How Is Concrete Made

Many people confuse the terms cement and concrete, so let's clear that out. Cement is a fine great powder used to make concrete. Concrete is a building material that is made from four basic ingredients: sand, gravel, cement and water. The technique of making a concrete dates back from 3000 B.C. when the ancient Egyptians used a gypsum and lime mixture. Today, this mixture has been modified and is commonly used in the construction industry.

However, the concrete can be seen everywhere, because of its huge implementation. Roads, highways, buildings, houses, bridges, they can all be built of concrete. The concrete can be composed of various dry materials mixed with water to form a hardened paste mixture, which is used to form various forms and shapes. Its main ingredient is cement, which can be made of limestone, gypsum, clay, gravel and various chemical additives. Like baking a cake, the concrete requires a proper method and proper measures to ensure a strong concrete. There are many techniques of making concrete, but here is our choice of how it's done.

Get The Needed Materials – Acquiring all the needed materials and concrete equipment to produce concrete is the first step. Water, additives, cement, aggregates and air are the usual ingredients for concrete, and concrete mixer, road forms, vibrating poker, float, concrete test cube mold are the usual concrete equipment. Additional minerals can be added in order to ensure the proper chemical composition for making.

Mixing The Concrete – The key to producing a quality concrete is proper mixing. There are several techniques of mixing the concrete with various bricklaying tools and bricklaying equipment. The bricklaying tools and equipment should be capable of effectively mixing concrete materials to produce practical mixtures for work. In order to increase the compressive strength of the concrete, we recommend mixing the cement and water separately and then combine it with the other materials.

Pouring The Concrete - Once the materials have been mixed, it is time to pour the concrete. There are many concrete pouring machines and your choice mainly depends on the size of your jobsite. Usually, wooden molds are used to help pour the concrete into the prearranged forms. In case of reinforced concrete, the prearranged forms should contain steel rods or mesh. After the pouring of the concrete, it can be compressed as much as needed.

Concrete Drying – The most important factors of proper concrete drying are the moisture and the temperature. The concrete shrinks as it dries, but it can be prevented with keeping the surface of the concrete damp. Another problem could be a low or very high temperature. Extreme heat can cause rapid curing, while cold temperatures can draw the process and produce a weak concrete. Because of the temperatures, the construction companies work during the cooler part of the day in the summer and use various warming additives during cold weather in the winter.