Screeding Concrete Against A Wall

Screeding concrete is one of the first steps in placing and finishing concrete.

Screeding concrete against a wall.

Screeding should begin as soon as possible after the concrete is poured. Screeding is the art of skimming or striking off the surface of the concrete after rough raking it. Screeding levels the concrete with the top of the forms and begins the process of forcing the larger aggregate below the surface. Your goal is to level out marks and fill small holes left by screeding.

Screeding when done properly will leave you with a good even flat surface free of humps bumps holes and low spots. The distance from the bottom edge of the 2 by 6 or 8 to the bottom of the u notch will be 2. Take a 2 x 2 and tack it to the wall 2 above the grade of the finished concrete. This step in the finishing operation is the most important in producing a true plane surface and takes place immediately after the spreading of the concrete.

Work your way downhill if applicable drawing excess concrete into low spots and holes. When you re hand screeding use a sawing motion across the guides as you creep forward along the guides. This can usually be accomplished by some diyers on a small scale like a sidewalk for example. Straightedges are used to strikeoff or screed the concrete.

This process removes excess concrete and brings the top surface of the concrete to proper grade. It must be completed before excess bleedwater appears on the surface.