The courtyard of a private house is a place that is assigned a lot of tasks. Family meetings can be held here for lunch or dinner, and this is not to mention the constant movement of all household members. On the other hand, the local area must meet general principles and harmonize with surrounding buildings. Therefore, covering the yard of a private house must be not only strong and durable to withstand all the loads, and also cute to please the eye and . These requirements are met to varying degrees by several materials, which, by the way, can be combined with each other.

No. 1. Paving slabs

Deservedly considered one of the most aesthetically attractive coatings, therefore it is often used to organize the territory of a private house. It contains not only playgrounds, but also paths. Concrete tiles vibration pressing and vibration casting:

• vibropressed tiles– the most durable and great for organization,
• vibration-cast– is quite slightly inferior to it in terms of strength characteristics, but superior in variety of shapes and colors.

Clinker paving stones looks especially attractive, which is why it has found widespread use on European streets and squares. It is made from clay, feldspar and quartz, and in terms of performance it is almost as good as natural stone. For the yard, this is actually the ideal covering. Even more durable is, and polymer-sand has the lowest price, as it is made on the basis of sand and dyes.

The advantages of paving slabs include:

• chic appearance and the ability to create a variety of patterns;
• durability;
• environmental friendliness;
• weather resistance;
• Possibility on uneven surfaces;
• high maintainability, since if something happens, individual damaged elements can be easily replaced;
• , but goes through the seams between the tiles;
• ease of care.

There is also: the relatively high cost of coating and installation time.

No. 2. Asphalt

If tiles seem too expensive for arranging the yard of a private house, then the best alternative is. Low price- not the only advantage coverage that is familiar to all of us. Other advantages include:

• high strength, so the car can be parked in the yard without any doubt;
• moisture resistance;
• easy care;
• the opportunity to cover not only the usual gray, but also red or green;
• high laying speed. Specialists will cope with asphalting a fairly large area in one day, but it will take several days to arrange the same area with tiles;
• A high-quality coating will last a long time, and if necessary, it will be available.

TO shortcomings asphalt pavement include a specific smell during the heat, which makes itself felt the first time after installation. Many people find fault with appearance asphalt, but this is a purely subjective opinion. Often the disadvantages include the rapid appearance of cracks and the formation of puddles, but these problems arise when the asphalt laying technology is violated. If the work was carried out by professionals using appropriate equipment and materials, cracks will not soon make themselves felt.

Residents of Moscow and the Moscow region can trust their asphalt paving local area company "Asphalt-Quality": on the page http://asfalt-kachestvo.ru examples of work, information about its own asphalt concrete plant, and the equipment used are presented. The company's specialists can provide free consultation.

No. 3. Concrete

A worthy alternative to asphalt paving is concreting, especially since you can even handle the arrangement of a small area yourself. A concrete platform can have either the simplest gray surface or be decorated with pebbles, pieces ceramic tiles , glass and other elements. Concrete can be painted in the desired color, made on its surface imitation tile seams or even with your own hands make tiles out of it required shape and size.

The main advantages of concrete pavement:

• relative cheapness;
• high strength;
• resistance to high humidity;
• the opportunity to do the work yourself;
• the ability to fill a site of any shape and decorate it however you like, turning a boring concrete surface into a decoration for the entire area.

TO shortcomings consider the high labor intensity of all work, because you will have to deal with preparing the base and preparing a large amount of concrete - this is not so much difficult as it requires time and physical strength. On monolithic concrete sites, cracks appear relatively quickly.

No. 4. Natural stone

Natural stone – beautiful, durable but very expensive material. If funds allow, such coverage will become great decoration territory and will emphasize the status of the owner. The benefits also include a variety of colors and textures different breeds, completely environmentally friendly and resistant to precipitation, temperature changes and other negative natural influences.

Among shortcomings heavy weight, difficult to transport and lay, expensive, but the price range for stone is wide: sandstone and limestone, for example, are not as expensive as granite or marble. In winter, a slippery ice film forms on the surface of the stone, which must be constantly removed mechanically, or use heating of the adjacent area to prevent the formation of ice.

