Benefits of Mix on Site Concrete

mix-on-site-concrete
Concrete is an essential element for every construction site. When you start looking for different kinds of concrete available in the market, you may see their differences based on the techniques through which they are mixed. Concrete Suppliers Bexley Mix on-site concrete is the most popular type of concrete used all over the UK. There is a range of benefits of using this product for your construction project; irrespective of their type and size.

Why is Mix on Site Concrete Popular?

Fresh Concrete: The concrete is freshly prepared; just for your project. Nothing can affect your concrete since it will be mixed in front of you. Good for Large Projects: Volumetric mixers always work better for large projects since they hold a huge amount of concrete that you can use at a time. No Waste: Even if you need concrete for a smaller scale construction project, you can utilise the amount you exactly need. There will be no waste of material. Control the Consistency: Mix on-site concrete means flawless consistency. Since it is mixed and prepared on your site, you can control the consistency level as per the current requirement of your construction work. Convenient: Whether you run a large construction project or a small one; mix on-site concrete makes the entire process convenient. Minimal waste, on-time delivery and perfect consistency help you to finish your job fast. Concrete suppliers in Surrey Cobra Concrete Ltd. can mix your concrete on site. We supply different types of concrete products throughout London, including Bexley and we supply the finest quality products to individuals and companies. We use volumetric mixing vehicles to mix your concrete on-site to produce products with the exact strength and quantity you require without any hassle. Please get in touch with us for more information.

Types of Concrete Products You Can Use

concrete-products

A construction site uses different types of concrete products according to the architectural and civil engineering plans. It may include the construction of slabs and foundations for small domestic projects and developing large structures such as commercial building plans.

concrete suppliers in Croydon

The top concrete suppliers in Croydon will pump different types of concrete products to suit the versatile needs of your projects.

Concrete Products that Are Mostly Used

Lightweight Concrete: Unlike traditional concretes, it is lower in density. It helps you to decrease the size of the structural elements of your construction.

Fluid Concrete: To achieve a smooth surface, you can rely on fluid concrete. Only an experienced team can handle this with the help of the right equipment.

Foam Concrete: A foam injection and blended cement slurry are mixed to create foam concrete. The dimension of each of these elements determines the density of the concrete.

Steel Fibre Concrete: This is one of the most popular ranges of concrete with higher efficiency. Under harsh loading conditions, you can expect to get the best performance from this type of concrete.

You need to choose the right type of concrete from your supplier according to the construction project you are handling. Your concrete supplier will also help you to choose the most suitable one after knowing your project’s type and range.

Concrete suppliers in Surrey

At Cobra Concrete Ltd., we pump all these above-mentioned concrete products. Our excellent concrete pumping solutions eliminate the need for hiring excess labour. It saves time, as well. Larger quantities of concrete can be pumped and placed at your site with our advanced equipment and skilled team members.

Please get in touch with us for details.

Why Choose Coloured Concrete for Your Construction Site

ready-mix-concrete

In the world of building and construction, concrete is one of the most versatile materials. From the base of a structure to the decorative elements – you can use concrete everywhere while constructing a building in Orpington.

ready mix concrete

When it comes to using concrete for decorative purposes, the demand for coloured concrete becomes higher. This is a new form of concrete which is highly appreciated in the construction industry. The coloured concrete is used for creating intriguing and creative structures or adding more decorative dimension to your building projects. No matter whether you are building your home or a commercial building; the use of coloured concrete can help you to add more creative and aesthetic value to that structure.

What is Coloured Concrete

Coloured concrete is normal concrete which has coloured pigments to get a certain colour which you can use for decorative and creative purposes in a building construction project. Adding the colour will help you to create something unique and vibrant.

The Benefits of Using Coloured Concrete

  • Coloured concrete has all the features of normal concrete; hence, you can use it anywhere during the construction project as per your need.
  • Coloured concrete can improve the aesthetic and creative features of a building.
  • It can add fresh dimensions to your building to give it a standalone look.
  • You can construct the building using coloured concrete to match the surrounding as well.
  • Since coloured concrete is moldable material, it provides you with fantastic flexibility in design which you desire to have.
  • Whether it is coloured or not, concrete is one of the most durable materials that one can use to develop a building project.
  • Not only you can add a wide range of colours, but you can also have colour consistency in coloured concrete.

