How To Make Your Own Concrete Sidewalk Slabs
How To Make Concrete Sidewalk Slabs
To make your own sidewalk slabs, you will first have to make a form that you can use more than one time. Decide the size you wish to make your slabs. I chose a size 16 inches by 17 inches to fill my need for a concrete floor for my woodshed. I was able divide the 4ft.x8ft. plywood into two equal sizes and fit five slabs to each half of the plywood. I used 2 inch by 2 inch struts to make my form (actually 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 finished material). Nail the outer perimeter to the 1/2 inch thick plywood. Make the interior struts removable by securing them from the outer edge with a screw (drill pilot holes). Removable slats makes it easy to remove the slabs when they have cured; they fall out with the concrete slabs.
Next oil the complete inside of the form with any kind of oil; I used chainsaw bar oil. This will help prevent the concrete from sticking to the form. Make crosses from rebar and wire together in the center. I used a stiff messenger cable that once was used to support telephone cable to the poles. Place one cross in each square. Working with a full sized wheel barrow, shovel 15 sand into the wheel barrow. Next add 5 shovel full of Portland all purpose cement. Use a hoe and mix together the two dry ingredients. Add a bucket full of water and continue mixing, adding more water as needed. The correct mixture is one part of cement to three parts of sand. When you can bring up a wave of cement without it collapsing, you have the right stiffness.
Pour the mixed cement into the forms, I used a wide flat shovel. One sack of cement will make ten concrete slabs. It takes two mixes to make ten slabs.
After you pour the cement into the forms; trowel it level. Wait about half an hour for the cement to firm up; time depends on temperature. Run a straw broom lightly over the form to create a texture. Use a cement edger and go around each individual slab. If it is sunny wait about twenty more minutes and cover with a tarp to prevent the cement from drying to quickly. Drying to quickly will cause the cement to crack. Two or three times a day, lightly sprinkle the concrete with water. Wait two days; then remove the screws from the center slats. Gently tip the form over allowing the slabs to fall away from the form. Take care in handling the slabs, as they will not be cured for another 7 days. Stack them upright so the air can ventilate around them.
After each use, scrape away all traces of cement that may be sticking to the forms. Replace the center slats and secure with screws. You will be ready the next time.
This view shows concrete slabs in place, forming the floor for the wood shed.
TIP
When you have completed making the forms and all the slats are in place, paint the form; this will help prevent the cement from sticking and also will aid you in replacing the slats after each use. There will be the outline showing where the slats fit. Take a black felt pen and number each slat and form, so the same slat will go back in the same place, and the screw hole will line up perfectly.
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How to make your own sidewalk slabs, for the average person