No. 5. Rubber tiles

Having appeared quite recently, it has already won the title of one of the best and most practical coverings for the local area. By the way, it can also be used if there are paths on the site. Coating in progress based on crumb rubber, polyurethane, coloring and modifying additives, is distinguished by a variety of shapes and colors.

Advantages:

• high strength and wear resistance. The tile can easily withstand the load from a car and the fall of heavy objects;
• durability, preservation of aesthetic and operational qualities over a long period;
• moisture resistance, sun rays, high temperatures;
• pleasant shock-absorbing surface that softens falls;
• the rough surface of the tile has an anti-slip effect, so when wet the material is absolutely safe;
• a wide variety of colors and shapes. Rubber tiles can imitate paving slabs and paving stones;
• easy installation and maintenance.

Among cons low fire resistance, so areas with open fire (for example) are better equipped with a different coating.

Rubber tiles can be different thicknesses, from 1 to 4.5 cm. To arrange a yard, the thinnest tiles are quite enough, but for it it is necessary to prepare a base - concrete or asphalt the area. If you don’t want to waste time on preparation, you can use more expensive tiles 4 cm thick - they can be mounted on a loose compacted base, incl. sand, crushed stone and soil.

No. 6. Lawn covering

On a site outside the city, where you want to take a break from the bustle of the city, asphalt and concrete, it is better to use natural materials, For example, . Such a courtyard will look cozy, and the surface of the area will be in harmony with the plantings and environment However, it is better to take a lawn that is as trampling-resistant as possible, but it is better not to use even that - this is an option for recreation areas and places with the least load.

Among cons lawn coverage requires constant care: fertilizing, pruning, weed control, reseeding in the most trampled places. But walking on the grass will be very pleasant, you can even move barefoot, and children will have a reduced risk of injury if they fall during games.

No. 7. Bulk coating

Bulk covering in yards is not often installed, since it main drawback – difficulty in care, inability to sweep it up, as well as a tendency to spread beyond the designated boundaries. On the other hand, with the help bulk material You can organize a site of any shape. Bulk paths are made from:

No. 8. Garden parquet

Garden parquet, also called, is far from the most popular covering for the local area of ​​your own plot, but it can still be used. Among the types of decking, the one that is produced solid wood, treated with protective agents or temperature, and the one that is obtained from a mass of sawdust and a polymer binder. The first one is more suitable, but composite decking is a more or less suitable material for arranging a yard. Among his main advantages:

• durability;
• resistance to high humidity and sunlight;
• corrugated anti-slip profile;
• ease of installation;
• quick drying;
• variety of colors and shapes.

Composite decking, of course, is inferior in appearance and environmental friendliness to natural ones, but requires minimal care and is more resistant to negative environmental factors. This coating will cost slightly more than many analogues.

No. 9. Tennisit

This is a relatively new coating that has not yet become widespread, but in all respects it is excellent for arranging the yard of a private house. Tennisite, as its name suggests, is a coating that is used on tennis courts, it is made on the basis of clay, lime and crumbs ceramic bricks, therefore the color has a corresponding one - shades of terracotta, brown and yellow.

Pros:

• high strength;
• shock-absorbing properties;
• puddles will not form - the coating is capable of absorbing moisture;
• environmental friendliness;
• easy care.

Among cons– impossibility self-installation, because it is necessary to use a vibrating roller. In addition, during the heat, tennisite tends to become dusty and covered with cracks, so it is definitely necessary, but it is not difficult.

Owners of private houses have gotten used to using even the covers from plastic bottles and other available materials, so the choice of suitable coating with the listed materials is not limited.

Pouring concrete is considered a cheap way to help tidy up the area near the house. Although the procedure is not easy, if you follow the technology and sequence, you can cope without the help of a specialist. Concreting the yard of a private house will help solve the problem of uneven surfaces.

