Always Be Ready With Ready Mix in Kalamazoo

by | May 13, 2013 | Construction & Maintenance

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Are you planning a project that will require more than a few bags of concrete? Do you have to order a large amount to pour footings, finish a driveway or even pour a nice sidewalk? Ensure that you are you not costing yourself money when you are ordering your concrete. This can easily be done if you are not ordering the correct amount of product or the correct consistency. Concrete is mixed at different strengths, or consistencies, depending on the project, and the climate. Calculating the right amount of Ready Mix Kalamazoo, will prevent you from having to have more delivered later. This will cost more in product, time and labor.

To calculate the right amount or volume, you will need to use the correct formula. First calculate the cubic footage, this is the length, times the width, times the depth of the project. Ensure that it is all calculated in feet or inches. Do not mix the two or you will come up with some really crazy numbers. Take the total number and divide it by 27 to convert it to cubic yards. Always add in at least five percent, and round it up to the next 1/4 to factor in uneven bases or spillage.

When ordering your concrete, make sure they know what type of project you are completing, to ensure you order the correct strength. This will be the ratio of cement to sand and gravel. The colder the climate, the stronger the mix. In a cold climate such as Michigan, an exterior sidewalk would probably be poured with at least a 3,000 pound mix. This means that the sidewalk will handle a 3,000 load per square inch before failing. Always ask to have five percent of air entrainment added in the mix. This is a chemical that will add microscopic bubbles to the mix to help the concrete expand and shrink during climate changes. Order your Ready Mix Concrete Kalamazoo, from the supplier closest to the job site. This will get your concrete to you quicker and allow less time for it to begin to setup. Have your forms ready and labor on hand to finish your concrete quickly will also produce a better product.