Homemade trough for mixing the solution. How to make a concrete bucket with your own hands? Trough for mixing mortar

As a rule, construction work is rarely completed without the use of concrete. It is quite difficult to mix the solution with your own hands, using only a large container and a shovel, and, given the significant scale of the upcoming work, it is completely impractical. It is much more convenient to mix concrete using a concrete mixer. Such a unit can be purchased at any specialized store, but still many, in an effort to save money, try to make it themselves. A do-it-yourself concrete mixer is an excellent opportunity to acquire such a useful device at minimal financial cost. How it can be made will be discussed in today’s article.

Popular DIY concrete mixer designs

Let's look at a few simple options which are the most popular.

Option #1. Mechanical

You can see the design of this simple mechanical mixing unit in the image below. The main advantage of such a concrete mixer is that it has an impressive volume. As for the drive, it is in this case can be either manual or electric. To unload concrete, the bucket must be tilted to one side.

But there is also a disadvantage inherent, in principle, to all units with a cylindrical tub - this is poor-quality mixing in the corners. The mixture also sprays if the speed is more than 35 revolutions per minute. But the second problem can be dealt with if, after completing assembly, you weld that part of the barrel that was cut back into place and make a hatch in it.

Note! This DIY concrete mixer mixes a simple solution in no more than 5 minutes, and a dry solution in 1-12 minutes.

Video - Manual concrete mixer with a cylindrical bucket

Option #2. Horizontal combined design, which is equipped with combs

This design, as well as the one described above, can also be either manual or electric. The advantages include high mixing homogeneity, as well as high speed and the quality of the procedure. A similar concrete mixer is made from old barrel, but its quality is not much inferior to the best modern models industrial purposes. What is characteristic is that the mixing speed is determined by the number of revolutions, and not by time (to prepare the solution, you need to turn it only three to four times).

Although there is a minus - it is that the design is quite complex. For making even manual option you will need several dozen various elements. Wherein Special attention should be given specifically to the unloading hatch - all seals, latches with hinges must be of exceptional quality and reliable. However, if you have a lot of work to do in record time in a place where there is no electrical power, then such a concrete mixer will come in very handy. Finally, we note that similar structures are also manufactured on an industrial scale.

Option #3. Electrical design

This is perhaps the most common option, which in most cases is copied by home craftsmen. Therefore, there is no need to particularly explain anything. You can find the diagram in the image below. There are many varieties that have certain design differences, and finding detailed drawings is not difficult. In a word, we will give only some explanations.

• The neck and bottom of the container must be reinforced with strips welded crosswise.
• Most suitable in this case is a frame mixer, which is welded to the axle.
• It is recommended that the container rotates along with the axis - this will make the frame design more complicated, but you will not have to seal the shaft in the bottom (the latter is precisely one of the reasons for the short service life of the mixers).

Video - The process of assembling a concrete mixer

Option number 4. Vibration unit

Quite often, people, having a hammer drill with a power of 1-1.3 kilowatts with impact mechanism, which is turned on forcibly, we tried to make a vibrating concrete mixer ourselves, but in most cases they did not get the desired result.

Let's take a look at common mistakes.

1. First of all, this wrong selection containers. The latter should only be round, not too wide, but high.
2. The vibrator is not positioned correctly. It should be positioned on the axis of the container, and the distance from it to the bottom should approximately correspond to its radius. There should be a solution above the vibrator itself with a height that does not exceed its (again) diameter.
3. A flat vibrator is used. The fact is that if it is made of a sheet of metal, it will not be able to excite the required system of waves in the concrete. It is important that the profile of the element is at least approximately the same as shown in the image. The best option– a pair of saucers or plates (preferably metal ones), which are folded together.
4. And the last thing is that the vibrator is too big. Its diameter should be 15-20 centimeters for each kilowatt of power. Simply put, if the power of the hammer drill is the same 1.3 kilowatts, then the device will cope with plates with a diameter of 25 centimeters. If the diameter is large, then a concrete mixer simply will not be able to “pump” the solution with its own hands.

If you follow all these requirements, you can get concrete of excellent quality.

