QA

Question: How To Do Concrete Floors Yourself

Is it cheaper to pour your own concrete?

Whether you’re pouring concrete countertops or a patio out back, it may be cheaper to pour concrete yourself rather than hiring someone. Whether you’ll save much in doing so depends largely on the amount of concrete needed and the amount of time you have to invest in your concrete project.

Is it hard to do concrete floors?

While it is possible to chip or scratch a concrete surface, you have to work pretty hard to do so. Keeping a concrete floor looking its best is fairly easy. It needs to be sealed or waxed every three to nine months, depending on the level of traffic, in order to maintain the protective layer.

Are concrete floors easy to install?

Concrete flooring installation is a complicated process indoors, but a fairly simple one outdoors for patios and walkways. Often, concrete flooring installation means nothing more than removing an old floor covering and then using finishing techniques to transform your concrete subflooring.

How many bags of concrete do I need for a 10×10 slab?

Regarding this, “how many bags of concrete do I need for a 10×10 slab?”, at 4 inches thick, generally you will need approximately either 74 bags of 60lb or 56 bags of 80lb premixed concrete for a 10×10 slab, at 5 inches thick slab, either 93 bags of 60lb or 70 bags of 80lb premixed concrete are required, while at 6.

Do you need gravel under concrete?

Whether you pour concrete for a walkway or patio, a strong gravel base is required to prevent the concrete from cracking and shifting. Gravel is especially important in clay soil because it doesn’t drain well, which results in water pooling under the concrete slab and slowly eroding the soil as it finally drains.

Can you pour concrete directly on dirt?

Long story short, yes you can pour concrete over dirt.

How much does it cost to pour a 24×24 slab of concrete?

A typical 24×24 garage slab costs between $3,057 and $5,944 with prices ranging from $5.31 to $8.31 per square foot for a 4” reinforced slab of concrete, and $6.83 to $10.32 per square foot for a 6” slab of reinforced concrete.

How many bags of cement do I need for 12×12?

To determine how many bags of concrete you will need, divide the total cubic yards needed by the yields, at 4 inch thick, for a 12×12 slab you will need 1.76 yards of concrete, so number of 80lb bag of concrete = 1.76 ÷ 0.022 = 80 bags, No. of 60lb bag = 1.76 ÷ 0.017 = 104 bags & No.

How do I keep my concrete floor warm?

A layer of dense foam padding under the laminate can help warm up the floor. In slab situations, raising the subfloor off the concrete with a layer of plywood over sleeper strips before installing the surface flooring can also make it warmer on the feet.

Is concrete flooring cheaper than wood?

Yes, concrete floors are generally more affordable than hardwood floors. Generally, a concrete floor costs between $2 and $15 per square foot, while hardwood floors cost between $12 and $20 per square foot, according to Floor Critics.

Can you leave concrete floors bare?

If nothing else, bare concrete isn’t the best look. Concrete is porous and can be penetrated by moisture and contaminants. This can lead to bacteria build up and make it very difficult to achieve a high level of hygiene. Floors coated with a seamless, impervious surface are much easier to clean and maintain.

Is stained concrete cheaper than flooring?

On average, you can expect to pay between $3 and $7 per square foot for vinyl plank flooring, depending on the quality. Staining concrete is slightly more expensive. The cost can vary between $7 and $15 per square foot.

How long does it take to install a concrete floor?

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO INSTALL CONCRETE FLOORS? The timeline and steps involved to install a decorative concrete floor can vary greatly from job to job. On a small project, such as a basement floor, the timeline can range anywhere from two days to five or six days.

How long does it take to lay concrete floor?

In most cases, standard concrete (or full strength concrete) has a setting time of around one day, sometimes two days depending on the environment in which it is set.

What is a cheaper alternative to concrete?

What is a cheaper alternative to concrete? For concrete floor alternatives, you will get a cheaper floor if you use brick, gravel, decomposed granite or asphalt, earthen floor, and even insulation foam.

How much does an 80 lb bag of concrete cover?

30 cubic feet, 60 pounds of concrete mix yields . 45 cubic feet and an 80-pound bag yields . 60 cubic feet.

How many bags of concrete do I need for a 10×8 slab?

Regarding this, “how many bags of concrete do I need for a 10×8 slab at 4 inch thick?”, its depend on thickness of slab, at 4 inches thick, generally you will need approximately either 58 bags of 60lb or 45 bags of 80lb (0.98 cubic yards or 26.4 cubic feet or 0.748 m3) of premixed concrete for a 10×8 slab.

Is sand a good base for concrete?

Simply put, sand isn’t sturdy enough to work well as a subbase for something like a driveway. It is also difficult to maintain a level sand surface when pouring concrete, and therefore difficult to maintain a uniform thickness of the concrete slab.

What should you put under concrete?

You do need gravel under a concrete slab, footing, or patio. Gravel provides a solid foundation for your concrete as it can be compacted. It also improves drainage, preventing water from pooling beneath the concrete.

Should you wet the ground before pouring concrete?

Cover the wet ground with a tarp before you pour to avoid all the water on the ground. Pouring concrete is a straightforward job. A wet ground is not the best base for newly poured concrete. You can do a few things to help the ground dry up just enough for you to pour your concrete.

What is the minimum thickness of a concrete foundation?

For masonry or concrete construction, the minimum foundation wall will be 6 inches. The minimum reinforced concrete footing thickness will be 6 inches or 1-1/2 times the length of the footing projection from the foundation wall, whichever is greater. REQUIREMENTS.