Pour and Screed a Residential Concrete Slab

A. Finished-Project Specification

Deliverable: a slab area placed to the approved mixture, volume, and joint plan; consolidated at every edge, corner, thickened area, embed, blockout, and penetration; struck off at the screed reference to the required elevation, thickness, and profile; and turned over to the finishing crew at the correct surface condition, with a completed Slab-Placement Record.

B. Assessed Placement Schedule

Item	Reference Used	Standard	Purpose
Delivered mixture	Approved concrete specification and supplier documentation	Match the specified mixture before discharge; resolve any mismatch before accepting the load	Confirm the correct concrete is placed
Placement rate and route	Approved placement plan	Maintain a continuous workable front along the planned route	Prevent cold joints and segregation
Consolidation	Reinforcement plan and embed schedule	Full consolidation at edges, corners, thickened areas, embeds, and penetrations without displacement	Eliminate voids and honeycombing
Slab elevation and thickness	Screed reference from Project 14	Match the approved slab plan within the plan's stated tolerance	Confirm correct slab thickness and finished-floor elevation
Surface condition at turnover	Approved finish specification	Correct condition for immediate floating per the next project	Preserve the finishing window

C. Document and Resource Takeoff

• Controlling documents: approved slab mixture specification, volume calculation, delivery schedule, placement plan, screed method, joint plan, finish specification, weather plan, and contingency procedure, assembled before delivery.
• Verified prerequisites: completed and inspected slab forms, base, vapor barrier, reinforcement, embeds, and penetrations from Project 14 and Project 15.
• Staged resources: placing, consolidation, screeding, testing, cleanup, curing, lighting, and finishing tools and materials, staged before discharge begins.
• Testing resources: named testing personnel and equipment for required field sampling and testing at delivery.

D. Acceptance Standards

Check	Standard
Delivered mixture	Matches the approved specification on the delivery ticket; any mismatch is resolved before discharge begins
Field testing	Required sampling and testing conducted by approved personnel before or during placement
Placement continuity	A continuous workable front is maintained; any unplanned stoppage is treated per the interruption procedure in Step 20
Reinforcement and embed position	No reinforcement, dowel, sleeve, or embedded item is displaced beyond the tolerance stated in the approved plan
Vapor barrier	No vapor-barrier damage caused by placement equipment or excessive free fall
Slab elevation and thickness	Struck-off surface matches the screed reference and approved slab plan within stated tolerance
Turnover condition	Each completed area is handed to the finishing crew at the surface condition required by the approved finish specification

E. Preparation — Planning and Pre-Placement Verification

1. Review the approved slab mixture, volume, delivery interval, placement route, screed method, joint plan, finish specification, weather plan, testing, crew assignments, and contingency procedures. Confirm every element of the plan is documented before scheduling delivery.
2. Confirm that forms, base, vapor barrier, reinforcement, embeds, penetrations, inspections, and finishing resources are complete. Verify the Project 14 and Project 15 inspection records before proceeding.
3. Protect adjacent walls, openings, utilities, access routes, and finished work. Install protective covering or barriers at every location subject to splatter or equipment contact.
4. Stage pumps, chutes, buggies, rakes, come-alongs, vibrators, screeds, grade tools, testing equipment, cleanup supplies, finishing tools, curing materials, lighting, and backup equipment. Confirm every item is on site and functional before the delivery truck arrives.
5. Establish communication among the supplier, driver, pump operator, placing crew, screed crew, finishers, testers, and spotters. Confirm radio contact or an equivalent signal system before discharge begins.
6. Recheck slab dimensions, form elevation, screed references, slopes, depressions, joints, and reinforcement position. Correct any discrepancy before the first delivery arrives.

F. Delivery Verification and Testing

1. Inspect delivery documentation and verify the specified mixture before discharge. Compare the delivery ticket to the approved mixture specification and resolve any mismatch before accepting the load.
2. Conduct required sampling and testing with approved personnel. Record slump, air content, temperature, and cylinder identification as required by the project specification.

G. Placement

1. Begin placement at the planned location and maintain a continuous workable edge. Follow the placement route established in Step 1.
2. Deposit concrete close to its final location without damaging the vapor barrier or displacing reinforcement. Avoid excessive free fall and direct impact on the vapor barrier or reinforcement.
3. Use approved placing tools to distribute concrete without adding unauthorized water. Do not add water at the placement location to improve workability.
4. Consolidate edges, corners, thickened areas, embeds, blockouts, and penetrations. Use the approved vibration method at every embedded item and form edge.
5. Lift or maintain reinforcement only by the approved support method and verify that it remains at the specified elevation. Do not lift reinforcement with a rake, shovel, or foot; use the method specified in the reinforcement plan.

H. Strike-Off and Elevation Control

1. Strike off concrete using the planned screed reference and sequence. Work the screed along the established rails, pins, or laser reference.
2. Fill low areas with fresh concrete from the same placement and rescreed. Do not leave a low area to be corrected during finishing.
3. Remove excess concrete without contaminating adjacent work or obstructing access. Direct surplus material to an approved location away from finished work and access routes.
4. Check slab elevation, thickness controls, slopes, depressions, edges, and transitions while correction remains possible. Verify with the grade rod and level at the intervals specified in the placement plan.

I. Continuous Monitoring and Interruption Control

1. Monitor forms, stakes, braces, joints, embeds, penetrations, vapor barrier, and reinforcement throughout placement. Assign the spotter identified in the Shop Tip to this task continuously.
2. Stop and correct form movement, equipment failure, segregation, delayed delivery, surface crusting, displaced embeds, or elevation loss before continuing. Do not continue placement past an identified problem without correcting it.
3. Coordinate wet edges and planned construction joints if placement is interrupted. Use only the construction-joint location and detail established in the placement plan.

J. Turnover and Documentation

1. Record deliveries, tests, times, weather, placement sequence, interruptions, corrections, and turnover times. Complete every field on the Slab-Placement Record as the placement proceeds.
2. Continue directly into the finishing project without allowing the slab to miss its finishing window. Turn each completed placement area over to the finishing crew as soon as it reaches the correct surface condition for floating.