Picking the right type of concrete is necessary if you want to get the best results for your project. There are several concrete delivery services in the UK offering a huge range of concrete with varying strengths. To know which type of concrete is best suited for a project, you need to know about the strengths and grade of different types of concrete.
Here we are going to detail different type of concrete mixes. In the context of raw materials all concretes are made from cement, water and sand or stone. The difference in the strength occurs from the different ratios of the raw materials. Furthermore, some concrete types use additional materials to give enhance quality in the mixture. For instance, concrete mixer with fibre has enhanced strength while concrete with retarding agents has a lower setting rate and for reducing corrosion of steel rebars corrosion inhibitors are added.
Concrete delivery services offer concrete under Commercial, Domestic and Screed categories.
Concrete for commercial applications
Commercial concrete types are made for larger projects and are often heavy duty. Here are major types of commercial concretes:
C7/8 / Gen 0-also known as wet lean mix concrete this type can be used for both commercial and domestic projects. It has strength of 7 Newton/28 days which makes it ideal for cavity filling, hunching and kerbing.
C10 / Gen 1-an extremely versatile type of concrete it finds its application across the construction industry. With strength of 10 Newton/28 day, it is best suited for drainage works, trench filling and flood blinding.
C15 / Gen 2-it has strength of 15 Newton/28 day which makes it ideal for laying foundations. It is mostly used for house floors without embedded metals.
C20 / Gen 3-ideal for lightweight domestic projects like paving patios, the foundation of large walls and oversights for garages and greenhouses, this type of concrete has a strength of 20 Newton/ 28 day.
C25 / ST 2-this is a high strength versatile concrete type used for a large number of commercial applications. With strength of 25 Newton/28 day its applications include trench filling and foundations and reinforced bases for buildings.
C30 / PAV1 / ST 3-this type of concrete has an air entrainment material added to the mixture that protects the surface from freeze-thaw cycles. This is why it is mostly used for outdoor paving. Its strength lies near 30 Newton/28 day.
C35 / PAV2– 35 Newton/28 day strength makes this concrete type a heavy-duty mixture used for commercial and industrial applications like reinforced bases or large towers.
C40-a strong commercial grade concrete mix with the strength of 40 Newton/28 day, C40 finds its application in paving HGV parks and septic tank foundation.
Concrete for domestic applications
The concrete made for domestic applications are versatile.
Standard Ready-Mix Concrete-it is the most commonly used type of concrete for domestic applications. The readymade concrete Essex is ideal for projects that have time and space constraints. Most concrete delivery services offer ready-mix concrete.
Self-Compacting Concrete or SCC concrete-this type of concrete is added with chemicals that provide it high flow rate allowing it to compact itself. It is especially useful for pre-cast structures.
Decorative Concrete-mostly used for aesthetic applications, this type of ready-made concrete Essex is available in a wide range of textures and colours.
Rapid-Set Concrete-as the name suggests this concrete type is useful in situations where the temperature is too low for standard concrete to set. It has a very short setting rate that makes it ideal for road renovations.
Fibre Concrete-with fibre content this type of concrete has high durability and strength. It is ideal for domestic buildings and light commercial projects.
Pervious Concrete-it is the most porous type of concrete that allows water to penetrate, reducing the risk of flooding. It is ideal for car parks, greenhouses and sustainable projects where water conservation is the main goal.
Screed Concrete
Screed is the thin layer of concrete applied to give a smoother finish to a surface. Mainly there are three kinds of screed-bonded, unbonded and floating.
Bonded Screed is a type of concrete that has a specialist bonding agent added that makes it less likely to crack or curl to hollow. The unbonded screed is mostly used for waterproofing and is laid on the proofing membrane. Their quality is their slow setting rate. The floating screed is used for thermal insulation because of its high thermal efficiency.
Now we hope you have all information to select the right kind of concrete for your project.