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Concrete’s history dates back to the Roman Empire, and while the basic of concrete have largely remained the same, technological advances of today have made this product into one of the most versatile and used building materials available throughout the world.
The words “concrete” and “cement” are often confused. Cement is the gray powder that, when mixed with water, binds the sand and rock together to create concrete. Concrete is the world’s most prolific building material. This “liquid stone” can be shaped to make roads, bridges, dams, hospitals, and homes. It is extremely strong and durable. The longevity of concrete means less maintenance and replacement when compared to other building products. These properties contribute to the environmental value of concrete versus most any other building material available today.
Concrete consists of a mixture of aggregate (sand and gravel), cement and water. Concrete can be cast in almost any shape desired and once hardened it becomes a structural element. “Ready-mix” concrete is a prescribed mix of aggregate, cement, water and often other admixtures and products that enhance the properties and characteristics of concrete.
Ready Mix Concrete is sold by volume, not weight. The measurement standard for Ready Mix Concrete is the cubic yard. A ready mix plant makes concrete with a computerized batching system. As the ready mix plant weighs the dry materials (aggregate and cement), it begins to meter in the liquid materials (water and admixtures) into the mixer. Once the system achieves the correct weights for the dry materials, the plant discharges the dry materials into the mixer where they are blended with the liquid ingredients into a homogenous mix.
Ready Mix Concrete is typically delivered from a plant to the construction location with a specialty vehicle called a mixer truck. The most noticeable feature of a mixer truck is the large drum that houses the concrete. The inside of these drums are fitted with spiral blades. When the drum is rotated in one direction, the concrete is pushed deeper into the drum, agitating the mix and keeping it in its plastic state. When the drum rotates in the other direction, blades force the concrete out of the drum. Chutes are often used to guide the viscous concrete into place. A Mixer truck typically weights approximately 30,000 pounds and can carry roughly 40,000 pounds of concrete (10 cubic yards)
Here at Ferndale Ready Mix & Gravel, we have three primary concrete divisions:
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