Outdoor Bike Rack

Step 4 Mix the cement!

Now, start mixing the cement! The directions on the bags said to use very little water, and hence were not to be trusted. You basically have to follow your gut here. If the mix is to dry and crunchy, add more water. If it starts to look like watered down oatmeal, add more cement. Only do about one bag at a time, or it will be too much for the mixer.

A shovel here REALLY helps out. It allows you to have more control over what you're doing. Once you've got a good consistency going, let it mix for about 5 to 10 minutes. When you're ready, turn off the motor, and while one person tilts the mixer over, scoop out the cement and distribute it evenly throughout the setting area.

Since you're putting this straight onto dirt, the first layer doesn't really matter. Our area is about 4' by 2', and the depth was about 3 inches.

After the first layer is poured, subsequent layers should be smoothed using the paddle. You can do this while you're mixing the cement. It will give you a better idea of how much more cement you need. In our case, the pouring area was more or less flat, so we didn't have to worry about angling. But if you're doing this on a slope, this is the time to get the cement the right shape/angle for your particular application.