Preparing for work

basis quality process is the fill level screed, which can withstand a mass of concrete. To do this, the area must be dug up and the surface leveled. If the soil is infertile, then soil should be added so that the shrinkage process occurs and the base is well compacted. For strengthening, coarse crushed stone is added to the pouring technology. It creates a durable cushion for further work and protects the base from subsidence.

Before starting, you need to mark the boundaries of the future area for concreting and dig up or bring in soil for leveling. Afterwards, a bedding is created, which helps create drainage and normal moisture absorption. Its basis is sand and gravel in equal proportions. The sand layer should not be less than 5 cm. After falling asleep, compaction is done so that the surface is compacted and the base no longer sag. The process of leveling and compaction is carried out using a rule or a channel (for this, a convenient handle is welded to the surface).

Experts advise moistening the sand with plenty of water, then the mass will compact faster. After drying, a layer of fine crushed stone (5 cm, like sand) is poured. Sometimes large material is used, but its particles create gaps, which complicates the filling process. After completing the preparatory stage, you can proceed to the next part.

Filling stage

First you need to prepare the tools necessary for the job. Since the mixture is high temperature hardens faster, the preparatory stage must be carried out quickly. In the process of pouring concrete for the yard you will need:

• shovel and profile for drywall;
• level for leveling the base;
• rule or board for quick couplers and surface adjustments.

In order for the surface to be free of flaws, you need to choose the required form and fix it. For this purpose, builders create formwork. Can be used wooden boards or other materials with a smooth surface and a hard base. The installation process follows the edges of the pour and creates a form for the concrete. Wooden stakes are used for support. Wooden supports are also made between the side panels so that in the process the concrete does not disturb the created shape and the formwork does not sag. Struts rest on the stakes at a slight angle so that wooden support withstood the weight of the poured mass.

In order to carry out concreting of the local area and equip your yard with reliable paths and durable platforms that can withstand high loads, it is not at all necessary to turn to professionals for help. Concreting, although a labor-intensive process, is by no means difficult - if you wish, it is quite possible to do this work yourself.

In this article, we will talk in detail about how to do it yourself when concreting a yard and will reveal all the subtleties thanks to which the paths and platforms you have built will please the eye for many years.

How to concrete a yard

Do-it-yourself concreting of the yard: preparatory work

It is quite difficult to shovel a huge amount of soil by hand, but the question of how to concrete a yard cannot be resolved without this. In principle, you can fill paths and platforms simply on top of a leveled base. Only in this case will it be necessary to import additional soil, and this is a considerable financial expense.

In general, look at the situation, if the yard is an infertile base, and you cannot do without adding fertile soil, then concreting can be done without removing the soil.

In such a situation, at the stage of preparatory work, it will be enough to mark the areas to be filled and fill them with gravel. The last step can also be abandoned if the construction was carried out on clay soil (it’s no secret that clay practically does not shrink).

But let's return to normal conditions, when the local area is a plot of fertile black soil - in such situations it is advisable to move the fertile soil to more suitable place, and the concreting should be done at a level with the terrain.

Preparing to pour concrete paths

To begin with, the paths, blind areas and platforms should be marked - excess soil should not be moved, as it will have to be returned back. And this is, to say the least, a stupid job. The next step in deciding how to properly fill a yard with concrete is to remove the soil - as a rule, the soil is removed to a depth of 200mm. Why is so much soil removed?

Because in addition to concrete, in these places it will be necessary to make a kind of drainage to remove moisture from the underlying concrete. This will be the next stage of work, which provides an answer to the question, how to concrete the area for a car or path?

Where to start concreting the yard

Drainage or, as it is also called, bedding under a concrete pad, consists of two uniform layers of sand and crushed stone. To begin with, pour a 50mm layer of sand into the recesses left after removing the soil. It must be compacted in the most thorough manner - to perform this work you will need to make a so-called tamper.

It is a large piece of channel, to which a pipe handle is welded - by lifting and forcefully lowering this channel onto the sand, it is compacted.

