Hey there and good evening! Really enjoyed this video! We worked for quite some time developing the method that we use before we ever shared it with the world because we wanted to be able to give clear direction that produced an amazing result. We knew that so many people could benefit from being able to do this to fulfill most small homeowner type needs. Thank you for shedding a positive light on an inexpensive proven technique!
You are absolutely welcome and im very happy to help share! There are many ways to succeed on projects and not all are the same old methods, so I'm thrilled to show others what took me years to discover and to help others do the same. Big fan of your channel and thanks for the comment!
For setting fence posts, mailboxes, non-structural items it works fine. For setting posts I wet the hole, set the post and dump in dry concrete and plumb the post. Soak with a hose and done.
Good video! My neighbor just did a significant dry pour and it came out amazing. Frankly, I can't believe it wasn't professionally done. Thank you for taking the time to post this vid.
@TheSonsOfSimon Roughly 12x 12. It looks like 3 inches, maybe 4. Really remarkable. Nothing really heavy will be on top of it. I am sure it'll hold up.
I have watched a number of dry pour concrete videos and I really appreciate each of them and the many viewers who comment with their experiences. I consider them all valuable! I’m not a home builder or any construction type person but just a little old lady who admires the creativity of all! And heck - I’m inspired to give it a go in my own back yard with some help in the heavy lifting!😊 a special thank you to you for creating this video and to all who have contributed their experiences!
U sir are absolutely correct! I just threw away two bags that were super rock hard from soaking up water from my garage interior walls during all the crazy So Cal rain that we had. There is no difference!
For non structural jobs it definitely will work, like slabs, patios, sidewalks, steps, etc., and when is done correctly: preparation, reinforcement and properly watered is the key, a smooth finish can be also achieved when you pour a last layer of Mortar on top of the dry concrete mix or simply add a concrete resurfaced of your choice after the concrete has cured. For DIY’s and people with no experience mixing concrete, it’s an excellent alternative, that not only will save you money, but time and efforts. It’s clean, fast and again, IT WORKSs!
@@oudonbail shhhh, don't tell them they are wasting their time, it is fun to see them do things the hard way. Heaven forbid, if they ever figure out that just using mortar (not concrete mix) will solve the large aggregate problem, then I will have nothing to watch and laugh at.
I've recently done a couple of small dry pour projects. Three posts in total. One for the mailbox and two for garden hose storage on the side and back of the house. I used a bag of rapid set concrete and did not mist it first. I set my posts up and just dropped alot of water down and waited for it to set up. It harden within the hour but i let it go on longer for a few days to fully set up. It worked great. Next project will be a little heavy as i will hopefulky be replacing a small fence on the side of my driveway. Wish me luck.
Thanks for posting the video. I was a bit skeptical myself but you point on the deck / fence post dry pour makes great sense. I appreciate you bringing that to light.
I have worked on job sites, and it is not code, dry pouring concrete, and any superintendent that I have worked for, would tell crews that dry pour, would be fired off the job. It'd not code for a reason.
I just did a non-pour concrete pad (8x4) to set my trash bins on. Worked fine. I may do the Mortar on top for a better, smoother finish but probably not. Looks fine.
Thanks for making this video, I work with concrete for more than 35 years and also made cement trees planter ( huge pot) ,I hate when I have to mix water with the cement but it does the job better (much better results) .
Here is a tip, pour the dry concrete on saturated ground, the cement will wick up the moisture and the concrete will harden from both sides. Just like pouring concrete into a hole for a post, the concrete will suck the moisture out of the soil it is touching. So simple.
Dear all, let me try to help everyone understand concrete. The cement part of any mortar or concrete reacts with water in a hydraulic chemical reaction (exothermic reaction i.e. generates heat). When thoroughly cured, meaning allowing enough time for this reaction to take place and preferably throughout all the cement particles where they become irreversibly hardened and water proof. However, cement on it's own will shrink significantly and crack all over so it needs a binder - sand - this 'stretches' the cement through the mix so when it hardens via Curing it's bonded to lot's of already hard sand particles and more cement particles alike creating a hard material that doesn't crack - mortar. However 😁 mortar is not strong in itself. For strength we add Aggregate, ideally for strength you want some flat, some irregular stones (not pebble like) of 3 sizes - pea size, golf ball size and halfway between those - giving us Concrete when Cured throughout. Now, I've watched many dry pour vids with interest and listened to the nay sayers saying it has to be WET to cure and therefore dry pour is nonsense......... Time for education folks where (after that which I have outlined above) you will be surprised that I'm on the side of dry pour ....... SORT OF...... When dry pouring, it is tamped thoroughly down before spraying - this is GOOD - but cement particles and sand particles and aggregate elements throughout will not all receive moisture, will not Cure and will remain as dust in parts - not good. BUT Wet is not great either! It's CONVENIENT. The best, strongest concrete is Mechanical Concrete which is made with JUST ENOUGH water to provide moisture throughout for correct curing. The test is - grab a small fist full, squeeze hard together in palm of hand and if doesn't hold shape and crumbles when released from pressure, needs more moisture. The shape should Break cleanly in two pieces without crumbling - if stretches in the break test, it's too wet. So my recommendation to all is........ Dry pour mix thoroughly together with rake, add moisture by spraying so as not to over-wet BUT rake that moisture throughout and THEN Tamp down hard compacting it all properly and level off. All this 24 hrs later stuff is inadequate - Minimum curing time is a month - covered to keep that minimum moisture in the mixed pad, base, driveway, - shouldn't be touched, don't go near it - best of both worlds here as easy as Dry Pour and stronger than the normal convenient Wet stuff which because of too much moisture cannot be as compacted and consolidated to provide the same strength. Go Mechanical guys, it's the best. Anyone want to hear my views on Earthcrete, which I find fascinating - by the way - I'm a Civil Engineer - spent an entire year studying Concrete - an entire bloody year on nothing but concrete. PS DON'T use quickset anything, you won't have enough time for all rake work, use standard Portland.
I like that idea. Make a semi wet mix right in the forms. Mix the water and mix together with a rake right in the forms, keep adding mix and water until the forms are filled, screed it, bull float it, edge it and finish it. What do you think ? The one thing I worry about with dry pour is the water soaking all the way thru thru 2 - 3 inches of mix. I usually soak my gravel base so the dry mix is sucking up water from below also.
Man bruh, tell the world how it is!!!! Love it!!! People are so polarized and don't understand the concept of thinking outside the box.. Good video, laughing out loud. 😂😂😂
I agree with your sentiments and observations. I'm forever losing concrete bags if I leave them exposed to the weather for too long, hard as rock (I live on a farm). I'm an engineer by trade (not civil/structural) and our first and second years with played with concrete a fair bit, enough to understand the fundamentals. The two areas of concern for me with this method are even disbursement of aggregate throughout the mix, and the amount of water applied to the mix. As a rule of thumb the more water you apply during the initial setup of the concrete, the weaker it will be. That is why it is critical to get your mix/water ratio's spot on from the manufacturers instructions. Of course we use water to stop cracking throughout the curing process, I'm not referring to that. I think if these two areas are covered off I really don't see any difference. Concrete setting is a chemical process. I just really wonder if you poured out the exact amount of water expected for the amount of concrete material you have and misted, then watered it all in (lets say over a 10cm, 4 inch ish thickness pad), would it be enough to penetrate all the way through the material or will you end up with dry spots in the middle/bottom? With a concrete post in the ground you don't care so much because you aren't expecting compressive strength from the concrete. If you have poured a walkway or something that doesn't strictly need the manufacturers compressive strength estimate I reckon it's all good. Not sure so much on slabs that your going to build a structure on though.
