Mixing Your Own Concrete: The Recipe of Cement and Aggregate to Get the Job Done

Dry ready mix concrete is easy to use, but sometimes is simply to expensive to use for a larger project. In this case, you might be considering mixing your own concrete. Mixing your own concrete is simple enough if you understand the concepts involved and can work easily with proportions to make enough for the job.

You should keep in mind that concrete mixes vary according to their purpose. This article offers the mix proportions for a standard concrete that should work for most residential projects, but if you have specific requirements for the type of concrete for your project you should carefully research a mix that will meet your specifications.

When measuring concrete ingredients, keep in mind that these are volume measurements. Also, keep in mind that the ingredients for the mix should be bought from a home improvement store to insure quality. Make sure you buy clean river sand, not beach sand. Also be sure that your gravel and aggregate has a good range of sizes from �½ inch to very small pebbles to create the best mix. And you should only use drinkable water for concrete that contains no organic material.

With these cautions in mind, here are the proportions for a standard mix:

2 �¾ parts stone and gravel aggregate
2 �½ parts sand
1 part cement
�½ part water

To mix them, measure all of the dry ingredients carefully and combine. Then add the water and mix thoroughly.

Once you have the proportions, you should be able to figure out how much of each material you will need for your concrete project to make a good mix. Of course you should plan on 10 percent extra just in case. If you are worried about wasting concrete, plan on doing some smaller projects such as paving stones with the leftover mix.

To figure out how much of each material you will need, you should be able to do some basic math to figure out how much to buy with the proportions listed. Keep in mind that sand and gravel are sold by the cubic feet, but cement is sold by the bag. The bag should give you an approximate volume of the cement contained within.

Mixing concrete may seem daunting, but once you do it once you’ll be surprised at how easy it actually is. Of course, mixing any concrete, but especially large batches can be physically exhausting, so be sure not to make so much at a time that you have difficulty working with it.