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How do you pour a concrete pad on unlevel ground?

Mark off the area as usual and then dig it out to the required depth. The depth depends on what type of concrete you're using and whether it needs a gravel base. You'll need to dig out more on the higher side to make it level with the lower side. Smooth out the ground and then check the level in all directions.

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There are a number of reasons you may need to pour a level concrete pad in your yard. Maybe you need a pad to anchor the bottom of a new set of stairs from your porch, or maybe you’re looking to repour a part of your driveway that needs work and are pouring concrete on a slope. While working with unlevel ground can be tricky, the basic steps of pouring concrete remain the same no matter what: build a frame, support the frame and pour the concrete. The question is: How does the slope interact with this process?

Smooth out the ground and then check the level in all directions. Add and remove dirt as needed until the entire area is level in every place you measure. Tamp down the surface until the soil is tightly packed and be sure to check that the area is level from corner to corner. If you’re adding gravel, add it, even it out and check for level again. Mark off the area as usual and then dig it out to the required depth. The depth depends on what type of concrete you’re using and whether it needs a gravel base. You’ll need to dig out more on the higher side to make it level with the lower side. When building a level concrete slab on a slope, you have a few options. First, consider something like the kind of concrete pad you’d pour to support a building project. In this case, the pad needs to be level from all directions horizontally and vertically as viewed from above. The key is marking the area, carefully digging it out and packing it down to make sure everything stays level to neutral no matter how sloped the yard is. Fine Homebuilding recommends a concrete with low slump. You’ll want to order a concrete that stays in place once it’s poured and leveled. Look for a blend with a low slump; this gives it the consistency it needs to stay in place once poured, explains Mother Earth News . You can contact your local home improvement store for additional tips about the proper type of concrete to buy given your soil and ground types. Add the first and second volumes together to find the total volume of concrete you’ll need. Once this is done, build your frame as usual and install what supports you’ll need. Then, pour the concrete as directed by the manufacturer’s instructions.

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To estimate the amount of concrete you’ll need, do two calculations. First, use the length and width multiplied by the depth of the shallow end. This is your starting volume. Next, calculate the volume again using the depth of the deeper end and then divide this by 2. A level sloped pad probably sounds like an oxymoron, but consider the end of a driveway as it slopes down into the street. In this case, the concrete needs to be level horizontally (when viewed from above) with an equal slope on each side vertically. The key is not only preparing the ground to be level from side to side but also choosing the right kind of concrete and adding it in the right way. Mark off the area and then dig it out to the required depth. The space you clear will have a slope to it that should equal the slope of the surrounding area. Once you build the frame, check to make sure that the width of the area is level to itself and that the distance between the side boards of the frame stays uniform over the entire area. Once in place, level the concrete with 2x4s placed over the top of the frame walls and leave it to set. This should leave you with an angled concrete pad that is even and level to itself and made to fit the grade of your slope.

homeguides.sfgate.com - How to Pour a Level Concrete Pad on Unlevel Ground - Home Guides

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