Building sidewalks is a lot easier than people might think it is. It's also a whole lot cheaper if you do all of the labor. First of all, we need to decide how wide we want to make the sidewalk and how long we want it. Well also need to know how deep into the ground we want to dig to put in the forms.
It's easier if you don't dig very deep when planning a sidewalk, but this will depend on the yard requirements. For instance, if you're putting in a sidewalk before you spread the soil for a new lawn then you will have to keep the sidewalk above the ground. If youre setting the walkway into an already existing lawn or garden, then youll want to dig down a little bit so the sidewalk isn't too high. Walkways that are too high above the ground surface become tripping hazards.
Let's suppose our desired sidewalk is four feet wide and thirty feet long. This will be a walkway where we'll dig into the ground exactly 2-inches. We need to measure the width across the sidewalk area which we know is 48-inches, but we also need to dig the extra area to compensate for where the forms will go. The forms for sidewalks are usually 2x4 studs. 2X4s are inexpensive and easy to work with.
The measurement across the sidewalk includes the thicknesses of the 2X4 studs on each side. The normal board thickness of each 2X4 is 1-1/2-inches, so just add 3-inches to the width measurement of the sidewalk. This gives us 51-inches across that we need to dig. Of course, we can dig out a wider area to work in and backfill the dirt once the sidewalk is finished.
The dug out area is 51-inches wide by 30-feet long. Sidewalks are usually excavated with a shovel because the depth is shallow. Make sure the area is level and it is always a good idea to tamp the dirt where the cement will be poured. After that, we can put in the 2X4 forms. A good way to connect two 2X4 studs is by nailing a 2X4 block on the exterior side of the forms where the joint will be. This keeps the forms secure. Next, make sure all the forms are even with a measurement of 48-inches the entire length of the sidewalk.
You won't use rebar like you do when pouring foundations, but you will use a strong wire mesh made for sidewalks. If you're making a really small sidewalk, then you can just buy bags of ready-mix cement, add water and pour it in, but for most sidewalk projects, you probably need to call a cement company to deliver and pour the cement. The type of cement used for sidewalks is a smoother kind of cement than the cement used for foundations. Cement for foundations is called "5-bag mix, but sidewalk cement is a "six-bag mix. That means it has a higher cement content and uses a smaller aggregate material.
The cement company will usually know what type of mix to bring when you tell them the cement is for a sidewalk. They will ask for dimensions of the sidewalk and theyll calculate the amount of cement you need for the job. Cement is calculated and sold by square yards. Let's take our sidewalk measurements for an example. The sidewalk is 30-feet long, 4-feet wide, and 4-inches deep. So the overall square footage is 120 square feet by 4-inches deep. We need to convert this to square yards by dividing 120 by 27. There are 27 cubic feet in a square yard of cement. This calculates to 4.44 square yards, but we still need to divide that number by 3 because the walkway isn't a foot thick, its only around 4-inches, which is one-third of a foot. So the final amount is right around 1-1/2-square yards of cement needed to pour in the sidewalk forms. The price of the cement will naturally vary by location, but if you live close to the cement company, you should get it for around $90 per yard.
Now, we can pour our sidewalk into the forms. The cement truck will pour the cement, but you will have to move it around with a shovel to get it into the forms evenly. You will need to slide the shovel around in the cement constantly to break up the air pockets. Once the cement is where you want it, you will want to make it smooth on the surface. You can use a long cement screed or just use a straight 2X4 to level the top of the cement several times. This will give it a smooth surface.
Once the surface is flat and smooth, youll use a cement float to bring the smooth cement and the water to the surface. This will make a very smooth surface and will cause the rougher and larger aggregate material to sink beneath the surface. You should let this dry for a few hours in warm temperatures before brushing the concrete surface with a wide broom. Brushing gives the walkway surface some traction so the surface isnt slick in the rain and snow. Try not to press too hard while brushing the damp surface.
After about three days, depending on the temperature, you can remove the forms and start to back fill around all the edges of the sidewalk so theyre even with the lawn or ground. Ideally, the sidewalk should be about a "-inch higher than the lawn.
For the last step in the sidewalk construction, we should cut sections in the concrete so it doesn't crack or break with movement of the ground underneath. You can rent a concrete cutter or just use a concrete blade on a circular saw and cut across the sidewalk about every ten feet or so. This gives the sidewalk flexibility during expansion and contraction of the soil.
