How To Figure Out How Much Concrete You Need

People use concrete when undertaking different construction projects. For instance, some people use it when paving while others use it to construct motorways. No matter what you are using concrete for, it is important to determine the amount of concrete you need. You should also find out the differences between concrete and cement, and the best way to order concrete. Below is a discussion on all these approaches.

What Is the Difference Between Concrete and Cement

You are probably one of the people who wonder whether concrete and cement are two different things. Although people use these two terms interchangeably, cement and concrete are two different things. Cement acts as a binding agent that people use to stick building materials together.

Two types of cement are available, Portland and Asphalt cement. Asphalt cement is a form of petroleum. It is sold in liquid form and is used to make asphalt pavements. This type of cement is less common than Portland cement.

Portland cement, on the other hand, is sold in powder form. It is made using limestone, clay or sand, iron ore, and bauxite. Chalk, slag, slate, shale, and marl are also used when making this cement. These ingredients are mixed and heated in a cement processing plant to form a hard substance known as clinker. The clinker is later ground down to a powder.

Concrete is a building material that is made using stone, water, cement, and sand. When made well, this material is resistant to deicing chemicals, freezing, and thawing.

Equation To Be Used To Find The Amount of Concrete Needed

Just like other construction materials, people measure concrete in cubic yards. Therefore, when going to buy concrete, you are supposed to be aware of how many cubic yards of concrete you need. Determining the amount of concrete that you need is quite simple. First, you need to obtain the width, length, and height of your concrete footing. The measurements should be in feet. After this, apply the formula below to determine the amount of concrete that you need.

The amount of concrete in cubic yards that you need = (Width x Length x Height) / 27

Premixed Concrete Sacks and Ready-Mix Concrete

You can order premixed concrete sacks or ready-mix concrete from a ready mix company when in need of concrete. Ready-mix concrete is usually in liquid form, while premixed concrete is usually in powder form. Therefore, you do not need to add water to concrete from ready-mix companies.

On the flip side, premixed concrete sacks contain concrete ingredients that are mixed. When you order these sacks, you will need to add water to the concrete to make the final product. Below is the procedure you should use when mixing premixed concrete with water.

• Pour the premixed concrete in a mixing container such as a wheelbarrow. When pouring this concrete, wear a mask to prevent dust from getting into your nostrils.
• Make a hole or a small depression in the dry concrete using a mixing hoe or shovel.
• Add water to this depression. The amount of water that you will add will depend on the amount of concrete. You should add 1 gallon of water in every 80 pounds of premixed concrete.
• Using a shovel, mix the water with the concrete until you obtain a not too dry or too watery mixture. Your concrete will be ready to be placed into your concrete form.
• After placing it there, float it to remove any air pockets and voids that were formed as you were placing your concrete mixture into your form. For large projects, you should use a weigh batch mixer to mix your concrete with water.

Whether To Order Concrete by Yard From a Ready MIX Company Or Consider the Use Of Bags?

You can order ready-mix concrete or premixed concrete sacks, depending on your construction projects. Anyway, ready-mix concrete will be a perfect option for some construction projects and imperfect for others. The same applies to premix concrete sacks.

To know the best option for your construction project, research. Below are examples of construction projects and the option that will be good for them.

Slabs, Square Footings or Walls

When constructing slabs and square footings, you should order premix concrete sacks since the structures do not need a lot of concrete. However, when constructing walls, you need to order concrete by the yard from a company that has ready mix since a lot of concrete is needed. You should also order this concrete because you need to make walls using good quality concrete, and the quality of ready mix concrete is always good.

Hole, Column, or Round Footing

Since columns need to be strong, concrete should be poured in sequence. It is hard to achieve this when using ready-mix concrete since the concrete supply might not be steady. However, if the supply is uninterrupted, go for ready mix concrete since its quality is good. For a hole and round footing, order premix concrete sacks because these two require a small amount of concrete.

Circular Slab, or Tubercarb and Gutter Barrier

A lot of concrete is not needed when making gutter barriers. Therefore, ordering premix concrete sacks will be the best option. As for a circular slab, you can order premix concrete sacks or ready-mix concrete depending on the distance between the construction site and a concrete mixing plant. If the construction is near a concrete mixing plant, ready concrete will be the best option.

You might need to use concrete when paving or when constructing a circular slab. Depending on your construction project, you can order concrete from ready mix companies or premix concrete sacks. Regardless of the option you choose, you should be aware of the amount of concrete you need before ordering it. You can determine this amount by multiplying the width, length, and height of your concrete footing and dividing the answer by 27. The final answer will be the amount of concrete that you in cubic yards.