Concrete is a common building material. It is used in various fields. With its help, a reliable foundation is formed, piece objects are made (for example, balusters, tiles for sidewalks, countertops, vases, as well as other decorative details).
One of the main advantages of the material is considered ease of manufacture can order concrete with delivery. However, masters are required to take into account numerous nuances. They will determine the quality, technical characteristics and features of the use of concrete. Given the purpose of what material is created, the recipe and the method of its application will change.
Additives
To change the characteristics of concrete, the following additives are used:
Lime.
Auxiliary components.
Plasticizers.
Reinforcing substances.
Gashenic lime provides a simpler laying of the solution. Its use simplifies the procedure for aligning the surface. The only drawback of this additive is that it will affect quality. The frozen concrete will not differ in good strength.
As for plasticizers, they are able to provide the solution with improved fluidity or viscosity. In addition, their use allows you to reduce/increase the volume of the water necessary to obtain a solution.
If you plan to fill the foundation of the cottage, then you can refuse the use of plasticizers. However, they are able to help if reinforcement is quite dense or the foundation is characterized by an intricate form. Fluid concrete can quickly and effectively fill out numerous branches and voids. This will greatly facilitate the work process.
Auxiliary components are responsible for giving the solution of progressive qualities. For example, they guarantee rapid hardening and grasping the mixture at low temperature or in conditions of high humidity.
As for reinforcing substances, they are used in a situation where there is a need to create a fairly thin screed. In this case, specialized polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene fibers are used. These components are considered soft and not very strong. However, their use provides an opportunity to prevent situations when concrete begins to crack in the surveillance slabs. They will also save from problems when working with an unstable basis in the process of creating the main sex.