How to Mix a Concrete Slab

To pour a strong and stable concrete slab, mix the materials that make up the concrete properly. By combining cement, sand and gravel thoroughly with water, you will create concrete that is the proper consistency for use. For your slab, you'll be able to make concrete that cures strong enough to bear the weight of anything -- from foot traffic to vehicles -- but that is pourable and easily finished.

Wheelbarrow or concrete mixer
Portland cement
Sand
Gravel
Cement shovel
Water

Instructions

- 1
  Pour the dry materials for your concrete into either a wheelbarrow or a concrete mixer. Use a ratio of one part cement to three parts sand and four parts gravel.
- 2
  Mix the cement, sand and gravel by turning on the cement mixer and allowing the rotation of the device to do the mixing for you. Mix the material in the wheelbarrow using a flat spade to fold the mixture over on itself from the bottom of the wheelbarrow to the surface of the materials.
- 3
  Add water to the dry cement, sand and gravel mix. Pour the water slowly into the mixture using the rotation of the mixer to combine the water with the dry material or folding the wheelbarrow mix as you did when combining the dry materials. Add six gallons of water to the mix for each 25-lb. bag of cement you added earlier.
- 4
  Continue to add the water a bit at a time until you've created a concrete mix with a smooth, pourable consistency. Move the mix to the excavation for the slab and use it immediately. Move the concrete from the mixer to the slab area by first pouring the mix into a wheelbarrow and then pushing the wheelbarrow to the site.

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