Glossary
Plain-language definitions of the terms used across Pour and Spread.
- 811
- The U.S. national call-before-you-dig number that arranges free marking of underground utility lines.
- Aggregate base
- A layer of crushed stone compacted under pavers, slabs or paths to spread loads and drain water. The paver industry recommends at least 4 inches under patios and walkways. Read more
- Bag yield
- The volume of finished concrete or mortar one bag makes, printed on the bag. An 80 lb bag of standard concrete mix yields about 0.60 cubic feet. Read more
- Bedding sand
- The thin layer of sand, about 1 inch, screeded smooth on top of the base for pavers to sit in.
- Compaction
- Pressing loose material, usually with a plate compactor, so it takes up less space and becomes firm. Compacted depth is less than loose depth.
- Cubic foot
- A volume 1 foot on each side, equal to 1,728 cubic inches. Bagged mulch, soil and concrete yields are usually given in cubic feet.
- Cubic yard
- A volume 3 feet long, 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep, equal to 27 cubic feet. The usual unit for bulk mulch, soil, gravel and ready-mix concrete. Read more
- Geotextile
- A fabric laid between soil and base to keep fine soil from mixing into the stone. Recommended over clay or silty soils in paver guides.
- Joint sand
- Dry sand swept into the gaps between pavers after they are compacted, which helps lock them together.
- Margin (waste factor)
- Extra material added to a calculated quantity to cover uneven ground, spills, settling and cuts. Commonly 5–10% for small home projects.
- Mulch volcano
- Mulch piled in a cone against a tree trunk. Extension services warn it can harm trees; mulch should be flat and kept off the bark. Read more
- Offset method
- Measuring a curved area by taking widths at regular intervals along a straight line, averaging them and multiplying by the length. Read more
- Ready-mix concrete
- Concrete batched at a plant and delivered in a mixer truck, ordered by the cubic yard. Read more
- Root flare
- The place where a tree trunk widens into its main roots. It should stay visible, not buried under soil or mulch.
- Screed
- To level concrete or sand by drawing a straight board across guides or forms; also the board itself.
- Spread rate (coverage)
- The area a gallon of paint covers at the recommended thickness, printed on the can as square feet per gallon. Read more
- Subgrade
- The native soil beneath a patio, slab or path, prepared and compacted before the base goes on.