You are exactly right. There is a fine line of too much vs too little water. I think the application in small to medium slabs would work out fine because concrete is constantly wicking moisture when contacting the ground ...depending on the region, of course, so if there were dry spots initially, id wager after some time it would be solid throughout.
@@StationSt There is a UA-cam Channel Michael Builds who is a bit of a hard core user of concrete products who just tried this. He has indicated he is going to leave the slab dry 28 days and crack it open to see if the water penetrated all the way. It will be interesting to see the outcome :)
Water in not a problem on these dry poured slabs. You are not diluting the mix like when you add too much water to a mixer. The dry slab will only absord as much water as it needs. You can flood a poured slab (wet or dry poured) and will still set up with full strength
Michael Builds posted another video earlier today ... he dry poured 4 one bag squares yesterday ... 3 portland based and 1 rapid set ... took a sledge hammer to them today ... they broke apart quite easily since they hadn't cured ... but all 3 portland based slabs were damp all the way through ... the rapid set was dry inside but he expected that too.
there are several ways not to do wet and dry pour, lots of info on wet cause thats the way it's been done forever, the cajun couple and a few others have got dry figured out pretty good, so I would listen to them carefully. My dad did dry pour in his dirt floor garage in 1975, and he is gone,the floor is still there.
After watching a few dry pour videos and hearing what you said about it I am definitely going to build a parking slab and put a slab in front of my garage. My main concern was how the water could get to the bottom layer of the mix but after seeing one guy test that I am sold on the process.
I live in Southern Arizona, if I did that it would still be dry the next morning haha. Seriously tho, I do plan on wetting the ground right before I put the mix in, help it get a head start.
@daveisnothere I've seen some say to really saturate the ground the day/night b4 & water again right b4 putting 1st layer of concrete down. Then add rebar or metal reinforcement 1/2 way through & water there on that level b4 finally adding the 2nd half of the concrete. I think if I lived in drought area, I'd take that approach. Those guys also used less time between watering, as the heat/drought conditions wicked water away faster, & the concrete needed to be watered at more frequent intervals...
The issue I run into here is the ground where I live is essentially smaller grain gravel. Combine that with high Temps an low humidity, even in the winter the ground can be quite warm in the sun. I planned on doing like Leah says, wet the ground right before I put the concrete down, and do it in layers, preferably during the early morning or at night since summer is upon me already. We hit 98F yesterday and the humidity was under 15%.
I dry poured privacy fence post years ago. I hand to open up a section to move a big shed into the yard. Being the post was still good to re use we took a sledge to the Crete and their were large pockets of dry mix in it. The fence had been up for 2 years. The thickness of the Crete attached to the post most likely kept any moisture from getting to the dry areas. If a slab is only 4” thick and not really going to have any weight on it then dry would be ok. If one needs the Crete to be strong it needs mixed for proper distribution of the Crete throughout the mix and for proper chemical reaction (curing).
Worked for a sign company. We dry bagged like crazy. Best to pack it in tight for posts with the end of a shovel, it gets tight and supports dry. Let nature add the water unless you’re in a dry spell.
I can't wait to try it out, we had a new fence installed recently and had a cubby for two trash-cans made (they sit behind an extension in tandem). I'm going to do a dry pour for where they are sitting and extend it to the driveway (maybe use some bricks to separate the two sections of concrete) so we can roll them out for pickup. Hardest part will be working in a somewhat tight area as far as setting up the forms and screeding. 🤞
Former journeyman carpenter. The ability to vibrate wet pour concrete is important for structural soundness, filling voids on surfaces and around rebar or mesh, using less water or drier pour, and a much better surface when forms are stripped. For thin slab pours it sounds feasible and I plan on using the dry pour method to complete a slab in my shop.
You mention cajun county people. Well, I didn't realize they were doing a dry pour. Ohhh shes a cutie and in the youtube world it makes a big difference.
Great video! Thanks for sharing! I really agree with you that dry pored concrete works great for small projects. I recently used to fill some cracks between a wall and my patio. It took only a few minutes. No mess, and it looks great. It might take longer time to harden, but the cracks was just a cosmetic repair. So the strength of the concrete is not important in this case. He he, you are right about the trolls, some people got a square mind, and head.
I know one thing, If I hire someone to do a concrete project for me, and they begin using this dry pouring method, I will fire them on the spot. When I hire and pay a contractor to do a job, I want it done right, the way it's supposed to be, not a half-ass, quick and inferior job so they can hurry, take your money and run.
Pouring dry mix into a hole and pouring water is one thing and yes I have done it before, but intimately dumping, screeding and finishing in this manner is unsafe and yields poor results. Concrete has been around in some form or fashion for thousands of years and now all of the sudden there is a new trend out there that is "trying to reinvent the wheel".
Makes sense with the dry pour fence post and mail boxes examples. Seems the key is to water it every hour. I left 3 bags of cement in the driveway last year for months. Realized they were solid.😮
Hi, I just wanted to check back and thank you for this video--I was really reconsidering dry pour when I kept reading people talk about it like it was just going to crumble and I almost scrapped my project before this video pushed me to give it a second look. I've now had a 10x12 sunroom for 8 months and I use it every weekend. I'm sure it's not as strong as wet pour but so what? It holds an inflatable hot tub just fine, so that's good enough for me.
That's actually an amazing testimonial! It shows that a dry pour can still be very strong and useful. I am very glad it worked out for you and thanks for coming back and making this comment!
I wouldn’t build a house on dry pour. It’s not merely about whether or how quickly it might degrade, it’s about the structural properties being the same as using the recommended process. I’d really want to see actual engineering tests conducted by structural engineers. A walkway? I’m interesting in trying.
That's a reasonable assessment! There have been tests done on the integrity but only in small samples. Even though this process has been around forever, real studies on a large scale endeavor are lacking.
I just ran electrical out to my shed and small workshop (up til now, I have used solar in there just to charge my tool batteries, but I live in the PNW, so we have a LOT of days in the winter where there is no sun, so wanted to be able to charge my batteries overnight when electricity is cheap for me). I had to run my cable under the gate to my yard. The gate is wide enough for a riding lawn mower, but not wide enough for a car or my truck, so not worried about any sort of weight limit. It also turns into a muddy mess in the winter, so I have decided to lay a concrete slab in that area, just to keep it cleaner and protect the electrical, "just in case". I've recently started seeing these "dry pour" videos and I think this is BRILLIANT. I'm going to do that for my application. That area pretty much only gets foot traffic and even that is pretty limited, and it's also kind of sunken, so I won't have very much that I need to dig out to put in a nice clean slab. I've seen a couple of those "I'm a concrete contractor and I don't think dry pour is as good" videos. Well, if you pour concrete all day, every day, of course you would want to tell everyone it doesn't work. And it doesn't surprise me that they wouldn't think it would work because "it's not the way *_I'VE_* always done it!"
