CONCRETE D.I.Y / SMALL JOBS FAQ

You may be buying concrete for the first time. If so here are a few tips that may help you get the right result.
If you are an experienced user, we apologise for patronising you and you may want to refer to the more technical pages on the website. YOU CAN GET THIS ADVICE QUICKLY BY SENDING AN e mail to sales@jclubb.co.uk OR CALL OUR SALES OFFICE ON 01322 225431 BUT IF YOU HAVE TIME TO READ...

How do I use it?
If you are handling the concrete and placing it yourself you should take careful note of the advice on the Health and Safety webpage. Basically cement is a strong alkali and it will burn your skin if directly in contact and will soak through and burn skin through non-waterproof shoes and clothing.
Take note of the advice on the Health and Safety page.

Where is the best supplier?
It is usually best to buy concrete from a supplier close by to your site or use our site batch truck that will mix and batch as you use the concrete ensuring that you get the maximum time to place it before it sets, see the site batch page for details.

How do I place it?
Concrete is heavy and sold by the cubic metre. A cubic metre weighs around 2.5 tonnes. Each cubic metre will fill approximately 25-30 standard wheelbarrows. If you have to place the concrete a long way from the road you may want to consider our conveyor/pump service or find out how many strong friends and barrows you can get !!! A word of advice (unless you are tipping straight onto the area to be concreted) would be to place a plastic sheet on the ground to discharge the concrete on to otherwise surfaces will become stained or grass burned by wet concrete!!

How long does it take to start setting?
Concrete sets in approximately 2 hours from mixing including journey time, quicker if a strong mix in hot weather and slower if a weak mix in winter. This factor is mostly affected by temperature and cement content (strength). See full details on the concrete page

How much do I need?
Use our concrete calculator to help you calculate how much you will need.

How much is delivered in a load and can the truck get to my job site?
We can deliver any quantity from 1m³ upwards and a standard truck will be fully loaded with 6 cubic metres. We also have trucks that can deliver 8 cubic metres and our site batch truck will batch concrete on site as you use it from 1 to 8 cubic metres. Advice on access is best discussed with the sales office on the contacts given above.

What grade or strength do I want?
Concrete can be very adaptable to your specific needs but you may want different grades for different uses and jobs. Our sales office will give you good advice on the grade required for your needs and also advise on admixtures and additives that improve frost resistance, flowing and pump grades and mixes tailored to your situation. Call or e mail our contacts.

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