The entrance group, the main elements of which are the road to the garage, the area immediately in front of the entrance and the concrete area for the car, located on the territory of the site, are integral elements of any site, whether it is suburban property or the adjoining territory of urban private housing. The arrangement of each of these elements is characterized by its own characteristics, which every owner of a private territory should be aware of. The durability of concrete sites is beyond doubt, and if imagination and minimal design skills are used in the process of their arrangement, they can be a successful addition to your garden and a worthy alternative to brick patios, which are one of the sought-after elements of creative landscape design of the site. How to equip a concrete site with your own hands and what are the main technological points of pouring concrete - you will receive answers to these and other questions by reading an article prepared by our experts.
Elements of the entry group: a brief description
Concrete platform located in front of the entrance, often represents a ramp, designed not only for more convenient entry into the site, but also to prevent excessive moisture from entering areas located in the neighborhood. From the point of view of the device, the ramp is presented in the form of a monolithic concrete slab, previously reinforced, the thickness of which is determined by several factors: the size of the proposed ramp and the dynamic load that the ramp experiences during the entry of the car. In most cases, it turns out to be optimal to use a monolithic slab reinforced with a metal mesh, while the thickness of the slab does not exceed 15 cm. with ramp slope. In this regard, during the construction of the ramp, an expansion joint is arranged, located between the horizontal slab on the site and the slab of the ramp. The final measure for the arrangement of the expansion joint is its sealing with a material for waterproofing - hydrostekloizol.
Concrete pad under the car, located on the territory of the site, is a platform made of monolithic concrete. If the design of your site implies the presence of concrete paths or paths made of paving stones, in the process of arranging a concrete site, it is important to take into account the height of its base, which should be on the same level as the base of the tracks. You can combine a concrete platform for a car and footpaths using a curb stone or a drain element.
What are the main advantages of a concrete pad?
Despite the fact that the simplest way to organize the territory of a site or a parking area for a car is to equip a site covered with rubble, in most cases experienced developers prefer more reliable concrete sites. And all this is connected not with a biased attitude towards rubble, but with the peculiarities of weather conditions in the spring. In the spring, during rain or snowmelt, the soil gradually softens under a layer of rubble, which will lead to its subsidence under the weight of the car. In this connection, in this case, the most optimal is the pouring of a concrete site, the organization of which must be carried out before leaving the garage. It is necessary to say a few words about the advantages of a concrete platform:
- Versatility and long service life;
- Ease of installation, which makes it possible to manufacture it independently;
- One of the most important advantages of a concrete platform is the democratic cost of materials for its manufacture, as well as the ease and ease of their delivery.
Depending on the purpose, certain design features are characteristic of a concrete site, which must be taken into account when arranging it. If you plan to use the site as a kind of patio, on which a deck chair or gazebo will be installed, consisting of a small table and a canopy, its operation will be carried out under light loads. The thickness of the concrete pouring in this case may not exceed 5 cm. In this case, used, unnecessary pieces of iron are suitable as a material for reinforcement. But in the event that a concrete platform is used as a parking lot or a territory for installing a pool, the operational loads will increase significantly, which is the defining moment of its design. The thickness of the concrete layer is at least 10 cm, and steel reinforcement should be used as the reinforcement material.
Arrangement of a concrete site: preparatory measures
Measures for the arrangement of a concrete site are characterized by a number of specific features. First of all, it must be borne in mind that in most cases you are limited in the choice of territory, due to the location of the garage on the site. And in this case, one has to face certain difficulties related to the fact that the most even and dense enough territory should be allocated for the arrangement of the site, which will allow rational use of the concrete solution. In this regard, before proceeding with the arrangement of a concrete site, it is necessary to carry out a number of preparatory measures, the essence of which is the alignment and tamping of the site.
The first stage of preparatory measures involves the removal and removal of fertile soil, in which vegetation is found. If this is not done, the plants remaining after the arrangement of the site will rot with the formation of cavities, which will significantly reduce the performance of the concrete site. To do this, it is necessary to dig the soil to a depth of half the bayonet of a shovel, which will be quite enough to remove the fertile soil. Having dug up the necessary territory, the fertile soil is moved to another area, and, having removed the soil that has fallen on the blind area, mark the territory using stakes and twine.
