Questions about concrete pads?

[BigK75]

Hey Guys:

I got a quick question about a concrete pad I am installing.  Most instructions on the web say that I should slope to the pad.  Do I really have to do this for a hot tub pad?  

Also I have never poured concrete before.  I am getting a redi-mix company to bring it and I will wheelbarrow it to the back.  I have never used a float before, how difficult is it?  Should I get someone experienced to come do it?  

Should I use an edger?  

and finally should I use a street broom to give it texture or leave it as is?  

Sorry for all the questions, but I don't want to make a mistake.

Thanks,

Claude

[Brewman]

How much bigger than your spa is the concrete pad?  

If the spa and the concrete pad are close to the same size- or if the pad is only a bit larger than the spa, then what I'd do is make the pad level.  Then screed the concrete with the narrow edge of a 2X4 that is a couple feet wider than the concrete pad.  That will bring the concrete level with the top of your form.  Then use the float.
 And maybe an edger to give the perimiter a nice finished look.  
In this case I'd not bother with the broom finish, since the spa is covering most of the pad anyway.

If the pad is considerably larger than the spa, I'd put a slight slope to aid water draining, and would worry more about finishing it nicely.  And I'd also consider stress relief (not sure what the trade term is- it helps minimize cracking on large surfaces.)

If you have to pay someone to come out and do the finishing, you might as well just hire the job totally installed, unless you can find someone who'd take a small job like that without charging thru the nose.

[hotubinn]

Most of the time you can go to a development under construction in your area and hire one of the concrete finishers to just come over and finish the concrete for you.  If you pay for the cement, form it up yourself, and haul the concrete to the pad- you can have someone (one person if it small) to finish.  Usually $100-$150.  Wouldn't try to do it yourself.

[BigK75]

My hot is the optima and it is 7'5" x 7'5".  MY pad is going to made of 2x4x8, so I would assume I would get slightly smaller then 8x8.  Most likley 7'10" x 7'10".  I will be using the wire mesh and put expansion gaps down the middle from side to side.  I going to try and do it myself if I can't find anyone.  Any thoughts?  

Claude

[Mez]

My hot is the optima and it is 7'5" x 7'5".  MY pad is going to made of 2x4x8, so I would assume I would get slightly smaller then 8x8.  Most likley 7'10" x 7'10".  I will be using the wire mesh and put expansion gaps down the middle from side to side.  I going to try and do it myself if I can't find anyone.  Any thoughts?  

Claude

I am almost finished with my pad...pain in the a$$ to do but compared to getting ripped off by a contractor it was the way to go. It isnt hard to do, build a form, in your case, 8'X8" using 2-4 lumber. Get some stakes and level the form, throw some gravel down and pour in the cement. Take a 2X4, 10 feet long, and "saw" it back and forth to level it and then use a float after a few minutes to smooth out the rough spots. After it sets up for awhile, you can use a broom to sweep over it and texture it. Since the vast majority of your is going to be covered, the finish isnt going to matter that much.
I built up a 10X10 pad using treated lumber and used 4 inch lag screws to hold it together and then I am planning on leaving the forms and cross members in place and screwing wood decking over the top of the concrete and then staining it to match the rest of my deck. That way, the finish below doesnt matter much either. I did ever so slightly, slope the pad as water finds the easiest route, by slightly, the bubble in the level is just a touch past the line, shouldnt be enough to notice in the tub.
Good luck

[BigK75]

Hey Guys:

I am almost there, I have compacted and built the form.  All I need now is the concrete.  I have a couple of quick questions:

Do I really need to use a float.  I feel good about the screeding, but not about using a float.  I figure a hot tub is going to sit on it, so what the heck, I should be okay even if it doesn't look smooth.  Opinions?  

Thanks,

Claude

[dirtrubber]

I would float the concrete it not that hard and would give you much better job. If you don’t have a float just use a short 2x4 maybe a foot long and you can use a patting motion will do the job when you float concrete you are just trying to level it more and work the rocks down into the mix to give you a thicker layer of cement at the top to broom

[Mez]

Hey Guys:

I am almost there, I have compacted and built the form.  All I need now is the concrete.  I have a couple of quick questions:

Do I really need to use a float.  I feel good about the screeding, but not about using a float.  I figure a hot tub is going to sit on it, so what the heck, I should be okay even if it doesn't look smooth.  Opinions?  

Thanks,

Claude

I would still think floating it out is a good idea. It is very easy to do, just very lightly smooth it across, kind of like spreading butter on bread or icing on a cake. You are doing an 8X8 so you can reach it with a hand float, you dont need one with a handle. Once you screed with a 2x4, it flattens out pretty good but you may have some "saw" marks still show depending on the wetness of the mix.

[Brewman]

Give the float a try- I think you'll find it's not all that hard.  If you need, this stuff can be rented.  Consider also an edger.  You'll see that, and it gives the pad a nice, finished look.

[autoplay]

You can use a magnesium trowel to float/finish your pad.  I would add a pitch to the pad,1/8th" per ft.  Also,I wouldn't worry about expansion joints,as yours will be a free floating slab.

Peace of mind,hire someone to help you finish it. You could watch n learn etc too.

GL