Not only is there the institutional bias against doing something a different way, but the pros just don't have the time to faff around with the watering schedule. They need to pour and finish as quickly as possible so they can get onto the next paying job. I can't see any contractor leaving the watering schedule up to the customer. Too much to go wrong by the customer who would then blame the contractor.
I'm totally going to try to do a dry pour concrete garden edger. The forms will need to be curved, so I may be screeding over a 2 sided plastic edger, unless anyone has better ideas? Can't wait to work on it this summer!
Its amazing how ignorant people are on this subject , concrete is a chemical process , its actually science. Its how they build 40 storey buildings out of it. Its why it gets warm when you mix it , the chemical reaction. Its the same amount of time to mix it and get a much better finish and product. Honestly so ignorant to think people that spent years getting engineering degrees and scientists even tradesman are just stupid
When I over-bought too many bags of concrete for a job, I found a year later that they were today transformed into a SOLID bag of CONCRETE. I need to find a use for these wasted bags - someday. Dry Concrete ABSOLUTELY turns solid if you wait long enough - even if its sealed in it's bag. If you have the time, you don't need any water, for your dry concrete mix WILL turn into a solid --> INSIDE THE "sealed" BAG !!! Liked and Subscribed, for sure!
Well provided that the various ingredients are mixed properly in the bag, yes, you can dry pour certain types of projects with satisfactory results, especially where no finishing of the surface is involved. The dry stacked walls for example wouldnt turn out well if the ingredients werent properly mixed in the bag. Whereas with ready mix concrete the ingredients which consist of sand, cement, and the agregate, meaning stone, is delivered to the concrete plant in bulk, and then either central mixed and placed into trucks, or just the ingredients placed in the truck and mixed together in the truck, or in some types of trucks as it is leaving the truck. Other than for something like installing a mailbox post or a dry stack wall, there is no real advantage to using a dry mix, especially where a finished surface is involved.
I've already, seen results of dry pouring concrete, and even doing it with posts, is messed up, loose posts within a year. Can you dry pour pancake mix, and just pour the water on top of the mix and be assured of consistent mixing ratios, no u can't.
Have any physical measurements been made on the strength of dry poured concrete to compare with normally poured concrete? If so, a reference would be helpful.
@@v8pilot no problem, i wouldn't do it for heavy load bearing structure where you need maximum strength, but dry poured should suffice for small quick projects.
@@MiguelMartinez-di3rw I'd say...untested. for as long as I've known dry pour to be around, I've only ever seen flat pads built or maybe a few steps. In my honest opinion, I would not use that method on anything structural where safety is a concern.
I have installed many chainlink fence post using dry pour and it works fine. I have never tried dry pour on a sidewalk or patio but I see no reason it would not work if you take your time. I am actually planning to make a walkway later in the summer using the dry pour ideas I have seen used on Cajun Country Living and Michael Build YT channels. I live in Eastern Europe and we have bagged concrete in the home centers.
Bagged concrete is the most expensive concrete you can buy. For small jobs, the minimum cost of other methods makes it acceptable, but anything needed a big area like a patio, etc, you will spend way too much on bags and dry pouring them to get an inferior results. Concrete needs 'finishing' to get a hard top surface that is very important. This comes from someone who "started" the dry pour approach long before "cajun" did. Also have done diy self-leveling concrete, another thing everyone said can't be done and won't work. I built my own cement mixer and I mix my own concrete from sand, cement, and rock, it is about half the cost when pouring driveways, walkways, and the foundation of a fixer-upper house. The people now trying to cash-in on dry pour need to do proper testing using cylinders, etc.
The difference between dry concrete mix and wet concrete is 1.54 to 1.0. It means that dry pour is porous, and strength compromised. Usually advise on thickness of concrete slab is overstated, this is why people who make dry pour are satisfied. In any words if it is not structural and DIY is a factor go for it.
A professional needs to know the compressive strength of the concrete that is being poured in order to meet building codes and pass building inspections. Water to cement ratio has a big impact on concrete strength and that ratio is impossible to control with dry pouring.
About 8 years ago I poured a slab for a rain barrel. I dry poured it. I even used cheap Menards generic mastercraft concrete mix. Yesterday I needed to remove it. I could not break it with a sledge. I actually think it might setup harder than if it were mixed with water first. How do we know mixing it with water doesn't actually make it weaker?
@@Ithirahad They forgot how to make it. Over time the formula was lost and todays concrete is not close to the strength and quality of the stuff the Roman's used. Roman concrete was actually self healing, that's one reason it's still around. You don't have to believe me, google it.
@@richc9503For the most part, the recipe was still known... some details were forgotten but it's been re-figured out now. It'd still be pretty damn expensive to mix and pour at an industrial scale compared to the regular concrete we use. It might also corrode iron rebar, though I'm not sure about that. We should be using fiberglass or basalt-fiber rebar anyway but again - cost.
The biggest problem I have with all of these dry pour videos is the lack of concern for ones health. I've seen videos where kids are around while they are working. When you dry pour, there is way more dust than wet poor which increases the damage to the lungs. You are not supposed to breathe in concrete dust at all, even if the wind is blowing as someone said in a video. You also shouldn't let it contact your skin. If you are going to make a dry pour video, be responsible, wear appropriate mask and gloves the entire time and explain the dangers of the product.
Thinking about a dry pour, however I am not impressed with the Gravel texture surface. Not a good look for patios and steps. I’ll try to finish it off with a thin mortar cover and see if I that helps
I see your comment about your slab thats a big slab . That would definitely take some time to dry . I think you should look into that some more before you go that big .
That is a big project! I would check out @renetto video on doing a large slab. He is doing it in sections with the dry pour method. Getting the right amount of water on that size of slab is key. But i dont see why not. You arent parking a car on it so id say go for it.
For those wanting to make sure the moisture gets all the way in there, or for building something like a 2 step stair from patio to slab….does anyone every spritz or add water when half way through to make sure the mix near rebar sets up or does that ruin the entire idea?
I wonder if even experienced concrete men know that dry and wet use the exact same amount of water to cure? Concrete cures by absorbing a very specific amount of water. The only difference is the rate of cure, which can be painfully slow for dry pour on thick slabs when the ground is dry. In that case, just wet the ground with a water hose. Crushed limestone mix is far superior to pea gravel for strength. You also have to be conscious of bubbles, or small voids in dry mix. A manual tamper or just walking on it should prevent that and make a stronger slab. The hardest parts are getting a fine mist that won't spoil the finish, and waiting a month for it to reach ~50% strength.
I'm def game. I plan on using dry pour for a pad for a small pickup. I'll use wire but no plastic. want the dry concrete in contact with that earth (unless you were blending with an existinf pad like Cajun crew did .)
My personal opinion says it would, but would need to let it cure longer when you present that kind of weight. Much like home or garages built on slabs, you have to give it sufficient time to cure. With a dry pour, I'd say maybe double the time.
This is so weird. I've only done 3 very small concrete projects (deck post fills, mailbox post) and each time I used a bag of Quikcrete and just followed the directions. And that works great. I never once considered doing any sort of traditional wet pour. But for larger projects? Eh, I'd probably learn how to mix the wet. For one thing, wouldn't that be cheaper than zillions of little bags of Quikcrete? I'm considering a small walk path extension, and also filling in a 6' x 4' area to create a slab between an existing porch slab and cement foundation on the opposite side. Not yet sure how to join them together, or how it matters. Slope for rain runoff is a concern.