Important! When choosing a territory for the arrangement of a concrete site, make sure that there are no communication networks on the territory of the selected site. If it is impossible to comply with this condition, communications must be protected by “clothing” them in a protective case or box.
To prevent subsequent shrinkage of the territory, which, if the arrangement rules are not followed, is observed during the operation of the site, the territory must be carefully leveled and compacted, while checking it for the presence of hidden holes. Further, on a leveled basis, a sand and gravel pad is equipped, the presence of which will avoid the appearance of cracks during operation. The thickness of the protective cushion is determined by the expected load on the concrete pad. First of all, a layer of sand is laid, moistened and carefully compacted, on average equal to 10 cm. After that, crushed stone or gravel is laid in the same way. The thickness of the gravel layer must be at least 5 cm, which is due to the depth of soil freezing under the concrete layer.
Important! If you neglect our advice and refuse to lay a sand and gravel cushion, you will soon notice that cyclic freezing and thawing contributes to the gradual destruction of concrete from the inside, which will lead to the fact that a monolithic concrete slab will soon cease to be such.
Formwork organization: highlights
Despite the fact that concrete can be poured either into the formwork or directly into the ground, we consider it necessary to consider in detail the arrangement of the formwork. Before discussing the procedure for organizing it, let us clarify that in the case of pouring concrete directly into the ground, the role of the formwork is played by the ground itself or the walls of the building.
But if you still prefer pouring concrete into the formwork, we advise you to approach its arrangement with maximum thoroughness. The formwork is designed to hold the concrete in its original state until it is completely hardened (depending on the initial consistency of the mortar, its hardening time can vary up to 10 hours). For the manufacture of formwork, almost any material can be used, depending on the thickness of the concrete layer. If the thickness of the concrete layer does not exceed 5 cm, then plywood 6 mm thick can be used as formwork. In our case, a large-scale operation of a concrete site is planned, and therefore, we recommend using boards for formwork.
Formwork production begins with the installation of wooden pegs, which are driven into the ground at the four corners of the site. Next, boards are nailed to them. Then three of the four sides must be reinforced with additional pegs, which are installed from the side of the garage door and on both sides adjacent to the side of the formwork installed near the garage door. Considering the arrangement of the formwork, it is necessary to discuss one more nuance related to the concrete pouring area. Distinguish between full and partial pouring of concrete. When it comes to erecting a concrete platform that does not function as a foundation, it is permissible to bet on a partial pour of concrete, which is much easier to do, especially if you work alone. In this regard, the size of the casting sectors is determined at the stage of formwork erection.
Arrangement of guides for pouring concrete: manufacturing options
In this case, it is possible to use two ways to install guides.
Method number 1
The manufacture of guides is carried out from a profile pipe, characterized by a rectangular cross-sectional shape. In the process of work, it is necessary to resort to the use of welding. If you are not a professional in this field, do not rush to abandon the arrangement of a concrete site, since the welding work in this case is so simple that anyone with minimal practical skills in this field can handle it. In this case, reinforcing bars are welded to the profile pipe, observing a step equal to one meter. As for the length of the welded reinforcement, it is determined as follows: after driving the reinforcement into the base, located above the crushed stone layer, there should be free space equal to the height of the concrete layer. In most cases, the optimal length of reinforcement is 25 cm. Before proceeding with concreting the site, reinforcement is laid on a layer of crushed stone, on top of which guides are installed. To protect the reinforcing structure, experts recommend raising it a couple of centimeters above the rubble layer.
Important! It is also possible to raise the reinforcement directly in the process of pouring concrete.
After the guides are installed, and their angle of inclination is checked using the building level, it is necessary to strengthen the entire structure. To do this, it is necessary to prepare a small amount of concrete mortar, which is subsequently placed in the form of pyramids between the reinforcement bars. The implementation of this action will prevent subsidence of the structure and will help strengthen the integral structure.
Method number 2
The second option for arranging the formwork involves the arrangement of a concrete structure. First of all, it is necessary to stretch the marking line so that its level coincides with the level of the future concrete platform. On both sides of the fishing line, formwork is organized from pipes or boards. In the process of arranging the formwork, it is necessary to observe the distance between its individual elements, which should be from 8 to 12 cm. Directly at the construction site, a small amount of concrete mortar is prepared, which must be placed in the formwork to the level that is limited by a stretched fishing line. After the initial setting of the concrete mixture has occurred, it is necessary to dismantle the formwork and move it to the next place where another guide is planned to be erected. The minimum distance between the guides should be 2.7 meters.
