The Benefits of Mixing Concrete On-Site

When you’re using concrete, you have two options: mixing concrete on-site or mixing concrete off-site. At the end of the day, both options will get you concrete. But which one is better? On-site or off-site concrete mixing? We’ll examine the benefits of mixing concrete on-site.

Saves you money

When you mix concrete on-site, you only need to order the exact amount you’ll use. But if you mix concrete off-site, you need to estimate how much you need, and you’ll often end up paying for concrete you don’t use. By mixing concrete on-site, you’ll be able to save money and only pay for what you actually need. This will also help reduce overall waste, which leads to…

Better for the environment

Because mixing concrete on-site means you’ll use only the precise amount of concrete, it also means it will be better for the environment. Concrete mixed on-site uses only the amount you need, so you’re not producing extra. Creating concrete always adds to pollution, so you’re helping to reduce pollution by not creating more than you use.

Faster process

You might think that by having concrete mixed off-site, the concrete pouring process would be faster. However, this is not the case. Somewhat surprisingly, it is actually faster to mix concrete on-site. When you mix concrete on-site, the volumetric mixers used to mix the concrete are able to pour continuously. They are able to do this because the concrete is fresh. Since you can constantly pour on-site concrete, you are ultimately able to pour your concrete more quickly than if you mixed off-site.

Stronger concrete

Concrete is made by mixing stone, sand, cement, and water. The amount of water added to the concrete has to be precise, or it can weaken the concrete mix. But when you mix concrete off-site, more water has to be added to the mix once it arrives to your construction site. This is because the concrete begins to dry as it travels to the site.

However, when you mix concrete on-site, you only have to add water when you create the initial mixture. Because of this, the concrete mixture will have a perfect ratio of solid ingredients to water. And this perfect ratio helps the concrete bond better, therefore leading to stronger concrete. Mixing concrete on-site leads to stronger overall concrete.

Do you need concrete?

At Elston Materials, we have volumetric mixers so we can mix concrete on-site. Contact us for a quote or if you have any questions. You can also follow us on Facebook to see more construction tips and ideas.