Hi. I have done some small slabs with wet, mixed in my small harbor freight mixer (sucks). It worked but was super hard. I have done zillions of posts by just pouring in dry, packing it down and maybe toss in a bit of water. Works great. Pack it tight with small pipe, wood or rebar. I have watched all the dry pour vid, and I am sold. It will work for my horribly cracked driveway
So far I have not seen where anyone has taken a sample of a dry poured slab to a material testing lab and compared its performance to the expected strength and the strength of a wet pour sample. Until that happens its all opinion, so perfect for UA-cam clicks!! Anecdotally it would appear it is strong enough for the applications where youtubers are putting it into practice. I have noticed that most of these videos are from warm areas. So its possible that it wouldn’t hold up as well in an area that gets a significant number of freeze cycles and or experiences frost heave. Another thing that makes this method great for you tube is that professional contractors are never going to adopt this for slabs because the wetting process takes too long. So you have a great source of conflict (content) between the DIY community and tradesman.
I got suspicious when I saw concrete pro's on UA-cam intentionally trying to make this look bad. Those who know concrete, know that we make a lot of compromises with the standard mixes to make them workable. Larger aggregate and less water to cement ratio to name two. We add too much water to our current mixes to make them workable and lose an "acceptable" amount of PSI. Same with rocks, larger aggregate ( less than 3 inches ) make concrete stronger. The premixed bags everyone uses are calibrated for wet pours and "workability". The biggest advantage to dry pour is adjusting these compromises. I really think there might be something here if there is a standard way to meter and measure the watering processes. As well as design a dry pour premix. In theory it could be significantly stronger and more reliable. Think wicking underlining and fabric covering mats that standardize the water exposure rate. All these people out here acting like wet pour concrete isn't cracking and spalding... lol. Wet pour is extremely error prone and stressful. People are not stupid. People are interested in this because it is a big deal.
Do a test block of dry pour concrete vs traditional wet mix. See which one is stronger. Test at different intervals. See how much weight it takes to break it. I really don't know. From what I read you sacrifice some of the strength by not having enough water when curing, but that is just what I read. Do a test and see what works for you.
This DOES NOT work in very dry soils, like Phx or Tucson or Las Vegas deserts. In these areas you most definitely need to pre-wet your soils. Another work around is to do dry pour in 2 or 3 layers, I've done a layering method, it works fine. Follow up by keeping your concrete (and nearby soil) damp for a couple days.
Thanks for your videos there seems to be a lot of people out there trying to proof it won't work. Our 300sq. Ft. Slab will cost about one thousand that's 3 and a half inch thick. My equipment is not high tech a pickaxe, shovel, wheelbarrow.takes time if I wasn't doing this I would probably be watching TV all day , I have managed to loose a few pounds 😊.
Really depends on the use but 3.5 to 4 inches seems to be general use. Ive done pads as shallow as 2 inches for a landing off deck stairs (not recommended) and after 15 years it never cracked. Anything else dont go less than 3.5or 4 inches
What do you think about dry pouring a slab for a garage😬 it’s not something that would need to be finished and cured quickly. My other question is could you dry pour in layers?
I have watched a number of videos and known people that dry pour, but none have tried to park a car on it. With any concrete, id more recommend sections rather than layers. With all that said, id park a car on mine if it cured long enough.
Bagged concrete is the most expensive form of concrete you can buy. If that isn't enough, the 'misting' process is really bad method. I've done a concrete driveway drypour, but effectively it is more 'mixed in place' because you need wet concrete to trowel a finish on it that makes the surface strong/hard to withstand car tire twisting on it. My driveway is still good after 5 years now (long before "Cajun" videos)
The funny thing is, a dry pour is "the way they've always done it" in a number of places for certain applications anyway. It's not like it just appeared one day as a TikTok trend or a UA-cam video and suddenly everyone's lemming'd themselves over a cliff with it.
Hey there and good evening! Really enjoyed this video! We worked for quite some time developing the method that we use before we ever shared it with the world because we wanted to be able to give clear direction that produced an amazing result. We knew that so many people could benefit from being able to do this to fulfill most small homeowner type needs. Thank you for shedding a positive light on an inexpensive proven technique!
You are absolutely welcome and im very happy to help share! There are many ways to succeed on projects and not all are the same old methods, so I'm thrilled to show others what took me years to discover and to help others do the same. Big fan of your channel and thanks for the comment!
Love Cajun country 😊
Paradigm shifts are awesome!
@@jammcguire1276 Your telling me. ORGANIC paradigm shifts. Not forced crap. You know what I mean.
Thank you Cajun Country ❤
You nailed it when you said old timers and closed minded people always say “we’ve ALWAYS done it this way!”
A contractor friend taught me Dry Pour over 20 years ago. I've been doing it ever since.
You nailed it when you mentioned how people that are old school are stuck in their ways and love to say “we’ve ALWAYS done it this way!”
For setting fence posts, mailboxes, non-structural items it works fine. For setting posts I wet the hole, set the post and dump in dry concrete and plumb the post. Soak with a hose and done.
@CajunCountryLivin does great how to, and @MichaelBuilds does some great in depth examinations of how it works
Good video! My neighbor just did a significant dry pour and it came out amazing. Frankly, I can't believe it wasn't professionally done. Thank you for taking the time to post this vid.
I have been wondering about this. How significant was the pour? How thick and what size?
@TheSonsOfSimon Roughly 12x 12. It looks like 3 inches, maybe 4. Really remarkable. Nothing really heavy will be on top of it. I am sure it'll hold up.
@@londonpickering8675 I greatly appreciate your reply.
I have watched a number of dry pour concrete videos and I really appreciate each of them and the many viewers who comment with their experiences. I consider them all valuable! I’m not a home builder or any construction type person but just a little old lady who admires the creativity of all! And heck - I’m inspired to give it a go in my own back yard with some help in the heavy lifting!😊 a special thank you to you for creating this video and to all who have contributed their experiences!
I really appreciate that! My next video will show an extremely simple method that anyone can do, provided they can move the bags or have a helper!
U sir are absolutely correct! I just threw away two bags that were super rock hard from soaking up water from my garage interior walls during all the crazy So Cal rain that we had. There is no difference!
The right tool for the right job and right technique for a predictable desired outcome is what I practice. Money and skill can effect both selections.
I like your take in it, the greatest ideas are from outside the box❤
For non structural jobs it definitely will work, like slabs, patios, sidewalks, steps, etc., and when is done correctly: preparation, reinforcement and properly watered is the key, a smooth finish can be also achieved when you pour a last layer of Mortar on top of the dry concrete mix or simply add a concrete resurfaced of your choice after the concrete has cured. For DIY’s and people with no experience mixing concrete, it’s an excellent alternative, that not only will save you money, but time and efforts. It’s clean, fast and again, IT WORKSs!
they are using premix bags , just as easy to mix it up properly and have a decent product. They are screeding and finishing the dry anyway
@@oudonbail shhhh, don't tell them they are wasting their time, it is fun to see them do things the hard way. Heaven forbid, if they ever figure out that just using mortar (not concrete mix) will solve the large aggregate problem, then I will have nothing to watch and laugh at.
@@pauln6150 Don't be a dick
I've recently done a couple of small dry pour projects. Three posts in total. One for the mailbox and two for garden hose storage on the side and back of the house.