In its simplest version, the arrangement of a concrete site can be carried out without the manufacture of guides. In this case, they recommend making a reinforcing wire frame with a diameter of at least 2.5 mm. In this case, the grid is placed in such a way that it is located at a distance of 5-8 cm from the formwork.
An additional layer of gravel 5 cm thick is arranged on top, which also needs to be leveled.
Site concreting: technological stages
Having carried out all the above stages of arranging the territory, which to some extent can be considered preparatory, we pour the concrete platform. When choosing materials for pouring a site under a car, bet on concrete of the M400 brand, since it is it that is considered optimal in this case and is able to withstand the load transferred to the site by a car. In the process of preparing a concrete solution, it is necessary to observe a 1: 1 ratio, where there is one bucket of sand per bucket of cement, which should be as clean and free of clay impurities as possible. In addition, to prepare the solution, you will need crushed stone and water. The solution is prepared as follows:
Water is poured into the concrete mixer tank and, turning on the mixer, the required amount of cement is poured into the pear, after which crushed stone is used, which prevents the formation of cement lumps, acting as another, additional concrete mixer blade. In conclusion, the required amount of sand is added and, under the control of the density of the solution, it is kneaded for 10-15 minutes. This solution can be considered a standard concrete solution, prepared in accordance with all the advice of professionals in this field, the essence of which is that the solution should be thick enough.
Our solution is a classic concrete, which is poured into the formwork. And this is one of the most time-consuming, but at the same time reliable methods of preparing cement mortar. To make your task easier, you can go the other way and exclude crushed stone from the ingredients for the solution. In this case, the preparation of the solution is carried out according to a similar technique, but in the end, the solution should be uniform in its consistency and resemble a fairly thick jelly. A uniform consistency will contribute to the most favorable seepage between the crushed stone, which will allow cementing the concrete pad as a single monolithic slab.
The device of concrete platforms involves pouring concrete mortar, starting from the farthest corner relative to the location of the concrete mixer. During the pouring process, it is necessary to observe the specified slope. It is important to remember the golden rule of concreting, the essence of which is that the less time spent on pouring the concrete pad, the stronger the subsequent screed will be. Upon completion of the pouring, the surface of the site is leveled, after which excess concrete is removed. The final touch on the arrangement of the concrete site will be the introduction of design elements, which will be especially relevant if you plan to equip the patio on this site.
To add variety to the site, it is enough to walk over the surface of the concrete that has not yet set with a brush, which will give it an additional design touch, the introduction of which will be not only aesthetic, but also practical. This is due to the fact that visual aesthetics in this case is combined with safety due to the additional roughness of the site. That's all, the work on the arrangement of the concrete platform is completed. It remains to be patient and wait for the concrete to dry completely, which is the key to long-term and proper operation of the concrete site.
If you are not sure that a large amount of runoff will not damage your concrete pad, you need to think in advance about the arrangement of the drainage system, which must be carried out at the design stage of the site.
To ensure high-quality drying of concrete, a newly poured area must be covered with plastic or sprinkled with a large amount of sawdust. This is necessary in order for the mortar to harden in accordance with all the rules, which imply the gradual drying of concrete while maintaining the optimal level of moisture in it. Since the final hardening of the solution can only be said after three weeks, even after the removal of the protective plastic, it is not recommended to operate the site with the maximum allowable load, as this can lead to deformations or a violation of its integrity.
Concreting a foundation or a flat area (for example, the courtyard of a private house) is a fairly common procedure that any novice builder can do. Do-it-yourself concrete pouring is a complex process that includes three separate steps:
- Sand cushion device;
- formwork installation;
- Site reinforcement;
- Concrete preparation and pouring.
The listed stages are regulated in nature and will be considered in more detail.
Before starting work
The first stage of any construction is planning. It is important to outline the boundaries of the area that will be poured with concrete. At the same time, the builder must understand: all irregularities (hollows, tubercles) can weaken the strength of the screed and lead to an overrun of the working mixture. If it is necessary to fill in a platform for a car to enter the yard, it is done at a certain angle so that the water flows into the lowland. When pouring the foundation, the slightest distortions will lead to a loss of reliability of the structure being arranged.
