Concrete is a strong and durable material that can last for years. With proper maintenance, concrete improves its longevity. Here are some tips to maintain your concrete:
1. Keep It Clean
Concrete is porous, which means it absorbs liquids easily. When the liquid evaporates, it leaves stains behind. The longer the liquid sits on the surface, the more difficult it becomes to remove the stain. Remove stains as soon as they occur by cleaning them with water or a cleaning solution.
2. Seal It
Sealing your concrete protects it from external elements like dirt, grease and chemicals. Concrete sealing also protects your concrete from freezing and thawing damage that occurs during winter months.
You may have seen people mixing up bags of concrete in the back of a truck or on the sidewalk. Although this can be done, it is not the best way to mix concrete.
Mixing Concrete by Hand
1. Begin adding water a little at a time and mix until the consistency is that of peanut butter. A common mistake made when mixing by hand is to add water until you get the desired consistency. This will make weaker concrete than if you follow step two.
2. After adding all of the water begin mixing with a hoe, shovel, or spade until you create a uniform color. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of your mixing area to incorporate all dry material into your mix.
3. Mix for about 2 minutes after you have mixed in all of the water, then let stand for about 5 minutes. You’ll notice that some dry material has settled out onto the bottom during this resting period.
4. After resting, remix for an additional 2 minutes making sure that all dry material is incorporated from the sides and bottom into your concrete mix.
Concrete is a very durable product and will last for many years but it needs to be maintained properly. Proper maintenance can save you time, money and frustration. If not properly maintained, concrete can become slippery when wet or stained from chemicals or oil.
The most important part of concrete maintenance is sealing. Concrete naturally has pores in its surface that allows water and other materials to soak in/absorb into the concrete. When water freezes in these pores, it expands and causes the surface to crack or flake away. Sealing your concrete will prevent this from occurring by sealing off these pores so nothing can get through the surface of the concrete. The best time to seal your concrete is within the first 10-30 days of when it was poured. Usually after 30 days, the pores are already filled with dirt, chemicals and other materials that will prevent proper application of your sealer. It is also important to wait until all of your finishing work is done before applying your sealer (i.e., brick work, landscaping etc.).
There are two types of sealers: topical and penetrating
Topical Sealers
Topical sealers sit on the surface of the concrete and typically last 2-3 years before reapplication is needed (depending on how much traffic
When mixing concrete, the consistency of the concrete is very important. The consistency may be more important than the proportions of the components. Properly mixed concrete should have a “cookie batter” consistency, but not be too wet or runny.
The most common mistake made when mixing concrete is adding too much water. Adding excess water reduces the strength and durability of concrete. The ideal amount of water to add to your mix should be just enough so that when you squeeze a handful of damp concrete, it does form a ball, but does not crumble when you open your hand (see video below).
Another common mistake is adding too much water reducer or admixture. These chemicals are added to change certain properties of the finished concrete, such as curing time or workability. Be sure to consult with your supplier about the appropriate amount of admixture for your specific application.
Mixing Concrete
Concrete is one of the more inexpensive home improvement projects, and can be done by a beginner. The most important part of mixing concrete is to make sure that you mix it in a wheel barrow or something similar. That will ensure that you have proper proportions. The basic ratio for mixing concrete is one part cement, two parts sand, and three parts gravel by volume. Mixing the dry concrete materials and water makes a paste that will bind the materials together until the mix hardens. The strength properties of the concrete are inversely proportional to the water/cement ratio. In other words, the more water you use to mix the concrete, the weaker the concrete mix. The less water you use to mix the concrete, the stronger the concrete mix. A “sack” of cement (or other similar named bag) is usually one cubic foot in volume, so you would use half a sack of portland cement, 1 cubic foot of sand, and 1-1/2 cubic feet of gravel for each bag of cement that you use. You should also add some water to your mixture to make it easier to work with; however, be careful not to add too much as this will weaken your final product. Once you have mixed your concrete
Nearly all structures require some form of concrete to be built. Concrete is a composite material that consists of cement, sand, crushed stone (also known as aggregate) and water. It is the most used type of material for construction.
The reasons why concrete is so popular are that it is easy to use, receive and also mix. Concrete has been used for many years and it is still used today in many projects.
The reason why concrete is so popular is because it can be used in almost any project that you can think of. So if you have been thinking about using concrete then you might want to read this article on how to mix your own concrete.
It is not hard at all to make your own concrete mix, but you will need some tools in order to do it right, such as:
-A bucket or container;
-A measuring jug;
-A shovel or trowel;
-A mixing bar;
Mixing concrete on your own can be a messy task. However, if done correctly, it can save you a lot of money. It’s important to use the correct concrete mixing ratios to produce a strong, durable concrete mix. To make concrete, there are four basic materials you need: Portland cement, sand, aggregate (stone), and water.
The ratio of aggregate to sand to cement is an important factor in determining the compressive strength of the concrete mixture. A concrete mixture ratio of 1 part cement, 3 parts sand, and 3 parts aggregate will produce a concrete mix of approximately 3000 psi. Mixing water with the cement, sand, and stone will form a paste that will bind the materials together until the mix hardens. The strength properties of the concrete are inversely proportional to the water/cement ratio.