I used a bag of rapid set concrete and did not mist it first.
I set my posts up and just dropped alot of water down and waited for it to set up. It harden within the hour but i let it go on longer for a few days to fully set up.
It worked great. Next project will be a little heavy as i will hopefulky be replacing a small fence on the side of my driveway.
Wish me luck.
Thanks for posting the video. I was a bit skeptical myself but you point on the deck / fence post dry pour makes great sense. I appreciate you bringing that to light.
I have worked on job sites, and it is not code, dry pouring concrete, and any superintendent that I have worked for, would tell crews that dry pour, would be fired off the job. It'd not code for a reason.
Straight and realistic presentation earned my subscription. Thanks
Thank you! I sincerely appreciate it.
I also used goat fencing instead of rebar for strength.
I just did a non-pour concrete pad (8x4) to set my trash bins on. Worked fine. I may do the Mortar on top for a better, smoother finish but probably not. Looks fine.
I just did my first dry pour and kinda stamped it with a walk maker mold. It is decent for my first time for sure!
Thats pretty cool, i wasnt sure how something like that would come out
Thanks for making this video, I work with concrete for more than 35 years and also made cement trees planter ( huge pot) ,I hate when I have to mix water with the cement but it does the job better (much better results) .
Here is a tip, pour the dry concrete on saturated ground, the cement will wick up the moisture and the concrete will harden from both sides. Just like pouring concrete into a hole for a post, the concrete will suck the moisture out of the soil it is touching. So simple.
I have hated concrete work for ever , this dry process intrigues me and I can't wait to try it .
I'm planning to dry pour small backyard this summer. hopefully it works out
Dear all, let me try to help everyone understand concrete.
The cement part of any mortar or concrete reacts with water in a hydraulic chemical reaction (exothermic reaction i.e. generates heat). When thoroughly cured, meaning allowing enough time for this reaction to take place and preferably throughout all the cement particles where they become irreversibly hardened and water proof.
However, cement on it's own will shrink significantly and crack all over so it needs a binder - sand - this 'stretches' the cement through the mix so when it hardens via Curing it's bonded to lot's of already hard sand particles and more cement particles alike creating a hard material that doesn't crack - mortar.
However 😁 mortar is not strong in itself. For strength we add Aggregate, ideally for strength you want some flat, some irregular stones (not pebble like) of 3 sizes - pea size, golf ball size and halfway between those - giving us Concrete when Cured throughout.
Now, I've watched many dry pour vids with interest and listened to the nay sayers saying it has to be WET to cure and therefore dry pour is nonsense.........
Time for education folks where (after that which I have outlined above) you will be surprised that I'm on the side of dry pour ....... SORT OF......
When dry pouring, it is tamped thoroughly down before spraying - this is GOOD - but cement particles and sand particles and aggregate elements throughout will not all receive moisture, will not Cure and will remain as dust in parts - not good.
BUT Wet is not great either! It's CONVENIENT.
The best, strongest concrete is Mechanical Concrete which is made with JUST ENOUGH water to provide moisture throughout for correct curing.
The test is - grab a small fist full, squeeze hard together in palm of hand and if doesn't hold shape and crumbles when released from pressure, needs more moisture. The shape should Break cleanly in two pieces without crumbling - if stretches in the break test, it's too wet.
So my recommendation to all is........
Dry pour mix thoroughly together with rake, add moisture by spraying so as not to over-wet BUT rake that moisture throughout and THEN Tamp down hard compacting it all properly and level off.
All this 24 hrs later stuff is inadequate - Minimum curing time is a month - covered to keep that minimum moisture in the mixed pad, base, driveway, - shouldn't be touched, don't go near it - best of both worlds here as easy as Dry Pour and stronger than the normal convenient Wet stuff which because of too much moisture cannot be as compacted and consolidated to provide the same strength.
Go Mechanical guys, it's the best. Anyone want to hear my views on Earthcrete, which I find fascinating - by the way - I'm a Civil Engineer - spent an entire year studying Concrete - an entire bloody year on nothing but concrete.
PS DON'T use quickset anything, you won't have enough time for all rake work, use standard Portland.
I like that idea. Make a semi wet mix right in the forms. Mix the water and mix together with a rake right in the forms, keep adding mix and water until the forms are filled, screed it, bull float it, edge it and finish it. What do you think ? The one thing I worry about with dry pour is the water soaking all the way thru thru 2 - 3 inches of mix. I usually soak my gravel base so the dry mix is sucking up water from below also.
Man bruh, tell the world how it is!!!! Love it!!! People are so polarized and don't understand the concept of thinking outside the box.. Good video, laughing out loud. 😂😂😂
Great explanation. Thanks
Couldn’t you put a top 1/4” of mason mix when screening to keep the pebbles down?
I agree with your sentiments and observations. I'm forever losing concrete bags if I leave them exposed to the weather for too long, hard as rock (I live on a farm). I'm an engineer by trade (not civil/structural) and our first and second years with played with concrete a fair bit, enough to understand the fundamentals. The two areas of concern for me with this method are even disbursement of aggregate throughout the mix, and the amount of water applied to the mix. As a rule of thumb the more water you apply during the initial setup of the concrete, the weaker it will be. That is why it is critical to get your mix/water ratio's spot on from the manufacturers instructions. Of course we use water to stop cracking throughout the curing process, I'm not referring to that. I think if these two areas are covered off I really don't see any difference. Concrete setting is a chemical process. I just really wonder if you poured out the exact amount of water expected for the amount of concrete material you have and misted, then watered it all in (lets say over a 10cm, 4 inch ish thickness pad), would it be enough to penetrate all the way through the material or will you end up with dry spots in the middle/bottom? With a concrete post in the ground you don't care so much because you aren't expecting compressive strength from the concrete. If you have poured a walkway or something that doesn't strictly need the manufacturers compressive strength estimate I reckon it's all good. Not sure so much on slabs that your going to build a structure on though.
You are exactly right. There is a fine line of too much vs too little water. I think the application in small to medium slabs would work out fine because concrete is constantly wicking moisture when contacting the ground ...depending on the region, of course, so if there were dry spots initially, id wager after some time it would be solid throughout.
@@StationSt There is a UA-cam Channel Michael Builds who is a bit of a hard core user of concrete products who just tried this. He has indicated he is going to leave the slab dry 28 days and crack it open to see if the water penetrated all the way. It will be interesting to see the outcome :)
@@mikebennett938 The problem is that he didn't do it right. Some people just have a hard time thinking out of the box.
Water in not a problem on these dry poured slabs. You are not diluting the mix like when you add too much water to a mixer. The dry slab will only absord as much water as it needs. You can flood a poured slab (wet or dry poured) and will still set up with full strength
Michael Builds posted another video earlier today ... he dry poured 4 one bag squares yesterday ... 3 portland based and 1 rapid set ... took a sledge hammer to them today ... they broke apart quite easily since they hadn't cured ... but all 3 portland based slabs were damp all the way through ... the rapid set was dry inside but he expected that too.
I want to try it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
there are several ways not to do wet and dry pour, lots of info on wet cause thats the way it's been done forever, the cajun couple and a few others have got dry figured out pretty good, so I would listen to them carefully. My dad did dry pour in his dirt floor garage in 1975, and he is gone,the floor is still there.
