Why It's Always Best to Have a Concreter Pour Your Concrete for You

Construction & Contractors Blog

Pouring a new driveway or slab for a patio may not seem like a difficult job for many homeowners. However, this job is actually more involved than you may think, which is why it's often best to have a concreter handle it instead. Note a few reasons why a concreter is the better option for a new driveway, walkway, foundation repairs, and other such concrete pouring on your property.

1. Pouring versus placing concrete

Actually pouring concrete can be very difficult because the material is relatively heavy. A homeowner might make the mistake of thinking they can add water to make it looser and easier to pour from the truck, but this can break down its strength and viscosity, causing the materials to segregate. Additional water also means a slower setting time and an increased risk of cracking. A concreter will be able to actually place the concrete, meaning they use a concrete pump and other such materials, rather than trying to just pour the concrete into place.

2. Letting concrete sit

If you let concrete sit in a delivery truck, it will eventually start to harden. It can be difficult for a homeowner to know how long the material can sit before it hardens, as this will vary according to the actual concrete mixture, the outside temperature, and many other such factors. A professional concreter will be able to determine how long the concrete can sit in the truck, such as when pouring concrete for very large jobs that can't be done in one day, and will also know how to keep the concrete from hardening without compromising its overall strength and integrity. This can mean not losing a batch of concrete because of this hardening.

3. Testing slump

The slump of concrete refers to its overall consistency. Since concrete is a mixture of many different ingredients, its consistency will vary with each batch. This consistency will be different according to the use and application of concrete; residential concrete can have a higher slump, or higher water content and more runny consistency, than concrete used in industrial applications. A concreter will know how to gauge the consistency of concrete as it's being mixed and will ensure that its slump is appropriate for the thickness of concrete being poured and for the overall traffic it will see. This will keep concrete from being too thick and weighing down any soft ground underneath it, while not allowing it to be too thin and more prone to cracks and other such damage.

For more information, contact contractors like Armstrong Creek Concreting & Outdoor Constructions.

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10 May 2016