Laying concrete mix: how it is done correctly and what are

It is no secret that the laying of the concrete mix in the formwork (and not in the formwork too) should occur in full accordance with certain rules and regulations. However, in most cases half of the required standards are not respected.

As a result, cracks and chips appear in the structure of the structure, which in turn reduces its strength and reduces years of service.

That's why you need to try to follow the rules of technology for the supply and laying of the concrete mass.

In this article we will tell you about how this is done, what is important to consider here and what absolutely cannot be done. All we consider specific examples.

First, let's look at what methods of supplying the working mixture exist and in what cases it is optimal to apply this or that method.

Options for the supply of the working mixture

It is best to compare everything using a table.

These are the main ways of supplying concrete mix to the place of installation.

Please note that it is quite possible to apply the combined methods of supplying concrete mass. For example, from the same mixer, you can pour the concrete into one desired point of the floor, and then drag the mixture with shovels and buckets all over the plane. It will turn out faster than completely manually and much cheaper than the services of a concrete pump.

In principle, it is now possible to proceed to the consideration of how the solution is actually poured.

Proper styling

It should be noted that the installation will not be carried out in any one particular way. We will simply consider exactly how you need to pour the solution correctly in one way or another, and you will determine the method of its supply for yourself - the most convenient one.

We will do just that simply because it is impossible to guess the technical features of each object, and therefore it is simply impossible to recommend any particular method of supply.

So, let's start pouring concrete with our own hands.

Foundation casting

Foundations are a very important construction, the quality of which determines the condition of the building and its useful life. In particular, the base requires at least the following basic qualities:

We will now consider how to pour the foundation so that in the end the monolith turns out to be really strong and durable.

Brief step-by-step instruction:

1. At the bottom of the dug trench we fall asleep a layer of sand, and then ram it.

1. We lay the ruberoid on the bottom, and fasten it to the inner sides of the trench walls. It turns out that we create a waterproofing layer, as a result of which the concrete "milk" will not be absorbed into the soil, but will remain in the mixture. Due to this, the mixture will dry gradually, without sudden changes in the level of humidity in its structure.
2. We make a framework from reinforcement - this construction will give the foundation additional strength and save it from deformation during various loads.
3. Knead the solution and begin to pour it into the space of the trench. You can also use a mixer in this case - pour the mixture directly from the tank into the pit.

Please note that you only need to use crushed stone to fill foundations, because this stone is inert and is not afraid of moisture. It is important to understand that rubble is also different, and therefore it is necessary to specify the level of its strength from the seller. After all, the quality of hardened concrete largely depends on the hardness of the stone, agree.

It would seem that the instruction is simple, but there are a couple of nuances.

Firstly, if the pouring is carried out not at one time, then the mixture should only be laid in horizontal rows. If the trenches are poured with vertical fragments, then the so-called “strength drop” can form along the connection lines - the mixture does not always work out exactly the same in composition as the previous one.

Simply put, it is better to do the joints of "today's and yesterday's" concrete horizontally rather than vertically, because in the first case the structure will be more durable.

Secondly, thoroughly ram the entire mixture. This is done in order to eliminate the formation of hollow sections in the structure of the foundation. If they are, then in these places cracks will begin to appear, into which water will penetrate. The water in winter will freeze and gradually begin to break the concrete.

The consequences are easy to imagine.

Such is the technology of pouring foundations.

In principle, the casting of monolithic walls follows the same pattern.

Tip: do not forget to foresee where in the concrete will be located niches for laying pipes, for example. But if you still forget about preparing for the laying of such communications and have already filled the solution, then do not worry. Because there is such a service as diamond drilling holes in concrete using a perforator and other special tools.

And this means that even in the ready-made foundation, you can cut through anything and in any right place.

We now turn to the device of the concrete floor.

Fill the subfloor

Why precisely “draft”? Because the filling of the finishing layer is performed not by concrete, but by a cement-sand mixture without fillers such as rubble or expanded clay.

What is a rough floor in general - in fact, it is a layer of durable concrete, thanks to which the basic thickness of the common base layer is filled. And already above the finish cement-sand screed is poured.

