We are concreting the yard. Concrete the yard with your own hands

When you plan to concrete the yard of your private home, it is not necessary to invite a specialist for such an activity. You can do all the work yourself. Of course, a lot of dilemmas and difficulties await you here. But, most importantly, act in strict accordance with the necessary schemes and principles.

And when graceful paths or platforms appear on your territory, you will be able to enjoy the fruits of your work.

Preparatory stage

You have to dig up an impressive area of ​​soil. This process takes a lot of time and effort. But this is the most reliable way for the purpose of concreting your yard.

There is a simpler way - this is leveling the base. And then it is covered with asphalt or concrete. This method involves the import of additional land. It is necessary for normal retention of the screed.

If the house is surrounded by infertile soil, you will have to add quality soil. In this case, the top layer of soil is not removed. And at the preparatory stage, the working area for future filling is marked out. Crushed stone is poured into it.

If the area is based on non-settled clay, crushed stone will not be required.

When your yard is full of fertile black soil, it is logical to transfer this black soil to the position of flower beds or beds. There it will bring tangible benefits. And it is better to arrange the concrete at the same level with the relief. Work begins with marking the boundaries of the planned paths or site. Based on these lines, you need to remove the soil.

Typically 20 cm of soil is removed. This is necessary taking into account the creation of drainage so that moisture has an outlet. As you know, moisture is a long-time enemy of concrete. Drainage is created after removing the specified layer.

Creating drainage

The drainage system here is the bedding. It is formed from sand and gravel. They fill it almost evenly. After eliminating the soil layer, sand is poured. Its layer is 5 cm. It is carefully compacted. Here you will need a channel large sizes. A tubular handle should be welded onto it. Such a tool rises and falls onto the sand with great effort.

For work, you can take a rule. But it will be more difficult and inconvenient for them to level.

Example:

Tamping is much easier if you spill sand generously large volume water. Then, without your participation, it will settle down and become denser.

After laying and compacting the sand layer, a crushed stone layer of 5-7 cm is poured in. Crushed stone of medium or small parameters (fractions) is best suited. It is much easier to compact it. Large fractions retain gaps. This would seriously complicate the planned concreting.

This completes the preparatory stage. Then you can proceed to the main stage - creating a concrete coating.

Main stage

Operations here follow clear criteria and points. To carry them out, you need to acquire the following tools: a shovel, a drywall profile, a level, a rule (you can also use a board).

The concrete screed should not spread. It must be fixed in one planned form. To do this, you need to create formwork. The materials for its construction are usually various available objects of a flat shape and a smooth surface. For example: boards, slate, chipboard, plastic panels.

The latter are selected when tracks with curved configurations are filled, since this material It bends perfectly and is obedient in work.

The formwork is installed along the edge of the site. It defines its outline. The matter here is not difficult: the boards should be laid in the required shape. Pegs are driven into the ground. They are needed to support the boards.

Scheme:

Reinforcement operations

They follow after the installation of the formwork. Their task is to give the screed high strength and stability. A construction metal mesh is used here. Options with fittings, rods, pipe elements, steel wire are possible.

Example:

The optimal layout is the use of a ready-made mesh. This way the material is evenly distributed on the crushed stone flooring and overlaps as needed. The diameter of the rods is 6 mm, the parameters of the cells are approximately 15 cm.

Application of beacons

The created concrete layer must have a sloping surface. Special beacons will help you meet this criterion. They perform a guiding function. True, when using them, the consumption of concrete composition increases significantly. For this reason, some non-compliance with this criterion is acceptable in the area around the house.

When the paths or platforms are properly constructed, they inclined planes will become drains for rainwater. Water will be removed efficiently and in a timely manner. Therefore, beacons are placed according to required plane and are not tied to horizontal lines.

For the manufacture of beacons, special profiles for plasterboard are best suited. Their prices are very reasonable. And their use guarantees the creation of a smooth front surface.

Since a site with an inclined surface is being constructed, this profile is placed on mounds of mortar. Installation heights vary. The required slope is determined by the level.

An example of such a profile:

The solution used must be completely dry and the beacons must be securely fixed. This usually happens a day after the beacons are installed. When you are sure that everything is so, you can proceed to subsequent operations.

