The Installation Process for a New Concrete Patio

So, you’re considering having a new concrete patio installed in your backyard. You may not realize it yet, but there’s a lot that goes into the process!

Concrete pouring is a process that requires close attention to detail, and it’s best left to the professionals. Once you have your concrete contractor in mind, this process should go smoothly!

If you’re ready to have a concrete patio poured, you’ll want to know what all goes into that process and what these concrete contractors will be doing in your backyard. That’s what we’re here to cover. In this article, we’ll discuss the installation process for a new concrete patio and what you should expect!

The first step in the process is prep work. Before your contractor can start pouring the patio, the area you wish to place it will need to be prepped to prevent damage from improper installation. For smaller projects like patios, your contractor will likely use hand tools to remove the grass, any rocks, and any shrubs or trees to expose the underlying soil.

If the exposed soil is compact and stable, your contractor will move on to the next step. If not, they’ll need to layer a subbase of fill gravel to better support the concrete patio once it’s poured.

Once the base of your new concrete patio is prepped, the forms can be set. Typically, residential concrete patios are set with wood forms using metal or wooden stakes. The forms will be attached to the stakes, usually with screws to allow for easier removal after the concrete has cured.

These forms are set to keep the shape of your future patio in place for the poured concrete and provide the proper slope for drainage. The forms should create clean corners where they meet each other or other structures.

With the forms in place, your concrete contractor will need to start mixing the concrete if it’s not arriving on a truck. For smaller projects, your contractor may use a simple concrete mixer and bagged concrete to mix the concrete for your patio. However, it’s not uncommon for a contractor to have the concrete arrive on a truck, where it will be mixing in the drum on the back. Either way, the concrete will be mixed with water to start the chemical reaction that hardens and strengthens the mixture.

The contractor will begin pouring the wet concrete into the forms until they are full to the top edge. While the wet concrete is being poured, the concrete contractors will use tools such as shovels, rakes, or both to move the concrete into all the spaces around the form, ensuring there are no air pockets or empty spaces.

Using a large metal or wood board, your contractor will do what is known as screeding the top of the concrete. Screeding helps compact the concrete and starts the smoothing and leveling process. They’ll then use a float to compact the concrete further as well as even out any high or low spots in the patio to create a smooth finish. During this time, your contractor will also work in any control joints and edges into the concrete with specialized hand tools.

If your concrete patio is going to receive a rough broom finish, your contractor might not perform this step. If your patio will be smooth troweled or stamped, this step is necessary. Once the concrete’s surface starts to firm up, your contractor will use a steel trowel to create a smooth, uniform finish. Steel troweling the concrete is typically performed by using kneeboards to skate across the surface and troweling small areas at a time. However, some contractors use trowels on long poles, referred to as Fresnos or funny trowels.

With all that troweling out of the way, the final finish can be applied to your concrete patio. The most basic concrete finish is called a broom finish. It’s created by using a special broom that’s pulled across the concrete’s surface, creating a rough texture across your patio. If you’re using a decorative concrete stamp, it should be applied during this step to create the pattern and texture that you want for this patio.

The last step of pouring a concrete patio is the curing process. This process lasts for approximately 28 days, with the first two days being the most important. Your contractor will likely apply a liquid chemical curing and sealing compound to help the concrete cure evenly, reducing cracks, curing, and surface discoloration. Your concrete patio will be ready for light foot traffic around 3 or 4 days of curing. However, this traffic should be kept light until the concrete is fully cured after 28 days.

After the concrete has fully cured, you can choose to have it stained to give your patio some nice coloring. Staining is the perfect way to give your patio some flair or to make your stamped designs more realistic.

There are two types of concrete stains to choose from, acid-based or water-based. Acid concrete stains come in primarily earth tones, such as greens, blues, browns, and tans. Water concrete stains are available in a much wider variety of colors to choose from. By combining these stains, you can create fantastic designs or make your stamped design look much more realistic.

If you’re considering a new concrete patio, as we said, leave the installation to the professionals. Our team at Concrete Patio Las Vegas provides top-of-the-line residential concrete installation services. When you need a dependable, reliable Las Vegas concrete contractor, we’re the people to call! We’ll work with you from start to finish to help you design the ideal concrete patio for your backyard! Give us a call or check out our home page to learn more!