Step-by-step construction methods for placing, finishing, and curing concrete walks, drives, patios, and steps. Discusses properties of concrete, joint types and location, reinforcement, subgrade preparation, and formwork. Slab finishing steps described include straightedging, darbying or bullfloating, edging, jointing, floating, troweling and texturing. Section on steps covers concrete placing, finishing, curing, and nonslip finishes. Hot- and cold-weather precautions are given and ways to avoid slab surface defects are described.

Use it for training apprentices or vocational education students, or as a handy reference for contractors, landscape architects, and inspectors. A revised section on surface defects covers symptoms, causes, prevention, and remedies. There's also a new section on safety, with emphasis on preventing cement burns. Fully illustrated, the Guide has been reviewed and endorsed by the Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association of the United States and Canada.