Concrete is one of the most popular building materials used throughout the world. It’s extremely versatile and cost effective. There are endless options to choose from when building your house, creating your driveway, or even on your do it yourself project, but with such selections, how do you decide it’s important to know what concrete mix you need to make your project a success.
We created a list to help you understand the different concrete mixes out there to help you get the right one to meet the design specifications you want to achieve. These are the top five concrete mixes on the market that’ll help you decide with confidence and choosing the right product for your project.
What PSI Concrete for Garage Floor
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | AMAZON |
|---|---|---|
| Quikrete 80 Pounds, Concrete Mix | CHECK PRICE |
| Sakrete 80 Pound Gray Concrete Mix | CHECK PRICE |
| Rutland Tub Castable Concrete Mix | CHECK PRICE |
| Sika 50 Pounds Self-Leveling Underlayment Concrete Mix | CHECK PRICE |
| Quikrete 20 Pound Hydraulic Water Stops Cement Concrete Mix. | CHECK PRICE |
- Quikrete 80 Pounds, Concrete Mix.
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It consists of a uniformly blended properly proportioned mixture of gravel, sand and Portland cement. It has a high strength of 4,000 PSI or pounds per square inch. That’s determined by the strength of the compression testing on the concrete. This mix can be used for pairing or building foundations, walls, sidewalks, curbs steps, setting posts, and ramps.
This product also exceeds the compression strength requirements for the American society of testing and materials that assure outstanding performance and strength. This is ideal for general concrete application and designed for pouring concrete over two inches thick or more.
Like any other concrete mixture, all you need to do is add water. Adding water slowly and a little at a time as you start mixing will help you reach the right consistency and get a good finish on the concrete. Remember that adding too much water will lose its strength.
This product is manufactured by Quikrete, the largest manufacturer of concrete and cement in North America. They offer hundreds of professional grade and consumer products. And these products have been used on many landmark buildings and rehabilitation projects, like the statue of Liberty, the Daytona international Speedway, and the San Francisco Bay Bridge.
The Quikrete 80 pound concrete mix is a standard concrete mix intended to be used for small jobs or hard to reach projects. For someone who isn’t exactly a handyman, the quick creed concrete mix is perfect for you. It’s high quality, durable and economically
Pros:
- High-strength 4,000 PSI concrete.
- For pouring concrete 2 inches thick.
- 60 minute working time.
- Just add water.
Cons:
- A lot of pebbles.
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- Sakrete 80 Pound Gray Concrete Mix
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It’s made from a special blend of sand coarse aggregate and cement materials. This can also be used for new construction projects like driveways, patios, stairs, and structural applications requiring a small volume of concrete for. A bag of Sakrete concrete mix yields 0.6 cubic feet, and as suitable for jobs that require at least two inches of concrete thickness.
It’s easy to work with and holds up well, just put the right amount of water and mix it in. Working time would take about 45 minutes. It’s the time in which the concrete is still workable and viable, which usually is based on the cement content and the ambient temperature.
This concrete mix has six hours of setting time. And at that time, your dog will not leave his footprints in it. Hot and cold weather can significantly affect the setting time of the concrete. Hot conditions can speed up the concrete setting time. The colder conditions may take it longer to set. And if the temperatures below freezing, it may not set at all.
It dries extremely fast and any other concrete mixed product, you can walk on it after 24 hours. Curing time would take about 28 days or the strength tests are usually performed. At this point, concrete cures are enough to establish its strength. The Sakrete concrete mix provides premium quality for consistent strength and durability.
Pros:
- Great for setting footings.
- High strength 4,000 PSI.
- Just add water.
- Great yield, 6 feet.
Cons:
- None.
- Rutland Tub Castable Concrete Mix
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This is a multipurpose repair material they can be used for almost all types of concrete work, including concrete repair, industrial grouting, Dowling, anchoring, casting, underlayment, and a lot more.
This concrete repair material sets in just 15 minutes and hardens to structural strength in an hour. The product conforms the requirements of the American society for testing and materials. It’s non-metallic and has no added chlorides. This product is also crack resistant, fast setting, high performing, and non shrink grout.
