PSA: tried mixing concrete by hand for a small gate post job... big mistake

Last week I had to set a single gate post in a tight spot where I couldn't get my mixer close. Figured I'd just mix a couple bags in a wheelbarrow by hand like the old days. Took me almost 45 minutes to get the consistency right and my arms were dead by the end. The post ended up slightly out of plumb because I was rushing. Next time I'm renting a portable mixer for $35 even for small jobs. Anyone else try hand mixing and regret it or is there a trick I'm missing?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesley6397d ago

My buddy tried the drill paddle method and ended up with concrete splattered all over his garage wall. He just sticks to the shovel and wheelbarrow now no matter how sore his arms get.

emma_jones7d ago

Wait have you ever tried those fiberglass rebar stakes? I was helping a friend set fence posts a while back and we used them to hold the post in place while the concrete set. Worked way better than the scrap wood I usually prop things up with. Speaking of which @wesley639 my neighbor actually had the same exact thing happen with the drill paddle method. He was mixing thinset for tile and it flew off into his face. He had little gray dots on his cheek for a week. Getting the concrete just right is tough though. I find that adding a little less water than the bag says and mixing it in stages helps me not rush the final result.

faith277d ago

Respectfully disagree with you here. A bit of water mix and a mud mixing paddle on a drill makes quick work of a couple bags, just let the post settle for a few minutes before you plumb it up.