You can go more in a simple way- in this case, the sand is simply spilled with plenty of water, after which it settles itself as it needs. The disadvantage of this method is the need to use a large amount of water, which is expensive. The next layer is crushed stone of a small or medium fraction - it is carefully leveled and compacted, just like sand. The crushed stone layer should be 50-70mm.

Do-it-yourself concreting of the yard: technology

After completing these preparatory work, the actual pouring of the paths with concrete begins.

Concreting technology: features and nuances of the process

When starting work on pouring a concrete platform or path, the first thing you need to do is install the formwork, thereby preventing uncontrolled spreading of the concrete. Almost any unnecessary material can be used as formwork building material– the main thing is that it is even and smooth.

Old boards, slate, scraps of OSB or chipboard are suitable - if desired, you can even cut old cabinets that you are going to throw away into formwork, or plastic panels, left over from the porch filing. By the way, plastic will become an indispensable assistant when constructing curved concrete paths, since it bends well. The formwork is installed along the edges of the platforms, i.e. with its help, the contours of paths and sidewalks are set.

When the formwork is ready, it’s time to take care of the strength and durability of the concrete, and these properties are ensured by nothing more than reinforcement. Concrete can be reinforced either with a special metal mesh or with any available metal. If you have old, rusty reinforcement or pipe scraps, they can be used; it is also possible to use even steel wire, stretching it properly over the concreting area.

If we consider this process from the point of view of simplicity and ease of operation, then, undoubtedly, the best option will use ready-made reinforcing mesh with a cell of 100x100 or 200x200mm. It is simply laid on top of the crushed stone fill, overlapping each other. There should be no gaps between its individual elements, otherwise it will be a guaranteed crack.

Guides or beacons will ensure the evenness of the surface layer of concrete. At normal conditions beacons are installed in the horizontal plane. And in a situation with a local area, this condition can be partially observed for one simple reason - if concrete is poured into a level, then its consumption will be incredibly high.

And there is no need for this, because inclined paths and platforms will ensure high-quality drainage of rain and melt water from the local area. It is for this reason that beacons are installed in the selected plane - it is not tied to the horizon or only one side is tied to it.

But let's return to our beacons - as a rule, drywall profiles are used in their role. This is the most cheap material, allowing it to be used to ensure a smooth front surface concrete screed. The profiles are installed on the mortar slides - when they dry (after 24 hours), the final stage of work begins, which involves the process of making a concrete path with your own hands.

How to properly pour concrete in a yard

Concreting is a simple process, but labor-intensive. And you can do it in two ways: order ready-made concrete from a company specializing in these types of work or prepare it yourself. It is advisable to choose the first option for solving this issue in case of a large amount of concreting. If we are talking about a small and short path, then you can prepare the concrete yourself by mixing it in a concrete mixer or in an unnecessary trough.

Concrete is prepared as follows: 1 part cement, 3 parts sand and 2 parts crushed stone are poured into a trough or concrete mixer. All ingredients are first mixed dry, then water is added and the dry mixture is diluted with water to medium thickness.

The finished solution is poured between the beacons and carefully leveled with an even lath or plaster rule. Everything here is simple and clear.

Pouring concrete paths with your own hands

To conclude our consideration of the question of how to concrete a yard with your own hands, I will tell you how to give high strength to concrete. There is nothing complicated in this process - in order for the concrete to gain strength without cracking, it needs to be allowed to dry slowly.

To do this, after the water has drained from the concrete, it is simply covered with cellophane film, thus preventing the rapid evaporation of the liquid. If the weather is not very hot, then the concrete can simply be watered with water from a hose periodically (morning, evening and afternoon).

How to properly pour concrete in a yard - detailed instructions with photo

Sooner or later, every owner of a private house or cottage faces the question of arranging a yard. After all, we need paths for walking, all kinds of areas for parking a car or preparing a barbecue - you really shouldn’t stir up the mud after the rain, right? This is where concreting is needed.

