Recipe for concrete?

[GTX]

 I have no experience with concrete except scratching profanities in wet cement as a kid    but now I need to lay some down where I jack hammered up the old to I put down new plumbing lines.  From what I've read and heard it's not a big deal at all but does anyone have any hints or tips?

No, I can't use a large mixer and certainly not a truck. It's really not that much. I already have some 80lb bags of mix to use.

[Silver R/T]

just get a wheel barrell and mix it with water according to the directions on the bag.

[GTX]

Gee, why didn't I think of that?   

What I am wondering is probably stupid stuff like what is the working time on concrete, how hard is it to mix, how well do you need to mix it, how do you know when it's ready and how important is it to try to get air from being trapped?
I've seen guys sticking sticks or something in the wet concrete and they said they had to get all the trapped air out.

How long does it take to setup and when can I put weight on it and drive nails or anchors into it for framing?


Just lot's of dumb newbie cement questions. I really don't want to do this again!

[purple70rt]

I usually mix it in a wheelbarrow, i try to mix in sone gravel also.  Put the mix in ad water and gravel and i use a shovel to mix it up, you can tell when it's ready, hard to explain.  I let my patches set up a couple of days.  I covered it with some plastic sheeting whan I was done.  I'm no concrete expert by anymeans though.

[Back N Black]

you can buy concrete in a bag called "ready mix" it has the sand and stone already mixed in with the concrete all you do is add the amount of water as per directions on the bag. It is good if your doing small jobs, because it is a little more expensive than the regular stuff.  I used it for my fence post work great, just another option.

[mikepmcs]

GTX
Check this site out, it might have some good answers for you in the FAQ section.

http://www.cement.org/basics/index.asp

an even better one. PDF alert though.

http://www.concrete.net.au/pdf/concretebasics.pdf

and one more from DIY

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/dp_concrete/article/0,2037,DIY_13789_2270074,00.html

Hope it helps.

v/r
Mike

[1BAD68]

its pretty simple, use a wheelbarrow and a square shovel and mix it according to directions.

I have a related question...
I have a old 1876 one room school house made out of fieldstone, the morter or cement is cracked and chipping around the stones and I want to tuck point it this summer but cant find any cement to match the color. What exactly was that stuff they used? Someone told me I might need torpedo sand... what is that?

[mikepmcs]

http://www.ottojacobs.com/Aggregate%20Product%20Descriptions.htm

http://www.rwmillerandsons.com/prod12.htm

v/r
mike

[1BAD68]

http://www.ottojacobs.com/Aggregate%20Product%20Descriptions.htm

http://www.rwmillerandsons.com/prod12.htm

v/r
mike

[GTX]

Thanks guys!


You'd think I could have figured out to locate a FAQ on my own but noooo, I have to be pointed to it! 


Sometimes I'm not a bright man as Forrest Gump says.

[mikepmcs]

No sweat, I like searching for stuff on the net to try to help out.  Also I learn something in the process because I always end up reading the articles as well.




v/r
Mike

[BronzeOnSteelies]

Remember if you add water a little goes a long way. You will think the mix is too dry and you will end up with soup if you add too much water.
Add it a little bit of at a time if needed.

The sticks those guys had are vibrators that "consolidate" the concrete (make sure there are no voids). You can do that by sticking a rebar or whatever in it repeatedly.

[bull]

The title says you want the recipe. It's premix and water.

[GTX]

The title says you want the recipe. It's premix and water.