The cleaned area is cleared of debris, well compacted. From the materials you will need standard components of the solution: sand, cement and water. Their consumption depends on the scale of the area to be poured and the thickness of the layer. In addition to the listed consumables, you will need fittings, formwork boards, a profile for beacons and a concrete mixer or a vibrator to ease the laboriousness of concrete work.
Installation of formwork and beacons
Formwork is an invariable attribute of any concrete work. with their own hands is also carried out in a pre-prepared formwork. The purpose of the structure is to give the concrete mass a certain shape. If it is planned to fill a horizontal platform, the formwork is made from improvised means for the sole purpose of limiting the spreading of the solution. In this case, the walls of the structure must be fixed with pegs made of metal or wood. The maximum thickness of a horizontal concrete base rarely exceeds 15 cm, so elementary fixation is sufficient, no additional fasteners are required.
Filling flat horizontal sections involves fixing the formwork walls with beacons, the role of which is played by UD guide profiles for plasterboard structures. The installation of beacons is carried out on a solution (manufacturing: part of cement to four parts of sand). The prepared cement-sand mass is laid out in slides into which the profile is pressed. For evenness, a level is used.
When concreting spacious areas, beacons are installed according to a certain technology:
- Corner pins are mounted, cut from a rod with a circular cross section;
- A thread is pulled between the pins along the line of location of future beacons;
- Special notches are made on the pins, to which the thread is lowered;
- The first thread can be stretched arbitrarily and in relation to it the second is already measured by the level;
- A couple more transverse threads are drawn between the stretched threads;
- Touching the first and second - the place of installation of the machkov.
Modern builders often use a level or laser level to install beacons, which allows you to control each attachment point.
Important: the step when attaching the beacons is 50 cm.
Sand cushion device
A sand cushion can be arranged at that stage of site construction, when it is convenient for the master. It can be laid before the installation of the formwork, and maybe after its completion. What is the difference? If it is planned to lay agrofiber under the sand pillow (which allows moisture to pass through and retains sand), then it is more convenient to spread it just in the formwork according to the “pillowcase” principle. Thus, the sand will always be in its place. It will be held under a concrete screed.
Before laying the agrofibre, the sand is well compacted and spilled with water. An even base can be created with any device that is used when installing self-leveling floors or installing paving slabs.
Site reinforcement before concreting
The pouring of the concrete platform is carried out after the installation of the formwork and reinforcement. The latter requires a certain knowledge of technology. Solving the issue with the device of the reinforcing layer implies two ways of action:
- Reinforcement bars are knitted with wire, creating from them a cellular structure with a certain size of "honeycombs";
- A ready-made grid is purchased - a grid with cells of 20x20 cm or 10x10 cm.
The second option is widely used when pouring flat foundations that do not require a subsequent high load. When concreting foundations, reinforcing bars and knitting wire are always used. When pouring a platform for a machine, the base also needs a reinforcing mesh, and the bars take sections from 8.5-10.5 mm.
The reinforcing cage is knitted right on the site prepared for concreting. At the same time, the rods are laid out on its surface crosswise and at the intersections they are tied with wire.
Important: for all the seeming simplicity of using welding, it is not recommended to use it to connect the reinforcing parts of the frame. The rods connected in this way lose their mobility and perceive deformations more weakly.
Site concreting
Pouring concrete into the formwork is carried out according to a certain principle. First, a layer of polyethylene film is spread to prevent leakage of cement laitance into the sand.
The site is filled with a self-prepared mortar or ready-made concrete supplied by mixers.
The optimal proportions in the production of the mortar are as follows: 1 to 3 or 1 to 4. For convenience, the master can use a manual concrete mixer or a vibrator made from a drill or a puncher.
To make it easier to measure out the right amount of ingredients, you can do this:
- Take a 15-liter bucket;
- As a measure, "assign" a 5-liter cylinder from which the top is cut off.
The preparation of the mixture only from sand and cement will then have the following character: 1 measure of cement, from 3 to 3.5 measures of sand and 1/2 - 1/3 measure of water will go to a whole bucket of mortar.