All these benefits make coloured concrete one of the popular materials for the building and construction industry. You should contact the top concrete manufacturer and supplier to obtain the best products.

Concrete Suppier

Cobra Concrete can offer you the finest quality concrete that can be used in different types of building and construction projects. Please get in touch with us to know in detail about our products and services.

Top 3 Reasons To Use Concrete For Storage Areas

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People have been using concrete for a long time. Take a look around and you will notice that all the barn, warehouses and storage facilities are made of concrete. It is produced from locally available material and leaves a small environmental footprint. It is one of the building materials which gain strength over time. If you are planning to build a storage area to protect your valuable stock and products, visit a reputed concrete supplier in Sidcup and use high-quality accredited concrete.

concrete for storage areas

Few Benefits Of Using Concrete When Making Storage Areas

Fire-Resistant

If your objective is to build a fire-resistant storage area and keep your valuables protected, use concrete. It is made using cement and aggregates. Both these elements are chemically inert and don’t catch fire. Not only does concrete save the storage area from catching fire but the material also transfers heat very slowly. Even if blazes take place outside the storage area or in some other room, your valuable items will stay protected. When concrete comes in contact with flames, they don’t emit toxic fumes and keep your stock and people protected.

Strength And Durability

The focus of every construction worker building a storage area is on its strength and durability. Visit a reputed supplier of concrete in Sidcup and you can expect the structure to last for years with minimal maintenance. You will be surprised to know that concrete is capable of enduring the weight of heavy vehicles like lorries, forklift trucks and tractors once it hardens. A majority of the concrete structures have high durability and can last for centuries. If you ever feel that you don’t need them any longer, just demolish it.

concrete supplier

Keep The Room Temperature Constant

Irrespective of the items you are planning to put in the storage area, it is always advisable to choose a material which will keep the room’s temperature constant. Concrete has a high thermal mass and can keep the temperature of your storage room consistent for a long time. You won’t need any artificial heating or cooling and reduce your energy bills. You can even keep your company’s carbon footprint low.

Since there are so many benefits of using concrete for storage areas, it’s time you start looking for a reputed concrete supplier.

Using Ready Mix Concrete? Know The Common Types And Advantages

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Visit any reputed concrete supplier and they will let you choose from a wide variety of concrete mixes. Understand the needs of your construction project and you can choose the right type of concrete mix. Recently, there has been an increase in the demand for ready mix concrete. It is a type of customised concrete manufactured in factories or a batching plant. The supplier will understand your concrete needs and manufacture the material according to your required specifications. After the concrete mix is prepared in the factory, it is taken to the worksite in transit mixers.

ready mix concrete

Millions of construction workers and builders all over the world prefer ready mix concrete. The material is very durable and sustainable. It is always advisable to choose a reputed supplier offering this concrete variety. You can rest assured that the mixture prepared is precise and of high quality. Some concrete suppliers even use this concrete manufacturing method to make various concrete mixes efficiently. They have high versatility and multiple applications.

3 Types Of Ready Mix Concrete

  • Transit Mixed Concrete – It is also known as dry-batched concrete. It is prepared by putting all the ingredients and water directly into the truck mixer. The mixer drum revolves at high speed when the material is loaded. It revolves at a normal speed until the concrete is delivered at the construction site.
  • Shrink Mixed Concrete – The initial concrete mixing takes place in the plant mixer. The rest of the mixing is done during transit in the truck-mounted drum mixer. The amount of mixing required in the transit mixer is dependent on how much mixing was done in the central mixing plant.
  • Central Mixed Concrete – This ready mix concrete variety is completely mixed before loading it into the truck mixer. The primary task of the truck mixer is to act as an agitator while transporting the concrete. Some suppliers even use non-agitating trucks if the project requires concrete with less workability.
concrete suppliers

3 Advantages Of Using Ready Mix Concrete

  • Reputed concrete suppliers of ready mix concrete use consistent methods and sophisticated equipment when manufacturing the material.
  • The material is tested on various parameters before delivering them to the construction site.
  • The mechanised operations in a ready mix concrete plant speed up the construction practices.

