How to Mix & Pour Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Concrete is a symbol for strength and endurance, but it is surprisingly fragile under certain circumstances. It can crack if the ground beneath it isn't compacted. It's a porous material so although it continues to harden over time it's still susceptible to pressure years after it's been poured, and it can always be affected by freezing temperatures. The addition of a synthetic fiber to the wet concrete when the project is being poured can prevent 80 to 100 percent of cracks, significantly enhancing the durability and overall life of the concrete surface. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Cement mix, available at home improvement or hardware stores
- Synthetic fiber concrete additive, available from concrete companies
- Large bucket or wheelbarrow
- Hand trowel
Instructions
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Mix the cement in the bucket according to the directions on the package.
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Add the fiber to the cement. The packaging will advise you as to how much of the fiber to use based on what type of project you are constructing.
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Pour the concrete into the formed area of your project.
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Finish the surface with the hand trowel. As with non-reinforced concrete, curing (drying) time is required before the surface can be walked upon or have vehicles driven or parked on it. The packaging for the cement will have recommended drying time and the addition of the fiber will not affect how long it will take the surface to cure.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are ordering your concrete from a concrete company rather than mixing it yourself, you can ask the dispatcher to add in the synthetic fiber when your order is being prepared.
The addition of synthetic fiber to reinforce concrete typically does not change how you would normally pour and finish concrete without the fiber reinforcement. The finished product will be the same and you will not be able to visually tell that the mix has the reinforcement added in.
Concrete reinforced with synthetic fiber can be stamped with rubber concrete stamping mats, if you desire. You can use it just as if it were regular non-reinforced concrete.
References
- Photo Credit Concrete street cracks image by Dreadman from Fotolia.com