It’s also a blend of rapid set, hydraulic cement, and especially graded with fine aggregates. It has an excellent bond to concrete brick, stone, and many other services without any additives. Plus it’s durable even in wet environments. It’s easy to use, add water and mix until smooth uniform and lump free. Once it starts to stiffen avoid remixing, as it can weaken the final strength. Apply it from feather edge to four inches thick.
This product offers superior resistance and ultra durable with over 9,000 compression and strength. This cement allows the repaired area to be painted, coated or sealed soon after application.
Water-based coatings such as latex paint can only be applied after the mixture is hardened, which usually takes one to four hours. On the other hand, oil based paint and epoxy can be applied in 16 hours. You don’t need multiple products with the cement, all multipurpose construction material, because it has everything you need.
Pros:
- Bonds to concrete, brick and stone.
- Eco-friendly hydraulic cement.
- Crack-resistant and non-shrink.
- Easy to use.
Cons:
- None.
- Sika 50 Pounds Self-Leveling Underlayment Concrete Mix
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It’s powerful modified one component, versatile and durable underlayment for cement substrates and interior concrete. It’s used to produce a self-smoothing rapid setting flat surface before the application of a final floor finish. This is a multipurpose crack resistant and fast setting concrete mix with 4,000 compression strength.
The product can be applied manually or by pump, which is ideal for interior floor leveling and smoothing applications. It’s also suitable for over-coating with non moisture sensitive tile. This concrete mix is quick and easy to use. Just put the recommended amount of water and mix it for three minutes or once a uniform level is achieved, then poured immediately on your surface.
It can be applied to feather edge or up to two inches thick. For concrete and cement substrates, it’s recommended to prime and use Sika level primer to sear your surface and reduce the formation of bubbles on your underlayment. This product is also ideal to level new and renovate old floors to provide a strong, durable, smooth, final finish.
It’s very rapid drying time can help you walk on it after two to three hours, plus it has low odor and does not contain VOC or volatile organic chemicals that can cause headaches or nausea.
Floor covering such as carpet, vinyl and tile can be installed within two to three hours and one to three days for four wood coverings. If you want to achieve the ideal level surface, then the Sika self-leveling underlayment concrete mix is the right one for you.
Pros:
- Levels new and renovates old floors.
- Zero VOC content and low odor.
- Suitable for over coating.
- Very rapid drying.
Cons:
- Takes time to setup.
- Quikrete 20 Pound Hydraulic Water Stops Cement Concrete Mix.
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It blocks running water and seals leaks, and cracked masonry and concrete services. It sets within three to five minutes and is applicable to use above and below grade. This product is for swimming pools, foundations, retaining walls, chimneys and ceiling around concrete pipes.
This concrete mix is a bucket type container and is available in 10 20 or a 50 pound payoff. This hydraulic water stops cement sets very quickly enabling you to stop active water leaks. Its rapid setting high strength repair material is designed to plug leaks instantly in concrete and masonry.
It can be applied using a trial though the preparation is quite different from the usual concrete mix. To use this product, mix four and a half parts of hydraulic water stop with one part water until a heavy spongy consistency is achieved. Roll the mixture between your hands until it begins to harden and be ready to apply it immediately as it becomes rock hard in a fairly short amount of time.
Also the instructions say not to make more than you can use within two minutes. It’s recommended to apply it starting from the top of the crack and working down while pressing it into place.
This Quikrete hydraulic water stops cement is highly recommended for anyone looking to plug or crack holes in concrete. It can stop leaks and no time and it dries quickly. It works great and is a great value for its part.
Pros:
- Mix golf-ball sized portions.
- Blocks running water.
- 3-5 minutes set time.
- Seals leaks.
Cons:
- None.
Conclusion
All concrete is not created equal and with any home improvement projects, you need to have the right product or materials in order to be successful. The quality of the product is the key and the first step to a good masonry project is choosing the right one.
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