The concreting process itself is monotonous and tedious, everything happens cyclically: mortar mixing - pouring - new mixing - new pouring, etc. In other words, the site is filled with separate sectors.
Site concreting requires compliance with the following rules:
1) It is necessary to level the finished solution gradually, i.e. after pouring 2-3 buckets (depending on the area of work);
2) After concreting is completed, the finished base is aged to evaporate surface moisture and then covered with plastic wrap;
3) After a couple of days, the side formwork can be dismantled from the flooded sector and proceed to the next fragments of the site;
4) After 72 hours, on average, concrete poured in the first dose gains a minimum margin of safety and can withstand an adult;
5) To prevent the appearance of cracks on the new site, it does not stop moistening.
If we talk about the average consumption of materials, we can consider a specific example. Concreting of the site 3.3 by 2.1 m and a mortar layer of 50 mm required the material:
- 150 kg of cement (3 bags);
- 4 times more sand screenings.
If the site is divided into sectors with dimensions of 0.9 x 2.1 m, each concreting will require 15.5-16 buckets (15 liters) of the finished mixture, on average, about 2 hours of work (for one person). In a day, 2 sectors can be mastered, provided that the solution is prepared with a concrete mixer. It turns out that the entire site will be flooded in a maximum of 4 days. at the same time, a couple of days were spent on preparation (levelling, cushioning, formwork). The duration of the work is not difficult to calculate - within a week it is really possible to arrange a new coating near the house.
Finally, another issue of concern to builders is expansion joints. These gaps are required in case of thermal deformations of the concrete pavement. The device of such seams is possible both in the process of concreting (profile laying) or after completion of work. Many craftsmen choose the second option, simply cutting through the joints of the sectors with a grinder to the entire depth of the concrete pavement.
Important: practice shows that the expediency of arranging expansion joints on small concreted areas is very low.
All stages of pouring concrete with your own hands updated: February 26, 2018 by: zoomfund
It would seem that there is nothing complicated in concreting the yard with your own hands. It seems to many that you just need to add more cement to the sand and gravel mixture to get durable and strong sites. Of course, the amount of cement directly affects the characteristics of concrete, but in order to obtain a high-quality mortar, the dosage of all components must be observed. In addition, it will be possible to cover the yard with a durable coating only if the rules for pouring it with concrete are not ignored.
Stages of work on concreting a concrete path: 1 - dig a trench, 2 - drive in wooden pegs, 3 - prepare the formwork, 4 - add a layer of crushed stone, 5 - make expansion joints, 6 - put concrete into the formwork, 7 - ram concrete, 8 - continue concrete.
Site preparation
Before pouring the yard with concrete, it is necessary to carry out preparatory measures. It should be decided whether it is necessary to remove the top layer of soil and add backfill at the concreting site.
Loose soil must be removed. It must be removed to a depth of 10-20 cm. In some cases, compaction of the site may be required if the density of the soil at a depth of 20 cm leaves much to be desired. You can tamp with a thick log with a handle attached to its upper end. A similar device can be made from a pipe with a diameter of 85 mm, drowning it from below with a steel pancake of a larger cross section.
Stony, clayey and sandy loamy soil does not need to be compacted, since these rocks practically do not shrink. You can do without cutting off the topsoil if it is dense enough.
Before starting work, it is necessary to mark the sites for concreting using:
- roulette;
- steel pegs from corners or fittings;
- sledgehammer or hammer;
- cord.
To remove the soil, bayonet and shovel shovels are used.
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Filling with sand and gravel
Now at the bottom of a kind of pit, you need to fill up the sand and gravel. The backfill will prevent the concrete from shrinking and will serve as a drain, removing moisture from the concrete pad. The surface of the bedding should not be horizontal, but inclined (with a slope from the structure).
First, a layer of sand is poured. It is properly compacted. This operation can be performed in two ways:
- using a rammer;
- bay sand layer with water.
Crushed stone is poured on top of the sand. It must be evenly distributed over the surface and compacted. The thickness of the second layer is 7-10 cm.
For backfilling, you can use the same sand and gravel that will be used to make concrete. Therefore, it is better to purchase bulk materials separately (it should be added that using them it will be easier to maintain the exact dosage of components in the manufacture of concrete).
