Concrete Tips
WHAT CONCRETE IS APPLICABLE TO MY JOB?
There are many different types of concrete to choose from depending on your application and its proposed use. The friendly staff at Newport Premix Concrete & Garden Supplies are always willing to provide assistance when it comes to selecting what type of premix concrete you need for your fencing, driveways, foundations or slabs. The knowledge and expertise on hand is quite extensive from both a technical and practical viewpoint, and we are always more than willing to help.
Typical concrete strengths range from 20 MPa to 50 MPa for most applications, unless you have a specific requirement specified by your engineer. Lower strengths are available but are usually used in non-structural applications such as void filler. Concrete strengths are typically measured in Megapascals (MPa). A Megapascal is a metric pressure unit and is equal to 1,000 000 force of newton per square meter, which is a pascal. 1 MPa is equal to 10 Bar.
HOW MUCH CONCRETE DO I NEED?
For a guide, please refer to our Volume Calculator at the bottom or top of this page. Pick the typical shape and enter the width, length and depth, and this will provide you with an indicative concrete supply amount. Please note the measurements are in millimetres and the accuracy is determined by the consistency of the levels in the site preparation. Be advised that it is a lot more economical to have a little left over than have to purchase another load because you ran a bit short.
FINISH OPTIONS WHEN CHOOSING CONCRETE
Concrete does not have to be just a drab grey solid anymore. The selections and options are quite extensive depending on the performance criteria you are looking for. Some of the available options are:
- Exposed Concrete: Exposed aggregate concrete mixes are designed so that when you remove the finished concrete paste from the surface, either by sandblasting or high pressure water washing before the concrete has finally cured, you are left with the aggregates and pebbles of the mix exposed to the surface. To get a consistent wash, most contractors will use an approved retarder and wash the concrete the next day. An experienced contractor can wash the same day, but weather conditions need to be right and consistent.
- Coloured Concrete: You can add character and charm to your concrete by adding colour. One method is to use Colour Hardeners – these are bull-floated into the top surface of the concrete. Another is to use colour oxides, which generally give a more consistent colour finish as they’re added to the wet mix and are proportionate to the amount of cement in the mix. Our website shows the extensive range of colours we keep in stock, but we would always suggest you come in to our showroom and speak to our friendly staff to help decide which coloured concrete in Melbourne is best for your application.
- Concrete Finishes: There are a number of methods you can utilise to finish your plain concrete or coloured surface. The most common are by floating the surface and then troweling it to leave a smooth finish, or you can achieve a non-slip surface with a cove or stipple finish or broom finish.
PUMPING CONCRETE
It is important that when pumping your concrete, you advise Newport Premix Concrete & Garden Supplies of the fact so we can tailor the mix to suit the application. It is also important to select your Pump Contractor carefully, as there are a number of operators with old machinery that are inadequate for the work at hand.
For more concrete tips, call Newport Premix Concrete & Garden Supplies today on (03) 9397 2233.