I want to pour some cement around my house. We have a side walk
around our house and a 10 inch wide strips of dirt between the sidewalk
and our house. We use to have decorative rock there but now I would
like to fill it in with cement so no weed will grow. The more
expensive cement would give me a nicer surface finish but cost too
much. What about using the cheaper cement on the bottom (2" thick or
so) and 1/2" layer of better quality cement at the top layer while they
are both still wet. Can you do that or will the different shrink
rate be a problem. I assume if I let the bottom layer harden first
and then add the 1/2 inch cement later, it will not adhere as good.
Thanks.

It should work. Make sure you have all your work lined up in advance,
no second chances on this one.-Jitney

p.s. this area I am referring to is not a traffic area that would be
walked on. I am not sure what else to put there besides concrete
so it looks clean. We use to have white decorative rocks there, but
they quickly look messy from the debris that falls from our trees.
I did not like stones either because our toddlers like to spread them
all over our lawn.

First some terminology.
Cement, such as Portland cement, is a component of concrete.
Concrete concatins cement, sand and gravel typicly.
Mortar is cement, sand and lime, no gravel, used for setting brick or block.

For your job you want concrete, not cement. I'm sure thats what you meant.

I'm not aware of a wide variety in prices of different concretes. There are
some with additional components to cause them to set faster, slower or
harder. You do not need any of these for your project. So, just use the
cheap stuff.

Do the math on how much you will need before you begin. You will be
surprised how many bags you need from the home center. Each 90lb bag is good
for 2/3 cubic feet. Sidewalks are typicly done at 4" thick. You do not say
how long of a section you need to do. Lets assume 10 feet, you can do the
math from there... 10'x10"x4" = .102881 cubic yards or 2.778 cubic feet.
4.164 bags for each 10 foot section. Also, 90lb bags are becoming uncommon
at home centers. 60 and 40lb bags are more common these days. See if a local
company can deliver this for you, pre-mixed. Usually 1 cubic yard is minimum
charge around here and costs about $100 delivered. YMMV. Some will come by
after delivering a large load somewhere else and sell you whats left in
truck. Probably a minimum charge applies here. Doesn't hurt to ask.

Good luck.

wrote in message
ups.com...
I want to pour some cement around my house. We have a side walk
around our house and a 10 inch wide strips of dirt between the sidewalk
and our house. We use to have decorative rock there but now I would
like to fill it in with cement so no weed will grow. The more
expensive cement would give me a nicer surface finish but cost too
much. What about using the cheaper cement on the bottom (2" thick or
so) and 1/2" layer of better quality cement at the top layer while they
are both still wet. Can you do that or will the different shrink
rate be a problem. I assume if I let the bottom layer harden first
and then add the 1/2 inch cement later, it will not adhere as good.
Thanks.

wrote:
I want to pour some cement around my house. We have a side walk
around our house and a 10 inch wide strips of dirt between the
sidewalk and our house. We use to have decorative rock there but
now I would like to fill it in with cement so no weed will grow.
The more expensive cement would give me a nicer surface finish but
cost too much. What about using the cheaper cement on the bottom
(2" thick or so) and 1/2" layer of better quality cement at the top
layer while they are both still wet.

What is "cheaper cement"? AFAIK, concrete (not cement) is pretty much
the same other than in strength and that doesn't affect the surface
finish.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On 19 Aug 2005 06:51:38 -0700, wrote:

I want to pour some cement around my house. We have a side walk
around our house and a 10 inch wide strips of dirt between the sidewalk
and our house. We use to have decorative rock there but now I would
like to fill it in with cement so no weed will grow.

I can understand this desire, but before you rashly fill in this area,
consider where else rain water will go, if it can't soak in there.
Sometimes patches of ground like this serve as a sort of drain, and if
you block it, the water needs somewhere else to go. Heaven forbid
that it should end up in your basement. Just a thought.

I would think the reverse would happen, it would improve my drainage.
Right now I have a sidewalk and a 10" wide strip of dirt bordering
around my house. So it fit rains the water goes in the dirt which
is touching my house. If I fill it with concrete and put a slight
slope to it, so the rain will run off the 10" strip down to the
sidewalk and all the way to the lawn which is 40" away from the house.
Would you not want water further away from your house?

I would think the reverse would happen, it would improve my drainage.
Right now I have a sidewalk and a 10" wide strip of dirt bordering
around my house. So it fit rains the water goes in the dirt which
is touching my house. If I fill it with concrete and put a slight
slope to it, so the rain will run off the 10" strip down to the
sidewalk and all the way to the lawn which is 40" away from the house.
Would you not want water further away from your house?

lbbss

thanks.


lbbss