You may say: “What about paving stones or paving slabs?” Yes, it’s beautiful, but in order for all kinds of paths and areas laid out paving slabs, have served for a long time, you need to make a permanent foundation - pour a concrete “cushion” for them. Pouring the yard with concrete pursues not only decorative purposes- a special blind area made around the house prevents rain and melt water from eroding the soil under the foundation and, thereby, prevents subsidence of the building.

And now the main thing that may bother you is the process itself, how to pour concrete in a yard. How to do concrete path or fill the site? These are the questions we will try to find answers to.

Pouring concrete with your own hands in the yard

Concreting a local area is a little different from, say, concreting the floors of large areas in shops and enterprises. If the latter requires a clear area maintaining a horizontal level, then in the garden or in the courtyard of a house it is almost impossible to maintain the horizon in most cases. This nuance is related to the terrain. That is why you will have to forget about traditional levels and levels and learn how to how to pour concrete in a yard on a flat plane.

Stage 1. Set up beacons

An excellent device for placing beacons in a plane is the so-called “spider”. Four tightly stretched threads will help outline the boundaries of the plane as best as possible. How to make it? The thing is quite simple - we drive wooden or metal pins into the ground along the edges of the concrete-filled area. It should look something like a rectangle.

From pin to pin we tightly stretch two parallel threads, between which we stretch two more perpendicularly - they need to be tied directly to the already stretched threads. You will get something like sliders - two perpendicular threads should move over the entire area pouring concrete into the yard. It is precisely by touching them that beacons are installed.

Now you need to choose the right plane. It all depends on the terrain and where you want to direct the rain and melt water. But in any case, you need to start, first of all, from the thickness of the site filled with concrete - who needs a concrete pad twenty or even more centimeters thick? The best option for concreting and platforms there is a layer of concrete not exceeding 10 cm. By lowering or raising the tensioned threads along the pins driven into the ground, we establish the plane we need.

It may happen that one of the sides of the platform will have to be oriented according to the level - the plane unscrewed by the propeller looks rather clumsy. The question arises of how to install a tensioned thread in a level. For these purposes, there is a small special level equipped with hooks with which it is suspended on a thread. We hook it and, again, by raising or lowering the thread on one of the pins, we achieve its clear position in the horizontal level.

Only after creating the “spider” and orienting it in space can you begin to directly install the beacons.

Next, mix the solution (preferably using a concrete mixer) and apply it in small slides arranged in one row. We press a drywall profile into these slides, which acts as a beacon. At this very moment, you will need a stretched “spider” - the installed beacon along the entire length must be checked for contact with the threads. They should slightly touch the profile.

This is how all the necessary beacons are installed, the distance between which must correspond to the length of the rule for stretching concrete. The beacons are left to dry for about 24 hours.

Stage 2. How to make a concrete path, or the role of reinforcement in concreting paths and platforms

Concrete, no matter how thick a layer you pour it, tends to crack over time. For the most part, cracks form at the junction of several portions of concrete poured at intervals of a day. If you have finished producing for today concrete work and you are going to continue tomorrow, then in the absence of reinforcement or at least a metal mesh in the concrete, the probability of a crack appearing at the junction of yesterday’s and today’s concrete is one hundred percent.

That is why a grid of reinforcement or thick wire is laid between the beacons - this guarantees that the concrete yard will maintain its integrity for a long time.

How to concrete a yard correctly

Stage 3. Pouring the yard with concrete - concrete pouring technology

Before you start pouring concrete into your yard, first, let's learn how to mix the solution correctly. And let's start by determining its proportions components. As a rule, concrete contains three components: cement, sand and crushed stone - they are mixed in a ratio of one to four. There is no need to save money here, everything must be strictly observed - 1 bucket of cement, 3 buckets of sand and 1 bucket of crushed stone. Variations are possible, such as two sand and two crushed stones - only in this case you need to remember that the more crushed stone there is in concrete, the more difficult it is to stretch and level it without special mechanized equipment (it’s called a vibrating screed).