That's how to make sidewalks. We usually save around two-thirds the cost of a professionally made sidewalk by doing it ourselves. - 23802
It's easier if you don't dig very deep when planning a sidewalk, but this will depend on the yard requirements. For instance, if you're putting in a sidewalk before you spread the soil for a new lawn then you will have to keep the sidewalk above the ground. If youre setting the walkway into an already existing lawn or garden, then youll want to dig down a little bit so the sidewalk isn't too high. Walkways that are too high above the ground surface become tripping hazards.
Let's suppose our desired sidewalk is four feet wide and thirty feet long. This will be a walkway where we'll dig into the ground exactly 2-inches. We need to measure the width across the sidewalk area which we know is 48-inches, but we also need to dig the extra area to compensate for where the forms will go. The forms for sidewalks are usually 2x4 studs. 2X4s are inexpensive and easy to work with.
The measurement across the sidewalk includes the thicknesses of the 2X4 studs on each side. The normal board thickness of each 2X4 is 1-1/2-inches, so just add 3-inches to the width measurement of the sidewalk. This gives us 51-inches across that we need to dig. Of course, we can dig out a wider area to work in and backfill the dirt once the sidewalk is finished.
The dug out area is 51-inches wide by 30-feet long. Sidewalks are usually excavated with a shovel because the depth is shallow. Make sure the area is level and it is always a good idea to tamp the dirt where the cement will be poured. After that, we can put in the 2X4 forms. A good way to connect two 2X4 studs is by nailing a 2X4 block on the exterior side of the forms where the joint will be. This keeps the forms secure. Next, make sure all the forms are even with a measurement of 48-inches the entire length of the sidewalk.
You won't use rebar like you do when pouring foundations, but you will use a strong wire mesh made for sidewalks. If you're making a really small sidewalk, then you can just buy bags of ready-mix cement, add water and pour it in, but for most sidewalk projects, you probably need to call a cement company to deliver and pour the cement. The type of cement used for sidewalks is a smoother kind of cement than the cement used for foundations. Cement for foundations is called "5-bag mix, but sidewalk cement is a "six-bag mix. That means it has a higher cement content and uses a smaller aggregate material.
The cement company will usually know what type of mix to bring when you tell them the cement is for a sidewalk. They will ask for dimensions of the sidewalk and theyll calculate the amount of cement you need for the job. Cement is calculated and sold by square yards. Let's take our sidewalk measurements for an example. The sidewalk is 30-feet long, 4-feet wide, and 4-inches deep. So the overall square footage is 120 square feet by 4-inches deep. We need to convert this to square yards by dividing 120 by 27. There are 27 cubic feet in a square yard of cement. This calculates to 4.44 square yards, but we still need to divide that number by 3 because the walkway isn't a foot thick, its only around 4-inches, which is one-third of a foot. So the final amount is right around 1-1/2-square yards of cement needed to pour in the sidewalk forms. The price of the cement will naturally vary by location, but if you live close to the cement company, you should get it for around $90 per yard.
Now, we can pour our sidewalk into the forms. The cement truck will pour the cement, but you will have to move it around with a shovel to get it into the forms evenly. You will need to slide the shovel around in the cement constantly to break up the air pockets. Once the cement is where you want it, you will want to make it smooth on the surface. You can use a long cement screed or just use a straight 2X4 to level the top of the cement several times. This will give it a smooth surface.
Once the surface is flat and smooth, youll use a cement float to bring the smooth cement and the water to the surface. This will make a very smooth surface and will cause the rougher and larger aggregate material to sink beneath the surface. You should let this dry for a few hours in warm temperatures before brushing the concrete surface with a wide broom. Brushing gives the walkway surface some traction so the surface isnt slick in the rain and snow. Try not to press too hard while brushing the damp surface.
After about three days, depending on the temperature, you can remove the forms and start to back fill around all the edges of the sidewalk so theyre even with the lawn or ground. Ideally, the sidewalk should be about a "-inch higher than the lawn.
For the last step in the sidewalk construction, we should cut sections in the concrete so it doesn't crack or break with movement of the ground underneath. You can rent a concrete cutter or just use a concrete blade on a circular saw and cut across the sidewalk about every ten feet or so. This gives the sidewalk flexibility during expansion and contraction of the soil.
That's how to make sidewalks. We usually save around two-thirds the cost of a professionally made sidewalk by doing it ourselves. - 23802
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