How to Install Reinforced Concrete

Mark the boundaries of the proposed concrete slab using a chalk line for accuracy. To ensure a straight chalk line, a person must stand at each end of the line, while one person gently pulls up the string and releases it so it snaps down sharply to leave a line of dust on the ground. Place wooden stakes three inches away from each corner mark to allow space for the form boards and their supporting wooden stakes. Tie string to the wooden stakes to establish formal boundaries for the area.

Excavate the area inside the perimeter of the strings, removing soil and any grass or roots to a depth of 5-inches using a shovel. Using the back of a shovel or hand roller, tamp down the ground inside the excavated area to create a relatively smooth surface. Spray the area with weed killer to help prevent the growth of unwanted vegetation.

Insert wooden stakes into the ground at 3-foot intervals around the perimeter of the excavated area, using a hammer to work them into the ground so that only one inch of the top of the stake is above the level of the surrounding ground.

Secure 2-by-6 form boards to the wooden stakes with double-headed nails, ensuring that the top of the form board is exactly even with the top of the wooden stake. If needed, secure the ends of the form boards together with double-headed nails as well. The form boards should form a solid perimeter around the inside of the excavated area.

Spread 2-inches of gravel across the excavated area, smoothing it and tamping it down with the back of a shovel or a hand roller. This will help ensure proper drainage under the concrete.

Place small rocks or concrete chunks at three foot intervals horizontally and vertically throughout the excavated area. These rocks will help hold the mesh in place at the halfway mark of the 2-by-6 form boards. Place sheets of wire to reinforcing the mesh across the entire excavated area. If the rocks aren't in the right location to hold up the mesh to the halfway mark, move them as needed to ensure the wire mesh does not fall or isn't too high.

Pour the concrete into the form boards until they are completely filled. It is not necessary to remove the stabilizing rocks when pouring the concrete. Immediately after pouring the concrete, screed the top of the surface by dragging a 2-by-6 form board across the top. This knocks down high spots in the concrete and helps fill in low spots. Smooth the concrete surface with a steel trowel, by moving the trowel back and forth in an arc motion until the desired smoothness is achieved. Allow the concrete to cure for three to seven days before allowing traffic on the area.