Concreting operations

Flood concrete composition not difficult. But this operation must be approached extremely responsibly. The composition is ordered ready-made or prepared independently. When it is necessary to concrete a large area, it is wiser to follow the first option.

If the filling area is quite modest, you can create the composition with your own efforts. For this operation you will need a concrete mixer. You can save money by using an old trough that is no longer used in everyday life. It can then be thrown away without much pity.

Ingredients are sent into it or into a concrete mixer in the following proportions:

• 1 share of cement, grade M400 is used, or better yet F200 - it is frost resistant,
• 3 shares of sand,
• 2 – crushed stone.

These components are mixed dry. Then water is gradually introduced. A medium thick mixture should form. Then it fills the reinforcement located between the profiles. To throw it into these areas you will need a shovel. The mixture is laid so as to rise slightly above the beacons (2-5 cm). An even rule runs along them (usually used by plasterers). You can also use a flat lath here. These products are used to level the concrete composition. Its surplus is also eliminated.

All filling occurs in one session. This way the tracks created will dry evenly. If the screed begins to strengthen in pieces, then the joint areas of concrete poured at different times will become covered with cracks.

Working with Gaps

In order for the coating to be obtained without defects during climatic metamorphosis, it is necessary to arrange expansion joints. It is no secret that at different extreme temperatures (negative and positive), the linear characteristics of concrete change. It can expand and contract. This is the main prerequisite for the formation of technological gaps. It goes by easily.

During pouring, thin slats are placed. They are eliminated before the composition is completely cured. You can follow another method - scrape out strips of the composition before it hardens. This is where a construction tool, such as a thin file, comes in handy.

If the concrete is already thoroughly strengthened, and you forgot to make such gaps, then they can be created using a grinder.

Scheme:

Working with concrete after it has dried

Typically, it takes 1-2 days for concrete to completely dry. After their expiration, sagging and uneven places are eliminated from the surface. Here a spatula or sand-lime brick is used.

The screed will acquire simply excellent strength if it dries slowly. Use film to complete this task.

Example:

The fact is that when concrete begins to strengthen, water gradually leaves its surface. After this, it is covered with film. It slows down the evaporation of moisture.

When positive air temperatures are quite high, the created concrete path (or platform) is watered. This prevents the material from drying out. And this is already fraught with the appearance of cracks and other defects. And you will have to fill the defective places with a new composition. In the worst case scenario, start pouring all over again.

The created path can be coated with special varnishes or paints. This way it will acquire an incomparable graceful appearance and good protection from precipitation.

Video instructions

The concreting process from start to finish is in the Rose garden blog.

If such a need arises as concreting the yard of a private house, you do not always need to look for craftsmen and pay large sums for it. After studying technological process You can fill not only the paths, but also the area for the car yourself.

Purposes of concreting

To understand why a concrete yard is needed, it is enough to understand the advantages it provides:

• the area in front of the house eliminates the appearance of dirt in inclement weather;
• proper layout of the site helps to forget about puddles forever (the water in front of the house will not stagnate);
• no traces of vehicles remain on hard surfaces;
• concreting is an alternative to fragile asphalt or expensive tiles;
• the platform protects from weeds;
• on concrete surface it’s easier to zone the space, place benches and flower beds;
• such an area is easier to keep clean.

The nuances of do-it-yourself concreting

When laying concrete, some features must be taken into account:

1. To ensure a high-quality solution, you should use sand with a small content of clay impurities and large particles. Check the quality of the sand by pouring it into a bucket filled with water. If the water remains clear after shaking, it can be used. Cloudy water indicates a high content of clay and silt impurities in the sand.
2. To strengthen the coating, a small portion of cement is applied to the hardening concrete and rubbed into the surface of the concrete composition.
3. To prevent overheating and Negative influence rays of the sun, the coating is painted white.
4. To reduce the moisture content in the solution, it is recommended to use coatings containing salts that have the ability to absorb moisture from the surrounding air.
5. To prevent the coating at the joints from cracking, the prepared concrete mixture must be poured evenly and as quickly as possible.
6. Concrete should not be splashed with water once it has set if reinforcing mixtures are used. This may cause them to peel off.
7. When performing preparatory work, a slope should be provided along which the drainage will be carried out. precipitation. For this purpose, when the concrete hardens, it is laid on it. metal pipes, pressing them down. After the solution has hardened, the pipes are removed, and the resulting grooves will function as gutters.

