Saturday 29 July 2017

Understanding the Basics of Concrete Mixes

There are different types of concrete mixes for different projects. The most suitable one should be a concrete that is durable for the specific type of project. There are many reasons why concrete is utilized in most construction projects. It has high strength and durability, which means that it can withstand strong pressure. It is also low maintenance so a regular check-up is no longer necessary as long as the right concrete mix was used.

AAA Concreting is a national network of concrete contractors who can help with this. If you are in Dallas, you can find them here.

Concrete is typically used in public railroads and parking lots. However, it is also a good material for patios and unique countertop designs. It can even be used for decorative accents. In any cases, a consistent concrete mix should be used for any platform. The specific concrete mix should be created according to type of application. If you want to create a colourful patio using concrete mix, you should use cement colors as your main ingredient. Crack-resistant concrete mixes are best used for railroads and pavements. If the wrong type of concrete mix is used for the construction of a project, the results can be devastating. The structure might not last for more than a year.

 

Concrete Mixes 101: Which Mix Should You Use for Your Project?

Sakrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix is a preblended mixture of special cementitious materials, sand and coarse aggregate that quickly sets within 30 minutes. It is ideal for projects that necessitate a rapid set for same-day use. Fast-Setting Concrete Mix also allows you to set posts and poles with no mixing or bracing required. Sakrete also offers its SAKRETE Fence Post Concrete Mix, which is a mixture of sand, coarse aggregate and cementitious materials specifically designed for setting fence posts. For the full article, simply visit the main source.

 

You can easily pick out the right kind of concrete mix once you understand the basics of concrete mixing. Compacting concrete should also be a part of the basic things you should understand first. Compaction is simply the process of removing trapped air in the cement. Entrapped air can result to reduced durability to the cement. It may also lessen its strength that it can no longer endure extreme pressure. The results of such occurrence include crack roads and broken structures.

 

What Are The Methods for Compacting Concrete in The Field?

It is most commonly used technique of concrete vibration. Vibration is achieved due to eccentric weights attached to the shaft. The needle diameter varies from 20 mm to 75 mm and its length varies from 25 cm to 90 cm. the frequency range adopted is normally 3500 to 5000 rpm. The correct and incorrect methods of vibration using internal vibration needles are shown below. You can continue reading the full article at http://ift.tt/2eXCRiS.

 

Once you get the idea of how cement works, you can already create the right cement mix for your construction project. A stable concrete mix can produce high quality cement. Concrete compacting should always be done prior to applying the cement. Once a concrete mixture is free from air, its resulting cement should be durable enough to withstand strong amounts of pressure.

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Saturday 22 July 2017

How You Can Begin Concreting Your Walkway

Concreting your walkway should be a project that you must invest upon. There are a lot of positive things that is to come your way when you have concreted your walkway. Building a strong, crack free walkway with the right amount of slab will ensure that you have a place to walk on securely, and that you can see to it that the benefits will certainly outweigh the money that you have spent for the project. The things like edges, leveling, smoothing and curing are important matters that you have to get a small insight on, so that you can overlook how the concreting project of your walkway is done.

Below are tips which you must familiarize so that you can always get the right outcome that you so desire to have. You need to fully settle the important matters, so that you can iron out the details that have to be tackled a little closely. This means that you can do micro management as your pathway is being concreted. It is important that you understand how concreting is being done so that you can have the right results in the end.

Tips to Build a Concrete Walkway

Tip 1: Overbuild your forms

Every builder has a horror story about forms that bulged or even collapsed under the force of wet concrete. To avoid a horror story of your own, build strong forms. Use 1-1/2-in.-thick boards (2x4s, 2x6s, etc.) except on curves. If you’re using 2x4s or 2x6s, place stakes no more than 3 ft. apart. If the forms extend belowground, pack soil against them. If they extend more than 6 in. aboveground, reduce the spacing between stakes and brace each one with a second stake and a diagonal “kicker.”

Tip 2: Form curves with hardboard

Hardboard siding is intended for exterior walls, but it’s also great stuff for forming curves because it’s flexible and cheap. A 12-in. x 16-ft. plank costs about $10 at lumberyards and you can cut it to any width you need. Because it’s so flexible, hardboard needs extra reinforcement to prevent bulging against the force of the concrete. If the forms are belowground, place stakes no more than 3 ft. apart and pack soil against them. For aboveground forms, space stakes 16 in. apart. To form consistent, parallel sides for a curved sidewalk, build one side first. Then use a “gauge board”—a 1×4 with blocks screwed to it—to position the other side. In wet weather, hardboard can swell and your perfect curves might become wavy. So if rain is forecast, be prepared to cover your hardboard forms.