And so that this screed does not crack and not deform the subfloor must be made as firmly as possible. The better the concrete substrate, the longer the finish will last.

The draft base is poured approximately according to the following scheme:

1. Concrete is made of sand, cement, water and stone (crushed stone or expanded clay). In this case, the thickness of the mixture should not be too liquid, but not very thick - the consistency should resemble fresh honey. It is easy to check the thickness - liquid concrete when tilting a shovel quickly drains from it, and in a too dry solution ragged lines quickly appear.

1. A layer of sand is poured over the entire surface of the working base.. It is needed in order to smooth out all the drops of the plane and make it as smooth as possible. The smoother the surface, the less concrete will leave when casting.

Note! Sand must be compacted, as there may be voids under it, which will manifest themselves only under load. That is, to put it simply, as soon as you pour concrete, and it starts to set, then in some places the sand will squeeze and at these points the concrete will hang in the air. The consequences are easy to imagine.

1. A film or ruberoid is spread over the sand.. Due to this waterproofing layer, the concrete will dry properly during installation due to the fact that water will not leave the mixture.
2. If the floor is made on the soil or on a layer of loose soil, it is necessary to mount on the plane a mesh of reinforcement with a cell size of approximately 60 by 60 cm. The rods are interconnected by ordinary steel wire.
3. On the film are installed guide beacons for the floor - horizontally.

1. The farthest point of the room is chosen and the laying of the working mixture begins with it.. Concrete is laid very simply - pouring out of buckets or stretching across the room and leveled with shovels (in case the solution was fed from a mixer). Well, if there are lighthouses, then the entire concrete mass is “tightened” along them with the help of the rule.

What is important to consider:

1. A lot of concrete must be rammed.
2. If the ceiling is poured, then you need to use only rubble - expanded clay is not suitable.
3. After the initial solidification, the floor should be watered with water every couple of days to prevent cracks in the concrete.

The rules are simple, and the technology itself on the floor too. No more work is needed.

Unless only if the floors are already poured, and you just remembered the laying of communications, then you will have to “get acquainted” with such work as cutting reinforced concrete with diamond circles with the help of a grinder.

Consider the fill of another design.

Blind fill

The blind area is arranged around the perimeter of the building and protects the foundation from moisture and (to some extent) from the penetration of cold air.

It is done quite simply, but during the pouring of concrete there are still some difficulties.

The instruction here will be something like this:

1. First, dig a trench around the perimeter of the house. Its depth is usually about 15-20 cm.
2. At the bottom of the trench, rubble is poured in an even layer.
3. Stripes of ruberoid are spread on top of the rubble. It is advisable to use a film-based material, as it is quite strong.

Now above the plane of the roofing material you need to mount a frame of reinforcement. With its presence, the tape of concrete around the perimeter will be as strong as possible. Both in compression and in tension.

This is done in approximately the same way - holes are drilled into the wall into which the bars of the reinforcement are inserted (the metal should be perpendicular to the pavement line).

Two parallel lines of the same metal are attached to these rods. One of the lines should run along the wall, and the second along the outer edge of the future blind area.

If such a frame is made, then it is possible to install formwork and pour concrete. Decking is a planted board that is installed on the outer edge of the entire trench.

The difficulty here is that the concrete when laying on roofing material must be tamped. But so that this ruberoid in no way breaks! If this happens, the waterproofing layer will be broken and, accordingly, the efficiency of the blind area will be significantly reduced.

We will give a very simple advice: it is best in this situation to ram up concrete with the help of an ordinary chopper. Due to the small size of the metal nozzle easily penetrates between the bars of the valve and if you work carefully, the roofing material will remain intact.

In principle, that's all. Our review of the methods of feeding concrete and its pouring technology is completed.

Let's summarize.

Conclusion

It turns out that laying the concrete mix is ​​really not as simple as it might seem at first glance. There really is a lot of nuances on which the final quality of the product or structure of concrete depends. Therefore, we hope that you will fully take into account all the information provided and will be able to apply this knowledge in practice.

Well, if you want to learn more tips on this topic, we recommend watching the additional video in this article.