Concrete Mix Ratio

Cement is a fine powder that is made up of calcined limestone and alumino-silicate, along with a low volume of calcium sulfate and clay. Cement is more like a binder or an adhesive, which, when mixed with water and exposed to air acts like a gluing agent. This definition is non-technical and strictly, descriptive. Cement is also known as Portland cement or OPC short for Ordinary Portland Cement. Concrete is basically a mortar that is made up of Portland cement, water, sand, gravel (both of which are known to be aggregates), plus some additional chemical if the need arises. Mortar is a mixture of aggregate, binder or adhesive and water, that solidifies when it dries, and fuses particles or surfaces. Concrete is a mortar, which is often also referred to as cement concrete.

The ratio of the concrete mixture of course matters a lot and there are several permutation and combination of the concrete mix by weight, quality of cement and aggregates and even the nature of ingredients, which ultimately defines the nature of the solidified concrete. The nature of these qualities defines, the strength, durability and even the tensile strength of this building material. The right ratio thus, gets you the best solidified concrete.

Concrete Mix Ratio

The normal ratio of concrete mixture is 6% air, 11% Portland cement, 41% gravel, 26% sand and 16% water. Cases where you need exact volumes by the dimensions of the place which you want to fill up, then you will have to use a ratio calculator. Today, there are two ratios of common concrete that are used, namely, 1:3:6 and 1:1:2, which imply the ratio between, cement, aggregate and water. The basic working of this concrete mix is that once in the presence of water, the cement reacts and spreads itself over all the particles of aggregates, and physically fuses them together. Thus the better concentration of cement means better concrete, and lesser concentration means lesser strength of the cement. For more strength, there are several types of concrete mixtures that are used at an industrial and non industrial level.

Thus the mix ratio will differ as per the purpose for which you are initially mixing the concrete. For example, if you are planning to make a patio, porch or a sidewalk along the house then you can have the 1:3:6 ratio concrete. The mix ratio for patio where a small amount of masonry with bricks is required, will also be 1:3:6:. However, if you are building a wall or a pillar or a building foundation , then, along with the reinforcement (RCC), you will also require the 1:1:2 ratio concrete. In cases where the structure has to bear a substantial weight and is exposed to gravitational force, the 1:1:2 ratio has to be used, plus RCC, in cases where structures are involved.

How to Mix Concrete

Now, mixing concrete in the right proportion is not that difficult, all you will need is cement, good, quality gravel and sand and proportional water. Apart from that as tools for mixing use a wheel barrow and a regular shovel. You will also require safety gloves and protective gum boots and may be an apron of some sort, as cement is not skin friendly and it tends to damage sensitive skin. Here's how you can go about it:

1. The first step is a very important one. Determine the purpose and also the volume of the concrete that you will be needing. To know the volume, you will need an online calculator which will also provide you with a certain ratio, weight and volumes of the four ingredients. Note that getting the right weight is going to affect the strength of the concrete, hence be careful.
2. The second step of course, is getting the raw material. Now, in cases where you will be needing huge amounts of concrete then, try ordering it from a ready mix supplier who will be able to provide it through a mixer trailer.
3. The process that you will need to mix cement manually is fairly simple. Start off by filling half the prescribed water proportion in the wheel barrow. Then add half the gravel, half the sand and half the measure of the cement. Mix it up a little with the shovel and in the same sequence add the remaining ingredients, keep mixing with the shovel till the mixture becomes uniform and even. This will take a very long time and hard effort, but once done, you can apply the concrete.

Note the solidification timing of the mixture and work accordingly, in cases where the quantity of the concrete is a bit large, you will need to make sure that you work fast or, alternatively, mix the mortar in batches. In case you are mixing the mortar for any structure or for home construction, consult an engineer or an architect for the task.