Tip 3: Keep stakes below the form tops

Stakes that project above forms create a hurdle for your screed board—and screeding concrete is hard enough without obstacles. So before you pour, take five minutes to cut off any protruding stakes. If the tops of your forms are near ground level, make sure your screed board won’t drag against the ground; you may have to skim off a little dirt to clear a path for the board. The latest concreting innovation is found on this link.

You must consider beefing up your knowledge in terms of how concreting is made so that you can ask intelligent questions from those you have tasked to do the works for you. You can likewise ensure that you get the right results when you know what to check for as the concreting is being done. There are matters that you have to pay attention to, and think about deeper in terms of concreting your path, so you can better get good results in the end.

How To Lay A Concrete Path

For a long-lasting path with a smooth finish, concrete is a great option. It is made by mixing one part cement, two parts sand and four parts gravel, then gradually adding water.

To work out how much concrete you’ll need, multiply the area of the path by the desired thickness, round up to the nearest cubic metre and add an extra 0.2m3 to account for errors.

Mix the concrete in a wheelbarrow, or hire a concrete mixer for bigger jobs, for about $65 a day. Combine the sand and gravel, collectively called aggregate, with the cement and add an oxide powder for colour, if desired. 

Carefully add water until the mixture is creamy but not runny. 

Dry concrete mix can be purchased in bags with cement and aggregate already combined in the correct proportions. Simply add water to the mix according to the instructions.

TIP Always wear protective gloves, long pants and gumboots, as concrete can burn exposed skin.

Order premixed concrete for larger jobs, choosing N20/10. The N stands for normal concrete, 20 is its strength in megapascals, and 10 is the aggregate size in millimetres.

Install steel mesh with the edges at least 50mm from the formwork and control joints, and with equally thick layers of concrete above and below.

Set out a curve by building one side of the formwork using plywood, then use a timber gauge board with spacers beneath to position the other side. Get the latest update on concreting on this site: http://ift.tt/2uMLhQ9.

Concreting is a good investment decision that you have to make. When you have a pathway that is not concreted, then it is important that you save for the concreting works to benefit from the positive results that concreting has to offer. You will never regret the decision to build a concrete path or walkway.

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Saturday 15 July 2017

Modern Concrete Mixers

Concrete mixing was supposed to be a tough task until the introduction of modern concrete mixing machines. These machines can efficiently mix concrete in just a few minutes, without the hassle of using shovels for the perfect mixture. Concrete mixers are ideal for mixing large quantities of cement. It is best used for large construction projects and also for commercial improvement. Concrete mixers can be quite expensive, but there should be affordable ones in the market today.

 

You should carefully choose the right kind of concrete mixer. Its size matters, especially if you are using it for large construction projects. A large concrete mixer should be able to produce large quantities of cement needed for the construction. It can make the job easier once you have the right size. Concrete mixers normally require gasoline in order for it to be usable. Depending on how much concrete is needed, you should have ample amount of gasoline needed for its operation. A tip-up concrete mixer is advisable for small projects. It is so much cheaper than the bulky ones but it can only produce small amounts of cement at a time.

 

Everything You Need to Know Before You Hire a Concrete Mixer

 

Before you start using the mixer, make sure it is set up on a level surface and near a water supply. Then, read the instructions that came with your cement mix and add the right quantities of the cement and water as the mixer is running. It is dangerous to overload a concrete mixer, and could ruin the concrete, so be sure to mix it in batches that fit the mixer’s capacity. For the full article, please visit http://ift.tt/2urcUhd.

 

Aside from concrete mixers, pipe systems have also become modernized. The concrete pipe technology has become a first class quality pipe in the industry today. It is more than twice as durable as the standard pipes. Steel-enforced concrete pipes are almost immune to external damages due to its high durability. Many commercial buildings today have upgrade their pipe system to this modern kind of technology.

 

The Hume Pipe Making Machine Technology – Features & Applications in Infrastructure

 

Current machines are developed with a two directional head system, which enables manufacture of concrete pipe with a good wire and concrete bond as well as great compaction. The hume pipe making machine is developed with a unique frame design that allows for easier feeding of multiple materials and rapid pipe assembly. This vertical cast process has been found very efficient and with great ability for greater automation. You can view the entire article at http://ift.tt/2vpLQMF.

 

The construction of buildings has definitely become more advanced than ever. Most large commercial buildings today can be built within a matter of weeks with the use of state-of-the-art technology. Modern concrete mixers are safe to use and is more productive than manual labor. It is already a must for every construction company to use modern equipment in creating cement for their projects.

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Saturday 8 July 2017

Concrete Mixing 101

Concrete mixing can be a very exhausting task, especially if there is a lot to mix. Although it can be performed using a mixing machine, manual concrete mixing is still proven to produce better results. There are simple steps to follow when mixing concrete manually. With the right mixing ingredients and materials, you can create a high quality mixture in less than 10 minutes. First, you would need the proper tools. Make sure that you have your entire mixing equipment ready before doing the actual mixing. A shovel and a bucket will suffice. If you are planning to mix concrete on a cold weather condition, you will need to wear a pair of cotton gloves.

