Whether you’re fixing your home or enhancing it, Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete helps get the job done.

    Fast-Setting Concrete has special additives that allow it to set hard in just 20 to 40 minutes, so builders and DIYers like its efficiency and simplicity.

    If you haven’t used this product before, here are some ideas that will inspire you. 


    1. Fix a Leaning Fence

    A leaning or sagging fence doesn’t have to be an eyesore. You can fix it in an afternoon and take pride in the result.

    Just use a post hole digger to dig around the leaning post’s perimeter; dig around 14 inches deep.

    Then use a two-sided post level to make sure each post is plumb. Finally, pour concrete into the hole around each post and allow it to set to secure the posts in place.


    2. Set a Basketball Post

    Like to shoot hoops? Then your home needs a basketball goal.

    So, grab a post hole digger and start digging! The hole’s edge should be, at most, 6 inches from your playing surface. A 24-inch-wide by 24-inch-deep hole should give your post the stability it needs for everyday use.

    Next, pour 6 inches of gravel or crushed stone into the hole and use a 2-by-4 to level the base.

    (Adobe Stock)

    Then place the basketball pole in the hole and use a level to make sure it’s perfectly vertical. Pour Fast-Setting Concrete into the hole, just four inches below ground level.

    Finally, pour water inside the hole and saturate the concrete. Make sure the water reaches the bottom of the concrete by stirring or stabbing the mixture with a stick.

    Read: How to Set an In-Ground Basketball Goal


    3. Install Curbing

    Installing a paver walkway is an easy — and fast — way to add curb appeal. You can finish the project in a day, which is why it’s popular with do-it-yourselfers.

    But pavers along the walkway’s perimeter need edging, and that’s where Fast-Setting Concrete is useful.

    Mix some Fast-Setting Concrete a little drier than normal to create a sloped curb. Then pack it in along the border pavers about an inch below their surface.

    When the concrete dries, it will lock the pavers in place, and soon surrounding grass or landscaping will completely cover it.

    Watch: Using Fast-Setting Concrete for Curbing


    4. Pour a Utility Pad

    After calling 811 to learn about any underground utility lines, grab a shovel and dig out any vegetation from the project area.

    Screw three 2-by-4s in U-formation together and stake them into the ground. The top of the “U” should butt up against the edge of the house.

    You don’t need pressure-treated wood because these are just the form boards and will be temporarily used.

    Level the backside of the area and make sure it slopes just a tad, about ¼ of an inch so that when rain hits it, the water won’t set against the house.

    Wear gloves and safety glasses and pour a 1-inch gravel base into the form and then tamp, or compress, the gravel base.

    Pour two bags of Fast-Setting Concrete into a wheelbarrow and add a little water at a time; mix as needed and then add the mixture to the project area.

    Drag a long 2-by-4, or screed board, back and forth over the top of the project area to level the concrete pad and remove excess concrete mix.

    Use a steel trowel to smooth it off, and then grab a hammer, tap on the wood forms to prevent honeycombing on the slab’s sides, and you’re done! You can remove the forms in about an hour.

    Want to make your utility pad look even better? Wait 28 days before you apply any sealer to your new pad.


    5. Make a Fire Bowl

    Whether your backyard’s too small for a fire pit or you just want another flamed feature, making a concrete fire bowl is DIY-friendly and fast.

    You need two bowls — one large, one small — to use as molds. There should be enough room between the bowls for the thickness of your concrete creation. Also consider your fire bowl’s depth when choosing molds.

    Now for the fun part: Spray the inside of the larger bowl and the outside of the smaller bowl with cooking spray. Then add Fast-Setting Concrete to a large bucket. Slowly mix in water until the mixture resembles thick pancake batter.

    Pour the mixture into the larger bowl and push the smaller bowl into the mixture and weigh it down.

    When the concrete sets (check package instructions) remove the small bowl, then turn over the larger bowl to release your concrete creation. You may have to wiggle it around and tap it with a rubber mallet a bit to get the concrete to release.

    Sand any rough edges around the fire bowl and inside the fire bowl to get the look you want.

    For more inspiration, visit Quikrete.com.


    Further Reading

    Editorial Contributors
    avatar for Danny Lipford

    Danny Lipford

    Founder

    Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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