Tip 1: How to prepare a concrete mix
Tip 1: How to prepare a concrete mix
Virtually no capital construction isdoes without the use of concrete solution. This can be a foundation or floor screed. In any case, it is important to know how it is possible to prepare concrete and what is needed for this, because there are a number of nuances that significantly affect the quality of the result.
A few words about what concrete is. Composition
Concrete in its consistency and composition candiffer depending on the purpose. The simplest, the so-called lean concrete, is prepared using only three components: river coarse-grained sand, portland cement and water. Suitable is a concrete to form a thin layer of screed or strengthen the already constructed structures, fixing small parts. More durable concrete is obtained by adding large fractions: gravel, crushed stone, chipped stone. In no case can you use river or sea pebbles, as a result you will get a layer of mortar with a much lower strength. The prepared mortar of concrete must have sufficient fluidity to spread over the prepared form or formwork. The amount of cement mortar must be such as to fill the entire space between the gravel or gravel that fills it, and so that the concrete does not protrude from above.Preparation of concrete
For the preparation of concrete it is best to useconcrete mixer. Usually it has a volume of 200 liters, which is enough in most cases to make one serving. At the same time, it is taken into account that the solution should not remain idle for a long time or be mixed, but immediately poured into the formwork. For manual cooking, a sufficiently large trough with a height of boards no more than 15 cm is used. For a standard cement bag of 25 kg, it is required: - 25 kg of cement, 54 kg of sand, 125 kg of crushed stone or gravel, 15 l of water. It is necessary to measure the components with buckets, observing only the proportions. When filling a bucket, the components take up a larger volume than in a package or in bulk, because the formulation will be broken. Cement should be measured either with standard bags of known weight, or weighed, like sand. Gravel and crushed stone can be dosed with buckets, previously weighed them. First, water is poured. After that, cement and sand are added. In the best case, to accelerate the preparation, sand can be moved in advance with cement. After that, filler is filled. If it is necessary to add plasticizers, then part of the cement with sand and water is left for the last. When the bulk is already mixed, add the remaining solution into which the plasticizers are poured. It should be borne in mind that they dilute the solution, and therefore, the amount of water should be reduced according to the instructions for using the plasticizer or other additive used. In no case should you add water, if it was not enough. In this case, prepare a cement slurry with the same proportions as indicated in the recipe, and it is already poured into concrete. The time of preparation of one portion of concrete should be about 5 minutes. The finished solution is immediately poured into the formwork. Delay will affect the strength of the result, because the bundle of components will begin.Tip 2: How to replace the concrete mixture with a foundation
Preparation of concrete mixture for foundationis carried out by mixing cement, crushed stone, gravel and sand, after which it is all filled with water. The finished mixture very quickly seizes, so it is so important to use it for the first two hours.
In individual building for pouringthe foundation is most often used cement M 300 and M 400. Particular attention is paid to the water indicators used for the cement gate, and the size of aggregates, sand and gravel.
Nuances of the preparation of concrete mixes
Cement is a hygroscopic material,therefore its storage must be carried out only in dry rooms. For the construction of a foundation under the house, it is best to use fresh cement, as with long storage it is able to lose its brand, which will negatively affect the quality of the foundation, to the strength of which high demands are made. All components of the future concrete mix must be mixed with the mandatory observance of certain proportions. At the same time, dry components are mixed first and only then water is added. Its volume depends on the water-cement ratio, which differs for each design grade of cement.The water must be clean, and in the hot season it is also cool, in order to avoid too fast setting of the concrete.
Stages of manufacturing concrete for a foundation
Preparation of a concrete mixture for pouringthe foundation is carried out in several stages: · the volume of concrete is first determined, which depends on the type of foundation, · based on the selected cement grade, the total amount of components of the mixture is calculated · now it is necessary to determine the amount of concrete to be used at a time. In this case it is necessary to take into account the available tools and capacity for mixing;The volume of concrete mix for a concrete mixer differs from the volume for a trough.· The next step is mixing drycomponents of the concrete mixture until a homogeneous mixture is obtained · at the final stage, water is added to the dry mixture. The concrete for the foundation is best mixed in a concrete mixer. This will significantly reduce the complexity of work, as well as increase the speed of its implementation. Moreover, in this case the concrete solution is of a higher quality. To prepare a concrete mix in a trough is best at small volumes of work, for example, for making a foundation for a fence.
Tip 3: What does the concrete screed of the warm water floor consist of?
To get a quality screed,what components should be included in its composition, and in what quantity. If the water floor is concreted in accordance with the rules of this work, its surface will be strong and sufficiently heat conductive.
For the long-term operation of the "warm floor" system, it is important to maintain the weight of the static load. Hence, its strength must be impeccable.
