Setting a strong foundation is essential in building as it is in life.
Forming and pouring a concrete slab can be intimidating. Your heart races because you know that any mistake, even a little one, can quickly turn your slab into a big mess, a mistake literally cast in stone.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the slab-pouring process so you get it right the first time. We’ll pay particular attention to the tough parts where you’re most likely to goof.
Still, pouring a large concrete slab isn’t a job for a beginner. If you haven’t worked with concrete, start with a small sidewalk or garden shed floor before attempting a garage-size slab like this. Even if you’ve got a few small jobs under your belt, it’s a good idea to find an experienced helper. In addition to standard carpentry tools, you’ll need a number of special tools to finish a large slab.
The bulk of the work for a new slab is in the excavation and form building. If you have to level a sloped site or bring in a lot of fill, hire an excavator for a day to help prepare the site. Then figure on spending a day building the forms and another pouring the slab.