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How-To

Mixing Concrete by Hand

Mixing concrete by hand doesn't have to be difficult; this step-by-step guide shows you how to avoid concrete dust, save time, and more.

Some people might assume that mixing concrete by hand is easy: Buy a bag of premix, dump it in a wheelbarrow with some water, and mix it up. Sounds simple, until you get a face full of concrete dust or spend 5 minutes mixing a bag when it should take only 2 minutes. Here’s a method that makes light work of what can be a tedious task.

1. Fill the bottom of a standard wheelbarrow with about 1-1⁄2 in. of water.

2. Set the sack of concrete mix on end in the water.

bag of concrete in wheelbarrow; mixing concrete by hand
3. Open the bag by making a T-cut with a utility knife and laying back the flaps.

bag of concrete cut open
4. Slowly empty the concrete into the water; avoid dumping the bag as this creates dust.

concrete mix in water; mixing concrete by hand
5. The concrete should look like a small island with water all the way around it.

concrete mix in water
6. Pull some concrete into the water with a stiff rake, then push it back to the island. Repeat, pulling in a little more each time.

mixing concrete by hand
7. Mix the concrete until it’s the consistency of stiff cottage cheese.

pouring concrete
8. Pour the concrete directly into the hole or shovel it into a form.

RELATED STORIES

  • Working with Concrete
  • Choosing the Right Bagged Concrete Mix
  • Bucket-Mixed Concrete

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