Building your own concrete cattle guard can be a practical alternative to purchasing and transporting a complete prefabricated guard. A reusable concrete cattle guard form allows you to cast the individual concrete sections on-site using concrete and rebar supplied locally.

The same form can be used for repeated pours, making this approach especially useful when several concrete cattle guard sections are needed. The key is to follow the form specifications carefully rather than treating it like a general-purpose concrete mold.

Reusable Concrete Cattle Guard Form Specifications

Before starting, understand what the form produces and what materials you'll need for each pour.

How the Concrete Cattle Guard Form Works

The form creates one reinforced concrete cattle guard section at a time. Concrete is poured around the specified rebar reinforcement and allowed to cure before the finished section is removed.

The form can then be cleaned, prepared again, and reused for the next section. Repeating the process allows you to produce the number of sections required for the planned crossing.

This is different from purchasing a complete steel cattle guard. You're producing the structural concrete sections yourself, so preparation, reinforcement, concrete quality, and curing are important parts of the process.

Step 1: Choose a Level Area for Pouring

Set up the form on a flat, stable work surface capable of supporting the form and the weight of the wet concrete.

It's helpful to plan the work area before mixing concrete. Make sure you have enough room to position the form, place the reinforcement, pour the concrete, remove the cured section, and prepare for the next pour.

Step 2: Prepare the Form

Before pouring, make sure the form is clean and properly prepared. Apply an appropriate concrete release agent to the required surfaces before adding concrete.

This step makes it easier to separate the cured concrete from the form and helps protect the reusable form during removal.

Step 3: Install the Rebar

The concrete section requires 1/2-inch rebar reinforcement. Position the reinforcement according to the instructions for the form before beginning the pour.

Don't treat reinforcement as an optional addition. The concrete and reinforcement work together as part of the finished cattle guard section.

Step 4: Mix the Concrete

Each pour requires approximately 12 bags of 80-pound, 4,000 PSI concrete mix.

That equals approximately 960 pounds of dry concrete mix per section before water is added, so organize the materials and mixing equipment before beginning.

Follow the concrete manufacturer's directions for mixing and water requirements. Adding water simply to make the mix easier to pour can affect the finished concrete, so use the specified mix rather than estimating consistency by appearance alone.

Step 5: Pour the Concrete

Fill the prepared form while making sure the concrete is distributed around the reinforcement and throughout the mold.

Work carefully to minimize unfilled areas and trapped air. The objective is a consistent pour throughout the entire section rather than simply filling the form as quickly as possible.

Step 6: Allow the Concrete to Cure

Don't confuse concrete becoming hard enough to touch with reaching the strength needed for use. Proper curing is an important part of producing the finished section.

Follow the concrete manufacturer's curing recommendations and the instructions supplied with the cattle guard form. Weather conditions can also affect curing, so temperature and moisture conditions should be considered when scheduling pours.

Step 7: Remove the Finished Cattle Guard Section

After the concrete has cured sufficiently for removal, carefully separate the finished section from the form.

Clean the reusable form and inspect it before preparing it for another pour. Applying release agent again before each pour helps make repeated removal easier.

Step 8: Repeat the Process

A major advantage of this system is that the same form can produce multiple concrete cattle guard sections.

Once one section has been removed, prepare the form again, install the reinforcement, and repeat the concrete-pouring and curing process until you have enough sections for the planned crossing.

Plan the Crossing Before You Start Pouring

The dimensions of an individual concrete section are not the same thing as the dimensions of the completed roadway crossing. Determine how many sections will be required and how the finished cattle guard will fit into the entrance before producing the pieces.

Also consider the vehicles that will use the crossing, the required support, drainage, roadway approaches, and how the crossing will connect to the surrounding fence.

For more information about planning the overall crossing, see our cattle guard dimensions guide.

Don't Overlook Site Preparation and Drainage

Making the concrete sections is only part of the project. The completed cattle guard still needs an appropriately prepared installation site.

Drainage is particularly important because water and sediment need to be considered beneath and around the crossing. The base should also be prepared for the particular cattle guard design and site conditions.

Our cattle guard foundations and site preparation guide covers excavation, drainage, foundations, and roadway preparation in more detail.

Why Use a Reusable Form?

The primary advantage is the ability to produce multiple cattle guard sections from one form while sourcing the concrete and reinforcement locally.

• Reusable: Produce additional sections with the same form.
• Local materials: Source concrete and rebar near the project rather than shipping the finished concrete sections.
• On-site production: Pour sections where it makes sense for the project.
• Repeatable dimensions: The form produces consistently sized sections when used according to its instructions.
• Project flexibility: Produce the number of sections required for the planned crossing.

Concrete Cattle Guard or Steel Cattle Guard?

A reusable concrete form isn't necessarily the right choice for every installation. It trades some of the convenience of purchasing a finished cattle guard for the ability to produce the concrete sections yourself.

A property owner who needs one crossing and wants a finished unit may prefer a prefabricated steel cattle guard. A rancher, contractor, or landowner who can work with concrete and needs multiple sections may find the reusable form particularly useful.

The better option depends on the project, available labor and equipment, installation site, traffic requirements, and number of crossings needed.

Build Your Own Concrete Cattle Guard

The reusable concrete cattle guard form provides a practical way to produce reinforced concrete cattle guard sections without shipping complete precast sections to the property.

Before starting, review the form instructions, determine the number of sections required, gather the specified concrete and reinforcement, and plan the finished installation. Barn World can also help with questions about the form and other cattle guard options for your project.