Concrete Admixtures: What You Need To Know

When it comes construction and masonry supplies, Elston Materials is Chicago’s premiere company. We provide our clients with the best building materials to get their projects completed in a timely and high-quality manner. We also like informing our potential clients about the products they are interested in so as give them enough information to buy the correct material. In the case of concrete admixtures, there are plenty of uses and mixtures to be aware of.

What Are Concrete Admixtures?

Typically concrete consists of water, cement, and aggregate. An admixture can be either manufactured or natural chemicals adding into the concrete before or during the mixing process.

Why Use Concrete Admixtures?

The chemicals used in admixtures supplements the concrete, giving it more durability, adaptability, and strength. This can be especially beneficial when working in tougher construction conditions, like very cold or hot weather, very specific water ratio requirements, and more.

Types of Concrete Admixtures

Accelerator

Fairly self-explanatory, an accelerator admixture is used to speed up the set time, which can be crucial during a cold weather job.

Water Reducer

Prior to the onsite pour, a water reducer is added to reduce the water content in the concrete, therefore reducing the porosity.

Surface Retarder

Quite the opposite of an accelerator, surface retarders are usually added when a concrete mixture requires a longer set time. This is done when the weather is warmer and slows down the setting of concrete.

Concrete Sealer

This type of admixture is done to protect concrete by making it more durable and stronger. By adding a concrete sealer, you’re ensuring the concrete has better longevity.