 

Knowing the basics of concrete mixing can be beneficial for anyone, especially for those who take part in humanitarian aid. Although mixing concrete is not a very convenient thing to do, it is fairly simple. There should be a mixing pavement to create the mixture. If there are not any in a specific place, it is easy to create one instead. Medium-sized rocks or bricks can be used to create a reliable mixing pavement.

 

Mixing concrete

               

Mixing concrete was one of our favourite jobs as we were working shoulder to shoulder with the locals mixing the concrete together on the ground with shovels. Once we had it mixed enough we would shovel it into wheelbarrows and take it into the school.  To make the base for the walls we would dump a bit of concrete in the bottom of the trench and then place big rocks in with more concrete on top of that.  We would place the rebar supports in the corners and along the walls standing straight in the air, this kept all the men in the group busy as it was very hard to keep up with the pace the locals were going at. Visit the main source to view the full article.

 

There are useful products that can be used to make things easier with concrete mixing. These materials are not very expensive that even regular people could afford them. You can choose to use a liquid concrete mix to easily create a concrete solution. Concrete pump primers help keep the pumps lubricated and the concrete to flow smoothly. There are several other concrete mixing tools that you could use if you want an easier way to create concrete and for concrete pouring.

 

Great products for effective concrete pouring

 

Concrete pouring requires strong attention to a number of factors: set up time, pump lubrication, proper placement and timely cleanup are among the most important. At Enviro-Systems our goal is to solve all your concrete problems, which means we provide you with effective solutions for your concrete construction projects. Go to http://ift.tt/2tZ4M7K to view the full article.

 

It would be best to ask for an expert advice if you are new with concrete mixing. You might end up wasting a lot of money if you failed to create a good and stable mixture. It is recommended to leave the mixing part to the expert but if you are really on a tight budget, you can do it on your own as soon as you know the basics. Check out more guides online so that you can be well-prepared in mixing your own concrete.

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Saturday 1 July 2017

The Basics of Asphalt Concrete Mixing

There are many different types of concrete that can be created either manually or through a machine. Asphalt concrete is the most common type of concrete that is used in public railroads, parking lots, airports, and in many other public places. Asphalt is a very durable type of concrete which is why it is utilized the most. It also makes very less roadway noise which makes it best for the construction of public highways. Asphalt concrete is also known for being recyclable because of the fact that only very few asphalt is disposed in landfills.

 

Mix design methods of asphalt should be an essential part of its mixture. In order to achieve a consistent and durable asphalt concrete, the mixture must be well-designed. There are guidelines to follow when mixing asphalt concrete. It is not only mixing the concrete mix with water but so much more. There should be stability in the mixture to avoid rutting under loads. A highly stable concrete mixture will make the pavement durable. For public highways, a think concrete solution is needed to avoid road cracks due to heavy vehicles. Durability is a must for public roads so it is just necessary to make the perfect mixture when creating asphalt concrete for these purposes.

 

Asphalt concrete – proper mixing holds the key

 

Asphalt mixture produced should be such that it should be capable of being easily placed and compacted. Mixtures containing a high percentage of coarse aggregate have a tendency to segregate during handling and also may be difficult to compact. A gummy mixture is also difficult to compact. An ideal mix should provide for gradual settlements and movements in the sub-grade without cracking. An open-graded mix with high binder content is generally more flexible than a dense-graded, low binder content mix. View the full article at http://ift.tt/2tdCEv0.

 

In most tropical countries, mixing concrete is not decided by season. However, there are places where mixing concrete can only be done during hot weather seasons. A moderate weather is still the best time to mix concrete to create the best results. The air temperature would usually affect the quality of the concrete mixture. Even the wind speed and humidity level should be taken into consideration if you want to create high quality concrete.

 

Placing Concrete in Hot or Cold Weather

 

If the air temperature is above 90° F you need to be careful. Of course what you are doing with the concrete also makes a difference. We will address that later. In addition if the wind is blowing hard and the humidity is low, even 90° might be a problem. The issue with hot weather isn’t really the heat. Neither the cement nor the aggregates have a problem with temperature. This isn’t like a chocolate bar on the front seat of the car in July. The issue is that the top layer of concrete will dry much faster than the bottom layer. As concrete dries it shrinks. This means that the top will be shrinking while the bottom is stationary. At this point you get your own north/south civil war breaking out inside the slab. There will be casualties. Go the main site to read the entire article.

 

Most of the problems associated with concrete come from the improper mixing by those who are not knowledgeable about the basics of concrete mixing. There are specific amounts that should be mixed with the other ingredients of the concrete to create a good result. The produced mixture should be easily placed and compacted at almost any surface.

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