Boom Concrete Redi-Mix and Aggregates
Redi - Mix Concrete is a mixture of sand, stone, cement and water. Stated in other terms, concrete is a composite of paste and aggregate combined to form a solid material. The paste is comprised of cement (a powder) and water. There may also be other ingredients added such as flyash, ground granulated blast furnace slag, silica fume and a variety of admixtures to affect the properties of Redi - Mix Concrete. The aggregates are fine aggregate (sand) and coarse aggregate (stone). The sand and stone act as fillers in the Redi - Mix Concrete. The sand fills the voids between the larger stone pieces.
Many people confuse concrete with cement. Cement is the powder used to make concrete. Cement is made by heating crushed limestone and clay for shale in a huge kiln. This forms a clinker that when ground into a powder, becomes cement. It is mixed with water and materials such as sand, gravel, and broken stone to make concrete. Cement and water form a paste that binds the other materials together as the concrete hardens. Cement has to be kept dry in enclosed vessels and can be stored for years. The cement used in the Midwest comes from all over the world. Cement is delivered to our plant in aluminum bulk trailers.
The cement-water combination is the paste that binds everything together and becomes the foundation of concrete’s strength. The ratio of water to cement s called the water cement ratio. The lower the water cement ratio is, the stronger the Redi - Mix Concrete is.
We can design Redi - Mix Concrete that will be so weak that you can dig it out after it has hardened. This is a desirable trait for backfilling around pipes that may have to be moved later. We can also design Redi - Mix Concrete with strengths exceeding 10,000psi (pounds per square inch) for special applications. Most Redi - Mix Concrete used in our area of work is 3,000psi to 4,000psi. Our most commonly used mixes are 3000psi or 5-bag, 3500psi or 5.5 bags, 4000psi or 6-bag. Our dispatchers can help you select the right mix for your job.
With the advanced technology that goes into today’s concrete, there are many projects that include concrete: dams, bridges, highways, airports … the list is endless. As the concrete industry grows so will the uses for this amazingly beautiful and incredibly durable product.
When your Redi - Mix Concrete order is due for delivery, your load is individually “batched” or loaded so that you get the right type and amount of concrete for your job. A Redi - Mix Concrete Plant makes concrete much like a homemaker would prepare a cake. All of the “dry ingredients” are individually stored. The plant operator loads the required ingredients of sand, stone, cement and water into a mixer truck where they are blended into the composite material called concrete.
Redi - Mix Concrete is sold by the volume and not weight. Concrete is 1 cubic yard. This is a volume of Redi - Mix Concrete 1 yard wide x 1 yard high x 1 yard deep. Before ordering Redi - Mix Concrete you must measure your forms to calculate the volume of concrete required to fill them. Remember to always order a little more than what you need because it is expensive to order 1/4 cubic yard of Redi - Mix Concrete to finish the job.
PRODUCT ENHANCEMENTS:
Fibers - Polypropylene: A product that eliminates the need for wire mesh. Polypropylene fibers help control plastic shrinkage cracking that naturally occurs in concrete. Fibers reduce the square foot cost for the contractor and gives the owner a slab that is reinforced throughout.
Calcium Chloride: An admixture that accelerates cement hydration resulting in shorter seating times and increased early compressive strengths. It is typically used in cold conditions to speed finishing operations and form removal.
Traction Tubes - pallets ready for delivery.
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AGGREGATE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
- Base Course
- Concrete Rock
- Crushed Rock
- Oversize Rock
- Pea Rock
- Pit Run Gravel
- Roofing/Landscaping Rock
- Sand
- Soil
- Traction Tubes
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