This could be 30 minutes to and hour after you get done pouring the concrete. This gives the concrete good texture and is considered a non-slip surface.īefore I broom the surface, I usually wait until the concrete is firm enough so I can only press my fingers into it about 1/4". I usually finish all my concrete ramps by dragging a broom across the surface. We keep repeating the motion while moving up the ramp until we're done. We rest the screed on top of the forms while we pull the screed upwards 4 to 6 inches each stroke. The concrete will hold its slope better pulling it upwards (trust me). PRO TIP: The concrete is less likely to sag if you screed up hill versus downhill. Once the forms are filled, use a concrete screed and screed "up hill" by dragging the screed on top of the forms. Any looser and it would have sagged too much.įill the forms with your concrete mix using a concrete rake like I am in the previous picture. We poured the concrete at about a 4" slump and the mix held its slope just fine. If you start off with a mix that's too wet, it'll make your job a lot harder. You're better off starting with a mix that's too dry, you can always add a little water to the mix if you need to. The slump you'll need kinda depends on how steep your ramp is. When the concrete arrives, tell the truck driver to mix the concrete to a 3" slump. In most cases, you'll want your concrete ramp to be 4 to 6 inches thick.Ĥ inches thick is good for sloped sidewalks, walking paths, and wheel chair ramps.Ħ inches thick is better for vehicle traffic and heavier use. That'll depend on what you're using the ramp for. Just make sure it's a firm but workable mix when you mix water with it or it'll want to sag and not keep the proper slope. IF YOU'RE RAMP IS SMALL: You can use a bag mix like Quikrete and mix it in a wheel barrow. I poured this concrete ramp at about a 4 inch slump and had no problems with the concrete wanting to sag as I screeded the concrete up hill. Slump is how "wet" or "dry" the concrete is mixed at.Ī 1 to 4 inch slump is quite dry, 5 - 6 slump is looser, (too wet for a ramp), and a 7 - 10 slump is very loose or watery. When I call to order the concrete, I tell the batch person it's for a ramp and to make sure to batch the concrete at a 3 inch slump. I use a 4000 psi mix with 3/4" stone, fiber-mesh, and air-entrainment (for freeze/thaw conditions). It'll be much easier than trying to mix it by hand. If you're ramp is quite large like this one or it's larger, you'll want to order concrete from a ready-mix concrete company.
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