Landscape Concrete Curbing
#1
03-07-08, 09:22 PM
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Landscape Concrete Curbing
Hello,
I've had pretty good luck with pouring concrete sills under chainlink fences and would like to do the same around the flower beds. I don't want to use a machine, but rather build the forms and pour the concrete in place. Has anyone had experience with this? I'm planning on the dimensions being 4 inches wide, by 4-5 inches tall. I plan to use the "expansion joint material" every 10 feet or so.
Specifically, I'd like to use a good mix that would hold up well, yet provide a nice broom-faced finish. I'd also like to find a trowel that would create a 4" wide top face with radiused edges.
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks!
Todd
I've had pretty good luck with pouring concrete sills under chainlink fences and would like to do the same around the flower beds. I don't want to use a machine, but rather build the forms and pour the concrete in place. Has anyone had experience with this? I'm planning on the dimensions being 4 inches wide, by 4-5 inches tall. I plan to use the "expansion joint material" every 10 feet or so.
Specifically, I'd like to use a good mix that would hold up well, yet provide a nice broom-faced finish. I'd also like to find a trowel that would create a 4" wide top face with radiused edges.
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks!
Todd
#2
03-08-08, 06:09 AM
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You do not need the exp. joint material. Use an edger on both sides (to use one tool for both edges, your forms would have to be perfect) and a groover to cut control joints every 10'. You should also lay a #3 bar in the middle to hold it together when it cracks. It will also work better if it is at least an inch or 2 below grade.
Any sacked concrete mix should work fine, so long as it is not "fence-crete".
Any sacked concrete mix should work fine, so long as it is not "fence-crete".
#3
03-08-08, 06:23 AM
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Concrete recipe
Thanks for the suggestions. I can see the benefits of creating the two edges independantly. Rather than spending alot of money on sack concrete, I'd like to make my own mix with rock, sand and portland cement. Any ideas on a good recipe that would produce a nice finish?
Thanks again,
Todd
Thanks again,
Todd
#5
03-08-08, 06:50 AM
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The control joint tells the concrete where to crack. a groover is like the edger, but has the "edging" in the middle of the tool instead of to one sde.
A standard mix is 1 part portland, 2 part gravel, 3 parts sand, by volume.
A standard mix is 1 part portland, 2 part gravel, 3 parts sand, by volume.
#6
03-08-08, 08:21 AM
As to the joints, 10' apart on a 4 inch wide curb is way too far apart. If you want the crack control joints to be effective, you'd need to cut them about every 3 feet. Also, if you want a broomed face as well, you're going to need to strip the forms while it's still workable, float the face, and then broom it.
It would be much easier all around to pour the curbs, broom only the top, and wait until the following day to saw cut all the joints in. You can do this with an electric 4" angle grinder equipped with a segmented diamond tipped blade ( blade= $15 at lowes, menards, etc.)
Make sure to tap the forms well before floating in order to vibrate the curb and fill any voids (honeycombs). Good luck.
Pecos
It would be much easier all around to pour the curbs, broom only the top, and wait until the following day to saw cut all the joints in. You can do this with an electric 4" angle grinder equipped with a segmented diamond tipped blade ( blade= $15 at lowes, menards, etc.)
Make sure to tap the forms well before floating in order to vibrate the curb and fill any voids (honeycombs). Good luck.
Pecos
#7
03-09-08, 06:17 PM
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Cutting
Thanks for the tip. The top will be the only portion exposed, so that would work well. Is the goal to cut all the way through the concrete with the grinder? Don't they usually insert joints into concrete curbing while it is still wet? Seems like this would be easier.
Thanks,
Todd
Thanks,
Todd
#8
03-09-08, 06:33 PM
The aim is to cut the joint at least 1/4 the depth of the concrete. That's what is required for a control joint to be effective. It would be good to tool the joints in while it's still wet, but in my opinion it would actually be more difficult because the curb is only 4 inches wide, and the joint tool (groover) will be about that long as well. Not to mention you will be fighting the stone aggregate while trying to get the concrete to close up along the joint.
It's hard to explain if you've not used a jointer (groover) before but trust me on this. The grinder/blade will be much easier. I speak from over 20 years in the concrete biz.
Pecos
It's hard to explain if you've not used a jointer (groover) before but trust me on this. The grinder/blade will be much easier. I speak from over 20 years in the concrete biz.
Pecos
#9
03-09-08, 06:56 PM
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He is correct. My assumpiton was that TOF would be grade, but that may not be the case for you. Grinding the joints when you strip the forms would probably work best.
