Concrete is one of the most widely used building materials and is made from three basic ingredients: water, aggregate, and portland cement. There are two main types used in the construction industry, which are called ready-mixed concrete and site-mixed concrete. Choosing the right type for the project is very important: both types have their own specifications, advantages, and disadvantages. While both types are viable in concrete structures, one may be more advantageous than the other depending on the project conditions.
Comparison Between Ready-mixed concrete & Site-mixed concrete
Ready-mixed concrete is produced in the plant and delivered to the construction site in an unhardened and plastic state, ready for use. There are usually cubic meters expressed for ready-mix concrete when it is sold by volume.
Site-mixed concrete is bulk concrete that is prepared on-site, as its name suggests. Concrete components are mixed in specific proportions to obtain the required strength. This method requires the use of formulas to determine the number of materials and steps to obtain the desired consistency. Workers must be careful and careful with the proportions of the material to avoid problems with the quality of the concrete.
Both types of concrete are viable in construction projects, but one can have significant advantages over the other depending on the needs of the project.
The following points describe some advantages of volumetric concrete mixers:
Advantages of Ready-mixed concrete
Saves Money
Ready-mixed concrete can also be cheaper than hand-mixed concrete on site due to cost savings from pre-mixing the materials at a central location before delivery to the site. Ready Mix Concrete requires less manpower on site. Our machines help do all the heavy lifting with only one or two people needed on site to lay/place the material and no mixing. All this in turn makes the whole process cheaper, faster, and overall, more efficient.
Provides Quality
When mixing on site, there can be many variable factors that affect the final quality of the product, such as weather, lack of attention of the workers when mixing, contaminants in the raw materials, and too much water added. This, in turn, changes the volume/weight ratio when mixing the product. As a result, these potential problems can cause the concrete to not meet the specifications stated in the engineering details, which can cause the finished project to be of poor quality when not done correctly or worse, be rejected by the building inspector.
Ready-mixed concrete is produced with the exact ratio of cement, sand, and gravel. Consistency across all construction sites is due to the homogeneity of production, which takes place at a central location before being transported to the construction site. Site-mixed concrete is more likely to be inconsistent in its composition because each project requires some modification of the mix itself.
Reduces wastage
Ready-mixed concrete is produced in the exact ratio of cement and sand. Therefore, the quantity mixed is equal to what is needed. This reduces wastage. Ready-mixed concrete is mixed according to the customer’s requirements. They are basically custom-made. It is mixed at the plant and not on-site. Thus, it reduces the construction cost as well as reduces the wastage.
Easy Customization
The ability to customize the concrete mix depending on the application can save time for you and your team. Mixing is done by professionals, so you don’t have to worry about anything. You can specify certain volumetric concrete trucks, or even ask for advice from our experts to take into account their recommendations.
The time required for concrete to dry on-site and reach its strength potential is much longer than for ready-mixed concrete, which also makes ready-mixed concrete a suitable choice for time-consuming projects.
