Concrete is a man-made material made from three components: binder, aggregate and solvent. It is quite difficult to imagine our life without this building material, it is used to build building foundations, create concrete decorative elements, sidewalks. It is widely used in various fields of human life. It is a relatively inexpensive material, and its distribution is justified from an economic, environmental and functional point of view.
Preparation of concrete: proportions
The binder is cement, a powdered mineral binder that, when water is added, forms a plastic "dough". The mass dries out over time and passes into a stone-like state. Structures come with varying degrees of operational load. The correct preparation of concrete depends on this. The proportions in its composition of cement as a binder and other components are of particular importance both financially and functionally. Main types: Portland cement,slag and alumina. In order not to make a mistake with the choice of material and not get confused in the cavalcade of brands and purposes of a particular product, get advice from the seller or read the instructions.
Water is needed to dilute concrete. You have to be careful with this component. A large amount of water not only affects the structure of the mass, but also impairs its styling. The same result is obtained if its deficiency is present. When concrete is being prepared, the proportions of water to other parts must be strictly observed.
The third component is a placeholder. They can be two materials at once - gravel or crushed stone. Gravel is a rounded fragments of loose sedimentary rock ranging in size from 2 to 20 mm. It allows you to make concrete preparation more economical. The proportions of this component in its composition are directly proportional to the desired degree of strength of the material being produced. There is no need to overspend cement, adding the right amount of one or another ingredient will completely ensure the reliability of the structure. Gravel happens sea, river, lake. Crushed stone performs a similar function. These are already fragments of rocks or artificial stone materials with an average size of 5-25 mm. In some areas, gravel is cheaper, in others - crushed stone. Depending on your region, you may choose a material that is more affordable.
The table below shows the volumes of all components required for manual concrete preparation. The proportions are averaged, taking into account the fact that the main ingredient- cement, the total weight is 1 ten-liter bucket (16 kg).
| Type of concrete | Sand pebbles, crushed stone (liter) | Water (liter) |
| Basic concrete | 200 | 40 |
| Reinforced concrete | 150 | 35 |
| Concrete for foundations | 130 | 30 |
| Paving slabs | 120 | 25 |
Note: The finer the aggregate size, the more water and cement required. For large volumes, the preferred option is this: concrete preparation in a concrete mixer. The proportions are similar, the order of adding the ingredients is as follows: water, then cement and gravel.