We pour water into the concrete mixer (its quantity will have to be determined through experiments, from experience I can only say one thing - for a portion of concrete based on 1 bucket of cement, approximately 1.5-2 buckets of water will be required), add the rest of the ingredients there and mix thoroughly. Well-mixed concrete can be identified by color (sand should not be visible) and uniformity of the mass.

Now you can fill it up! We unload the concrete onto the ground and, using a shovel, distribute it evenly between a pair of beacons. The layer of distributed concrete should be slightly higher than the installed beacons.

Now we take the rule, a flat slats or whatever else you come up with, install it on two beacons, and, as if on rails, making reciprocating movements left and right, we pull the concrete towards ourselves. In this way, you need to make two or three passes - the task is to remove all excess concrete.

How to properly pour concrete in a yard - photo

So, batch by batch, methodically, alternating the process of preparing the mixture with its direct pouring, the concreting of the platforms is carried out and garden paths. Finally, the day after pouring, when the concrete has cooled a little and you can walk on it, the concrete surface needs to be cleaned - to remove possible sagging and bumps. For these purposes, you can usually use ordinary sand-lime brick, using it as a scraper.

Sergei Golikov spoke about how to fill the yard with concrete.

If you are faced with such a task as concreting a yard, do not rush to look for a master who will have to pay a lot of money for the work. Arranging your own territory with comfortable paths or hardy areas for a car can be done with your own hands.

Properly concreting the area around a private house does not mean facing an impossible task. It is enough to carefully study the technological rules and you can begin the construction process. Let's try to present in detail the material on how to correctly complete all stages of work and get desired result, which will delight the owners for many years.

Preparation for the main work

Digging up a large area of ​​soil is labor-intensive and time-consuming work, but the technology provides for such a process and it is unlikely to be possible without it.

Of course, you can simply level the base and lay asphalt on top of it or concrete covering, however, here you will have to bring in additional soil, otherwise the screed will not hold properly and will simply crumble.

Adding soil

If the soil around the house is infertile and you will need topping anyway good soil, That top layer You don't have to take it off. IN in this case preparatory work will consist of marking the area for pouring and filling it with crushed stone. If the base of the yard is clay, which does not shrink, you can do without crushed stone.

Soil removal

If the yard is covered with fertile black soil, it would be more expedient to move it to the place of flower beds or beds, where it will be very useful, and it is better to arrange concrete or asphalt at the same level with the relief. To do this, at the very beginning, mark the boundaries of the paths or site and, guided by them, remove the soil.

On average, it is necessary to remove a layer of 20 cm. This may seem like too much, but you need to take into account the arrangement of drainage to dry out moisture, which negatively affects the concrete surface. This stage will be the next after removing the layer of earth.

Drainage system

In this case, drainage is nothing more than a backfill under a “cushion” of concrete, which consists of two identical layers of sand and gravel. After the soil layer has been removed, add 5 cm of sand and compact it using a special device that you can easily make yourself. We will need a large channel onto which a pipe handle is welded. To tamp, you need to lift and forcefully lower the tool onto the sand. Or you can align everything with a rule, but this will be somewhat inconvenient.

To simplify this kind of work (tamping), you can spill sand with a large amount of water, and it will settle down in a dense layer. There is one drawback: water is an expensive resource, and its consumption will be impressive.

Now you can fill in the next layer of crushed stone 5 - 7 cm. It is recommended to take a medium or small fraction, as it compacts better. Large stones will leave gaps, and this will be a violation of technology, and it will not be possible to properly concrete the yard.

Main technological process

All preparatory stages can be considered complete, and it’s time to lay asphalt or install a concrete surface. Like any construction, the filling of paths and areas in the courtyard of a private house is carried out according to strict rules and is divided into several stages. To work you will need the following tools:

• shovel;
• profile for drywall;
• level;
• rule or board.

Formwork

To ensure that the concrete screed does not spread and hardens in the shape that it was decided to give it, it is necessary to build formwork. Any flat objects at hand are usually used as material, as long as they have a smooth surface. Here you may find it useful:

• boards (classic version);
• slate sheets;
• plastic panels.