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Formwork and waterproofing
The next stage is the construction of formwork along the perimeter of the site. Its fence can be made from the following materials:
- plywood;
- board;
- plastic panels;
- steel strips and the like.
Pegs must be driven into the ground along the perimeter of the site. The formwork can be attached to them with wire, nails or self-tapping screws. By the way, steel strips and panels are convenient to use on sections of the sidewalk with bends.
Pegs must be driven in at such a frequency as to prevent arching of the formwork. It is better if the height of the sides matches the thickness of the concrete pavement. This will facilitate the construction of the plane under the screed. It is advisable to mark the horizon of the formwork with a cord stretched between pins driven into the ground. In the work you need to use the building level.
Now the site is covered with a waterproofing barrier. For this, a dense plastic film is suitable. It is possible to improve the water-repellent characteristics of the insulator by laying adjacent polyethylene tapes with an overlap (10-15 cm) and gluing their edges with adhesive tape. Waterproofing has several tasks:
- prevent the ingress of moisture from the soil into the concrete;
- prevent premature dehydration of the solution due to the absorption of the water contained in it by the soil;
- prevent grass growth.
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Laying reinforcement and installing beacons
So that temperature changes do not cause deformation of the concrete pavement, it must be reinforced. As reinforcement, you can use:
- fiberglass or steel bars;
- masonry grating with a section of 5-6 mm;
- reinforcing mesh.
The optimal dimensions of the cells of the lattice of reinforcement are 10-15 cm. If separate rods are used as reinforcement, they must be fastened to each other:
- welding;
- knitting wire;
- plastic clamps.
You can also use various metal profiles for reinforcement (corners and the like), but the use of reinforcement with unrelated elements will not make the concrete stronger, and cracks will appear in the coating after some time. However, steel elements can be used as concrete filler.
It should be noted that the reinforcement should be in the thickness of the concrete, so the grating should not be laid on the waterproofing device itself, but on the supports. Their role may be played by:
- pipe cuttings;
- corners;
- fragments of paving slabs;
- stones.
Now you can install beacons. Focusing on them, it is easier to pour concrete correctly. It should be recalled that horizontality is contraindicated for concrete platforms adjacent to the building. They should be slightly slanted.
To build the plane of the future coverage, you need to use the cords again. With their help, a design called a "spider" is made. If the site is adjacent to the house, then a horizontal line is drawn on its base. To do this, you need a level, chalk and a chopping cord.
The marks made on the base are connected by a horizontal line.
Holes are drilled along the line into which dowel-nails are installed. Threads are stretched between them and the formwork. If necessary, you can connect them with transverse cords. The plane is ready.
Beacons are installed on "slides" of fresh cement-sand mortar.
Gypsum should not be used for fastening beacon profiles.
Because of it, over time, voids can form in the concrete, which will lead to the destruction of the solution. The distance between the beacons must correspond to the length of the rule, which, when leveling concrete, must rest on adjacent profiles.
Many of us who have our own dacha also have our own car, which today is more of a necessity than a luxury item. But for him on the site, it is also necessary to make a separate parking space. It’s good if there is a garage, otherwise, part of the territory needs to be equipped for personal transport. You can simply clear the free area of debris, but it would be much better to concrete it. Only this method is applicable if the soil on the site is stable and does not move at different times of the year. How to equip parking and will be discussed below.
Parking Requirements
Before you begin preparations for release, there are a few requirements you need to consider. The car must be free to park in the parking space. The exact dimensions of the site will depend on the amount of traffic.
The optimal dimensions for one car should be at least:
- 2.5 m wide;
- 4.5 m long.
Be sure to watch this video before building a parking lot in the country:
Car parking should be located slightly above the level of the entire site. Moreover, if there are bumps or depressions on its surface, they must be eliminated. That is, to create a completely flat surface. It may also be that plant roots have remained in the chosen place to park the car. In this case, they also need to get rid of. Otherwise, after some time, the concreted area will be covered with cracks and begin to collapse. As an ideal option - remove the top layer of soil. This will get rid of excess roots to avoid weeds, as well as drop the surface.
Before pouring, you need to lay a sand and gravel pillow on the base. At the same time, give it a slightly spherical shape so that water does not accumulate on the surface of the parking lot, but flows from it.
