Check all local building codes to determine the correct apron size.
Drive wooden stakes into the ground marking off the apron.
Dig the ground down 6 inches inside the confines of the stakes.
Tamp the base of the excavation with a hand tamper or rent a gas-powered tamper to compact the dirt tightly.
Lay 2-by-8-inch boards, standing up on the 2 inch side of board, around the perimeter of the dig, to form a mold which will hold wet concrete in place.
Add 2 inches of crushed stone to the base of dig.
Sweep a long board over the stone to level out the surface.
Lay a 1-by-2-inch board perpendicular to the 2-by-8-inch form lying across the stone to create an expansion joint if the apron is longer or wider than 8 feet. An expansion joint allows subtle concrete shifting due to ground movement and freeze-thaw patterns, which keeps the concrete from cracking.
Lay wire-reinforcing mesh over the crushed stone. Trim the wire-reinforcing mesh with shears to fit between the forms and the expansion joints.
Call a concrete company and schedule a pour of a minimum of 4,000 PSI concrete. PSI, pounds per inch, dictates the amount of weight concrete is able to withstand.
Pour a 4 inch thick layer of concrete over the wire-reinforcing mesh.
Move concrete up to the edges of the forms and expansion joints with a shovel.
Sweep a long board over the top of the wet concrete to level high spots and fill in low spots.
Use a bull-float, which is a trowel-like tool at the end of a long pole, to smooth the concrete surface.
Allow the concrete to set and break away forms with a pry bar, leaving the expansion joints in place.