Video - Making an original concrete mixer

Making a concrete mixer - step by step guide

To make the design described below, you will need, first of all, patience, since you will have to work hard. The process consists of several successive stages; let’s look at the features of each of them.

Stage one. Capacity

To make a mixing bowl (also known as a mixing bowl), prepare a ready-made tub or the materials you'll use to make it. There are a lot possible options– drum from washing machine, old can, barrel. Although if you are pushing towards a future design special requirements, then it is preferable to make the pear yourself. Prepare sheet metal(can be new) with a thickness of 2 to 2.5 millimeters. Then get to work.

Make 3 or 4 constituent elements future capacity. A pair of truncated cones (this will be the bottom and top), a base (in other words, the very bottom part), and also fastening the cones in the center (if this is even necessary).

After this, weld all the elements together to obtain a pear (it, according to preliminary calculations, has a volume of about 200 liters). In addition, it is desirable that there is a double weld at each attachment point. It is worth noting that craftsmen often advise attaching metal rivets between a pair of welds to increase reliability, although this point is not necessary.

Stage two. Body and base

As for the body, it is often made of wood, but if you are serious about durability, then it is better to use metal corner. Give preference to durable material that has a minimum of rust (if scrap metal is used), and also take care of designing the most convenient base. The future body must withstand the planned weight with a margin of 20-50 percent, since during vibration and mixing, the load will accordingly only increase. Moreover, take into account that in addition to the concrete itself weighing 100-200 kilograms, you also need to hold the container itself, with the necessary additional accessories.

All fasteners are carried out by welding and auxiliary bolted connections. At the same time, it is recommended to take care of the practicality of the future unit. The concrete mixer can be placed on a frame with wheels for more convenient transportation of the “miracle of technology.” You can also take care of a convenient handle, with the help of which the body will move around the construction site.

Stage three. Engine

This stage is rightfully considered the most difficult, since it is quite difficult to calculate what characteristics and parameters the future equipment should have. Therefore, the power must be determined based on the requirements for the volume and weight of the concrete being mixed, as well as the ability to extract a particular engine. Some use a motor from a washing machine or a scooter for these purposes, while others prefer less expensive equipment (for example, a motor from an electric drill or any similar tool).

We also note that both the power and the speed at which the concrete mixer will rotate with your own hands must be taken into account. It is important that it is not very high - say, about 15-20 revolutions per minute. There are several ways to adjust the speed - automatic, gears with shafts, homemade device, and also the use of belts.

Stage four. Direct assembly of the concrete mixer

The assembly procedure itself is not complicated and includes several successive steps. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Step one. First you need to make sure that all connections - both pears and housings - are strong enough. Fasteners should be provided in advance, the same applies to the connection location and installation of the motor.

Step two. After this, you need to install the engine and gearbox on the frame, and then carefully fix all the parts of the rotating mechanism.

Step three. The next stage is installing the container on the axis and base. This should be done so that the pear is located at an angle of 35 degrees.

Step four. Now all that remains is to check how the concrete mixer turns on/off, whether the fastenings are secure, and how well the rotation occurs. Gears or a belt are used to adjust all parameters.

Note! The procedure described above is more clearly demonstrated in the thematic video below. After watching it, you will finally understand how to make and launch the device described in this article.

Video - Homemade concrete mixer

It is worth noting that any of the designs described above can be a good alternative to expensive “store-bought” equipment. Although, of course, in the absence of the required Supplies the cost of such budget equipment may increase noticeably; although the experience is in any case very interesting. In addition, the design of a concrete mixer can be made cheaper, and the principle of its operation can be simplified. This can be done, for example, by replacing automatic rotation with manual rotation. In this case, instead of dozens of complex parts, you will only need bearings, a handle, a lever, and also a “comb”, which will be located inside the pear.

Another option for making a concrete mixer

The design presented below is very similar to that described in the previous section, and therefore no detailed explanation is required here. The manufacturing procedure itself can be understood from the step-by-step illustrations provided. We only note that in this example we use a ready-made 200-liter barrel, 250-watt Electrical engine 1430 rpm, motorcycle wheel, pair of rings welded together. The finished pulley will be welded to the bottom of the tank. You will also need a pair of belts, a channel and pipes 59 for the frame.

