"manual mixing concrete in a wheelbarrow sounds easy until you're halfway through and questioning all your life choices, haha."
Haha, I can definitely relate to that feeling. While manual tamping can indeed work well for smaller projects, I'm skeptical about skipping gravel or sand underneath—even for minor jobs. I've seen too many DIY foundations crack or shift over time without proper drainage and stability. Renting equipment is usually worth the investment, especially if you value your back and sanity... learned that lesson myself after one particularly ambitious weekend project.
Haha, your wheelbarrow comment brought back some vivid memories. I once roped a buddy into helping me pour a small patio slab—figured we'd knock it out in an afternoon, easy peasy. Halfway through, we're both covered head-to-toe in concrete dust, sweating buckets, and silently questioning our friendship choices. Definitely underestimated how heavy that stuff gets after the first few batches.
I agree with you about not skipping the gravel or sand underneath though. Learned that one the hard way too... my first DIY walkway ended up looking like a mini roller coaster after just one winter because I skimped on prep. It was a humbling lesson in patience and doing things right the first time around.
Honestly, renting equipment is usually worth every penny, even if it's just to save your sanity (and friendships). But hey, at least these DIY adventures make for good stories later on, right?
Did you guys end up using a compactor for the gravel base, or just tamp it down manually? I've seen people skip renting a compactor to save money, but honestly, that's one piece of equipment I'd never skip. Learned that lesson after a driveway job turned into a cracked mess within a year. Sometimes DIY shortcuts just aren't worth the headache later...
Totally agree on the compactor—learned that one the hard way myself. A few years back, I did a patio extension and figured manual tamping would be just fine. Looked great at first, but after one rainy season, it started to settle unevenly and ended up looking like a sad rollercoaster. Had to rip it out and redo the whole thing properly. Renting a compactor might feel like an annoying extra step, but it's worth every penny to avoid the hassle later...
Yeah, renting a compactor definitely saves headaches down the line, but honestly, even with one, I've seen some DIY jobs go sideways. Sometimes it's about soil type or drainage issues underneath. Did you run into any drainage problems when you redid yours? I've found that even the best compacting won't help much if water's pooling underneath... learned that lesson more than once myself.
