I always mix the concrete for my deck and porch footings on site, so I have my footing material and framing lumber delivered together at the start of a project. I used to cover my sacks of premixed concrete with a tarp or store them in a garage if there was one, but worrying about the sacks getting wet or having to lug them back and forth was a problem. So I came up with a quick and inexpensive solution.
All I need to keep six sacks of concrete mix dry indefinitely is a couple of scrap 4x4 posts, two contractor trash bags, and a roll of house-wrap tape. First I lay the posts flat on the ground and far enough apart to support the sacks so they won't touch the ground. Then I slip the first sack into one of the contractor bags, laying the bagged concrete flat across the posts. I stack the remaining sacks on top of the first until the contractor bag is filled, then tie the bag up. Finally, I slip the second bag over the first, tape the bottom edges of all four sides, and tape down any loose ends to keep the bag from flapping in the wind. Now I can leave the jobsite without worrying about bad weather, and know that my concrete mix will be dry when I return.
Emanuel Silva is a carpenter in North Andover, Mass.
This reader's tip wins a DeWalt 20-volt cordless oscillating multi-tool kit.
