How to Pour a Perfect Concrete Slab

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Pour the concrete in small sections

Spread the concrete by moving the chute back and forth and by having the driver pull forward as you go. Once the truck has reached the end of a section, spread the concrete out evenly, and a touch higher than the form, with a concrete placer/rake. Don’t fill the whole form or giant sections because the mound of extra concrete you’ll drag back with the screed board will get too heavy.

This rebar grid is sitting on chairs, a setup that keeps it suspended at the proper height. You won’t be able to use chairs if you have to distribute the concrete throughout the form with a wheelbarrow. If that’s the case, use the hook on the edge of the concrete placer to pull the rebar up into the center of the concrete as you pour. Rebar should be placed near the center of the slab for maximum strength, not near the ground or the surface.

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Slide the screed board back and forth as you pull

Pull back the excess concrete with the screed board. As you pull, slide the screed board back and forth to help you prevent voids in the surface. Have a mucker (that’s what they’re really called) pull the excess back and fill in low spots during the screeding process.

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