Curb and gutter form is common concrete curb which is constructed in combination of concrete curb and a concrete gutter, the function of curb and gutter forms is the same as common concrete curb, to direct the water to the nearest drainage system. There are 2 types of curb and gutter forms which is Straight Curb & Gutter and Radius Curb & Gutter, obviously from the names for both curb and gutter form and we could know they have different shape and components to be used. Usually curb and gutter forms are used to form a concrete curbing as traffic barriers on the sides of streets, parking lots, driveways, and roads to direct the rainwater to the nearest drainage system.
This type of concrete curb doesn’t require concrete curbing machine to construct, this type of concrete curb might need to be constructed by hand. Several concrete curb workers might need to be hired and concrete mixer need to be used too. The materials that will be used to construct the curb and gutter forms are concrete, expansion joint filler, curing compound and steel reinforcement bar. The concrete curb and gutter forms will be measured in meter according to Standard of Method of Measurement.
Components of Curb Gutter Forms
The components that used to construct the curb and gutter forms system are slightly different between both types of curb and gutter forms system. The components that will be used for Straight Curb and Gutter setup are front form, nail stake, curb face form, division plate, back form and top spreader. While the components that will be used for Radius Curb and Gutter setup are radius back form, curbface form, full division plate, radius front form, skeleton division plates and form pins.
Types of Curbs for Straight Curb and Gutter Forms
There are 5 basic types of curbs that are used to construct straight curb and gutter forms, types of concrete curb to be used is depending on the situation and location of the curbs to be built.
1) Vertical face – A setup with the front and the back must be in 90 degree angle.
2) Battered face – A curbface with the front and the back must be in somewhere around 90 degree angle.
3) Bottom radius – A battered curbface with a single radius formed into the bottom of the curb.
4) Top and bottom radius – A battered curbface with a radius formed into the top and bottom of the curb.
5) Drive over – A curbface with a slow, gradual batter allowing traffic to pass over.
In order to build concrete curb, there are several concrete curbing equipment need to used. There are several concrete curb equipment in the market, such as trowel, molds, undercarriages, plungers, slurry tray and etc. Concrete trowel is commonly used to support and maintain the style and shape of concrete curb that we carry, of course there are several types of trowel in the market as well. It’s a handed concrete curbing equipment, it’s simple to be used and easy to carry.
List Of Concrete Curbing Equipment – Concrete Trowel
There is a list of concrete curbing equipment for Trowel :
1) 4×4 Square Trowel
2) 5×3 Decorative Trowel
3) 5×4 Square Trowel
4) 6×4 Front Angle Half Trowel
5) 6×4 Angle Back Half Trowel
6) 6×4 Angle Trowel
7) 6×4 Decorative Front Half Trowel
8 ) 6×4 Decorative Trowel (Original Style)
9) 6×4 Decorative Back Half Trowel
10) 6×4 Square Trowel
11) 6×4 Square Half Trowel
12) 6×4 Round Cap Trowel
13) 6×4 Round Cap Half Trowel
14) 6×4 Angled Lighting Trowel
15) 6×4 Multi Lighting Trowel
16) 6×6 Square Trowel
17) 6×6 Square Half Trowel
18) 6×6 Parking Lot Half Trowel
19) 6×8 Square Trowel
20) 8×6 Square Trowel
21) 8×6 Parking Lot Trowel
22) 8×8 Half Trowel
23) 8×8 Square Trowel
24) Walkway Trowel
25) Walkway Half Trowel
These are all the types of trowel that commonly used for building concrete curb and concrete landscape edging in shape, concrete curbing contractor can build the concrete curb with the shape they want with relevant trowel. It’s simple to be used and can be constructing a good concrete curb design by following client’s requirement.
Concrete curb can be done in several ways, some contractors build it by hand, while some contractors build it by using concrete curbing machine, it’s depending on the situation and requirement by client. It goes same to building concrete landscape edging, it can be done in several methods. Basically the procedure and method are almost the same with building concrete landscape curbing. In this tutorial will show you how to building concrete landscape edging by using concrete curbing machine which is Miller MC250 & MC350.
