How to Mix Concrete With a Power Mixer
A power mixer may be just the ticket for a job that's not quite large enough to require ordering from a ready-mix company, but that's too big to do by hand - or one that requires masonry concrete over an extended period of time.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Garden Hoses
- Garden-hose Nozzles
- Rocks
- Sand
- Shovels
- Buckets
- Tarpaulins
- Carts Or Wheelbarrows
- Cement
- Power Mixer For Concrete
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1
Be sure you have all of your materials gathered and on site before you rent the power mixer.
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2
Have the clerk at the rental center give you the full instructional session on the running and cleaning up of the power mixer.
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3
Keep your bags of Portland cement up off the ground and covered with plastic to protect them from weather and ground moisture. Any unused, unopened bags can probably be returned for a cash refund.
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4
Start the loading of the mixer by wetting down the inside of the drum. It doesn't take a lot of water to do this and is most easily accomplished by using a garden hose with a squirt nozzle. This also works best for keeping the machine clean during and after use.
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5
Add water to your mixture using a bucket so that you can keep track of the amount used and duplicate it more easily on following loads.
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6
Use this simple, time-tested formula for a common concrete mix ' 1:2:3 parts by dry volume. That is: one part Portland cement, two parts sand and three parts coarse aggregate. Masonry mix, of course, has no coarse aggregate and uses a better quality of fine sand in its mixture.
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7
Make small additions of water to your first few batches of concrete until you learn what consistency you will achieve with the different amounts of water. In general, a consistency of a very thick cake batter is the desired result. Such a mixture will be workable when wet and strong when dry.
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8
Mix only the amount that you can use in a short period of time. Once the cement-and-water chemical reaction starts, you have only a limited amount of time to work with the concrete.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If you have doubts about your skills or if the size of the project is overwhelming, it may be wise to call a professional. Even small jobs can be physically demanding, and mistakes can be costly.
