Laying concrete

Always wear gloves as splashes can irritate and burn the skin. If you do get concrete on your skin wash it off with plenty of water immediately.

When you are moving the concrete from the mixer to the point of laying, do not overfill the barrow, as any slops will be unsightly, kill grass and be difficult to clean up afterwards. Also a heavy wheelbarrow full of liquid can be hard to control over uneven ground.

Start in one corner and work backwards, achieving the finished level with you float or tamping bar before moving on to the next section. In the same way as you would ice a cake, put an appropriate amount of concrete in the middle and then spread and manipulate the concrete making sure that you have sufficient before pushing it down to the final level. Work only in one direction at a time and do not leave any unfinished sections before moving on. Do not be rushed by the person delivering the concrete to you (if you are so lucky) and leave it in the barrow until you are ready to receive it.

When you have finished laying a section, immediately clean all you tools and put the unused concrete to good use.
Never be tempted to bury it.