The amount of cement per 1 m3 of concrete. Composition and grades of concrete

Construction of almost any modern building can not do without the use, to some extent, of concrete. This is a universal and very affordable material, which makes it possible to produce reliable and durable structures of any configuration and complexity. It is used in the manufacture of foundations, supporting structures, ceilings, building blocks (wall and foundation), paving slabs, curbs and small architectural forms (flowerpots, flowerpots, stucco moldings and sculptures). Concrete is also used in such structures as swimming pools, cellars, staircases and so on.

How to choose cement

Cement is the basis of any concrete. It is a substance that binds the mixture and imparts the strength of a future design or product. How much cement per 1 m3 of concrete is needed depends on the quality and brand of this substance. In addition, it is necessary to know that different spheres of concrete use require different strengths. For example, for the production of supporting structures or foundations, the increased strength of this substance is required. But for the manufacture of various small forms, such as paving slabs, flowerpots, curbs, such strength is not required.

How to choose the right cement and what should I look for? There are various types of cement for sale. The quality and final strength of products and structures depend on the brand. The higher the brand of cement, the higher the quality, and, correspondingly, the strength. The most common brands sold in any city are the M300, M400 and M500. For the manufacture of structures that require a large load-bearing capacity, the brands M400 and M500 are used. For other cases, you can use any.

Another important factor affecting the quality is the shelf life. The overdue product loses its binding ability and the brand is reduced. Also worth paying attention to the state of the cement itself. It should be crumbly. The presence of lumps may indicate a violation of storage conditions. Mainly it is high humidity. This cement is not recommended.

Features of the choice of components

Any concrete consists of several components:

• Cement.
• Sand.
• Crushed stone.
• Water.
• Additives.

Sand and gravel are added to the mixture to make it cheaper and give strength. The reliability of future products depends on the quality of these components. They do not allow the presence of impurities of clay, silt or soil. Depending on the type of work, crushed stone can be used with a fraction from 1 to 7-8 cm. For the production of small architectural forms, building blocks and paving slabs, fine gravel gravel, the so-called screening (0.1-1 cm), is often used.

The water used in the mixture must be clean and free from clay impurities. The increased content of minerals in the water can lead to the appearance of white stains on the surface of the concrete after curing.

The use of special additives is not mandatory. Nevertheless, they should not be neglected when making a concrete mix. They allow improving some characteristics of concrete:

• Increased frost resistance and allow work at minus temperatures (water does not crystallize).
• Strengthening strength before and after hardening.
• Improving the plasticity of the mixture and preventing the occurrence of microcracks;
• And much more.

Application of cement

Depending on the brand of cement, the quantity and quality of fillers and additives, different grades of concrete can be obtained. The designation of concrete grades is similar to the designation used for cement. But with the addition of components, the cement brand is usually reduced. So, for example, from cement М400 it is possible to receive marks of concrete М350 , М300, М250, М200 М150, and so on.

Thus, the production of concrete is the uniform mixing of all the ingredients in the correct proportions. Depending on this, mixtures of high strength are obtained for foundations, load-bearing structures, floors and less stable mixtures for structures that do not require increased strength. Therefore, in order to determine what brand of concrete is needed, it is necessary to know its purpose.

Foundation works

About how much cement per 1 m3 of concrete for the foundation needs to be added, we will go further. Here we consider the features of foundation works. For the manufacture of foundations and supporting structures use concrete not lower than M200 grade, depending on the future design, its weight and features. For heavier structures it is advisable to use concrete not lower than M300.

Depending on the features of the soil and the structure of the future structure, three basic types of foundations are distinguished:

• Monolithic slab.
• Tape.
• Columnar.

The production of concrete for all types is the same. And the amount of cement per 1 m3 of concrete for the foundation does not depend on its type.

Purchase of ready-mixed concrete

If a decision is made to buy a ready-mix concrete, there is no need to know how much cement per cubic meter of concrete to take. It remains only to calculate the required number of cubes and order. Virtually every city has a lot of companies involved in the sale and production of this material. But how much is the cube of concrete? On average, the price for a ready mix varies from 3000 to 5000 rubles. The cost, in general, depends on the brand of concrete. And to more accurately answer the question about how much a cube of concrete costs, you need to know the prices in your region.

When buying, you should pay attention to the quality of the mixture. The seller must have certificates confirming that you are acquiring high-quality concrete. GOST must also be specified.

Self-made mixture

Self- preparation of concrete is not a complicated process. With this will cope and a person who has no building education. The main thing is to strictly observe the proportions and follow the recommendations. Since there is rubble in the mixture, it is rather problematic to stir it manually. For this it is better to use a concrete mixer. It is relatively inexpensive, but it will save considerable time and effort.

So, the manufacture of concrete passes in several stages:

• First, water is poured.
• Then crushed stone is poured.
• After that, add cement and sand.

You can make the knead "in a dry". The sequence is the same, only water is added to the last. Do not mix cement with water before adding fillers, since the cement can stick together.

In order to clean the mixer from the remnants of the mixture after the end of work, pour water and cover a small amount of rubble and stir for a while. After that, it all merges.

Calculation of concrete components

How to choose high-quality concrete? GOST allows to determine the conformity of the brand to the given parameters for strength, frost resistance, vapor permeability and others. But how to achieve quality and get the right brand for the self-made concrete mix? First of all, it depends on the quality of the ingredients used and how much cement is used per 1 m3 of concrete.

Depending on which brand the concrete needs, the consumption of materials varies. Thus, we get the following approximate amount of cement per 1 m3 of concrete:

• Concrete M200 - 250 kg of cement M400.
• Concrete M200 - 220 kg of cement M500.
• Concrete M250 - 300 kg of cement M400.
• Concrete M250 - 250 kg of cement M400.
• Concrete M300 - 350 kg of cement M400.
• Concrete M300 - 300 kg of cement M500.
• Concrete M400 - 400 kg of cement M400.
• Concrete M400 - 330 kg of cement M400.

conclusions

A simpler and less laborious option is to purchase ready-mixed concrete. But at the same time you need to contact the trusted firms. To do this, you need to look at customer testimonials and how long the company works in this market. Any self-respecting company values its reputation and provides quality products.

The self-manufacturing of concrete takes a considerable time, and a lot of effort is spent on making the mixture. In addition, you need to order the necessary fillers and buy additives. But this option is more economical. In addition, using qualitative components, you can be sure of the result.