How to Make a Grade on a Concrete Patio
- 1). Dig up any plants and remove any trees or fixtures in the area where you want your patio. Cut away large pieces of grass with a utility knife, separate the roots from the ground with a shovel and roll up the grass. Empty an area slightly larger than needed for your patio until nothing is left but bare soil.
- 2). Excavate the entire prepared area so that it is approximately 3 inches below the level of the surrounding ground. Measure the area from one end to the other with a measuring tape. Convert the measurement into feet, if it is not already.
- 3). Begin at the end of the patio closest to the major structure (usually your home). Mark each foot of the area with standard wooden stakes. Dig the ground between the starting edge of the area and the first stake evenly so that it is 3 1/4 inches deep, 1/4-inch deeper than before.
- 4). Dig the section of ground between the first and second stakes so that it is 1/2 inch deeper, a total of 3 1/2 inches deep. Remember to excavate as levelly as possible. Continue digging each staked section 1/4 inch deeper than the pervious one until you reach the far end of the pour area; finish your graded concrete patio as necessary.
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