It is plastic that will become indispensable when pouring curved curved paths, since the PVC structure bends well and is pliable in work. The formwork structure is mounted along the edge of the site and defines its contour. Its installation is simple: the boards are laid in the shape we need and supported by stakes driven into the ground.

Reinforcement

Having completed the installation of the formwork, they move on to reinforcement, which will provide special strength and durability of the screed. Typically, the solution is reinforced using construction metal mesh or various metal products. You can use fittings, rods, pipe cuttings or steel wire.

Of course, it is better to perform this process using a ready-made mesh. It is convenient to work with it, because the material lies evenly on the surface of the crushed stone flooring with an overlap (otherwise the screed will become covered with cracks). The thickness of the rods is about 6 mm, and the cell sizes are around 15 cm.

Lighthouses

In order for the concrete layer to have a sloping surface, it is necessary to use guide beacons in the work. The consumption of the solution increases significantly in this case, so this rule can only be partially applied in the local area.

Inclined surfaces of paths and platforms will be drained in a timely and efficient manner rainwater and rid the yard of puddles and stagnant melt liquid. Following this principle, it is better to install beacons along the required plane, without reference to horizontal lines.

What is the best material to make lighthouses from? Here the most appropriate profiles would be for plasterboard works. They have an affordable price, and the use of such material will ensure a perfectly smooth front surface. Since we are forming a platform with a sloping surface, metal profile mounted on slides made of construction mixture at different heights and using a level it is set at the desired slope.

It is necessary to wait for the solution to dry completely and make sure that the beacons are securely fastened. On average, this takes one day. Once everything is ready for the next step, you can continue the process of laying concrete on the paths or areas.

Concreting

Pouring the solution is a fairly simple but responsible process that can be carried out using ready-mixed concrete, ordered from the factory, or by self-cooking construction mixture. If you need to equip a large area of ​​the yard, then the first option would be more appropriate.

But in the case where the area to be filled is not very impressive, it is better to do everything yourself. For such work you will need a concrete mixer or an old unnecessary trough, which you won’t mind throwing away later.

Proportions and shading

1 part of M400 cement is placed in a concrete mixer or trough (for external work it is better to take frost-resistant grade F 200). Sand (3 parts) and crushed stone (2 parts) are added to the cement.

First, all components are mixed without water, and only then can liquid be carefully introduced until a solution of medium thickness is obtained (usually ½ of the amount of cement is required). Ready mix using a shovel, it is thrown onto the reinforcement between the profiles a few centimeters above the beacons. An even strip or plaster rule is stretched along the beacons, with the help of which the mortar is leveled.

In this way we remove excess concrete. Filling the paths must be done in one step, ensuring they dry evenly. If the screed sets in pieces, then at the joints of the material poured into different times, cracks will appear.

Technological clearances

In order to avoid damage to the coating during climate change, it is necessary to provide expansion joints. As is known, at low or high temperatures the material changes linear parameters (expands and contracts), so it is very important to create technological gaps. This is a simple process and will not cause any difficulties.

You can insert thin slats at the pouring stage and remove them until the concrete hardens. The second option involves “scraping out” strips of mortar before it hardens using a construction tool. If for some reason you did not provide technological seams, don't worry, it's easy to fix. Gaps can be cut with a grinder after the concrete has completely hardened.

Drying and processing

Filling the yard with concrete is almost complete, all that remains is to wait for the surface to dry (on average 24 - 48 hours) and clean it with a spatula or sand-lime brick from sagging and unevenness. If no temperature gaps were provided during the screed pouring process, they are cut through the dried concrete using a grinder.

However, there is one more point from which cement screed will gain strength - drying should be slow. What is needed for this?

Covering with film

After the water has left the surface of the concrete that has begun to set, it is covered with a film, and evaporation noticeably slows down. When the air temperature is very high, the area or path concreted near the house is watered with water.

Whatever you choose as a material for arranging your local area, asphalt or concrete, depends only on personal preferences. The main thing is that all stages of the construction process are carried out correctly and strictly according to technology.