A similar technology is used when equipping a house that does not have ground floor, garage, basement or other outbuildings.

Preparatory work

The do-it-yourself concreting process begins with preparatory activities. When preparing the site, the surface is leveled and the top layer of soil is removed.

Leveling and preparing the site

Loose black soil with grassy roots is removed to a depth of 5 to 15 cm. After removing the layer of soil, they begin to prepare the site. A “pillow” is created from sand or crushed stone, which must be compacted well and watered. If the soil is super sandy or clayey, it may not need to be removed.

The bedding is covered with plastic wrap and secured with tape. This will protect the concrete from rapid destruction and will not allow grass to grow through the created concrete covering. It will also not be able to leak until the concrete sets.

Cushion creation and compaction

The “cushion” improves the quality of the concrete base. To make it, sand or crushed stone is used, which is placed on top of the soil in a layer of 10-20 cm. The bedding acts as drainage.

To compact sand, a channel equipped with a handle is used. In some cases, a large amount of water is used, which is poured onto the sand layer and then left to allow shrinkage to occur. A layer of crushed stone is placed on top of the sand layer and also compacted.

The lowest layer of the foundation is the pillow. It is designed to provide a strong and level surface for the construction of the future foundation.

Preparation of formwork

The creation of formwork is required to give the required shape and even hardening of the screed. When constructing it they use:

• boards;
• pieces of chipboard;
• plastic panels;
• plywood sheets;
• slate sheets.

The formwork is installed around the site along a given contour. Nails or self-tapping screws are used to connect the panels. When installing the structure, the material is laid, supported by pegs that are driven into the ground.

The use of plastic panels allows you to fill in shaped tracks, since the material bends easily. This ends the preparation stage, and you can move on to creating a concrete coating.

Concreting stages

The entire concreting process consists of several stages:

• displaying beacons;
• reinforcement;
• fills concrete mixture;
• finishing processing.

Display of beacons

As beacons, it is allowed to use 2x4 cm slats, twine, and a profile for working with drywall. To avoid the accumulation of rain and melt water on the site, the surface should have a slight slope.

Beacons are placed transversely to the site. Using a level, install 2 beacons along the edges and secure them with cement-sand mortar.

After the concrete has set, cords (2-3 pieces) are pulled between the beacons and the remaining beacons are installed along them.

Reinforcement

Reinforcement gives the screed stability and high strength. You can use construction reinforcement, rods, pipe elements, steel wire.

Reinforcing the path in the yard will allow you to make a smaller layer of concrete.

It is better to take ready-made reinforcement mesh (with a wire thickness of 6 mm and a cell size of 10 mm). The finished mesh sheets are overlapped one on top of the other. The use of reinforcement will prevent the appearance of cracks that may occur on the concrete surface.

Preparation of the solution

Several methods are used to prepare the solution. To obtain concrete, mix the following components:

• cement;
• crushed stone;
• sand.

When mixing, the proportions must be observed: for 1 part of cement, take 3 parts of sand and 1 part of crushed stone. There are other recipes (for 1 part of M400 or F200 cement, take 2 parts of crushed stone and sand), but in this case a vibrating screed is required, without it it will not be possible to properly level the concrete surface.

Mixing concrete begins by placing water in a concrete mixer. The recommended average ratio of cement and water is 1:1. Then add other ingredients to the water and mix well until smooth. When no sand is visible in the concrete mixture, it is ready for use.

Pouring concrete

To facilitate the process of mixing the mixture, you should use a concrete mixer. If there are no auxiliary mechanisms, another method is used.

First, pour the solution with big amount crushed stone and leave it without leveling. Then they are filled with a concrete mixture in which there is almost no crushed stone. The thickness of the finishing layer can reach 2 cm. This option is economical; you can do without the use of expensive devices.

However, in order for the quality of concreting to be high, the entire site must be poured in 1 day. If it happens that the bottom layer has time to set, then it will no longer be possible to tie the top layer to it.