Feasibility of the solution

So we found out that cement mortar required for almost all construction work. And if, for example, to fill the foundation, it is advisable to use a purchased ready mixture, then in the case of work involving the periodic use of relatively small portions of the mixture, it is advisable to rent/buy a concrete mixer (can be manual, but preferably electric).

Of course, you can use the same trough with a shovel for kneading, but this approach, in addition to being labor intensive, has other disadvantages. In this case, the quality of the concrete will not be high, the mixture will be heterogeneous, which, in turn, will lead to unnecessary consumption of dry cement and low strength characteristics of the finished concrete.

Note! The term “concrete mixer” refers to a number of special construction mixers (manual/electric), that is, devices designed to obtain a homogeneous cement-containing mixture by mixing ingredients with dissimilar fractions.

As a rule, dry cement is mixed with water, special additives and fillers (the latter can be sand, expanded clay, screenings, crushed stone).

How does a concrete mixer work?

Standard design includes:

• bed (it can be either on a chassis or stationary);
• kneading working bodies;
• the container in which the mixing process takes place;
• unloading mechanism;
• transmission;
• driving unit (it can be, for example, gasoline or electric).

Let's take a closer look at each of the structural components.

1. So, the frame is a structure made of profiles/pipes and is intended to connect all parts of the concrete mixer into one system. If the unit is small, then the frame can be equipped with two/four wheels to make it easier to transport.
2. Mixing organs often include blades, augers and other parts that directly act on the ingredients of the concrete being mixed.
3. The container is the element in which all these ingredients are mixed. Its volume and dimensions depend mainly on the productivity of the concrete mixer.
4. Unloading mechanism - as the name suggests, it is intended for removing concrete for further use in construction work. It can also be different.
5. Finally, a transmission with a driving unit is needed to convert this or that energy into the movement of the kneading organ. As noted earlier, the engine can be electric (used most often) or gasoline.

Main types of concrete mixers

There are several classifications of the unit described in the article, according to which it is divided according to one or another parameter. Thus, according to the principle of their operation, concrete mixers come in five varieties.

1. Gravitational. They differ in that the drum for mixing the solution rotates under the influence of gravity. The best option for preparing viscous and rigid concrete.
2. Forced. A more difficult to make concrete mixer with your own hands, where the container does not move, and the blades inside it mix the components of the mixture. Such units are rarely used in private construction.
3. Periodic. They are characterized by low power and therefore require frequent stops. But for private construction this is a completely acceptable option.
4. Geared (better known as crown-type).
5. Permanent. Such concrete mixers, as their name suggests, operate continuously, and therefore are used primarily for large volumes of work.

In addition, depending on the type of concrete being produced, equipment can be of two types

• mortar mixers;
• concrete mixers.

Let's look at each of these options in more detail.

Option #1. Mortar mixers

Simple equipment designed for private construction. Designed for mixing components whose fraction size is more than 2 centimeters. Also, units can be industrial (if the volume does not exceed 1200 liters) and for private use (over 30 liters).

As a rule, all ingredients are mixed in mortar mixers forcibly, for which a horizontal auger is used, which rotates in a fixed container. If the volume of the unit is more than 100 liters, then it must be equipped with dispensers. And if the volume of equipment exceeds 250 liters, then, as a rule, it will include the following elements:

• engine;
• mixing container;
• drive unit;
• a rotating shaft having blades.

Note! Small mortar mixers with a volume not exceeding 65 liters are emptied by tilting the drum. If the volume is larger, then a hatch is used for this, which is located at the bottom of the device.

Option #2. Concrete mixers

They are designed for use with components whose fraction size is no more than 7 centimeters. All units of this type are classified in the same way as described in one of previous sections articles.

In addition, depending on the installation features, they can be:

• mobile (this includes both concrete mixers with a chassis and units without it);
• stationary (often for industrial purposes, characterized by increased productivity);
• automobile.

Note also that, depending on the type of drive and energy source, all concrete mixers are divided into several types.