After watching a few dry pour videos and hearing what you said about it I am definitely going to build a parking slab and put a slab in front of my garage. My main concern was how the water could get to the bottom layer of the mix but after seeing one guy test that I am sold on the process.
Wet the ground down the night before to give a little extra moisture from the bottom.
I live in Southern Arizona, if I did that it would still be dry the next morning haha. Seriously tho, I do plan on wetting the ground right before I put the mix in, help it get a head start.
@daveisnothere I've seen some say to really saturate the ground the day/night b4 & water again right b4 putting 1st layer of concrete down. Then add rebar or metal reinforcement 1/2 way through & water there on that level b4 finally adding the 2nd half of the concrete. I think if I lived in drought area, I'd take that approach.
Those guys also used less time between watering, as the heat/drought conditions wicked water away faster, & the concrete needed to be watered at more frequent intervals...
The issue I run into here is the ground where I live is essentially smaller grain gravel. Combine that with high Temps an low humidity, even in the winter the ground can be quite warm in the sun. I planned on doing like Leah says, wet the ground right before I put the concrete down, and do it in layers, preferably during the early morning or at night since summer is upon me already. We hit 98F yesterday and the humidity was under 15%.
Very informative video. Thanks
Thank you. I will try it as well.
I dry poured privacy fence post years ago. I hand to open up a section to move a big shed into the yard. Being the post was still good to re use we took a sledge to the Crete and their were large pockets of dry mix in it. The fence had been up for 2 years.
The thickness of the Crete attached to the post most likely kept any moisture from getting to the dry areas.
If a slab is only 4” thick and not really going to have any weight on it then dry would be ok.
If one needs the Crete to be strong it needs mixed for proper distribution of the Crete throughout the mix and for proper chemical reaction (curing).
Worked for a sign company. We dry bagged like crazy. Best to pack it in tight for posts with the end of a shovel, it gets tight and supports dry. Let nature add the water unless you’re in a dry spell.
I can't wait to try it out, we had a new fence installed recently and had a cubby for two trash-cans made (they sit behind an extension in tandem). I'm going to do a dry pour for where they are sitting and extend it to the driveway (maybe use some bricks to separate the two sections of concrete) so we can roll them out for pickup. Hardest part will be working in a somewhat tight area as far as setting up the forms and screeding. 🤞
Yea that almost exactly what ill be doing as well. Good luck and report back on the results!
Former journeyman carpenter. The ability to vibrate wet pour concrete is important for structural soundness, filling voids on surfaces and around rebar or mesh, using less water or drier pour, and a much better surface when forms are stripped. For thin slab pours it sounds feasible and I plan on using the dry pour method to complete a slab in my shop.
Exactly! But the dry pour fan boys think drying and setting means victory
Yes, proper consolidation is important. So, is the matter of consolidation one of the main reasons dry placement causes a weaker concrete?
You mention cajun county people. Well, I didn't realize they were doing a dry pour. Ohhh shes a cutie and in the youtube world it makes a big difference.
As a fisherman I see concrete bag retaining walls everywhere and at astonishing heights
I watched a few of the dry pour videos . It sure looks easier than mixing and pouring. I need to make a shed slab and I’m going to dry pour it.
It is less labor-intensive. Just dont take the forms off too early
Great video! Thanks for sharing! I really agree with you that dry pored concrete works great for small projects. I recently used to fill some cracks between a wall and my patio. It took only a few minutes. No mess, and it looks great. It might take longer time to harden, but the cracks was just a cosmetic repair. So the strength of the concrete is not important in this case. He he, you are right about the trolls, some people got a square mind, and head.
I know one thing, If I hire someone to do a concrete project for me, and they begin using this dry pouring method, I will fire them on the spot. When I hire and pay a contractor to do a job, I want it done right, the way it's supposed to be, not a half-ass, quick and inferior job so they can hurry, take your money and run.
Thats great for you!
Well said....Dry pour will work everytime.... Thank you
Pouring dry mix into a hole and pouring water is one thing and yes I have done it before, but intimately dumping, screeding and finishing in this manner is unsafe and yields poor results. Concrete has been around in some form or fashion for thousands of years and now all of the sudden there is a new trend out there that is "trying to reinvent the wheel".
For one, it's not a new trend at all and you obviously have not watched any of the tons of videos on youtube showing it works just fine.
Makes sense with the dry pour fence post and mail boxes examples. Seems the key is to water it every hour. I left 3 bags of cement in the driveway last year for months. Realized they were solid.😮
I think once people actually think about it, it starts to make more sense.
@@StationSt That's true, but not too many people know how to do that any more. ( the 'thinking' part )
Hi, I just wanted to check back and thank you for this video--I was really reconsidering dry pour when I kept reading people talk about it like it was just going to crumble and I almost scrapped my project before this video pushed me to give it a second look.
I've now had a 10x12 sunroom for 8 months and I use it every weekend. I'm sure it's not as strong as wet pour but so what? It holds an inflatable hot tub just fine, so that's good enough for me.
That's actually an amazing testimonial! It shows that a dry pour can still be very strong and useful. I am very glad it worked out for you and thanks for coming back and making this comment!
I wouldn’t build a house on dry pour. It’s not merely about whether or how quickly it might degrade, it’s about the structural properties being the same as using the recommended process. I’d really want to see actual engineering tests conducted by structural engineers.
A walkway? I’m interesting in trying.
That's a reasonable assessment! There have been tests done on the integrity but only in small samples. Even though this process has been around forever, real studies on a large scale endeavor are lacking.
I just ran electrical out to my shed and small workshop (up til now, I have used solar in there just to charge my tool batteries, but I live in the PNW, so we have a LOT of days in the winter where there is no sun, so wanted to be able to charge my batteries overnight when electricity is cheap for me). I had to run my cable under the gate to my yard. The gate is wide enough for a riding lawn mower, but not wide enough for a car or my truck, so not worried about any sort of weight limit. It also turns into a muddy mess in the winter, so I have decided to lay a concrete slab in that area, just to keep it cleaner and protect the electrical, "just in case". I've recently started seeing these "dry pour" videos and I think this is BRILLIANT. I'm going to do that for my application. That area pretty much only gets foot traffic and even that is pretty limited, and it's also kind of sunken, so I won't have very much that I need to dig out to put in a nice clean slab.
I've seen a couple of those "I'm a concrete contractor and I don't think dry pour is as good" videos. Well, if you pour concrete all day, every day, of course you would want to tell everyone it doesn't work. And it doesn't surprise me that they wouldn't think it would work because "it's not the way *_I'VE_* always done it!"
Couldn't have said it better myself!
Not only is there the institutional bias against doing something a different way, but the pros just don't have the time to faff around with the watering schedule. They need to pour and finish as quickly as possible so they can get onto the next paying job. I can't see any contractor leaving the watering schedule up to the customer. Too much to go wrong by the customer who would then blame the contractor.
I'm totally going to try to do a dry pour concrete garden edger. The forms will need to be curved, so I may be screeding over a 2 sided plastic edger, unless anyone has better ideas? Can't wait to work on it this summer!
Great synopsis of criticisms, thank you
Once I saw a drainage ditch with "sandbags" along the sides only to find out they were concrete.
Is there a way to dry pour over old concrete? Like for a walk path in the yard?