Since you are now aware of the common types and benefits of ready mix concrete, it’s time you start looking for a reputed supplier in your city.

5 Strong Reasons Why Concrete is the Right Choice for Building a Patio

concrete-patio

Among all the materials that are used in the construction industry, concrete is considered as the strongest. It is the most used material, as well. It has some unique features and benefits that make it the favourite of the construction specialists as well as the property owners. Whether you want to build an entire house or need to construct a new patio – concrete is your best choice.

concrete patio

It is a compound material which is made up of a mixture of cement and water. Various types of concrete are available and they are used to build different types of structures.

Why You Should Choose Concrete for Patio Building

Concrete is Durable

When it comes to choosing something durable or long-lasting, nothing can beat concrete. It is one of the hardest and most durable materials used in the construction industry. It gains more strength with time. Concrete can withstand hostile weather conditions and remain strong for years after years. So, your patio will also remain strong and durable when you use concrete to make it.

Low Maintenance Material

Concrete demands zero or minimal maintenance. Hence, you can keep your patio shining and attractive without any extra effort. Cleaning the patio once or twice a month will be enough to maintain its beauty and fresh look. Simple sweeping with broom and water will be enough. If required then you can use a jet washer or pressure washer once in a year to keep the concrete patio stain-free.

Concrete in Flexible

You can create different designs with wet concrete to get your desired shape in the patio. It is flexible, and you can get the desired shape, size and style of your patio with the help of concrete.

Excellent Fire Resistant

Concrete has a great quality of fire-resistant. Hence, it is safe to use this material to build the patio. Therefore, your patio can remain unharmed even if there is a fire in the garden or the exterior part of your house.

concrete supplier

Concrete is Affordable

In comparison to timber or glass, you can always find concrete less expensive. Building a concrete patio is always an affordable option for every homeowner. If you wish to get something cost-effective, stylish and durable, then a concrete patio is the best option for you.

There are many other features of concrete that make it a suitable material to build a stylish and smart-looking patio. You can add various colours to concrete to make the patio attractive and stylish. Besides, concrete is eco-friendly, which makes it a perfect choice for the modern homeowners who love to get things that are not toxic for the environment and for their loved ones.

However, you need to look for the best quality concrete to obtain all these benefits mentioned above.

Contact with Cobra Concrete Ltd for the premium quality materials that you can use to build strong and durable structures, including stylish patios in your house.

Choose Quality Ready Mix Concrete

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If you are looking for affordable construction material, choose concrete. The production cost of the cement is comparatively low so you can buy it without exceeding your construction budget. It can also harden at ambient temperature and cast into a shape you want. It also has excellent water resistance characteristics. Though concrete has so much to offer, there are still a few builders who have not approached a concrete supplier yet. They believe that the material is prone to discolouration. Though it is not entirely wrong, visit the right concrete supplier and you don’t have to worry about discolouration.

concrete discolouration

What Is Concrete Discolouration?

For someone not aware of the term, concrete discolouration occurs when the surface of a concrete structure develops non-uniform colour. There might be mottled discolouration or deep blotches. The colour change can deteriorate the appeal of a structure so make sure you use quality concrete to make it. The colour change can also occur when cement is not mixed in the right proportion. 

What Causes Discolouration Of Concrete?

It will become easier for you to deal with concrete discolouration if you are aware of the various reasons which cause it. When concrete is prepared in batches while making a structure, the source of cement or fine aggregate might change which can bring a change in placement sequence. Though this can cause concrete discolouration, it is very rare and insignificant. When you hydrate cement to a great extent, they become a bit lighter in shade. This effect can also occur due to insufficient mixing time or inconsistent use of admixtures. If you notice a greenish or yellowish tint has appeared on the concrete, it is an indication that the material contains ground slag. You can expect the shade to vanish over time. Generally, concrete discolouration does not occur due to a single factor.