• WITH manual drive. They are characterized by the fact that they are capable of converting human muscular efforts into rotation of the kneading organ. The transmission in most cases is chain gear or belt. Such concrete mixers are not very common, since their volume is insignificant, and they do not facilitate labor very much.
• With motor drive. A concrete mixer (including a self-made one) of this kind operates on a diesel/gasoline engine.
• With pneumatic and hydraulic drive. The kneading organs in this case move due to the conversion of energy compressed air or liquids that are supplied under high pressure. Such equipment is exclusively for industrial purposes, since it requires powerful additional devices.
• Electrical. The most popular types of concrete mixers today, not only for industrial, but also for domestic use. The range of such units is quite extensive, and their volume varies from 30 to several thousand liters.

Benefits of use

There are several of them, let’s look at each of them in more detail.

• Aggregates manual type, in fact, are completely autonomous.
• But the crown concrete mixer is quite easy to use and, if necessary, repair.
• Equipment with a motor drive is also quite autonomous, since it only needs fuel.

Disadvantages of use

• U electrical appliances this is the opening of the hatch some time after the power supply has stopped and, as a result, the dumping of concrete (otherwise it will harden).
• In addition, concrete mixers are, in principle, seasonal. For the most part, they (especially small units) cannot be used for sub-zero temperature. As a result, in winter it is necessary to additionally use a steam generator.
• Separately, it is worth highlighting the disadvantages of motor-drive devices - the high cost of the fuel used, high level noise during operation, as well as toxic emissions.
• A simple mortar mixer, capable of operating at a temperature not lower than +2 degrees, does not have equipment that ensures heating of the mixture.
• The productivity of manual units is quite low, while the labor intensity of mixing, on the contrary, is high.

As a conclusion

As you can see, making a concrete mixer yourself is not difficult; you can handle it. And the costs are completely justified, since the speed of any construction work with such equipment will increase significantly. That's all, good luck with your work and have a warm winter!

None construction site cannot do without concrete or mortar mixture. Even when using wood as the main material, creating a foundation requires the use of artificial stone, ensuring the durability and reliability of the entire structure.

In addition to the task of transporting required quantity concrete or mortar mixture, the question arises of its unloading and supply directly to the place of use. A concrete bucket helps solve this particular problem.

Features of the device

Such devices are used to supply concrete to the formwork or mortar to the masonry site in small portions. Their design, volume and weight may vary.

Varieties

Concrete buckets are available in two types:

1. A glass that is shaped like a truncated cone with an additional cylindrical top.
2. A shoe, which is a rectangular tray with a transition into a truncated prismatic pyramid.

Both options involve the use of unloading equipment. Most often, concrete buckets are produced in small volumes: from 0.5 to 3 m3, so they can be moved using any mobile crane or manipulator.

Application area

Such devices help to carry out the following types of work:

• unloading the mixture from any type of transport, including a concrete mixer truck;
• pouring hard to reach places designs;
• ensuring the supply of the mixture when access is difficult.

Of course, there remains the option of manually unloading the mixture and pouring it into those parts of the formwork that cannot be directly supplied from transport. But at the same time, the workload on workers increases, which increases unloading time and increases the cost of delivering materials, as well as carrying out all work. It turns out that a concrete bucket helps to further reduce costs during the construction of a structure.

On average, the volume of such devices is at least 1 m3, so if unexpected difficulties arise and it is impossible to accept the mixture, the container can be used as a temporary storage bin.

Cone-shaped container design

A shot glass shaped bucket for concrete is universal device for working with mixtures of any mobility. Builders often call this device a “bell.”

The tub is positioned only vertically and is not intended for tilting or turning (type BN), therefore the outlet funnel of the container is often equipped with special trays or a sleeve to facilitate the supply of concrete or mortar mixture.

Frame

The body of the container in the form of a glass is a receiving cylindrical hopper, turning into a truncated cone. The narrowed lower part creates a funnel effect, which greatly facilitates the passage of concrete or mortar mixture under its own weight.

The cylindrical part is usually reinforced with special channels encircling it in the upper and lower parts. Thanks to these elements, the concrete tub perfectly tolerates the loading of slow-moving mixtures that exert great pressure on the walls of the container. It is to the channels that they are attached metal hinges for working with a crane.

