What do i need to make concrete apart from cement?

DominicKid

Have no clue about what to mix as i've no experience before.
Heading up to Cork tomorrow to B&Q to buy some stuff to fill a small sized garden with concrete.
Same sized garden but not mine.


What i've in mind is to buy:

Lafarge concrete but don't know which one to buy best, in terms of price and the weather conditions

Not sure what else to buy, isn't gravel and mortar the same thing? correct if i'm wrong and should i consider buying it to make the concrete more durable?

All help appreciated , thanks

Snake

Sand and water

Snake

You can throw stones in too if you want to

Snake

This is the stuff my father always buys. Good stuff, mixing is I believe 3 parts cement and 1 part sand and water just enough so it's pourable but not too thin usually if there's no sand or cement powder there's enough water basically 3 shovels of cement to 1 shovel of sand. If it's too watery when it's laid it won't set..

Are you mixing with an electric mixer or a wheel barrow and shovel?

redser7

You might get more info on the DIY or Construction forums Dominic.

magicbastarder

you're buying in b&q? would you not get a better deal in a builder's merchants?

anyway, if you've not laid concrete before, that's a hell of a job to start with. and you'll need a hell of a lot of concrete. what is it, 20'x20'? pour it three inches deep, and you'll need 100 cubic foot of concrete; that's equivalent to a cube of concrete four and a half foot a side.

plasteritup

GrayFox208 wrote: »

Sand and water

There's no sand in concrete

magicbastarder

not according to the irish concrete society:
http://www.concrete.ie/concrete_bas.asp

5T3PH3N

What size is the area you want concreted? Will there be a structure or car etc sitting on it at all?
Have you dug out the topsoil already? You can't just place concrete on topsoil or it will crack in no time.


Gravel and mortar are not the same thing.
Mortar is made up of sand, cement and water and is used for bricklaying, usually mixed at 3 parts sand to 1 part cement.

Concrete is made up of water, cement and building gravel. Usually mixed at 1 part cement to 5/6 parts gravel, but changes depending on its intended use.
Use irish cement and clean water.

tommy2bad

For that sises, you would be better off getting readymix deliver a bag of concrete.
Have the ground work done and get concrete down as soon as it arrives. 20 X 20 is a hard days work if your mixing your self. You'll need sand, cement, water and to do that much to hire a mixer. The readymix will harden off quicker and as it all one mix be a more consistent mix.

Sam Kade

Concrete is gravel water and cement. Mortar is sand water and cement. Gravel is coarser than sand with stones mixed in. Here's a simple website for you

plasteritup

magicbastarder wrote: »

not according to the irish concrete society:
http://www.concrete.ie/concrete_bas.asp

Gravel cement water for any concrete work I've done mixing it in a mixer myself.I've done lots of it.

Snake

plasteritup wrote: »

Gravel cement water for any concrete work I've done mixing it in a mixer myself.I've done lots of it.

Father always had me throw sand in to cement..

Snake

And if you need that many bags don't go near B&Q.. Builders merchants will sort you out with a way better deal

blinding

You need a concrete mix (various aggregate) to mix with cement and water.

10 millimeter aggregate is easier to finish.

Snake

If you've never mixed or laid cement before are you sure it's a good idea to do this on your own? It's quite complicated to lay cement it's not as simple as pouring it any oul place and waiting it to dry. Especially on your own.. If I were you get a friend who's done it before to help you

DominicKid

does anyone know where to buy wire mesh so that it doesn't stop from cracking?

DominicKid

GrayFox208 wrote: »

This is the stuff my father always buys. Good stuff, mixing is I believe 3 parts cement and 1 part sand and water just enough so it's pourable but not too thin usually if there's no sand or cement powder there's enough water basically 3 shovels of cement to 1 shovel of sand. If it's too watery when it's laid it won't set..

Are you mixing with an electric mixer or a wheel barrow and shovel?

wheel barrow and mixer , watched enough videos on how to mix it .
So if i buy that yolk you posted i don't need to buy anything else , just mix it with water correct? Will it be durable?

Snake

DominicKid wrote: »

wheel barrow and mixer , watched enough videos on how to mix it .
So if i buy that yolk you posted i don't need to buy anything else , just mix it with water correct? Will it be durable?

What yoke is this?

5T3PH3N

DominicKid wrote: »

wheel barrow and mixer , watched enough videos on how to mix it .
So if i buy that yolk you posted i don't need to buy anything else , just mix it with water correct? Will it be durable?

No no no. That is cement. You mix cement with gravel and water to make concrete.

5T3PH3N

DominicKid wrote: »

does anyone know where to buy wire mesh so that it doesn't stop from cracking?

It's steel mesh and you can get it at a builders providers.

phog

OP, if you're starting from such a low base as you need to know what makes concrete then I'd suggest you try and get a handy man to do the job.

That area of ground is reasonably large and you'll need some knowledge about getting levels right and ensuring you have flow offs for rain water.

Fwiw, if you go ahead and do it yourself then find a builders providers to get gravel and cement, B&Q can work out expensive for larger quantities.

Also, laying concrete in sections help avoid cracks.

DominicKid

fk it ya, not sure what to do also when it rains, no drainage ..

Snake

DominicKid wrote: »

fk it ya, not sure what to do also when it rains, no drainage ..

Lay it at a slight slope or add a drain.

paddy145

I reckon your talking a few tonnes of concrete there going by picture. Your not going to fit your raw materials in the boot of your car here. I would imagine anyone doing this with a bit of know how would prepare the ground and then order a load of readymix, could take two even...

phog

paddy145 wrote: »

I reckon your talking a few tonnes of concrete there going by picture. Your not going to fit your raw materials in the boot of your car here. I would imagine anyone doing this with a bit of know how would prepare the ground and then order a load of readymix, could take two even...

+1

OP, have you considered that you need to remove the soil and use filling before ever laying the concrete. Depending on the depth of filling you might need to use a "whacker" to pack the filling.

RKQ

OP thats a very big area for someone with no experience. Prepare your ground by removing the topsoil, get some friends together and order concrete by the truck load!
Forget about trying to mix conc by hand for that area (I always use cement, sand and gravel in my conc mix)

miss no stars

Get someone else to do it.

Concrete has water, cement, gravel and sand, for those who are saying otherwise. The gravel and sand are collectively referred to as aggregate with sand being fine aggregate and gravel being coarse aggregate. All component ratios can be varied to provide different strength an density.

OP, as this is outside you should get an air entrained mix. If you don't know what that is, get a tradesman.