TonyMcCormack how wet do you have your mortar, (sharp sand or building sand) I’m finding it’s difficult to get an accurate bed, too high or too low and very little tolerance to tweak kerb especially on a radius without kerb sinking

@@Kieranshields89 Always a mortar based on sharp sand. NEVER building sand - too soft. Slump or wetness needs to be reasonably stiff, otherwise the kerb will just sink into it. With practice, you find a mix and slump that works well for you - some like it slightly wetter or drier, but a slong as the kerb ends up at the right level and line, then that's all that matters. I *always* hated laying on a race - give me a windrow of fresh concrete every time, please. SO much easier!

@@TonyMcCormack was councils request for adoptable road. Doesn’t seem cost effective with the time it takes setting road forms and then pouring concrete and waiting to cure. Your answer matched what we’ve been doing so thankyou 👍🏻

As explained on the accompanying webpage, it's an ST1 concrete

It's a C7.5P kerb mix at 25mm slump - ideal for laying kerbs.

It's up to each tradesman to choose the tools used. Many of us were originally trained using wooden mauls or the large rubber/fibre combination mauls. If the result is right, it doesn't really matter whether a large rubber maul is used or a small plastic mallet.

usually, a 2-5mm gap is left between adjacent kerbs so that there is no direct contact between them which can cause spalling or chipping. Very occasionally, weeds will set up home in there when it fills with wind-blown detritus, but it's rarely a problem. In some situations, the kerbs will be laid with a 10-12mm mortar joint but this slows down the installation rate, which ramps up the costs, and there's no real structural benefit. It's nearly always done solely for aesthetic reasons.

@@TonyMcCormack Thanks very much Tony for your reply and explanation!!

I thought it was an expansion gap, so it has to be empty.

There is variation in the width of pressed concrete kerbs, as allowed within the tolerances of BS EN 1340. Consequently, aligning along the rear arris can result in a mis-aligned front face, which is the critical alignment. This kerbing team, in common with the vast majority of other kerb layers, prefer to use a front-aligned line when laying.

@@TonyMcCormack I've been laying kerbs for over 15 years and always used a line at the back of the kerb then prior to backing them up quickly run a line down the face and tap any out to suit. Its also fairly easy to judge the gap when a kerb is a differenr width. In all the years I've done my job I've only come across somebody laying with a line at the face of kerb once. They were laying with the line at the lower water line. Was very strange to see and they were incredibly slow. For me the line has to be at the back and i always lay with a size 5 thor soft faced hammer (Nylon faces) really can't get on well with mauls or a pickaxe.....

@@garethwigmore9352 Horses for courses. I've been involved in kerb laying for over 50 years and this is my preferred method. The lads in the video have served an apprenticeship under a fellow professional kerb-layer with 40+ years of experience. This method works for us. You can choose to work differently if you wish. IMO a tiny "Thor" hammer hasn't the wallop necessary to ensure adequate compaction of the concrete bed. It would be ok for small unit kerbs, possibly for edgings, but not for road kerbs. However, you do it your way - make your own video if you wish - but I'll continue to teach this method and promore it via my website and my training courses.

@@TonyMcCormack my hammer weighs 3.5 kilos. The Nylon faces hit the kerb down far better than a Maul or a pickaxe. I started with Mauls but as soon as i came across the LARGE thor hammers i never looked back. Thor make many different hammers in different sizes. I use a size 2 for edgings and a size 3 for 6x5s. Im from the south west and increasingly over the last 5 or so years kerb layers around here have moved away from mauls and turned to soft faced/split head hammers. Some use leather heads or super plastic. I prefer the nylon faces. They give more bang for their buck and are IMO unrivaled.

@@TonyMcCormack there's also a big difference in compaction when you compare hitting concrete with dull rubber and a relatively hard nylon face. Buy one. You'll be pleasantly surprised....

I think its optional. The other method you referring to I think is the one where you don't haunch the full length of the kerb. I prefer that one to save on material

Very unfair to criticise two young apprentices, doing their best, despite being inconvenienced by being filmed whilst installing. Please feel free to create a video showing off your own undoubted skills and open yourself to unnecessary, unhelpful, negative criticism.

@@TonyMcCormack Well said, Sir. I thought your video was both very clear and informative. Kudos to the Kerbers in your video. Thank you.

@@TonyMcCormack i guess don't upload if you don't want to be criticised it is the internet afterall. Or are you scared that possibly other people may have better ideas. nothing wrong in allowing a fresh idea that may improve efficiency to be tested at least. Just because something has been done the same way for 50 years doesn't always mean it is the best method and the only correct way. Innovation is not too scary complacency is your enemy