When it comes to building and construction, the choice of concrete mix is diverse, and creating the right one is vital to effectively completing a project. A typical mortar or concrete mix comprises cement, aggregate, sand, and water. However, water can be added at different stages, creating two comparisons: wet and dry mix.
Wet and Dry Mix
Wet mix concrete is a complete combination of water, sand, aggregate, and cement. The ready mixture is usually kept in concrete trucks or equipment and pumped directly to the site. Compressed air is used at the nozzle to force the mixture onto the surface. This method is suitable for large projects.
On the other hand, dry mix involves getting all cementitious ingredients without water in bags, and then water is added to the site.
Differences between Wet Mix and Dry Mix Concrete in Applications
The differences between wet-and-dry mix concrete lie between their application, results, and storage time, as explained below:
Storage time
The most notable difference between these two concrete mixtures is the storage period. Because wet mix concrete already contains water, it needs to be used as soon as possible, generally 24 hours preparation.
On the other hand, dry-mix concrete offers a bit more flexibility when it comes to storage time. Contractors can fill up dozens of bags of dry mix concrete and only use when needed. During application, the dry mix is laid with a high velocity hose, before water is immediately added.
Varying Results
The dry mix concrete is more favourable for finer projects like grouts, repairing concrete, or mending tile. Wet mix, on the other hand, can work well in large volume areas that are built from scratch, for example constructing a house or other new structures.
Site Requirements
In dry mix application, the mixture is blown through the device directly to the site, and water is injected immediately. This makes it a better choice for low to medium placements that require finer applications. Wet mix requires more space on the job site, allowing the truck to easily deliver the material.
Restocking
When it comes to restocking wet mix concrete, contractors need to calculate how much mixture is needed to complete a project. Underestimating could mean restocking in the middle of a project, causing delays.
Overestimating could result in material waste because wet mix only has a shelf-life of 24 hours. However, wet mix does allow contractors to make a generous stock that can last up to six months, depending on the mixture quality.
Buy High-quality Dry Mix from Bisley & Company
Bisley & Company offers the best dry mixture options in the market. These mixtures contain quality cement, like calcium sulfoaluminate cement (CSA) and calcium aluminate cement (CAC), which deliver superior results. Get in touch with us to request an estimate.
Check out our Drymix Raw Materials Product Range