Glen & Kris Denning → Home Improvement → Sidewalk Extension < Previous Next >
I rented a 6 cubic foot concrete mixer for $40 per day and blended a 1:2:3 mix (cement / sand / ¾" aggregate). I also added an Air Entrainment admixture (AE). AE gives concrete much greater resistance to freeze / thaw damage, and it also makes the concrete easier to mix.
I mixed 5 cubic feet of materials in the mixer at once. It would have been a lot faster to have mixed two smaller batches. A 6 cubic foot mixer is probably best suited for mixing about 3 - 4 cubic feet at a time.
After I placed the concrete in the form, I used a magnesium float to smooth the surface. The edges were rounded with a special edging tool, then the surface was broomed to match the texture on the adjacent concrete. I covered the concrete with a tarp, then uncovered it about three days later to reveal the finished product.