Do you have to edge concrete?

If the project is something like a driveway, patio or sidewalk, then you'll likely want to run a simple concrete edging tool around the outside of the slab. If you're doing a floor, you don't need to do this – hard edges are fine.

What is the purpose of edging concrete?

Concrete edging is a landscaping operation that is aimed at creating a border between two types of ground, like between the pawn and the flowered garden. The targeted goal is to impede the grass to invade the flower bed, but also to emphasize the flourishing landscape.

What happens if you dont finish concrete?

When you don't finish concrete floors, many things can occur such as wear and tear in high traffic areas, unwanted and unsightly cracks, higher associated costs, increased cleaning and maintenance, and water retention.

Do I need the line on concrete slab?

As concrete carries load, shifts, expands and contracts, pressure builds up. This pressure can crack weak spots in a concrete slab. Without control lines your concrete can crack in random areas throughout the slab and those cracks can then spread.

How long do you wait before edging concrete?

Allow all of the water to disappear before you do anything else. This can take 20 minutes or 4 hours depending on the temperature, humidity and how hard the wind is blowing. After the bleed water is all gone you can get out your steel finishing trowel and put on the final touches.

Tips on edging concrete

Can you edge concrete after it dries?

It is possible to smooth concrete after it dries, but in many cases, it requires a fresh layer of concrete over the top of the dried surface. This can allow you to keep the surface smooth and even, even though the concrete is completely dry.

How big can a concrete slab be without expansion joints?

Rule #1 – Keep joints as square as possible. Rule #2 – In order to prevent intermediate cracking, space joints (in feet) no more than 2 – 3 times the slab thickness (in inches).

Does concrete need expansion joints?

Concrete expansion joints are particularly important where there have been consecutive concrete pours and are also useful when laying concrete within an area bordered by walls or buildings or if objects such as manhole covers need to be incorporated.

How deep do you cut expansion joints in concrete?

Cut joints 25% of the depth of the slab. A 4" thick slab should have joints 1" deep. Groover tools cut joints in fresh concrete. Saw cutting cuts joints as soon as the concrete is hard enough that the edges abutting the cut don't chip from the saw blade.

Can you leave concrete forms on too long?

In short, there is no such thing as leaving concrete forms on for too long, as they will simply continue the curing process as the forms remain in place. However, there is no real need to leave forms on for longer than necessary.

Can concrete be overworked?

Never overwork or over finish the surface of any exposed concrete slab. This brings too much fine material to the surface, works out the designed air entrainment*, and will weaken the surface of the slab leaving the top of slab more vulnerable to freeze/thaw damage and sheet scaling*.

Can you put a thin layer of concrete over concrete?

Is it okay to pour concrete over existing concrete? Yes, you can put new concrete over old concrete providing there are no issues such as significant cracks of frost heaves with your existing concrete. A new layer of concrete should be about two inches to ensure an even, strong coverage.

Does concrete edging last?

With proper care and maintenance, concrete edging can last anywhere for 10 to 30 years.

Is concrete Landscape curbing worth it?

Durability of Poured Concrete Edging

Concrete is one of the most durable types of garden and lawn edging that you can choose. It isn't prone to rotting, warping, separating or other types of deterioration, even in extreme weather conditions.

How deep should a concrete curb be?

You can go as wide as you like, but the strongest concrete edging is at least 3½ inches wide and deep. Additionally, at least two inches of that depth should be below the surface of the soil; this below-grade portion holds the border securely in place.

What happens if you don't put expansion joints in concrete?

Concrete expansion joints give the slabs just enough room to move which helps prevent cracks & buckling. Without these joints, even a little movement creates pressure and stress on the concrete. Eventually weak spots can crack or buckle.

Where should I put expansion joints in concrete?

Expansion joints are put in place before the concrete is poured. Expansion joints are used to allow the slab to move and not put stress on whatever it abuts. These joint are placed where a slab meets a building, where a slab meets another slab, and where a pool deck meets the coping.

What should I put between concrete slabs?

An expansion joint is a material placed in the cracks (or joints) between concrete slabs to protect the slabs from cracking when they contract and expand as the temperature changes. This material acts as a shock absorber, absorbing the stress from the slab's movement.

Should I saw cut my concrete slab?

Saw cuts are a used to create control joints in concrete, which help control where cracking occurs due to shrinkage. The cuts should be made at a predetermined spacing and only after the concrete has obtained sufficient strength but before internal cracking begins. Therefore, the timing of saw cuts is critical.

Does concrete need to be cut?

Cutting too early can mark the pavement surface as well as cause joint raveling. Late sawing can result in random concrete cracks. Shallow cracks aren't sufficient to prevent uncontrolled cracking while deep cuts are excessively labor intensive and undermine the aggregate interlock in the concrete.

Does a garage slab need expansion joints?

Many people understand that wood shrinks and expands as temperature and humidity ebb and flow through the year. But the same thing happens with concrete. That's why it is necessary to include expansion joints along the edges of the concrete garage floor as well as around posts or other protrusions in the slab.

What is the edge of concrete called?

Concrete edgers produce a neat rounded edge along the slab perimeter which helps the slab resist chipping and spalling damage after the forms are removed. An edger looks like a small trowel with one curved side.

Why does my concrete look rocky?

The main reason why your concrete looks rocky is because it wasn't tamped and floated properly. When you look at a smooth concrete patio, driveway, sidewalk or steps, what your actually seeing is cement and sand. This is because masons tamped the stones down and then smoothed the surface.