When deciding to concrete a site for a car, one feature of the building material must be taken into account. Concrete expands under the influence of temperature changes. This should be taken into account by those summer residents who plan to make a site in close proximity to the house or any other building with a foundation.
If the base of the parking lot is poured close to the foundation of the building, then the first will simply destroy the second. Therefore, a small distance must be maintained between both bases.
Advantages of concreting
Why concreting? Why can't you just clear the prepared area of debris? Such questions can arise in almost any summer resident.
Answering these questions will provide the following benefits:
- First of all, a concrete pad is easier to keep clean. It does not require special care, it is much easier to remove debris and snow.
- It turns out an absolutely flat and durable surface without pits and puddles.
- And finally, it's attractive. Additionally, small flower beds or a bench can be placed in the parking lot.
Preparatory work
Do-it-yourself parking in the country is quite simple, but you need to remember about a number of important preparatory work:
- First of all, you need to mark the selected parking space. With the help of pegs and a rope, outline the shape of the future site.
- After that, you need to remove the top layer of earth 10-20 cm thick. You can not throw it away, as it will come in handy for other purposes.
- Next, you should lay a pillow of sand and gravel, and each layer must be moistened and well tamped.
Formwork and reinforcement
At the next stage of work in a dug pit, it is necessary to make formwork from boards.
The boards should be level and supported from the outside with pegs so that the formwork does not fall apart under the pressure of the solution. If necessary, you need to take care of additional reinforcement.
We make formwork
As for the height of the retaining structure, 20 cm is enough to support the weight of the SUV. At the same time, the upper edge of the boards was slightly above ground level, so that the platform would rise slightly, as mentioned above.
After the formwork is ready, the pillow must be covered with geotextile.
After preparing the formwork, it is necessary to make reinforcement so that the coating is durable and reliable. In addition, the risk of cracking is significantly reduced.
We reinforce our car site
As experts advise, it is not necessary to use ordinary metal rods for reinforcement, in order to avoid metal decay inside the concrete. A specially reinforcing stainless steel mesh is best suited.
Pouring concrete
To prepare a concrete solution, you will need cement grade M300 or even M400. It is good if there is a concrete mixer, otherwise the solution will have to be kneaded by hand.
To prepare good quality concrete, you must adhere to the following proportion of sand, cement and crushed stone 3: 1: 2.
It is worth pouring the site with a monolithic structure in order to exclude joints in which concrete usually cracks.
When leveling the surface, it is worth giving it a slight slope from the middle to the periphery to drain water. Forming voids should be immediately filled with cement mortar, and the entire surface should be leveled again.
Final stage
After the parking lot for the car in the country, or rather its base, is laid and hardened, the site should be sprinkled with wet sawdust. Instead, you can use a wet rag. The next three days, while the concrete dries, sawdust or rags need to be moistened.
Despite the fact that concrete begins to harden rather quickly, it will take a long period of time to gain its final strength. In this regard, over the next 30 days, the site should not be subjected to heavy loads. That is, do not park the car immediately after pouring concrete.
Other options
In addition to concreting, you can cover the parking lot with rubble. Such a surface has its advantages. It is not covered with cracks, it is able to pass water.
gravel parking lot
It is only necessary to carefully select the material for the base. Limestone rubble is not suitable, as it quickly crumbles and can become overgrown with weeds. It is better to use river pebbles. Moreover, to form the base, lay a large fraction (30-60 mm), and fill it with fine gravel (5-20 mm) on top.
However, there are also disadvantages here. Due to the fact that the surface is uneven, this significantly complicates cleaning in the winter. In addition, it is very difficult to move around in shoes with a heel. A lot of trouble is caused by fallen leaves and small debris, which can be deeply clogged between the pebbles. In addition, it is worth considering that periodically crushed stone must be poured, as it creeps.
Paving slab parking
Paving slabs can also be suitable for paving a parking lot for a car. This may incur additional costs, but parking looks more stylish. At the same time, the color can be chosen in such a way that it matches the material of the garden paths or the basement of the house. At the same time, a sand and gravel cushion should also be laid under the tile.
The surface of the tile passes water well and cracks do not form on it. The only thing you need is to follow the correct laying technology.
