DIY Small Concrete Slab

In this post, I will be explaining how to make a DIY Small Concrete Slab. I have made a few of these and they are pretty easy to do. In addition, these are perfect to hold pool equipment, portable generator pads, propane tank pads, water storage pads, etc. In this post, I will be explaining how to make a small one. So for this example, the small concrete slab will be 2ft x 3ft and be 4 inches thick (5 bags of 60 lb Concrete). Concrete slabs should be from 4 – 4 1/2 inches thick.

When I pour a small pad, I also include a heavy duty outdoor hook in the slab. That way whatever I am putting out there I can chain it up if I need to. For this project I used 60 lb bags of high strength quick mix concrete by Quikrete. So all you have to do is add water and mix. Concrete bags are sold in various sizes like, 40 lb, 60 lb and 80 lb. Therefore, I chose the heaviest bag I could pick up and move, so I went with 60 lb bags.

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You can get most if not all the supplies at your local hardware store for a DIY small concrete slab, but if it is unavailable there, here are some links to the supplies on Amazon.

Supplies

Shovel
Tamper Tool
Wood for form boards and wood stakes
Nails or Screws (the depth of your wood plus 1/2 inch)
Rebar (1/2 in diameter x 14-18 inches long) – also called rebar stakes. These are sold in multiple lengths at hardware stores. So purchase the size for your project.
Rebar Ties – I used 6in – 17 gauge ties

Measuring Tape
Wheel Barrow
9 in x 4 in Rubber Float
Hand Edger – I used of 6 in x 3 in
Hammer or Mallet
Concrete – I used 60 lb heavy strength concrete
Saw – can be manual, circular or miter
Extra Heavy Duty Rust Resistant Hook (optional) – large enough to rope a chain through- In other words, look for heavy weight above 200lbs.
Old Broom (optional)

Directions For DIY Small Concrete Slab

Dig out the area you plan to put the slab with a shovel. So if you plan on digging more than 3 inches, please call the utility company to mark your property as to where the lines are. Digging can be dangerous and costly. Also, if the area is close to the house slab, make sure it is slopped to handle run off water away from the foundation.

Then, tap the area with a Tamper Tool to compact the soil.

Next, add the form boards to make the frame. I used cheap framing wood I picked up from the local hardware store. So add additional wood and spikes to build and secure and solid frame.

Then add in the rocks or gravel and compact with the tamper tool again.

Next, assemble the rebar and secure with rebar ties. Do not skip this step, rebar will prevent your concrete from cracking and make the concrete stronger. Check to make sure your rebar will fit within the frame. Then remove the rebar until after you pour the first layer of concrete.

Add one layer of concrete, pour water into the dry mix until the powder is saturated with water. Depending on soil conditions, this will require about 1-1/4 gallon (4.7 L) of water per 60 lb (27.2 kg) bag. The concrete should have a thick oatmeal or peanut butter-like consistency. It should not be soupy. If so, add a small amount of dry concrete to stiffen the mix.

So to know how much concrete you need, you need to estimate in an concrete estimator. Here is a link to one. https://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/howmuch/calculator.htm I like a firm sturdy concrete to stand up to crazy Texas weather.
Now, add the first layer of concrete. This should be about 2 inches thick. Then add the rebar.

Next, mix and pour the remaining concrete.

So be sure to tap the outside of the form boards with a hammer or mallet to remove any air bubbles.
I also like to use the tapper on top to make sure it is fully packed in.
Then smooth with the trowel and then the edging tool. So if you are using a smoother concrete, brush the top with a broom, so there is some traction in the concrete. I also added a hook to be able to chain my equipment to the pad.
After 4 hours, water the concrete lightly with a hose. So if it rains before then, cover the concrete with tarp.
The DIY Small Concrete Slab will fully cure in 2 weeks.