Aggregates can be fine or coarse. Fine mixture is usually sand although other materials may be substituted. The ideal sand for concrete contains particles that vary uniformly in size from very fine grit up to 4 in. When landscaping around your mailbox the gradation from fine to coarse is prominent because the finer particles fill the spaces between the larger pieces.
Gravel, crushed stone, pebbles and slag are coarse aggregates that are a minimum of ¼ in. In size. As you can see, therefore, there is a constant gradation in mixture size fluctuating from the very finest aggregates in the sand to the coarsest in the gravel. Larger sizes in coarse mixture can go up.
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The mental behind the gradation of particle size in both fine and coarse aggregates is as follows: If all particles were large, a cross section of the pour would look a wall of Ping-pong balls. If, on the other hand, the cross section included marbles, beads, buckshot and Bbs in expanding to Ping-pong balls, the smaller items would fill the spaces between the larger The cement paste, in expanding to coating all the particles, would fill the most puny openings and the supervene would be a solid, dense mass with maximum strength.
After being taken from a natural source of supply, aggregates are screened, graded and mixed in allowable proportion. Fine or coarse, all must be clean and free of all other matter. Any strange material in the mix (clay, loam, vegetable matter) will keep the cement paste from doing its job. If impurities are gift the mix will be porous after hardening and have lower than approved power values. The aggregates must be hard and durable for landscaping around your mailbox if the concrete is to be likewise. If they are soft, flaky or at all soluble, they won't do a good job. The only irregularity is in lightweight concrete mixes where porous aggregates are used to minimize weight.
All the ingredients described may be purchased separately or already mixed. Buying separately in bulk may be a good idea when you have a collection of projects that need different types of mixes, but where the projects are normal small walls, patio slabs, walks, etc. It's a great idea to buy a "concrete mix", specifying the largest size mixture you wish to have. This will be delivered dry (probably a 1 yd. Minimum load) but with the allowable proportions of fine and coarse aggregates fully mixed. You add the cement and water.
For small landscaping around your mailbox jobs you can buy ready-mix products in sack containers. Some of these are 90-pounders (a cubic foot), others 60-pounders. Mortar mixes, concrete mixes, grout, pointing mortar, sand, gravel, stone-all may be purchased this way. But this is not the easiest or the most thrifty way to buy large quantities. Where you have a big slab to pour or a long walk, it's best to consider calling in a ready-mix truck. With this setup you get not only the aggregates, but the cement and water all fully mixed and ready to pour when the truck arrives at the scheme site.
Landscaping colse to Your Mailbox PING PONG BALLS BULK
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