Concrete platforms are quite durable, and with a certain amount of design imagination, they can, for example, successfully complement your garden. Many people prefer brick patios, but they can look quite attractive on their own with creative design elements.
Necessary materials and tools
- building mixture;
- concrete mixer;
- gravel, screed;
- boards 5 × 15 cm;
- nails, shovel;
- reinforcing mesh;
- hose;
- trowel, a tool for jointing seams;
- protective clothing, mask, goggles, etc.;
- water level.
Step-by-step description of the construction process from preparation to pouring
1) The construction of the patio requires preliminary calculations. Buy materials and tools in advance. The approximate calculation of concrete is as follows: to cover 5 square meters. m 15 cm thick, you will need 25 bags of mortar (to speed up the process, it is better to use a ready-made mixture).
2) Develop the soil to a depth of 15 cm. Then the lower 5 cm will be covered with gravel, the remaining 10 cm will be filled with mortar. The gravel bed is designed to prevent cracking due to freeze-thaw cycles. Make sure there is a slope away from the side of the house to drain water. You can also adjust the height by inserting pegs at the high (near the house) and low sides, and then string strings between them. The level of the rope should correspond to the intended level of the surface. The slope should be about 2 cm per meter.
3) Assemble the mold for gravel and concrete. Lower the mold into the prepared area. If you want the patio to be at ground level, the top of the form must be at the same level.
4) Pack the gravel as tightly as possible. Use flat stones up to 5 cm high (this way you will save your garden from extra stones at the same time!) As a support for the reinforcing cage that needs to be installed in your 10 cm concrete slab.
5) Install the reinforcement cage to connect the slab. Place the grids at a distance of 50 cm from the edges of each side of the plot. Tie them together at the intersections with wire.
6) Stir the mixture in the concrete mixer, first adding water with a hose, then add the mixture and water alternately again until it acquires a uniform gray color.
7) Pour the concrete pad with cement, starting at the far end of the location of your concrete mixer and observing the slope. You can also add stones to fill the volume. Try to keep this process as short as possible. Concrete preparation in this case is crucial.
8) Screed down to surface level, along the top of the mold edges. Pull the tie from one end to the other and remove the excess concrete.
9) Cut out thermal seams every 1-1.5 m using a trowel or spatula (but not a garden trowel!) 5 cm deep. To make the seam even, place a board across the molds at a right angle as a guide.
10) Using a water level, check that the surface is also level.
11) Align the protrusions on the surface with the rule. Make arcuate movements, keeping one side slightly raised, and pressing the other to the surface.
12) To complete the installation of the thermal seams described in step # 9, it is necessary to use a jointing tool, which cleans the groove to a depth of 2-3 cm (or 1/4 of the total depth of the plate). Use the same board for orientation.
13) The final touch in working with the surface of the concrete will be the design elements. With a brush, your patio will look attractive and practical at the same time: visual aesthetics on the one hand and a safe, rough surface on the other.
14) The yard can be covered with plastic or sprinkled with sawdust. It is necessary to allow the solution to harden properly. To do this, do not allow it to dry too quickly. By covering it with plastic or sawdust, you will keep moisture inside. Keep it under plastic for a week. The cement mortar will harden for about three weeks, so even after removing the plastic, do not allow heavy loads. The total hardening time of the cement may vary depending on the characteristics of your mixture, therefore, when buying a material, carefully read the instructions.
15) If you are concerned that a large amount of runoff can cause damage, you should consider installing a drainage system in your yard before you start building a concrete pad. If you have a common drainage system, you can arrange drainage for the site. The most suitable for this purpose are linear drains. They can be connected to the general drainage system of the yard.
1) Try to avoid skin contact with the solution, as well as inhalation of dust. It is recommended to use gloves, long trousers, safety shoes, goggles, mask and other means.
2) If you want to lay out the top level of the site with bricks, dig the soil to an additional depth of 7.5 cm: 6.5 cm for bricks and 1 cm for filling with mortar.
3) If during the development of the soil, you stumble upon stones, they can be cleared from the ground and used when filling the site. They can take up volume, saving concrete mix. It's also a great way to get rid of unwanted rocks from the garden.
4) With a concrete excavation height of 15cm, 5x15cm boards will create the most suitable shape. But since their upper edges will be at ground level, avoid hitting various debris by covering the concrete area with a tarp.