Unload the concrete solution using a shovel and distribute it among the beacons (it should cover them). Excess concrete mixture is removed using a level lath, trying to make the surface as smooth as possible.

Finishing operations

The next stage is to coat the surface with various impregnations. For additional strengthening, a polymer layer is used. Mandatory topping treatment is required in the areas most exposed to stress:

• the edges;
• corners.

Polymer treatment can be performed in 2 ways:

1. A dry reinforcing polymer mixture is poured onto fresh concrete.
2. Prepare a liquid solution and pour it into grooves (1 cm deep, which are prepared in advance) in the set concrete.

Expansion joints

The technology provides expansion joints that prevent damage to the coating in case of changing weather conditions. Under the influence of high or low temperatures, the linear parameters of the material change (increase or decrease).

For this purpose, technological gaps are created. At the pouring stage, you can lay small slats, but they need to be removed before the concrete hardens. In some cases, scrape out strips of mortar until it hardens, using a construction tool for this.

If the technological seams have not been created, after the concrete has completely hardened, they can be cut with a grinder.

How to care for the surface

Properly dried it becomes more durable. This process takes a long time. After the water leaves the surface of the concrete, they clean it, removing existing sagging and bumps, and cover the coating with film.

If the weather is hot, it is necessary to water it with water, otherwise at a temperature of +30°C, the concrete that was mixed at loses about 50% of its safety factor.

The hardening process is fast, but it takes more time to gain basic strength. Therefore, you should not park a car or drop heavy objects on a newly concreted area.

Maintaining a moisture reserve is required not only during the formation of the solution, but also during further use.

If you are faced with such a task as concreting a yard, do not rush to look for a master who will have to pay a lot of money for the work. Arranging your own territory with comfortable paths or hardy areas for a car can be done with your own hands.

Properly concreting the area around a private house does not mean facing an impossible task. It is enough to carefully study the technological rules and you can begin the construction process. Let’s try to present in detail the material on how to correctly carry out all stages of work and get the desired result, which will delight the owners for many years.

Preparation for the main work

Digging large area soil - labor-intensive and time-consuming work, but the technology provides for such a process and it is unlikely to be possible without it.

Of course, you can simply level the base and lay asphalt or concrete on top of it, but here you will have to bring in additional soil, otherwise the screed will not hold properly and will simply crumble.

Adding soil

If the soil around the house is infertile and you will need topping anyway good soil, then the top layer does not need to be removed. In this case, the preparatory work will consist of marking the area for pouring and filling it with crushed stone. If the base of the yard is clay, which does not shrink, you can do without crushed stone.

Soil removal

If the yard is covered with fertile black soil, it would be more expedient to move it to the place of flower beds or beds, where it will be very useful, and it is better to arrange concrete or asphalt at the same level with the relief. To do this, at the very beginning, mark the boundaries of the paths or site and, guided by them, remove the soil.

On average, it is necessary to remove a layer of 20 cm. This may seem like too much, but you need to take into account the arrangement of drainage to dry out moisture, which negatively affects the concrete surface. This stage will be the next after removing the layer of earth.

Drainage system

In this case, drainage is nothing more than a backfill under a “cushion” of concrete, which consists of two identical layers of sand and gravel. After the soil layer has been removed, add 5 cm of sand and compact it using a special device that you can easily make yourself. We will need a large channel onto which a pipe handle is welded. To tamp, you need to lift and forcefully lower the tool onto the sand. Or you can align everything with a rule, but this will be somewhat inconvenient.

To simplify this type of work (tamping), you can pour a large amount of water on the sand, and it will settle down in a dense layer. There is one drawback: water is an expensive resource, and its consumption will be impressive.

Now you can fill in the next layer of crushed stone 5 - 7 cm. It is recommended to take a medium or small fraction, as it compacts better. Large stones They will leave gaps, and this will be a violation of technology, and it will not be possible to properly concrete the yard.

Main technological process

All preparatory stages can be considered complete, and it’s time to lay asphalt or install a concrete surface. Like any construction, the pouring of paths and areas in the courtyard of a private house is carried out according to strict rules and is divided into several stages. To work you will need the following tools:

• shovel;
• profile for drywall;
• level;
• rule or board.

