Gravel sidewalk

do u not know sand and gravel are required for concrete?

quikrete already has sand and gravel mixed in. just use normal cement powder, and mix it with proper ratios of sand and gravel. the smooth surface ontop of concrete is made with float n trowel that pushes gravel down and makes smooth creamy gravel n bubble free surface. dont forget to add felt exp joints, else cracks.
 
KingSobieski said:
i just wanna mix the gravel I already have into the concrete so i dont have to throw it away somewhere
Click to expand...

How nice are you wanting this to be? Dig the shit concrete out and separate the gravel into another pile. Yes it will suck. Or just shovel the gravel off the top if you want to do it again in 5 years. Then form up a few inches or so above whats left, mix up a few bags of concrete and shovels of gravel in a wheelbarrow and pour. Do one section at a time capped off with a 2x4 because there's no way you're going to be able to mix fast enough to pour and smooth it all before some hardens. Calculate the size of a few bags plus gravel and estimate size...
 
For reference, this took me a week to break out the old concrete, form new and finish.
[so] I hjauled nearly 2 tons of sand today in my truck. by Plasmatic - Page 5 - TribalWar Forums
XC2ST0b.jpg


concrete is 21 long across the house, 4 feet wide. Near the front door it's 6 foot wide and 4 deep.

so 21 x 4 + 6 x 4 = 108 square feet. I went 4 inches thick over gravel, which was overkill, so 1/3 of 108 is 36 cubic feet, or 1.33 yards. I ordered 1.5 and had a little left over, but not much. It probably seeped into the gravel. There is an inch drop every 6 feet for drainage in the sidewalk and pavers away from the house, and towards the driveway.
 
i'd spent like $100 on the dense grade n $200 on the decorative shit. maybe it'll round off into the $500 range if i order the sand/cement n mix the concrete myself

sand is $23 cubic/yard and cement is $10/100lb bag
 
Last edited:
Welcome to home ownership... I paid around 300 for the concrete delivery, and another 50 for a concrete saw the next day. I paid a neighbor kid 50 to help break and haul concrete Tuesday, formed Wednesday myself, and poured Thursday. A friend helped run a 2x4 across it during pouring, and I put a brush finish on it with a soft push broom. Get or borrow a square float. Edging tools are a plus but not necessary. Don't overwork it as it dries or the top will crack off. Form it a little above the surrounding dirt as it will sink, and you'll need to saw a 2x4 across it to get a rough shape. I went ham with the forms, and used ripped 2x4s every 12 - 18 inches as stakes.
 
KingSobieski said:
So the sidewalk behind my house was all broken up concrete so I thought it'd be cheap/easy just to put edging around it and fill on top with decorative gravel. Looked good at first like a japanese garden which was cool but it turns out its a pain in the ass cause the dirt washes into it, can't blow the grass clippings off of it without blowing the gravel all over the place, plus it tracks in on shoes.

Now that I have a shit ton of this gravel in my backyard, is it possible to mix it up in a wheel barrel with quikrete and reapply it as a proper concrete sidewalk? The base is pretty sturdy since I used dense grade over the broken sidewalk etc. Just wondering if I can mix gravel into quikrete and how it'd look, like OK or will this turn into a shitty mess?

I'm thinking I dig up a few feet of the gravel, mix it up with the quikrete, and reapply with a trowel. The shape is already bound by the edging so I don't believe building a whole form is necessary.
Click to expand...

This is the tool you are looking for. Don't pour a fuckup concrete sidewalk that looks like shit, you're only making life more difficult for the next person who needs to fix your fuckup.

 
Anyone ever use the resin gravel bond stuff? You just pour it on with a water can. Wondering if it’s any decent or more of a step the wrong way. I think that shit + some paving stones is quick n easy? Or just go the plasmatic route n do it the manly way?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
KingSobieski said:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/TechniSoil-5-gal-G3-Pathway-Stabilizer-Bottle-TP5/203501863?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CAll-Products%7CAll%7CAll%7CPLA%7C71700000014585962%7C58700001236285396%7C92700010802552454&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0dHdBRDEARIsAHjZYYBc4cotHRNkcNSDKJQH8KFoRVlmB80zvoj_8XeZf7L8Ma4_RojHjQgaAhloEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CNfGt9aT690CFcG-wAodfkYOaA

Shit says 75sq ft so just enough for me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
That's more for sandy surfaces, or sand between stone. It's more or less a clear paint...

Just concrete up some stepping stones if you're really trying to be a cheap lazy fucker. Form up a 2x2 foot square right on the path out of 2x4's, mix 2 80 pound bags of concrete and stone in a wheel barrow and fill the form. 2 bags + some stone works out perfect for 2 x 2. Repeat as necessary.

You get to play with concrete, and do it at your leisure..
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top