Whether you get ready to raise a new room for your home or you run a construction company, knowing a thing or two about concrete will help you choose the most significant type on the market. There are dozens of types of concrete, which vary widely according to their composition and applications. It also makes no difference if you need concrete for the foundation of a new home, a new driveway or some fence posts. In any of these situations, doing your homework will ensure a good final result. After all, you want both durability and quality.
Considering the concrete strength
There are many mixes and “cocktails” in the concrete manufacturing industry. They affect the composition, type and strength. Strength is by far one of the main considerations. It is dictated by the actual compression. It is expressed in PSI and should e mentioned on the package. Basically, you should know how much PSI your concrete can support in the attempt to ensure that you get the right type. Most commonly, concrete mixes vary between 2,000PSI and 5,000PSI. Of course, specific applications may ask for a lot more than that. Industrial applications, for instance, need over 10,000PSI. On the same principle, a lower strength might be available too, but mostly for fine applications. Qualified concrete contractors can provide pretty much any type of strength though.
Analyzing the most common strength standards and their uses
The classic 2,500PSI concrete can be used for most pavements. This type is common in walkways and even driveways. It is inexpensive and durable. The installation requires a filling material under the actual concrete. However, when used for driveways, it may not be the most durable option in the world. Therefore, a lot of professionals opt for a higher strength, only to ensure that they have no issues with their warranties.
On a different note, 3,000PSI concrete is a standard in most industries. It has enough cement in the composition to ensure a good final product, but it is also extremely durable. It can be installed in wet environments without worrying about its quality.
The stronger 3,500PSI concrete is more common in areas where excessive loading is common. It is not used for driveways only, but also in industrial places exposed to heavy machinery and longterm heavy storage. Grade and bond beams can benefit from this strength too.
If you run a warehouse or your facility experiences heavy traffic, 4,000PSI concrete solutions represent your best choices. Supermarkets and their parking lots are often covered in this type of concrete. As for other strengths, most concreters provide them for specialized applications and projects. A high strength is great for extreme weather conditions and high impacts. To know more about concreters in Melbourne, learn more here.
As a short final conclusion, it is highly recommended to get slightly more strength than what you normally need. Discuss with your contractor as well and never underestimate good recommendations coming from reputable companies. Keep in mind that most of them will recommend you what works, so getting more is all about increasing durability and quality standards.