Correct Concrete Mix For Driveway
Concrete is a mixture of cement gravel and sand.
Correct concrete mix for driveway. The mix ratio of 1 2 3 consists of 1 part cement 2 parts sand and 3 parts stone plus some water to make a concrete mix you can use for most any building project. Increasing the thickness from 4 inches to 5 inches will add approximately 20 to your concrete cost but will also boost your driveway s load carrying capacity nearly 50. A standard concrete mix is 2 500 psi. To withstand the weight of vehicle traffic choose a concrete with a strength of 4 000 pounds per square inch for your driveway.
For a driveway you will want a much stronger mix of 4 000 psi with a 0 5 water to cement ratio which provides a denser concrete and hence increases the wear ability. The way you measure the ratio could be in shovels buckets or wheel barrows. I ll show you the actual concrete batch plant ticket with the cement sand and aggregate break downs for the yards we used. In areas with cold winters concrete mix should have a 6 percent.
For driveway paving the slump or stiffness of the mix should be about 4 inches. These are the actual concrete mix ratios for 3000 3500 4000 and 4500 psi concrete that i use to pour concrete floors patios pool decks and more. Because concrete is permeable it will draw moisture from the ground that it rests on. Slumps greater than 5 inches should be avoided warns pca.
To help ensure a problem free driveway use the following list for information about proper construction. Cement is the powdered dry material that is mixed in with gravel water and sand to become a binder for concrete. Thickness is the major factor even more than the strength of the concrete in determining a driveway s structural capacity. By using these materials they follow these steps.
You can use it for fence post footings deck footings and even small concrete pads. As long as you re consistent you ll get a good strong mix. When durability is key high strength concrete makes a great choice. Mix water with the cement sand and stone which will form a paste that will bind the substances together until the mix.
Placing concrete at the proper thickness. This sets in just 20 to 40 minutes. When you need to support a fence or mailbox post or create a small concrete slab fast setting concrete makes a great choice. An overly wet mix can lead to finishing problems and a weak surface.
Alter the materials as the strength properties of the concrete are inversely proportional to the water cement ratio. For information on testing fresh concrete see air contentand density unit weight. Place concrete at a minimum thickness of 4 inches. This is ideal for foundations footers and heavy equipment.