Support

The support of the container is made in the form of a circle, due to which the tub of the glass is highly stable on any surface. The tray is made in the form of a round gutter, the fastening of which is carried out at an angle. The tilt ensures that the container is unloaded when the mixture moves independently under the influence of gravity.

Volume and price

Most often, such a tub is made with a volume of 1 – 3 m3. The cost of the device on average ranges from 15 to 65 thousand rubles, so in low-rise construction it is best to rent a tub, which will cost 500 - 800 rubles per day.

Features of the rotary tank

A bucket for concrete with horizontal loading is called a shoe (type BP). Distinctive feature its is to change the position of the fill concrete mixture. Reception from transport is carried out in a horizontal plane, and movement and supply of the mixture into the formwork is carried out vertically or at any convenient angle. Due to the design features of such a container, its weight can be higher than that of a fixed tub of the same volume.

The body of the shoe is divided into three parts:

1. Rectangular receiver for concrete or mortar mixture.
2. Bunker in the form of a truncated pyramid.
3. Two-section valve that regulates the angle and intensity of the solution supply.

Receiver and hopper

The receiver for the mixture and the shoe hopper are most often made of rolled metal. Part of the body, made in the form of a truncated pyramid, is additionally strengthened by a longitudinal frame made of channels, which prevents deformation of the structure when fully loaded.

Hinges for working with lifting equipment are mounted on a frame made of channels. The reinforcing frame is supplemented with special elements - drives, which ensure the tilting of the container during concreting or unloading the solution.

Gate

The shoe is equipped with a special shutter, both doors of which have their own control handle. Thanks to this design, it is possible to regulate the supply of the mixture. To prevent accidental opening of the shutter, the handles are equipped with special safety rings.

Taking into account the structural features, the mixture cannot always be unloaded without additional impact. Therefore, a shoe-shaped concrete bucket suggests the possibility of using a mounted vibrator.

Price

Taking into account the weight of the structure itself and the volume of the container up to 3 m3, such devices are most often used to supply a mortar mixture. The cost of a tub of this type varies from 30 to 90 thousand rubles, depending on the maximum volume.

Making your own tub

If desired, you can make such containers for supplying mixtures with your own hands. The easiest to make are concrete buckets in the shape of a shot glass. For production you will only need rolled products of sufficient thickness and quality, guides, welding machine and any cutting tool.

Preparation of the drawing

With self-production and home use It is better to choose a small container volume, about 0.5 m3. That is why there is no need to make the upper cylindrical part of the body, which increases the loading speed of the tub.

The truncated cone, when the figure is opened, actually represents correct prism, which is based on the upper and lower diameters. By calculating the parameters of the cone for a given volume, you can obtain the characteristics of the prism. The resulting part must be transferred to rolled metal.

Cutting the workpiece and welding the structure

When making a tub with your own hands, you need to remember that the metal for the container must withstand the aggressive influence of the environment construction mixture and constant hydration. Therefore, you should choose stainless steel rolled products.

After transferring the drawing to the material, the resulting workpiece is cut out and welded. Can handle metal cutting ordinary grinder, and welding is best done at high temperatures or choose rolled products that lend themselves well to conventional welding.

Frame making

The resulting container must be placed in a frame that will strengthen the entire structure. To create it, you can use reinforcement with a rod diameter of 10 or 12 mm. A cube is brewed with bases in the form of squares, the side of which is equal to the upper diameter of the container. The length of the guides corresponds to the height of the tub. In the lower plane of the cube, a square is made, the sides of which are equal to the lower diameter of the cone.

To strengthen the container, guides are welded from the corners of the upper base to the corners of the lower small square on which the cone will rest. After all the elements have been manufactured, the container is welded to the frame, and additional hinges are made for working with the tap.

Date of publication: 21-12-2013, 17:19

Many home craftsmen suffer because they do not have a full-fledged container for mixing the solution. Most people use small troughs, in which you can hardly pour a couple of buckets of sand, although in reality everyone has the opportunity to make a large container on their own and will not need to cut metal barrels, much less buy anything, of course, if they are all needed for construction "ingredients" are available.

