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ken0042 · 06-12-2010, 01:13 AM

The big thing about getting a truck is the cubic footage needed for a sidewalk. (Or lack thereof)

Let's say you are doing a 20 foot long walk, 30 inches wide and 4 inches thick. You only need 17 cubic feet; or around half a cubic metre. I had a hard enough time getting them to deliver 3 cubic metres in the past.

Those 17 cubic feet would be 34 bags of ready mix from Home Depot; add in the mixer rental and you are still under $300. I also looked into a small batch place that you tow, but due to the weight you need a pretty big truck.

A few other DIY tips:

- The over/under for renting a mixer is 10 bags. Over that you are in for a tough day without a mixer.
- Compare bags carefully; Home Depot's are 30kg and most other places are 25kg.
- Prep is key. The more time you spend prepping the easier pouring will go.
- Protect from sunlight. The biggest thing to remember is that concrete does not actually "dry." The water goes through a chemical process to become part of the concrete. So you don't want to have it loose too much excess moisture.

06-12-2010, 01:13 AM	#16
ken0042 Playboy Mansion Poolboy Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Close enough to make a beer run during a TV timeout Exp:	The big thing about getting a truck is the cubic footage needed for a sidewalk. (Or lack thereof) Let's say you are doing a 20 foot long walk, 30 inches wide and 4 inches thick. You only need 17 cubic feet; or around half a cubic metre. I had a hard enough time getting them to deliver 3 cubic metres in the past. Those 17 cubic feet would be 34 bags of ready mix from Home Depot; add in the mixer rental and you are still under $300. I also looked into a small batch place that you tow, but due to the weight you need a pretty big truck. A few other DIY tips: - The over/under for renting a mixer is 10 bags. Over that you are in for a tough day without a mixer. - Compare bags carefully; Home Depot's are 30kg and most other places are 25kg. - Prep is key. The more time you spend prepping the easier pouring will go. - Protect from sunlight. The biggest thing to remember is that concrete does not actually "dry." The water goes through a chemical process to become part of the concrete. So you don't want to have it loose too much excess moisture.