PrepPass team · Verified against CSLB — C-8 study guide (13E-8) · How we review
Free · printable · no signup
CSLB C-8 Concrete (Trade Exam) Exam Cheat Sheet (2026)
A free, printable CSLB C-8 Concrete (Trade Exam) exam cheat sheet: the 36 highest-yield points to know, grouped into 5 sections that follow the exam's content areas, each section with its published weight.
- Free to read, print and keep — no signup, no email, no paywall.
- The real CSLB C-8 Concrete (Trade Exam) exam: 210 minutes.
- Prints from your browser (Ctrl-P, or Cmd-P on a Mac) — the navigation, buttons and links drop out of the printed copy.
- 100 free CSLB C-8 Concrete (Trade Exam) practice questions on the same material, every one explained.
- Last updated: September 2026.
Studying in order?
Practice stays free. The full CSLB C-8 Concrete study guide is the material itself, taught start to finish — a downloadable PDF + EPUB you keep.
Planning and Estimating
28% of the exam- 811 notice
- At least 2 working days, not more than 14 calendar days, before digging; the ticket is valid 28 days (Gov. Code §4216.2).
- Cal/OSHA excavation permit
- Trenches or excavations 5 ft or deeper into which a person must descend (Title 8 §341).
- Stormwater
- Construction General Permit coverage for projects disturbing 1 acre (43,560 sq ft) or more.
- Water-cement ratio
- More water means lower strength; field water must stay within the mix design.
- Admixture types (ASTM C494)
- A water reducing, B retarding, C accelerating, D reducing and retarding, E reducing and accelerating, F high-range reducing, G high-range reducing and retarding.
- Cement types
- I normal, II moderate sulfate resistance, III high early strength, IV low heat, V high sulfate resistance.
- Cubic yard
- 27 cubic feet (a 4-in slab: about 81 sq ft per cubic yard).
- Bar count
- (Width ÷ spacing, rounded up) + 1.
- Truck schedule
- Last arrival = first + (trucks − 1) × interval; Caltrans suggests intervals of about 20 minutes or less.
Pre-placement Preparation
27% of the exam- Spoil
- At least 2 ft back from the edge.
- Egress
- Ladder or other exit in trenches 4 ft deep or more, within 25 ft of lateral travel.
- Unclassified soil
- Slope no steeper than 1½:1 (34°).
- Shoring design load
- At least 100 psf total, and at least 20 psf above the concrete weight (Title 8 §1717).
- Engineer-signed falsework
- Over 14 ft high, spans over 16 ft, or traffic passing through.
- Form panels over 500 lb
- Lifting attachments with a safety factor of 4; never nailed.
- Cover cast against earth
- 3 in (federal guide specification).
- Welded wire lap
- One cross-wire spacing plus 2 in.
- Bar size
- Bar number in eighths of an inch (#5 = 5/8 in).
Placing and Finishing
17% of the exam- Free fall (Caltrans)
- 8 ft maximum; minimize it.
- Too little vibration
- Honeycomb, rock pockets, voids and cold joints.
- Construction joints
- Keyed, cleaned of laitance, reinforcement continuous.
- Plastic shrinkage cracking
- Evaporation faster than bleeding; likely at about 0.2 lb/sq ft/hr (Caltrans).
- Isolation joints
- ½-in premolded filler, full depth, at walls, columns and footings.
- Exterior walks
- Broomed finish unless otherwise specified.
- Water cure (Caltrans)
- Continuously wet at least 7 days.
- Strength test (federal spec)
- Average of two 6×12 or three 4×8 cylinders at 28 days.
- Membrane compound
- Not where coverings, paint or new concrete must bond.
Post-placement Tasks
7% of the exam- Housekeeping
- Stockpile stripped forms promptly and pull or cut protruding nails.
- Sealants
- Urethanes up to about 10 years; high-performance silicones 20+ years (NPS).
- Solvents
- Watch high-volatility solvents in confined or occupied spaces and follow VOC rules.
Safety
21% of the exam- Silica
- Action level 25 μg/m³; PEL 50 μg/m³ (8-hour TWA).
- Noise
- 90 dBA for 8 hours; 95 dBA for 4 hours; 100 dBA for 2 hours.
- Eye flushing
- Clean water readily accessible wherever corrosive materials can reach the eyes.
- Buckets
- No riding and no working under them while raised or lowered.
- Traffic
- Traffic control to the California MUTCD; trained, visible flaggers.
- Washout
- Leak-proof containment; washwater has a pH near 12.
Now prove you know them
Reading an outline is not the same as recalling it under exam pressure. Drill the free CSLB C-8 Concrete (Trade Exam) questions to find the areas you keep missing, then sit a full timed mock.
Study aid, not a substitute for the official material — always confirm the current rule with CSLB — C-8 study guide (13E-8).