So, in order to build a container you will need a wide and long sheet of tin, nails and edged board. More specifically, the sheet of tin should be about 100x170 cm in size. As for the board, you need a board at least 6 m long. It is important to clarify here that you need a thick board of at least forty.

First you need to measure and saw off two long boards, 170 cm each, and then two short boards, 1 m each. Then you need to knock them into a box. Then you will need to lay a sheet of tin on top of the box so that it covers the entire space and nail it. If there is a little bit of tin left at the edges, you can bend it. You need to nail it thoroughly so that the tin fits tightly to the board, otherwise water will leak out of the trough.

The result will be a durable, voluminous and, very importantly, lightweight tank for mixing the solution.

When performing various landscaping works, it is often necessary to make concrete mortar. It is very difficult to mix it in a trough, and at the same time achieve High Quality solution is almost impossible.

A manual concrete mixer will help significantly ease the work and improve the quality of the solution. This unit will help you make any cement-sand mortar quickly and efficiently.

Diagram of an electric concrete mixer: 1 - barrel, 2 - blades, 3 - handle, 4 - frame, 5 - electric motor, 6 - gearbox, 7 - suspension loop of the electric motor platform, 8 - limiter.

The concrete mixer can be purchased at hardware store, but they are not cheap. If the amount of work is small and is carried out irregularly, then the best option There will be a manual concrete mixer with your own hands.

For self-made For such an assembly, the simplest materials can be used. First of all, it is necessary to determine the required one-time productivity (for a manual concrete mixer, about five buckets of the finished solution are quite enough). Then you need to prepare working sketches, necessary materials and tools.

The main working part of this unit is the drum. Best used as a drum metal barrel capacity from 100 to 200 l.

Preparatory stage

To create a manual concrete mixer you will need following materials and tools:

• iron barrel (capacity from 100 to 200 l);
• metal corner 50x50 mm (or profile 40x40 mm);
• pipe with a diameter of at least 32 mm;
• metal rod with a diameter of about 50 mm;
• flanges with bearing holders;
• wing bolts M12;
• metal wheels with a diameter of about 15 cm;
• ball bearings with an internal diameter corresponding to the diameter of the axle;
• Door hinges;
• anti-corrosion paint;
• paint brush;
• welding machine;
• Bulgarian;
• roulette;
• hammer.

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Sequence of manufacturing a concrete mixer

Work on assembling a manual mixer is carried out in the following sequence:

Scheme of fastening the barrel on the stands: 1 – mixer shaft, 2 – suspension bearing, 3 – concrete mixer shaft bearing, 4 – bearing housing, 5 – suspension.

1. Water is poured into the barrel and it is checked for density. Detected cracks and holes are welded.
2. A hole for the shaft is cut exactly in the center of the bottom of the container. A similar hole is drilled in the lid.
3. Cut out on the side surface of the container rectangular hole 30x35 cm in size (hatch for loading mixture components and unloading the finished solution).
4. One flange is welded to the bottom of the barrel.
5. A bearing is placed on one end of the mixer shaft. The shaft is inserted through the drum, the bearing is attached to a flange welded to the bottom of the barrel.
6. They are welded onto the shaft at an angle of 120°, and at least three blades are welded in relation to each other. The length of the blades should be such that they do not reach the drum walls by approximately 5 mm.
7. A cover with a welded flange is placed on the other end of the shaft.
8. The lid is welded into the drum.
9. A bearing is put on the shaft and secured in the cover flange.
10. The ease of rotation of the shaft in the drum body is checked; the blades are not allowed to touch its walls.
11. From the corner, two structures are made in the form of a triangle, the span of the lower legs of which should be no less than the width of the drum. The height of the triangle should be equal to the radius of the drum plus 50 cm (so that a trough can be installed under the mixer).
12. To the tops of triangular supporting structures Both flanges are welded. On one side, the supports are fastened with corners.
13. Two wheels are welded to the bottom of one support, which will allow the unit to be easily moved around the site.
14. Hinges with a lid are welded to the loading hole of the drum, and on the opposite side - bolts with wings for closing the lid.
15. Two L-shaped handles about 60 cm long are made from a corner and a pipe (for rotating the mixer drum).
16. The handles are welded on opposite sides to the mixer axis, one up, the other down (so that the concrete mixer does not swing when the shaft rotates).
17. A stopper lever is welded to the drum, preventing the barrel from tipping over when it rotates. While mixing the solution, it stops; after mixing the mixture with its help, the barrel body is rotated and the solution is unloaded into the trough.
18. The finished unit is cleaned of rust and dirt, then painted with anti-corrosion paint.

