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Good To Know

FAQ, Terms & DIY Pouring Guide

Answers, recommended tools, concrete terminology, and a step-by-step guide for anyone pouring their own project.

Terms & Conditions

Before You Order

Get Ready

Recommended Tools

Concrete Prep Tools

  • Wooden / steel stakes
  • Wire mesh or rebar
  • Forms
  • String line & level
  • Tape measure
  • Hammer & nails
  • Shovels (point & flat head)
  • Work gloves
  • Expansion board (if needed)

Working Tools

  • Concrete tamp
  • Bull float
  • Edger & jointer
  • Fresno
  • Steel trowels
  • Heavy-duty wheelbarrow
  • Concrete broom
  • Rubber boots & gloves
  • Long 2" x 4" screed

Speak The Language

Glossary of Concrete Terminology

Accelerator
Chemical substance added to a concrete mix that reduces set time by increasing the rate of hydration.
Aggregate
Concrete is a mixture of water, Portland cement, and aggregates (sand and/or stone). Sand is a fine aggregate; stones are coarse aggregates.
Bull Float
A large, flat tool — usually 8" wide and 48" long, with a 4–16 ft handle — used to smooth freshly placed concrete.
Cubic Yard
The unit of measure for ready-mix concrete. Concrete is ordered, sold, and batched by volume.
Curing
Maintaining proper moisture and temperature in concrete's early stages so its desired properties can develop.
Portland Cement
A hydraulic cement that sets and hardens through chemical interaction with water.
Sack Mix
The number of sacks of cement in a cubic yard of concrete — typically specified in project plans. More sacks generally means more strength.
Screeding
Forming a level surface using a screed or strike-off and screed guides (typically the forms).
Set Time
A measurement, in hours and minutes, of how long concrete takes to harden and resist a measure of penetration.
Slump
A measure of the consistency of freshly mixed concrete, in inches — the distance concrete subsides when a slump cone is lifted from the test specimen.
Sub Grade
The prepared and compacted soil made to support a structure or pavement system.
Volumetric Mixer
A concrete mixer that measures and produces ready-mix concrete by volume rather than weight, metering output as it's produced — also known as continuous batching.

Doing It Yourself

DIY Pouring Guide

Step 1

Site Preparation & Planning

  • Sub grade must be compacted and free of standing water.
  • Forms must be secure and able to withstand the load pressure of fresh concrete.
  • Arrange enough help — a minimum of 2 people for a 1 cubic yard pour, adding one person per additional yard (add another if wheelbarrowing).
  • Assign specific responsibilities to helpers before the concrete arrives.
  • Provide acceptable access for delivery: stable soil able to support 85,000 lbs, at least 10 ft wide and 14 ft high, avoiding trucks over curbs and sidewalks.
  • Discharge chutes reach approximately 12 feet.
  • Determine control joint type (hand-tooled or saw-cut) in the planning step — residential concrete should be at least 4" thick, joints spaced no more than 10 ft apart.
Step 2

Placement

  • Concrete must be discharged as close to its final position as possible, avoiding long "dragging" distances.
  • Discharge in a timely manner upon arrival — have enough help ready if wheelbarrowing.
  • Strike off / "screed" to the proper elevation with a wood or magnesium straight edge.
  • Bull float and edge immediately after striking off, before bleed water appears — no further finishing until bleed water fully evaporates (concrete looks glossy when present, dulls once it evaporates).
Step 3

Finishing

  • Broom/brush finish — recommended for sidewalks and driveways needing maximum skid resistance.
  • Porous trowel finish — recommended for patios and porches needing minimal skid resistance.
  • Hard trowel finish — recommended for interior, non-porous surfaces like shop or garage floors, using a power trowel.
  • For decorative or architectural finishes, we recommend hiring a licensed contractor who specializes in decorative concrete.
Step 4

Curing

Curing is the most important — and most neglected — step in concrete placement. Begin as soon as the surface can accept the process without damage.

  • Wet curing — keeping the concrete surface saturated, typically with a garden sprinkler.
  • Curing compound — a chemical that seals in moisture, applied with a sprayer or roller.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — it will become lighter as it cures.

The slump refers to the consistency of the concrete — how wet or dry the mix is.

A tamp blends the aggregate downward into the mix and brings the "cream" to the top, giving a more workable mix and a proper finish.

Wind, humidity, and sunlight are all factors in how long it takes concrete to dry.

Wind, humidity, and sunlight all affect cure time, but 5-7 days is the standard before driving on it.

Yes. After the first 12 hours, apply cure or water morning and night for 5 days for the strongest result.

Only if you're raising the elevation of the pour — in that case, the ABC needs to be compacted first.

It's a groove joint used to control concrete cracking. Joints are needed no more than 1.5x the slab width apart.

Material placed in the concrete to allow for expansion and contraction. Needed if you have 2 sides that are constricted and parallel, and recommended with 3 combined sides.

Mobile Mix is a curbside delivery service. Off-loading, placement, and finishing are the customer's responsibility — going beyond curbside is at the driver's discretion.

24-hour cancellation notice is required, or a $75 fee applies. Once a truck is dispatched, cancellations aren't eligible for refund or redelivery.

Still have a question?

Call us directly and we'll walk you through it.

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