Driveway Remodel Part 4

Pour Day! Any concrete pour is a team effort, and my contribution was to set my alarm for 6:00 am (!) and be ready to open the garage door. The pour begins with a truck which carries up to nine cubic yards of concrete. I've been wondering if this is the source of the phrase "the whole nine yards" ?  The truck dispensers the specified mix into a hopper which is connected to a high powered concrete pump which is parked behind the truck (yellow thing in the photo).

The pump dispenses concrete from a four inch diameter feed pipe - the pump and pipe requires a two man crew. 

Another crew member with a spade follows the pump - the spade is used to push down and agitate the fresh concrete which releases any air pockets.

The first step in finishing is known as "rodding" and this begins as soon as a sizeable section of concrete has been pumped into the driveway. Two crew members work the surface with a straight 2" x 4" to establish a mostly level surface at the desired grade. Pumping concrete continues unabated in the adjacent area.

After rodding, the concrete is worked over with a four foot wooden bull float which is the first step in establishing a flat surface - the bull float works out the high spots and helps identify any low points.

Control joints are established early n the process.

This is later after the second concrete truck has arrived and rodding of the "phase #2" section is underway:

As the pour continues up the driveway, hand finishing of the first section begins:

Control joints are established initially with a string line. The crew have a variety of extension poles which can be used to access areas that are otherwise out of reach. It the photo below a string line is tied to a pole in order to snap a faint line....

...which can be followed by the jointing tool:

A two-foot bull float is used to smooth out the surface after jointing:

By now the third truck is dispensing the final section of the driveway:

At the same time, the first section is being hand finished for the second time:

The final step is a broom finish: 50% horse hair, 50% nylon, which provides a non-slip surface:

This process continues through each section of the pour...

All done!

Pour day plus five - we have been watering the concrete am and pm every day; this is important to slow the curing which helps prevent cracking in areas beyond the control joints. 

Pour day plus seven - the driveway is open for business! We will be watering the concrete at least nce a day for another week; full curing tales 28 days.

To be continued...