When constructing small objects: garage, cellar or gazebo, ready solution not worth buying. You don’t use it all at once, since pouring the foundation, erecting walls and other types of work must be done at a certain interval. Therefore, it is advisable to mix concrete with your own hands as needed, in small portions that can be put into use immediately. To make the material especially durable, do not forget to moisturize it for 7-10 days after installation.

Required components and accessories

If we are not talking about special grades of concrete, it will only require a few components and a minimum of cooking tools:

• cement;
• sand;
• crushed stone or gravel;
• water;
• trough or similar container;
• shovel.

The quality of the solution depends on the accuracy of the proportions, the purity of the materials and the thoroughness of their mixing. Sand and crushed stone should not contain clay, which impairs the characteristics of the finished fill and its resistance to moisture and cold. If these fillers are left under for some time open air, they need to be covered with something from falling leaves and other debris. Avoid introducing particles into the solution synthetic materials and dust.

Water for mixing the solution can be used both drinking and technical, collected from a tap, in a well or in a river. But water that is salty or contains foreign inclusions can significantly affect the quality of concrete. In addition, if it is reinforced, excess salt in the water will lead to corrosion of the metal. Particles of clay, silt, algae, fuel oil or an excessive concentration of any chemical compounds also significantly affect the quality of the final product.

The permissible size of crushed stone pieces ranges from 5 to 150 mm. It is best to use fine filler, no more than 20 mm. The size of a larger stone should not exceed one third of the thickness of the concrete layer. When making concrete, other types of filler can be used instead of crushed stone or gravel. These are coal slags, expanded clay, artificial crushed stone. But their use will reduce the durability of the structure. For creating decorative species concrete, small particles of glass or marble chips are added to the solution, and colored cement is added.

To prepare a good solution, it is advisable to purchase cement grade M400 or M500. For small buildings, the M300 brand is sufficient. But this material “ages” quite quickly, losing its declared properties, so there is no need to buy it for future use. When pouring a foundation for a heavy object, only coarse sand is added to the solution. But it is quite expensive, so for small buildings it is permissible to use a mixture of coarse and fine sand.

Composition and procedure for preparing concrete mixture

To prepare about 100 liters of concrete, you need to mix 30 kg of cement (3 buckets), 70 kg of sand (5 buckets), 100 kg of crushed stone (about 8 buckets). It will take from 16 to 23 liters of water, depending on the humidity of the fillers used. For mixing, you can take an old galvanized trough or prepare wooden shield about 3 m long and 1.4 m wide, covered with roofing iron. Sand is first poured into the container, then cement, after which these ingredients are thoroughly mixed. If you don’t have a construction mixer at hand, you can use a regular shovel. Water is gradually added to the mixture, and each time after that it is mixed again. Excess moisture can reduce the strength of future concrete. The procedure is repeated until a plastic mass of homogeneous consistency is obtained.

Crushed stone is poured into the prepared mass and everything is mixed again. The thickness of the concrete solution should resemble good homemade sour cream. If it turns out to be too liquid, you should add a little cement, but not filler. To quickly prepare concrete with your own hands, it is better to mix from both sides simultaneously, and for large volumes, carry out it with four people.

If you have your own concrete mixer or can borrow one from somewhere, the mixing process will be much easier. The components are used in the same proportions. The order in which they are loaded into the device is great importance. First you need to make sure that the concrete mixer is empty, and then pour water into it. Next, half of the prepared cement, all the crushed stone, the remains of cement are added, and then sand is gradually poured in. It is advisable to place the concrete mixer container at a slight angle to the horizontal surface. To obtain a mixture without lumps, rotate the solution for 2 to 3 minutes. You should not get carried away with the process, since when rotating for more than 3 minutes, delamination of the concrete may begin.