Published on : 05 June 20203 min reading time
To embellish a terrace, concreting is more and more appreciated by the owner of a house. Making concrete on a terrace requires a certain aptitude for DIY, as it is necessary to follow a few specific procedures for the success of this work. For example, to make a concrete terrace, you have to prepare the site of the terrace, then put in place the formwork and finally pour the concrete and complete the terrace.
Preparing the site and the foundation of the terrace
Before concreting the deck, it is important to determine where the deck will be built. It is not easy to make a concrete terrace. For this reason, it is preferable to install the location of the terrace by specifying a few specific points. For example, the length of the deck and the depth must be measured to calculate the quantity of cement to be used to avoid waste. For administrative procedures, it is necessary to check with the town hall to verify the essential formalities for the construction of a terrace. To avoid conflicts with the neighbours, the best thing to do is to build your terrace legally. To prepare the ground for the terrace, it is necessary to check the electrical cables and pipes before digging. Then, stakes must be put in place to materialize the terrace to be built with string. Roots and grass on the ground must also be removed to ensure a successful concreting. To have a better compressed base, it is better to put in gravel with a thickness of 10 centimetres. For more information, click on the saint-germain-paysage link.
Installing the formwork for the terrace
The formwork is a wooden arrangement for placing the cement. Pine boards with a thickness of 2 centimetres should be used for this. These boards will have to be cut to the dimensions and edges of the future terrace. They will be installed against the walls of the terrace foundation. The dimensions must be measured before cutting the boards. Then, the boards must be nailed to the string post. To prevent the concrete from hardening on the boards, it is advisable to put a little table oil on the boards before pouring the concrete. This will make it easier to remove the concrete when it is dry.
Pouring the cement and finishing the deck
This last step is very crucial for the concreting of the terrace. The cement must be well mixed using a shovel or a specific machine which is the concrete mixer. The cement must be poured in one setting and the surface must be adjusted using an aluminium ruler. This ruler will be placed on the formwork to adjust the poured cement. For finishing, a specific float must be used to finish the outer edges of the slab in order to fill the air holes present in the poured cement. When the cement is ready, the form must now be removed slightly.