How To Build Patio Concrete Slab

In order to build a patio concrete slab, you will need the following tools and materials:

Concrete tools (concrete trowel, edger and float)
Concrete mixers
Concrete forms
Reinforcement bars (rebar)

Step 1 Our first step was to dig a hole for the concrete slab

The first step in building your patio concrete slab is to dig a hole for it. The size of the hole will depend on the size of your patio and how much you want to dig down. If you’re building over an existing pad, then you can just make sure that there is enough room for both layers of concrete to be poured into place.

Once your hole has been dug and leveled out, it’s time to add some reinforcement pieces along each side and bottom edge. These are typically made from steel rebar but can also be made from PVC piping in some cases if you prefer something more natural-looking (though this may affect cost). We chose steel because we knew we would need something strong enough not only hold up our weight but also withstand any forces created by snow or ice during winter months when temperatures drop below freezing!

Step 2 We used cardboard as our formwork.

Use a jigsaw to cut out the cardboard formwork. You can use either an electric jig saw or a manual model, depending on your preference and skill level. Again, make sure you use a blade with a fine tooth count—ideally less than 18 teeth per inch (tpi).

The next step is to add a vapor barrier.

Once you’ve added the forms and rebar, it’s time to add a vapor barrier. A vapor barrier is a polyethylene sheet that prevents moisture from getting into the concrete. It should be installed before any formwork is put in place, and it should be located on the inside of your formwork so that it does not get damaged by foot traffic or other construction materials. Fortunately, this step does not require much skill or experience—it’s just something you need to do so you can pour your slab without having to worry about air bubbles or issues with cracking or puffing up later on down the road.

If you’re using a concrete contractor (and if not they probably don’t recommend this), they may be able to come out and help install your vapor barrier if you need assistance with it since there isn’t really much involved in doing so aside from cutting holes for pipes/drainage channels etc. They may also charge extra for this service but as long as they don’t jack up their prices too much I’d say go ahead and take advantage of these guys’ expertise; building patios can be kind of tricky even when everything goes smoothly so having someone experienced come out early on will save time/money later down

The next step is to add steel reinforcement.

The next step is to add steel reinforcement. Reinforcement is used to make the concrete stronger, prevent cracking and shrinkage, prevent expansion, erosion and corrosion. The steel reinforcing bars (rebar) are placed horizontally in every third or fourth course of concrete blocks.

A layer of gravel is placed on top of the footings before placing any rebar. This prevents moisture from getting trapped below the slab which could lead to cracking later on.

Next, we had to mix the concrete for our patio slab.

Next, you’ll need to mix the concrete in a wheelbarrow. Use a shovel to mix the concrete and make sure it’s thoroughly blended before you move on to the next step.

You can use a trowel to level the concrete before smoothing it out with another trowel. Finally, use another trowel to smooth out any imperfections or excess material left in your patio slab—this will make it look more professional and uniform!

Once the concrete is mixed, it’s time to pour it into your hole.

To begin, you will need to mix the concrete. You can do this by hand using a shovel or wheelbarrow, but it is much easier to use an electric mixer. Your mix should consist of three parts sand and one part cement by volume. If you are working alone and do not have access to an electric mixer, use a shovel or wheelbarrow instead of a hoe-type tool like many people do today.

Once your mixture has been thoroughly mixed together, scoop it out of your wheelbarrow with a large spoon or spatula (stirring constantly). In order to ensure that all material reaches the bottom of the hole without wasting any material it’s important that each scoopful be roughly equivalent in size; otherwise some areas may not receive enough concrete while others might get too much at once which could lead them cracking prematurely without sufficient time for curing between layers!

Use long handled trowels or mason’s trowels (depending on preference) from here on out when placing concrete down into your hole so that your arms don’t get tired too quickly during pouring process! Try not touch sides at all because this will cause cracks later on due so much pressure being applied directly onto those areas where contact occurred between objects touching one another – especially if done repeatedly throughout build time span.”

After pouring in the concrete, it needs to be leveled off so that the surface will be smooth when dry.

Once you have poured in your concrete, you will need to level off the surface so that it is smooth when dry. You can do this by using a level or a trowel, depending on how accurate you want to be. After leveling and smoothing with a trowel, use a bull float (or what we call “power floats”) to remove excess moisture from the top of your slab; this will help prevent cracking caused by pressure from rain. Finally, once everything has dried for about 24 hours and seems as dry as possible without being cracked (this usually takes about three days), use a darby (or “power darby”) over any areas that still need more drying time before finishing with concrete sealer

After the concrete is level, it needs to be screeded (a process of smoothing off any ridges and bumps).

A screed board is used for this purpose. It usually has a rounded or flat bottom edge, which ensures that you can use it on a variety of surfaces. To smooth out the concrete slab, simply pull the board along with your hands or use a long piece of wood as leverage by leaning on it while dragging across your pavers.

Screed brick is another useful tool for leveling and smoothing out pavers after they’ve been poured. Screed brick looks like bricks but are made from plastic instead of concrete; this makes them easier to use than real bricks because they don’t have sharp edges like real ones do so you won’t damage yourself if you accidentally step on one while laying down pavers around your patio area!

There are two ways you can use these tools together: either lay them down side-by-side with their flat sides facing up towards each other so that when placed together there will be no gaps between them (see image below), then drag over top using some type of finishing tool (such as float) -OR– place them all over top one another at random so that when finished laying down all four corners will show some sort of pattern such as diamond shape pattern shown below:

Next, once you’ve screed it, you need to float it (smooth off any jagged edges).

Once you’ve screed it, you need to float it (smooth off any jagged edges). A finishing tool such as a bull float or darby (basically just a trowel with a long handle) can help do this. This process takes some time and patience, but it’s worth it!

This is the last step before you can use your patio.

Finally, use a finishing tool such as a bull float or darby (basically just a trowel with a long handle) to create a final finish on your patio surface.

A concrete patio surface is one of the easiest ways you can transform your backyard because of its versatility, durability, and overall look.

Because it’s so durable and will last for years to come, it’s no surprise that a concrete patio surface is one of the most popular options among homeowners. Concrete can also be stained or colored in any color palette you want and is easy to maintain. If cracks do occur in your concrete slab over time, they’re easy to repair as well.