How To Build Concrete Landscape Edging By Using Miller MC250 & MC350
1) Mixing concrete by using concrete mixer or concrete batch. If by hand, wheelbarrow need to be used. Materials for concrete mixing such as cement, sand and water.
2) Once the concrete been mixed properly, put it in wheelbarrow. Move it to the place that the landscape curbing need to be done.
3) Start the concrete curbing machine (Miller MC250 & MC350).
4) Put in the ready mixed concrete into the concrete curbing machine.
5) A worker is pulling the concrete curbing machine, and the concrete landscape edging is built in shape. Another worker keep filling concrete into the concrete curbing machine.
6) Once the concrete landscape edging is done in shape, pull out the concrete curbing machine from the edging.
7) After that, a worker is smoothing the concrete landscape edging with a tool. Finishing the surface of concrete landscape edging and make it stable. Repeat this step for the whole concrete landscape edging.
8 ) Done!
Building concrete landscape edging by using concrete curbing machine is actually easy, it has lot of advantage such as time saving because these can be done in short period, minimum workers needed, low cost because of less time and worker, works done in clean and tidy condition, and etc. Most of the contractor like to use this method to build concrete landscape edging because it’s simple and low cost.
Usually concrete curb is built by using hand or can be done by using precast concrete curb which is using hand as well, but there is another method to lay concrete curb which is using concrete agitator. The procedure is not as difficult as you think, it’s just a simple work to lay the concrete curb by using concrete agitator.
Contractor uses concrete agitator to mix the concrete which require larger mixture or large quantity of concrete, so contractor might need to mix the concrete by using agitator. Usually worker just has to throw all the concrete mixture material such as sand, water and cement into concrete agitator and the roll will be starting to swing and mix the concrete until it’s properly mixed.
How To Lay Concrete Curb With Concrete Agitator
1) Throw all the concrete mixture material such as cement, water and sand into concrete agitator, swing the roll until the concrete is properly mixed.
2)Concrete curbing machine has to be used, set the concrete curbing machine at the place where the contractor want to build the concrete curb.
3) Make sure the opening of concrete agitator is aiming to the concrete curbing machine so that the concrete can be dropped into the concrete curbing machine.
4) Everything set on place, concrete agitator opens its’ opening and the concrete is flow out into the concrete curbing machine, a worker is controlling the concrete curbing machine, another worker is pulling out the concrete from the opening of concrete agitator to make it flowing out faster into the concrete curbing machine.
5) The worker who controls the concrete curbing machine is pulling the concrete machine so that the concrete curb can be lay on shape. After that, the concrete curb is done in shape in short time.
The advantage of using concrete agitator to build concrete curb is the minimum usage of labour which can be saving the labour cost. Besides this, this method is easy and fast, it can saves up a lot of time and cut off the expenses. From the video clip, it only requires 3 workers to lay the concrete curb. Due to current economic downturn, contractor must plan and decides the cheapest and most economic way or method to construct their structures.
Concrete Curb can be done by using precast method, but sometimes contractors might choose to use cast-in-situ method too which is casting the concrete curb at construction site. By using cast-in-situ method, it doesn’t require any concrete curbing machine. With that said, the cost can be save from here without using any machinery.
In constructing a longer straight concrete curb at the construction site, it might requires more workers to complete the job on time. With that said, the cost will be increasing on this part. Other than this, contractor must ensures that the workers can complete the casting and make it in shape because the concrete will be fixed in certain period.
How To Build Concrete Curb By Hand
1) Build up the mold or formwork which is in concrete curb shape.
2) Mixing the concrete in correct mixture.
3) Pouring the concrete into the mold or formwork just now.
4) A few of workers are starting to smoothen the concrete curb with a timber plank. Workers must compact the concrete curb so that it won’t be collapsed or cracked easily. Workers must complete this task as soon as possible before the concrete fixed in shape.
5) After the workers have done the concrete works, they might need to take off the formwork or mold after the concrete is fixed in shape. Job is completed and workers have to continue other works like drainage system.
