Building Your Own Concrete Forms

Make sure you watch to see the falling concrete hasn t moved the strings.

Building your own concrete forms.

To form a concrete wall first set up plywood boards on either side of your concrete footer and attach them together with wire. 2 x 4 s and 3 4 forming plywood works best. Cut a 2x12 to length or splice it with a cleat for one side of the concrete forms and nail it to a corner stake. Then pour your concrete inside the form using a chute or hose attached to the mixer.

For a 5 in thick slab with thickened edges which is perfect for most garages and sheds 2x12 boards work best. To make the wall as strong as possible pour the concrete in layers no higher than 20 inches working from 1 end of the wall to the other. The 2 x 4 s should be no 2 kiln dried pine simply because it is cheap easy to work with and holds nails very well. Start by choosing straight form boards.

Simply pour the concrete into the form slowly and steadily. If they will be reused then use treated lumber. For a project such as this it is best to steer clear of quick drying cement formulas. Tie twine to the first stake and string it around the perimeter of the outline tying it to each stake.

Drive stakes into the ground at each corner of the outline. Lay your outline on the ground use the tape measure to ensure correct measurement and the carpenter s protractor to verify correct angles. Four effective methods for building concrete forms. The plywood needs to be of forming quality.

Level the 2x12 and nail it to the second corner stake. The form will be lightweight and strong.