Concrete is one of the most widely used building materials and consists of three main components: water, aggregate, and cement. There are two main types of concrete used in the construction industry, namely ready-mixed concrete and Site mix concrete. Selecting the right type is very important: both have their own characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. Although both types are feasible in concrete construction, depending on the conditions of the project, one may be more beneficial than the other.
Ready-mixed concrete is manufactured in the factory and transported to the construction site in plastic, ready to use. Ready-mixed concrete is sold by volume in cubic meters.
Site mix concrete is bulk concrete made on-site. As the name implies, the concrete components are mixed in a certain proportion to achieve the required consistency. Workers must be careful about the proportions of materials to avoid concrete quality problems.
Both types of concrete are suitable for construction projects, but depending on the needs of the project, one type of concrete may have obvious advantages over the other. The following Points describes some of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of concrete:
1) TIME
Ready-Mix Concrete: Ready to use and less time-consuming.
Site-Mixed Concrete: The process is slow due to multiple steps, formulations, and setting time.
2) Manpower
Ready-Mix Concrete: Skilled workers only need to pour and compact concrete.
Site-Mixed Concrete: It takes more man-hours to prepare the concrete on site.
3) Material purchase
Ready-Mix Concrete: Concrete can be calculated as an individual item.
Site-Mixed Concrete: Materials must be estimated individually and purchasing planned separately.
4) Space Requires
Ready-Mix Concrete: Adequate access for the concrete mixer truck.
Site-Mixed Concrete: Requires space for material storage and batch mixers.
5) Location of the construction site
Ready-Mix Concrete: If the mixing plant is too far away from the construction site, the concrete needs retarders and other additives to prevent it from setting. The transport costs will increase, there may be quality problems.
Site-Mixed Concrete: It requires all mixed materials and equipment to be transported to the construction site.
6) Storage Requirements
Ready-Mix Concrete: No additional storage space is required for raw materials.
Site-Mixed Concrete: Requires controlled storage space to manage and protect materials such as cement and aggregates.
Despite the higher cost, ready-mixed concrete is generally more suitable for many projects. When preparing concrete in the factory, the ready-mixed concrete is of higher quality with a minimal batch variation. Another important factor is the location of the project: in some cases, transportation is required. Determine which concrete is best for your project. Ready-mixed concrete is usually recommended for large projects that require a lot of volumes. On the other hand, on-site mixing is the best choice for small concrete projects and renovations.