Think about using the method for repairs as well!
The only thing is . I want to put water down first. Then put dry cement down
So happy you commented on this. Very well said.
Thank you!
Its amazing how ignorant people are on this subject , concrete is a chemical process , its actually science. Its how they build 40 storey buildings out of it. Its why it gets warm when you mix it , the chemical reaction. Its the same amount of time to mix it and get a much better finish and product. Honestly so ignorant to think people that spent years getting engineering degrees and scientists even tradesman are just stupid
Yea i know, amazing.
When I over-bought too many bags of concrete for a job, I found a year later that they were today transformed into a SOLID bag of CONCRETE.
I need to find a use for these wasted bags - someday. Dry Concrete ABSOLUTELY turns solid if you wait long enough - even if its sealed in it's bag. If you have the time, you don't need any water, for your dry concrete mix WILL turn into a solid --> INSIDE THE "sealed" BAG !!!
Liked and Subscribed, for sure!
I should make a wooden former to store future surplus concrete bags so that they are more flat on the sides, and the top is not a bulge.
#MegaPavers
@joeteejoetee thats a great idea, i thought of making a form to create pavers with my leftovers. Thanks for subscribing!
Well provided that the various ingredients are mixed properly in the bag, yes, you can dry pour certain types of projects with satisfactory results, especially where no finishing of the surface is involved.
The dry stacked walls for example wouldnt turn out well if the ingredients werent properly mixed in the bag.
Whereas with ready mix concrete the ingredients which consist of sand, cement, and the agregate, meaning stone, is delivered to the concrete plant in bulk, and then either central mixed and placed into trucks, or just the ingredients placed in the truck and mixed together in the truck, or in some types of trucks as it is leaving the truck.
Other than for something like installing a mailbox post or a dry stack wall, there is no real advantage to using a dry mix, especially where a finished surface is involved.
I am with you.Good job.
Thank You!
I wonder if a drypoor slab 12 foot large and 100 feets long will be fesable for a skateborad back yard project ?
Finally a common sense perspective. Good job dude.
Thank you!
I've already, seen results of dry pouring concrete, and even doing it with posts, is messed up, loose posts within a year. Can you dry pour pancake mix, and just pour the water on top of the mix and be assured of consistent mixing ratios, no u can't.
Have any physical measurements been made on the strength of dry poured concrete to compare with normally poured concrete? If so, a reference would be helpful.
i saw a video where they did the pressure test, dry poured is 75% strength of poured concrete
@@metsrus thanks for that information.
@@v8pilot no problem, i wouldn't do it for heavy load bearing structure where you need maximum strength, but dry poured should suffice for small quick projects.
What about doing a dry pour as a foundation for a room add on your thoughts plz
@@MiguelMartinez-di3rw I'd say...untested. for as long as I've known dry pour to be around, I've only ever seen flat pads built or maybe a few steps. In my honest opinion, I would not use that method on anything structural where safety is a concern.
I have installed many chainlink fence post using dry pour and it works fine. I have never tried dry pour on a sidewalk or patio but I see no reason it would not work if you take your time. I am actually planning to make a walkway later in the summer using the dry pour ideas I have seen used on Cajun Country Living and Michael Build YT channels. I live in Eastern Europe and we have bagged concrete in the home centers.
good luck. am subscribing.
Bagged concrete is the most expensive concrete you can buy. For small jobs, the minimum cost of other methods makes it acceptable, but anything needed a big area like a patio, etc, you will spend way too much on bags and dry pouring them to get an inferior results. Concrete needs 'finishing' to get a hard top surface that is very important.
This comes from someone who "started" the dry pour approach long before "cajun" did. Also have done diy self-leveling concrete, another thing everyone said can't be done and won't work. I built my own cement mixer and I mix my own concrete from sand, cement, and rock, it is about half the cost when pouring driveways, walkways, and the foundation of a fixer-upper house.
The people now trying to cash-in on dry pour need to do proper testing using cylinders, etc.
The difference between dry concrete mix and wet concrete is 1.54 to 1.0. It means that dry pour is porous, and strength compromised. Usually advise on thickness of concrete slab is overstated, this is why people who make dry pour are satisfied. In any words if it is not structural and DIY is a factor go for it.
A professional needs to know the compressive strength of the concrete that is being poured in order to meet building codes and pass building inspections. Water to cement ratio has a big impact on concrete strength and that ratio is impossible to control with dry pouring.
It's pretty impossible with wet pour too when you use a hose & don't measure the water... LOL
@@leahrowe847 But you can still measure the slump of the mix that way.
love the video can't wait to see what you do
Thank you! I will be uploading within a few days.
About 8 years ago I poured a slab for a rain barrel. I dry poured it. I even used cheap Menards generic mastercraft concrete mix. Yesterday I needed to remove it. I could not break it with a sledge. I actually think it might setup harder than if it were mixed with water first. How do we know mixing it with water doesn't actually make it weaker?
I was mostly just taken back by no gravel base. maybe it is just with them being in the south and not needing to worry
about ground freeze.
Right?! And yet no cracks after 18 months. proves good strength to me.
Love this vid
Good video, so true, yes it's cement it will become that state when it's in mother natures path no matter what.
2,000 year old Roman Concrete has entered chat…
“What you mean concrete degrades over time?”
Lol, American infrastructure was not built with Roman Concrete, sadly.
@@StationSt That stuff needs heated mixing... Fine for an imperial project but not fine for an open market economy :P
@@Ithirahad They forgot how to make it. Over time the formula was lost and todays concrete is not close to the strength and quality of the stuff the Roman's used. Roman concrete was actually self healing, that's one reason it's still around. You don't have to believe me, google it.
@@richc9503For the most part, the recipe was still known... some details were forgotten but it's been re-figured out now. It'd still be pretty damn expensive to mix and pour at an industrial scale compared to the regular concrete we use. It might also corrode iron rebar, though I'm not sure about that. We should be using fiberglass or basalt-fiber rebar anyway but again - cost.
The biggest problem I have with all of these dry pour videos is the lack of concern for ones health. I've seen videos where kids are around while they are working. When you dry pour, there is way more dust than wet poor which increases the damage to the lungs. You are not supposed to breathe in concrete dust at all, even if the wind is blowing as someone said in a video. You also shouldn't let it contact your skin. If you are going to make a dry pour video, be responsible, wear appropriate mask and gloves the entire time and explain the dangers of the product.
I did wear a mask although that file was corrupted so it didnt make the video but you are absolutely right.
Thinking about a dry pour, however I am not impressed with the Gravel texture surface. Not a good look for patios and steps. I’ll try to finish it off with a thin mortar cover and see if I that helps
Eatch cajun country livins payio and see how they made it perfect without mortars
Simply, Dry-pour threatens all those that make a living out of providing wet-pour slabs, drives and sidewalks.
That may be correct.
There is a place for both. Dry pour has been around for decades. And I mean many...😉
@@frankiea6482 so for many years I have not a clue 😂
@@lagoonrd4173 🤣🤷♂️😉
Nice comments, thank you. Do you think a dry pour would work for a patio (27x16) with a pergola attached to it with brackets?
I see your comment about your slab thats a big slab . That would definitely take some time to dry . I think you should look into that some more before you go that big .