Formwork

To ensure that the concrete screed does not spread and hardens in the shape that it was decided to give it, it is necessary to build formwork. Any flat objects at hand are usually used as material, as long as they have a smooth surface. Here you may find it useful:

• boards (classic version);
• slate sheets;
• plastic panels.

It is plastic that will become indispensable when pouring curved shaped paths, since the PVC structure bends well and is pliable in work. The formwork structure is mounted along the edge of the site and defines its contour. Its installation is simple: the boards are laid in the shape we need and supported by stakes driven into the ground.

Reinforcement

Having completed the installation of the formwork, they move on to reinforcement, which will provide special strength and durability of the screed. Typically, the solution is reinforced using construction metal mesh or various metal products. You can use fittings, rods, pipe cuttings or steel wire.

Of course, it is better to perform this process using ready mesh. It is convenient to work with it, because the material lies evenly on the surface of the crushed stone flooring with an overlap (otherwise the screed will become covered with cracks). The thickness of the rods is about 6 mm, and the cell sizes are around 15 cm.

Lighthouses

In order for the concrete layer to have a sloping surface, it is necessary to use guide beacons in the work. The solution consumption increases significantly in this case, so local area This rule can be applied only partially.

Inclined surfaces of paths and platforms will be drained in a timely and efficient manner rainwater and rid the yard of puddles and stagnant melt liquid. Following this principle, it is better to install beacons along the required plane, without reference to horizontal lines.

What is the best material to make lighthouses from? Here the most appropriate profiles would be for plasterboard works. They have an affordable price, and the use of such material will ensure a perfectly smooth front surface. Since we are forming a platform with a sloping surface, metallic profile mounted on slides made of construction mixture at different heights and using a level it is set at the desired slope.

It is necessary to wait for the solution to dry completely and make sure that the beacons are securely fastened. On average, this takes one day. Once everything is ready for the next stage, you can continue the process of laying concrete on the paths or platforms.

Concreting

Pouring mortar is a fairly simple but responsible process that can be carried out using ready-made concrete ordered at the factory, or by self-cooking construction mixture. If it is necessary to equip large area yard, then the first option would be more appropriate.

But in the case where the area to be filled is not very impressive, it is better to do everything yourself. For such work you will need a concrete mixer or an old unnecessary trough, which you won’t mind throwing away later.

Proportions and shading

1 part of M400 cement is placed in a concrete mixer or trough (for external work it is better to take frost-resistant grade F 200). Sand (3 parts) and crushed stone (2 parts) are added to the cement.

First, all components are mixed without water, and only then can liquid be carefully introduced until a solution of medium thickness is obtained (usually ½ of the amount of cement is required). Ready mix using a shovel, it is thrown onto the reinforcement between the profiles a few centimeters above the beacons. An even strip or plaster rule is stretched along the beacons, with the help of which the mortar is leveled.

In this way we remove excess concrete. Filling the paths must be done in one step, ensuring they dry evenly. If the screed sets in pieces, then at the joints of the material poured into different time, cracks will appear.

Technological clearances

In order to avoid damage to the coating during climate change, it is necessary to provide expansion joints. As is known, at low or high temperatures the material changes linear parameters (expands and contracts), so it is very important to create technological gaps. This is a simple process and will not cause any difficulties.

You can insert thin slats at the pouring stage and remove them until the concrete hardens. The second option involves “scraping out” strips of the solution until it hardens using construction tools. If for some reason you did not provide technological seams, do not worry, it is easy to fix. Gaps can be cut with a grinder after the concrete has completely hardened.

Drying and processing

Filling the yard with concrete is almost complete, all that remains is to wait for the surface to dry (on average 24 - 48 hours) and clean it with a spatula or sand-lime brick from sagging and unevenness. If no temperature gaps were provided during the screed pouring process, they are cut through the dried concrete with a grinder.

However, there is one more point from which cement strainer will gain strength - drying should be slow. What is needed for this?

Covering with film

After the water has left the surface of the concrete that has begun to set, it is covered with a film, and evaporation noticeably slows down. At very high temperature air, the area or path concreted near the house is watered.