Tips To Prevent Discolouration Of Concrete

  • Avoid using cement with high alkali content if you want to reduce the chances of discolouration.
  • Limit the quantity of calcium chloride or chloride-bearing chemical admixtures you are adding with concrete as it is considered to be the primary reason behind concrete discolouration.
  • The condition, kind or type of formwork you are using when building a concrete structure can also impact its surface colour.
  • Concrete suppliers in Croydon avoid trowel burning the concrete as hard trowelling the material can densify the surface and lead to dark discolouration.
  • Unprofessional curing of concrete can also lead to discolouration as uneven curing impacts the degree of cement hydration.
Concrete suppliers in Croydon

How To Minimise Discolouration Of Concrete Slab?

Since discolouration of concrete has a negative impact on the appeal of a structure, your focus should always be on minimising or preventing it. Concrete suppliers always recommend adding proper protection to prevent the concrete from drying due to sun or wind, moisten absorptive subgrades and follow the right curing procedures. 

Know The Factors Which Impact Your Concrete Mix Design

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One of the primary reasons why the demand for reputed concrete suppliers is always quite high is because concrete is one of the most preferred man-made construction materials. It offers the perfect blend of affordability and durability. Just make sure that the material is prepared by mixing cement, aggregates and water in the right quantity. Once the mixture is poured in forms, they cure and become hard like a rock. The workability, strength and durability of concrete are largely dependent on how the mixture is prepared and the method of compaction. But before you start looking for a concrete supplier, know the common concrete mix designs and the factors which impact the design mix of concrete.

concrete mix design

2 Types Of Concrete Mix Design

  • Nominal Mix Concrete

It is a rough method of concrete mix design which works on the principle of ratio or volume. Cement, sand and aggregates are measured before mixing instead of mixing them randomly. A unique feature of nominal mix concrete design is that they don’t require any lab testing. They are used in various parts of the world for ordinary concrete construction where the concrete grade requirement is less than M15. The M20 design mix is used for higher grades. This concrete mix design works on the principle of volumetric batching.

  • Design Mix Concrete

Design mix concrete is more popular than nominal mix concrete as it works on the principles of mix design. Builders choose this variety when they need concrete of desired quality for their construction project. They are even more affordable than the one stated above. Reputed concrete suppliers like Cobra Concrete Ltd. always conduct laboratory testing of the constituents before mixing them.

3 Factors Which Impact The Design Mix Of Concrete

  • Workability Of Concrete

If you are looking for proper placement and compaction of concrete, a few factors you should consider are the spacing and quality of reinforcement, shape and size of the section you want to concrete and how you are transporting and placing the concrete. Quality concrete offers satisfactory placement and compaction of concrete and minimum possible workability. Insufficient workability will have a negative impact on the durability, strength and surface finish of a concrete structure.

design mix concrete

  • Durability Of Concrete

You can stay assured that the concrete you are using is durable if it is resistance to deterioration even in an aggressive environment. Concrete suppliers in Surrey achieve the desired durability by minimising the cement content and grade of concrete and maximising the water cement ratio. Sometimes, chemical and mineral admixtures are also added to the concrete mix to enhance their durability.

  • Grading Of Aggregates

If you are using both coarse and fine aggregates when preparing the concrete mix, ensure proper grading of combined aggregates. The proportion in which they are mixed will impact the material’s strength and workability. Your concrete mix will be leaner if the grading is coarser.

Since you now know the common concrete mix designs and the factors which impact its design, it’s time you start looking for a reputed concrete supplier.

Concreting Tips For Construction Workers During Summer

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There are a few people who think using concrete during summer is as easy as using it during the rest of the year.  High summer temperatures, low humidity, direct sunlight, high concrete temperatures and even modest wind velocity can cause concrete surface cracking (plastic shrinkage cracks).

concreting tips in hot weather

Concrete preparation, placement and curing become a problem when the weather becomes too hot. Cement starts hydrating rapidly when the temperature increases, water evaporates quickly and construction workers often get confused about how much water they should mix to prepare concrete. The objective is to prevent cracks from developing in the concrete structure later. If you want to reap all the benefits offered by high-quality concrete in Sidcup, take all the precautions necessary during hot weather concreting.

