The wife and I have decided that we need some seating for the back yard, and just to try something new, I thought I’d make a bench or two out of concrete. I plan on using pre-mixed sakrete or its equivalent, possibly with a little colored aqarium gravel mixed in for texture. My questions are as follows:
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How thick do the surfaces need to be? The basic design is a flat bench, 36" x 18", with a roughly 12" lip on all four sides. The base will be a seperate piece. I am planning to reinforce the concrete with wire mesh of some kind. Is a 3 or 4 inch thickness OK?
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Do I need to use some kind of releasing agent on the formwork? I’d like to be able to re-use the forms if possible.
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How long do the pieces need to cure before I can remove the forms?