Ready Mix Concrete, first invented in the early 1900s, is a durable building material that serves as the backbone for modern construction and is instrumental in the development of the Dallas Fort Worth area. Unlike traditional on-site mixing, Ready Mix Concrete is produced at a batching plant according to precise specifications and delivered directly to the construction site, ready for immediate use. Whether you’re working on a residential, commercial, or infrastructure project, knowing the basics of Ready Mix can help streamline the construction process. Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Ready Mix Concrete.
What is Ready Mix Concrete?
Ready Mix Concrete is concrete produced off-site at a batch plant according to a job-specific recipe. The product is transported to the construction site via mixing trucks and is ready to use upon arrival. Ready Mix Concrete suppliers can customize the mix of cement, water, and aggregates to create the highest-performing product for your project.
What are the Benefits of Ready Mix Concrete?
Narrowing down the benefits and advantages of Ready Mix Concrete is difficult as there are many. Here are the basics:
Time-Efficient: Delivered ready to pour, it eliminates the need for on-site mixing, speeding up construction. Often, the Ready Mix is poured right where you need it, saving time from transporting the product across the job site.
Consistent Quality: Batch plants are controlled environments that ensure a more consistent and uniform mix, enhancing the performance of the product.
Reduces Labor Costs: Since it’s delivered and ready for use, there is no downtime waiting for concrete to be mixed on-site. You can schedule your labor appropriately and get to work as soon as the Ready Mix arrives, boosting labor efficiency and reducing costs.
Less Waste: Quantities are precisely measured, minimizing overproduction and excess material.
Environmentally Friendly: Reduces dust and noise pollution at construction sites.
What are the Types of Ready Mix Concrete?
Ready Mix Concrete can be broken down into four main types:
Standard Ready Mix Concrete: General-purpose concrete used in regular construction projects such as foundations, slabs, beams, driveways, and columns. Standard Ready Mix Concrete has a PSI range of 2,500 – 5,000 PSI.
High-Strength Concrete: Designed for structures requiring higher compressive strength, such as skyscrapers, bridges, high-rise buildings, and other structures that require superior strength. This type of concrete has a minimum PSI of 6,000.
Self-Compacting Concrete: Highly fluid version that flows easily without the need for mechanical compaction or vibration. This is used for bridges, facades, and precast structures.
Fiber-Reinforced Concrete: Contains fibers to improve durability and resistance to cracking. Fiber-reinforced concrete is great for pavements, industrial flooring, runways, and any surface subject to impact, vibration, or temperature changes.
How is Ready Mix Concrete Processed and Delivered?
Ready Mix Concrete is mixed at a batch plant and then loaded into a truck with a large rotating drum called a transit mixer. Depending on the requirements of your product, the concrete is typically processed in one of three ways: Transit Mixed, Shrink Mixed, or Central Mixed.
Transit Mixed Concrete: The most common process for Ready Mix Concrete is assembling the ingredients at the batch plant and loading them into the drum mixer. The product can be mixed on the way to the job site or upon arrival.
Shrink Mixed Concrete: Often utilized when the job site is far away. The concrete is partially mixed at the batch plant, then mixing is completed during transit. This reduces the amount of volume in the drum and allows for the transportation of larger amounts of concrete.
Central Mixed Concrete: Referred to as “Wet Batch,” the concrete is mixed in a stationary mixer before being loaded into the truck. The truck’s drum mixer serves as an agitator to maintain the uniform quality of the mixture while in transit.
How Do I Know How Much Ready Mix Concrete to Order?
Contact us today! Ready Mix Concrete is measured in volume, and as the leading Ready Mix Concrete supplier in Northern Texas, we have taken the guesswork out of it. Using our concrete calculator, you can determine how much concrete you need for your project.