I can relate to the drainage oversight big time. When I tackled my first concrete walkway, I was so focused on getting the surface smooth and level, drainage barely crossed my mind. It looked great at first, but after a few rainy weeks, puddles started forming in spots I hadn't even noticed were low. Ended up having to redo a good chunk of it—lesson learned the hard way.
One thing that helped me later on was using a long straightedge or even a simple string line to double-check slope and drainage before pouring. It seems like overkill at first, but honestly, it's worth the extra 15 minutes to avoid headaches down the road. And yeah, the water-to-cement ratio is sneaky important. I thought adding a bit more water made things easier too, until I saw how quickly the surface deteriorated. Sticking to the recommended mix feels tougher at first, but trust me, it's worth the hassle.
Sounds like you're already figuring things out pretty fast though... each project gets a little easier, even if it doesn't always feel that way at first.
"Ended up having to redo a good chunk of it—lesson learned the hard way."
Totally get this... DIY projects always seem straightforward until reality kicks in. Curious, did you find adjusting the slope tricky with the string line method, or was it pretty intuitive once you started?
Been there myself—DIY always looks easy on YouTube until you're knee-deep in concrete and regret, haha. Did the string line method myself last summer, and honestly, getting the slope right was a bit of trial and error at first. Did you end up eyeballing it more, or did you stick strictly to measurements? Curious how precise you found you had to be to avoid drainage issues later...
"Did you end up eyeballing it more, or did you stick strictly to measurements?"
Haha, I feel this one. When I tackled my patio extension last spring, I started out super precise—laser levels, string lines, the whole nine yards. But honestly, after a few hours of frustration and second-guessing myself, I ended up eyeballing more than I'd like to admit. The funny thing is, it turned out pretty decent. I think there's a sweet spot between obsessing over exact measurements and just trusting your gut. Drainage-wise, though, I'd say precision matters more than you'd think. I had one corner that pooled water after heavy rains, and it drove me nuts until I fixed it. So yeah, eyeball away—but maybe double-check those slopes before the concrete sets, haha.
Totally agree about drainage being the one area you can't really wing it. When I did my shed slab, I eyeballed most of it and it turned out fine...except for one corner that ended up slightly off-level. Didn't seem like a big deal until the first heavy rainstorm left a mini lake right by the door. Lesson learned: eyeball aesthetics if you want, but don't mess around with slope and drainage—it's worth the extra half hour to double-check.