3 Effects Of Hot Weather Concreting

  • To maintain the workability of concrete, you have to mix more water when preparing it. As a result, the strength of the material reduces drastically.
  • Plastic shrinkage cracks might develop in the structure before or after the material has become hard. It generally occurs due to rapid evaporation of water when the temperature becomes too hot. Cracks might also develop in the structure due to increased drying shrinkage.
  • Water has evaporated more rapidly than they should during the curing period. The easiest way to prevent the issue is by ensuring that the temperature remains uniform throughout the curing process.
high-quality-concrete

7 Tips To Minimise The Impact Of Hot Weather Concreting

  • Avoid pouring or using concrete between 11 am to 4 pm as the temperature is at its highest between these times.
  • Create a shed in your construction site to store sand, cement and stone aggregates.
  • Keep stone aggregates cold by sprinkling water over them at fixed intervals.
  • Sprinkle cold water on reinforcements, forms and sub-grade just before placing the concrete.
  • Try to finish the concrete placement process quickly if you want to minimise the impact of hot weather concreting.
  • Using concrete after a long time you have prepared them will decrease the material’s workability. You have to mix more water to deal with the situation.
  • Start moist curing concrete once it attains the required degree of hardening.

These being said, it’s time you follow the tips stated above and choose a reputed concrete supplier if you want to minimise the impact of hot weather concreting. 

Know How Ready-Mix Concrete Is Prepared By Suppliers In Sidcup

ready-mix-concrete-in-sidcup

Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials in the world. It is economical, durable and can be cast into a shape you want. In industrialised and developing countries, they are used to build both residential and commercial buildings. Cement and aggregates are two common materials used to make concrete. You have to mix them with water in the right proportion.

ready mix concrete in Sidcup

Not only is concrete entirely inert but also provides exceptional durability without any special maintenance. Though concrete suppliers in Sidcup offer a wide variety of concrete to fulfil your construction needs, the demand for ready-mix concrete is gradually increasing. Few easy steps followed to prepare this concrete variety have been stated below.

Steps Followed By Concrete Suppliers In Sidcup When Preparing Ready-Mix Concrete

1)      A semi-trailer is used to deliver and unload aggregates into the receiving hopper. The hopper is covered with a cladding which not only helps in limiting noise but also reduces the amount of dust emitted during the unloading process. The objective is to keep these disturbances away from the environment.

2)   A bucket elevator or conveyor belt is used to transport the aggregates.

3)      The capacity of the compartmented silo or hoppers in which the aggregates are stored is dependent on the production capacity of the plant.

4)      A belt scale or weighbridge is used to weigh the aggregates before transferring it to the mixer.

5)      A tanker truck delivers the cement which is then stored in waterproof silos. The filters in the silo prevents the dust from getting released into the air. You can store a wide variety of cement in them. Concrete suppliers use a cement auger to feed the cement into the cement skip scale where it is weighed.

ready-mix concrete Sidcup

6)      The cement mixer is an integral part of every plant. The previously weighed aggregates, cement and water are fed into the cement mix where they are mixed for around one minute so you can get a homogeneous concrete mixture.

7)      There is a door at the lower part of the mixer which opens once the mixture is prepared. It transfers concrete from the concrete mixer to the mixer truck.

8)      If you want to make changes in the properties of the concrete, you can add admixtures during the production process.

9)      There is a controller in the control room which helps the central control technician carry out the production with ease. The automated process of preparing concrete in Sidcup guarantees precision.

10)   The mixer trucks responsible for delivering fresh concrete to construction sites have a capacity of 4.6 to 8m3. If you want to make the most of ready-mix concrete, use it within 2 hours after it is manufactured. A pump truck is used to deliver the concrete and implement it on site.

11)   You can use a recycler to separate aggregates from the loaded water which can later be used to produce various types of concrete. You will be surprised to know that every material left behind as residue during the production process is recyclable.

These being said, you now know how suppliers prepare ready-mix concrete in Sidcup.