| Step 1: Use 12-inch (30.5 cm) hardboard siding (sometimes called Masonite)
ripped down to 6-inch (15 cm) strips in 16-ft. (4.8 meter) lengths.
(Full-service lumberyards and home centers carry all this forming
material.) Flex it to the desired shape of your sidewalk and stake it
down. Use marking paint to mark the ground next to the form. |
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| Step 2: Slice off sod with a sod cutter, then dig out the rest of the sidewalk
path to a depth of 6 inch (15 cm). Dig out about 3 inch (7.6 cm) wider
on both sides of the paint marks to leave room for forms. Set aside
some topsoil to fill against the forms and sidewalk later. |
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| Step 3: Start thinking about drainage issues at this point. If water tends to
collect in the yard in spots, you may want to elevate the walk in those
areas, so don’t dig as deeply there. Long, flat areas should have one
side of the sidewalk lower so water can drain off the side. In most
cases, make the top of the finished walk even with the (freshly cut)
top of the grass for easy mowing and a neat, clean appearance. The
bottom of the trench will be about 6 inch (15 cm) below grade to allow
for 4 in. of gravel below the 4-in. thick slab of concrete. |
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| Step 4: Pound in two stakes about 1 ft. (30.5 cm) from the ends of the form
positions. Screw the forms to the inside of the stakes with a couple of
1-1/4 inch (2.5 cm - 3.5 cm) drywall screws. Bend the forms to make
smooth curves, anchoring them with more stakes every 3 ft. Keep the
tops of the forms about 1 inch (2.5cm) above the cut grass height for
easy mowing and a nice appearance. |
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| Step 5: Space and level in the opposite form sides using a homemade gauge
board—just a 1x4 that’s a few inches longer than the width of the
sidewalk. Screw short blocks onto the bottom spaced the same width as
the sidewalk. Use this gauge board to position the forms and stakes to
keep a consistent width the entire length of the sidewalk. Rest a 4-ft.
(1.22 meters) level on top of the gauge board to keep forms level from
side to side. For better drainage in long, level areas, drop this side
about 1 in. |
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| Step 6: Pack the underlying soil with a plate compactor (rent one). It’s
important to uniformly pack the entire base (including the sides near
the forms). |
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| Step 7: For a long-lasting sidewalk, plan on a base of gravel under 4 in. of
concrete. If you live in a frost-free climate with a natural sand base
with good drainage, you can pour right on top of the sand. But other
soil types will expand and contract with weather conditions and can
crack overlying concrete. Gravel protects concrete from these shifting
conditions. Spread gravel 4 in. deep between the forms. Pack dirt
against the outside and gravel against the inside of forms to add
support when pouring and to achieve smooth curves. It’s not necessary
to compact the gravel. |
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| Step 8: Steel mesh with expansion strips prevents heaving, cracking and
buckling in cold climates. Cut off the stakes flush with the tops of
the forms. Park a helper on the end of the reinforcing mesh for ballast
and unroll the mesh, holding it down with your feet. Cut it to length
with a pair of bolt cutters. Flip the mesh over and pull one end toward
the other to back-bend it slightly to eliminate the natural curl. Cut
the edges of the mesh at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) back from the forms.
Overlap mesh layers at least 6 inch (15 cm) and tie them together. |
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| Step 9: Hold the mesh 2 in. above the gravel with small globs of concrete while
pouring the sidewalk. Pour a few feet of concrete, heaping it slightly
higher than the forms. Don’t shovel concrete; pull it back or push it
forward with a steel rake. |
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