That is a big project! I would check out @renetto video on doing a large slab. He is doing it in sections with the dry pour method. Getting the right amount of water on that size of slab is key. But i dont see why not. You arent parking a car on it so id say go for it.
For those wanting to make sure the moisture gets all the way in there, or for building something like a 2 step stair from patio to slab….does anyone every spritz or add water when half way through to make sure the mix near rebar sets up or does that ruin the entire idea?
Its been proven with many tests that the concrete cures all the way through. Those that claim it doesn't probably lives in a desert.
I wonder if even experienced concrete men know that dry and wet use the exact same amount of water to cure? Concrete cures by absorbing a very specific amount of water. The only difference is the rate of cure, which can be painfully slow for dry pour on thick slabs when the ground is dry. In that case, just wet the ground with a water hose. Crushed limestone mix is far superior to pea gravel for strength. You also have to be conscious of bubbles, or small voids in dry mix. A manual tamper or just walking on it should prevent that and make a stronger slab. The hardest parts are getting a fine mist that won't spoil the finish, and waiting a month for it to reach ~50% strength.
Right! Thats why i used this method for garbage cans. No real weight issue
I'm def game. I plan on using dry pour for a pad for a small pickup. I'll use wire but no plastic. want the dry concrete in contact with that earth (unless you were blending with an existinf pad like Cajun crew did .)
Thanks. Very informative and logical. But I want to set a tiny home on one. I wonder if it can handle the weight? 5000 pounds?
My personal opinion says it would, but would need to let it cure longer when you present that kind of weight. Much like home or garages built on slabs, you have to give it sufficient time to cure. With a dry pour, I'd say maybe double the time.
This is so weird. I've only done 3 very small concrete projects (deck post fills, mailbox post) and each time I used a bag of Quikcrete and just followed the directions. And that works great. I never once considered doing any sort of traditional wet pour.
But for larger projects? Eh, I'd probably learn how to mix the wet. For one thing, wouldn't that be cheaper than zillions of little bags of Quikcrete?
I'm considering a small walk path extension, and also filling in a 6' x 4' area to create a slab between an existing porch slab and cement foundation on the opposite side. Not yet sure how to join them together, or how it matters. Slope for rain runoff is a concern.
Hi. I have done some small slabs with wet, mixed in my small harbor freight mixer (sucks). It worked but was super hard. I have done zillions of posts by just pouring in dry, packing it down and maybe toss in a bit of water. Works great. Pack it tight with small pipe, wood or rebar. I have watched all the dry pour vid, and I am sold. It will work for my horribly cracked driveway
Great video kudos 😊
So far I have not seen where anyone has taken a sample of a dry poured slab to a material testing lab and compared its performance to the expected strength and the strength of a wet pour sample. Until that happens its all opinion, so perfect for UA-cam clicks!!
Anecdotally it would appear it is strong enough for the applications where youtubers are putting it into practice. I have noticed that most of these videos are from warm areas. So its possible that it wouldn’t hold up as well in an area that gets a significant number of freeze cycles and or experiences frost heave.
Another thing that makes this method great for you tube is that professional contractors are never going to adopt this for slabs because the wetting process takes too long. So you have a great source of conflict (content) between the DIY community and tradesman.
Thanks for the comment.
It can't be any worse than the pro wet pour driveways you see everywhere. cracking, chipping. I have a black lab I'll let you know what he thinks
My only question with drey pouring steps is, how long before you can use the steps? I've seen everything from two days to two weeks.
I got suspicious when I saw concrete pro's on UA-cam intentionally trying to make this look bad. Those who know concrete, know that we make a lot of compromises with the standard mixes to make them workable.
Larger aggregate and less water to cement ratio to name two. We add too much water to our current mixes to make them workable and lose an "acceptable" amount of PSI. Same with rocks, larger aggregate ( less than 3 inches ) make concrete stronger. The premixed bags everyone uses are calibrated for wet pours and "workability". The biggest advantage to dry pour is adjusting these compromises.
I really think there might be something here if there is a standard way to meter and measure the watering processes. As well as design a dry pour premix. In theory it could be significantly stronger and more reliable. Think wicking underlining and fabric covering mats that standardize the water exposure rate.
All these people out here acting like wet pour concrete isn't cracking and spalding... lol. Wet pour is extremely error prone and stressful.
People are not stupid. People are interested in this because it is a big deal.
That is very well said. Only you will never hear it from concrete "pros"
Do a test block of dry pour concrete vs traditional wet mix. See which one is stronger. Test at different intervals. See how much weight it takes to break it. I really don't know. From what I read you sacrifice some of the strength by not having enough water when curing, but that is just what I read. Do a test and see what works for you.
yes, this is the right way. Just asserting that it works is interesting anecdotal evidence, but testing is the right way
This DOES NOT work in very dry soils, like Phx or Tucson or Las Vegas deserts. In these areas you most definitely need to pre-wet your soils.
Another work around is to do dry pour in 2 or 3 layers, I've done a layering method, it works fine. Follow up by keeping your concrete (and nearby soil) damp for a couple days.
Thanks for your videos there seems to be a lot of people out there trying to proof it won't work. Our 300sq. Ft. Slab will cost about one thousand that's 3 and a half inch thick. My equipment is not high tech a pickaxe, shovel, wheelbarrow.takes time if I wasn't doing this I would probably be watching TV all day
, I have managed to loose a few pounds 😊.
Following for the dry pour. What is a good rule of thumb for depth of a dry pour? 4 inches?
Really depends on the use but 3.5 to 4 inches seems to be general use. Ive done pads as shallow as 2 inches for a landing off deck stairs (not recommended) and after 15 years it never cracked. Anything else dont go less than 3.5or 4 inches
I saw a video today from Cajun ( something). They live in a humid area and say thay routinely do walkways using the small side of a 2x4.
How do you get the correct mix if there is no mix?
I agree with you 100%.
thanks for this info
Thanks for your opinion
What do you think about dry pouring a slab for a garage😬 it’s not something that would need to be finished and cured quickly. My other question is could you dry pour in layers?
I have watched a number of videos and known people that dry pour, but none have tried to park a car on it. With any concrete, id more recommend sections rather than layers. With all that said, id park a car on mine if it cured long enough.
@@StationSt definitely gonna try to “pour” a bigger slab and park a car after it’s cured.
Bagged concrete is the most expensive form of concrete you can buy. If that isn't enough, the 'misting' process is really bad method.
I've done a concrete driveway drypour, but effectively it is more 'mixed in place' because you need wet concrete to trowel a finish on it that makes the surface strong/hard to withstand car tire twisting on it. My driveway is still good after 5 years now (long before "Cajun" videos)
The funny thing is, a dry pour is "the way they've always done it" in a number of places for certain applications anyway. It's not like it just appeared one day as a TikTok trend or a UA-cam video and suddenly everyone's lemming'd themselves over a cliff with it.
That is correct. Who knows how long it's been around.
Saw some people comment that the Romans used to do a dry pour process... which i think is entirely possible.
The million view youtube videos creators must be genius inventors who figured how to do this incorrectly and told everyone about it.
Planning on pouring a 8x12. Do I need rebar and should I divide it into a couple sections? For shed, heaviest thing will be a riding lawnmower
Rebar is always recommended. No need to divide it with a pad that size.
Can you do the driveway with it ? Anybody can answer me, will appreciate it thank you.
Not the way "Cajun" does it.