Whatever you choose as a material for arranging your local area, asphalt or concrete, depends only on personal preferences. The main thing is that all stages construction process were carried out correctly and strictly according to technology.

In order to carry out concreting of the local area and equip your yard with reliable and durable paths that can withstand high loads platforms, it is not at all necessary to turn to professionals for help. Concreting, although a labor-intensive process, is by no means difficult - if you wish, it is quite possible to do this work yourself.

In this article, we will talk in detail about how to do it yourself by concreting a yard and reveal all the subtleties, thanks to which the paths and platforms you have built will please the eye for many years.

How to concrete a yard

Do-it-yourself concreting of the yard: preparatory work

It is quite difficult to shovel a huge amount of soil by hand, but the question of how to concrete a yard cannot be resolved without this. In principle, you can fill paths and platforms simply on top of a leveled base. Only in this case will it be necessary to import additional soil, and this is a considerable financial expense.

In general, look at the situation, if the yard is an infertile base, and you cannot do without adding fertile soil, then concreting can be done without removing the soil.

In such a situation, at the stage of preparatory work, it will be enough to mark the areas to be filled and fill them with gravel. From last step You can also refuse if the construction was carried out on clay soil(It’s no secret that clay practically does not shrink).

But let's return to normal conditions, when the local area is a plot of fertile black soil - in such situations it is advisable to move the fertile soil to more appropriate place, and the concreting should be done at a level with the terrain.

To begin with, the paths, blind areas and platforms should be marked - excess soil should not be moved, as it will have to be returned back. And this is, to say the least, a stupid job. The next step in deciding how to properly fill a yard with concrete is to remove the soil - as a rule, the soil is removed to a depth of 200mm. Why is so much soil removed?

Because in addition to concrete, in these places it will be necessary to make a kind of drainage to remove moisture from the underlying concrete. This is what will happen next step work, which provides an answer to the question of how to concrete a site for a car or a path?

Drainage or, as it is also called, bedding under a concrete pad, consists of two uniform layers of sand and crushed stone. To begin with, pour a 50mm layer of sand into the recesses left after removing the soil. It must be compacted in the most thorough manner - to perform this work you will need to make a so-called tamper.

It is a large piece of channel, to which a pipe handle is welded - by lifting and forcefully lowering this channel onto the sand, it is compacted.

You can go a simpler way - in this case, the sand is simply spilled with plenty of water, after which it settles itself as it needs. The disadvantage of this method is the need to use large quantity water, which is not cheap. The next layer is crushed stone of a small or medium fraction - it is carefully leveled and compacted, just like sand. The crushed stone layer should be 50-70mm.

After completing these preparatory work, the actual pouring of the paths with concrete begins.

Concreting technology: features and nuances of the process

When starting work on pouring a site or path made of concrete, the first thing you need to do is install the formwork, thereby preventing uncontrolled spreading of concrete. Almost any unnecessary material can be used as formwork construction material– the main thing is that it is even and smooth.

Old boards, slate, scraps of OSB or chipboard are suitable - if desired, you can even cut old cabinets that you are going to throw away, or plastic panels left over from filing the porch, into formwork. By the way, plastic will become an indispensable assistant when constructing curved concrete paths, since it bends well. The formwork is installed along the edges of the platforms, i.e. with its help, the contours of paths and sidewalks are defined.

When the formwork is ready, it’s time to take care of the strength and durability of the concrete, and these properties are ensured by nothing more than reinforcement. Concrete can be strengthened using special metal mesh, and any available metal. If you have old, rusty fittings or pipe scraps, you can use them; it is also possible to use even steel wire, stretching it properly at the concreting site.

If we consider this process from the point of view of simplicity and ease of operation, then, undoubtedly, the best option will use ready-made reinforcing mesh with a cell of 100x100 or 200x200mm. It is simply laid on top of the crushed stone fill, overlapping each other. There should be no gaps between its individual elements, otherwise it will be a guaranteed crack.

Guides or beacons will ensure the evenness of the surface layer of concrete. At normal conditions beacons are installed in the horizontal plane. And in a situation with a local area, this condition can be partially observed for one simple reason - if concrete is poured into a level, then its consumption will be incredibly high.

