An Introduction to Concrete

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An Introduction to Concrete
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• Used for hundreds of different types of
  construction work, from sidewalks and homes to
  high rise towers, concrete has properties that
  can be customized according to the specific needs
  of each building job, and has played a
  significant role in the construction industry
  since its humble beginnings way back in 1875.
• However, despite seeing concrete used all around
  our town and cities, many know little about how
  its made or what its made from. If youre going
  to be undertaking a construction project soon,
  and would like to know whether to hire a concrete
  contractor, the following information may help
  you decide

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• What are the core ingredients of concrete?
• Typically comprised of cement, gravel, sand and
  water, minor differences in the cement variants
  used to make concrete may occur, but sand, gravel
  and water remain constant.
• Cement the main ingredient, the most commonly
  used variant is Portland Cement.
• Gravel used to increase the internal strength
  of the mix by the concrete contractor, if made
  without it, it wouldnt be able to support heavy
  loads and could quickly break down and cause
  cracks to form on the surface.

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• Sand this is used to fill the holes left
  between the particles of gravel, as air pockets
  are not conducive to a good concrete mix. Adding
  sand also helps to smooth out the mix.
• Water used to help mix the other 3 ingredients
  together, it gives concrete its workability, and
  how much water is used, will determine the
  strength of the concrete mix.

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• Why is concrete so easy to customize?
• The 4 ingredients mentioned above are usually
  used in varying ratios to achieve the desired
  properties of concrete, but out of them all, the
  ratio of water to cement is the most important.
  Should a thinner mix be required by the concrete
  contractor, then more water can be added, while
  if a thicker mix is required, more cement is
  added to the water.

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• What are the ratios in a concrete mix?
• Gravel and sand make up almost ¾ of the concrete
  mix, with cement and water making up the rest.
  Also known as aggregates, its important to use
  gravel particles that are similar in size for a
  more uniform application and streamlined
  workflow. A good concrete contractor will even
  filter the sand for rough stones and particles,
  to ensure that only the finest of sand is used in
  the mix.
• What are the different types of concrete mix?
• There are an average of 24 types of concrete
  mixes used in construction today, and which type
  is used, will depend entirely upon its intended
  application

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• Type 1 this type is widely used for the
  construction of residential homes, foundations
  and sidewalks
• Type 2 in an environment in which the concrete
  may be prone to sulfate exposure, this type is
  used
• Type 3 used for freezing conditions
• Type 4 customized constructions will typically
  use this concrete mix type
• Type 5 this type of mix has an even higher
  resistance to sulfate conditions than type 2
• For a more detailed idea of whether your
  construction project requires a professional
  concrete contractor, reach out to a reputable
  construction company in your area today, and
  begin building your dreams!

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• RZ Construction Group Inc is a fully inclusive
  general contractor and concrete contractor in
  Astoria NY. From initial design to final clean
  up, our results speak for themselves. We are
  fully licensed, insured, and bonded to provide
  both commercial and residential construction
  services to customers in Astoria and the
  surrounding area. Proud to serve New York State
  for 25 years. No job is too small nor too big. If
  you are looking for construction companies in
  Astoria NY or want to know more about our wide
  range of professional but affordable construction
  and repair services, reach out to us at (718)
  938-9887.