And there is no need for this, because inclined paths and platforms will ensure high-quality drainage of rain and melt water from the local area. It is for this reason that beacons are installed in the selected plane - it is not tied to the horizon or only one side is tied to it.

But let's return to our beacons - as a rule, drywall profiles are used in their role. This is the most cheap material, allowing it to be used to ensure a smooth front surface concrete screed. The profiles are installed on the mortar slides - when they dry (after 24 hours), the final stage of work begins, which involves the process of making a concrete path with your own hands.

Concreting is a simple process, but labor-intensive. And you can do it in two ways: order ready-made concrete from a company specializing in these types of work or prepare it yourself. It is advisable to choose the first option for solving this issue in case of a large amount of concreting. If we're talking about about a small and short path, then you can prepare concrete yourself by mixing it in a concrete mixer or in an unnecessary trough.

Concrete is prepared as follows: 1 part cement, 3 parts sand and 2 parts crushed stone are poured into a trough or concrete mixer. All ingredients are first mixed dry, then water is added and the dry mixture is diluted with water to medium thickness.

The finished solution is poured between the beacons and carefully leveled with an even lath or plaster rule. Everything here is simple and clear.

To conclude our consideration of the question of how to concrete a yard with your own hands, I will tell you how to give high strength to concrete. There is nothing complicated in this process - in order for the concrete to gain strength without cracking, it needs to be allowed to dry slowly.

To do this, after the water has drained from the concrete, it is simply covered with cellophane film, thus preventing rapid evaporation of the liquid. If the weather is not very hot, then the concrete can simply be watered with water from a hose periodically (morning, evening and afternoon).

Included in landscaping suburban area includes the laying of convenient paths, the arrangement of entry and parking for a car, floors in gazebos, for installing a barbecue and covering in other places. A reliable solution is concreting the yard of a private house. It's affordable and inexpensive option, the work can be done independently without the involvement of expensive specialists.

Advantages of concrete pavements

• a solid structure of a flat concrete surface that allows the entry of heavy, large equipment vehicle;
• reduction of weed germination and coating contamination;
• the ability to pour concrete in the yard with your own hands;
• Concrete is easy to care for; in summer it is enough to water it with garden hoses, and in winter it is easy to clean it from snow drifts;
• ease of passage around the site rainy weather;
• trouble-free framing of any decorative elements on the street, flower beds, small fountains, benches, tables, etc.;
• environmentally friendly coating without emission harmful substances during operation;
• durability if the yard is poured with concrete correctly, in compliance with the requirements building codes and rules.

Some features of independent work

Pouring the yard with concrete

Scope of work:

1. Preparing the site by removing interfering elements, uprooting bushes and removing roots.
2. Development of a pit to the depth of the fertile layer with the removal of weeds and their roots. Compacting the base with vibrating rammers. The evenness of the bottom is controlled using a level or laser levels.
3. Laying geotextiles overlapping the edges of the pit.
4. Installation of a 15 cm crushed stone-sand cushion with subsequent compaction.
5. Installation of formwork from edged boards along the perimeter of the site and in the locations of decorative elements.
6. Reinforcement of the site with a ready-made road mesh or a viscous mesh of individual rods. The protective layer is made of thickened concrete crackers.
7. Installation of beacons with alignment using laser level or a long rule with a horizontal level.
8. Laying the concrete mixture with leveling along the beacons, observing the required slopes and installing expansion joints. Compacting concrete using vibrating laths or area vibrators.
9. The next day, pulling out the beacons and sealing the furrows. Ironing of the surface.
10. Dismantling of formwork.
11. Concrete hardening care.

Asphalt or concrete, which is better in the yard?

Asphalt will last up to 10 years, concrete - ≥ 20. Concrete more expensive than asphalt, but its greater durability and ease of maintenance will equalize the costs in about 5 years. It is worth considering that asphalt sites have lower strength characteristics that cannot withstand the arrival of heavy equipment. And the most important thing is the environmental friendliness of the coating. In summer, the asphalt heats up and releases fumes that are harmful to human health.

Conclusion: priority should be given to concrete platforms.