can 804 gravel be used to make concrete?

eamon11 · 01-12-2018 3:45pm #1

as above.

Nekarsulm · 01-12-2018 3:53pm

No, its too "dirty" to make any kind of quality mix.
You can buy bulk bags of "concrete mix" , but if you need any quantity (more than 5 or m2) its cheaper and far handier to just get ready-mix.

Peppa Cig · 01-12-2018 3:57pm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

No, its too "dirty" to make any kind of quality mix.
You can buy bulk bags of "concrete mix" , but if you need any quantity (more than 5 or m2) its cheaper and far handier to just get ready-mix.

What do you ask for in the quarry if collecting with trailer to mix at home - is it ‘concrete mix’ ?

Calahonda52 · 01-12-2018 5:15pm

Peppa Cig wrote: »

What do you ask for in the quarry if collecting with trailer to mix at home - is it ‘concrete mix’ ?

It depends on the application

recedite · 02-12-2018 9:57am

"Aggregate" or "gravel".

enricoh · 02-12-2018 10:06am

Called batch around here, could be a local thing i dunno. A lot of fellas will deliver a ton bag of it for u.
I got a ton into the trailer before in the local quarry, dunno how i didnt burn the clutch outta my car trying to get out of the quarry!

_Brian · 03-12-2018 8:31pm

How about lean mix, it’s all mixed up cement and all added, you just add water at home.
Buy bulk or by trailer load from quarry.

eamon11 · 03-12-2018 9:12pm

thanks lads,

thing is I have half a load of 804 there already and need to get rid of it.

It's for a foundation wall of 4 inch blocks. Wall will be approx 4 feet hign.

Cheers.

rampantbunny · 04-12-2018 8:21am

eamon11 wrote: »

thanks lads,

thing is I have half a load of 804 there already and need to get rid of it.

It's for a foundation wall of 4 inch blocks. Wall will be approx 4 feet hign.

Cheers.

I was in same position with 804 left over so I added cement, some sand and it worked out fine for me. Didn't use in any area where I needed guaranteed performance but as a footing for an isolated wall. Added rebar to foundation - had this left over also. Had a reason to break out some of it later. It was as hard as I would expect normal concrete to be.

eamon11 · 04-12-2018 9:00am

Thanks Rampart,

appreciate your response.

Was it really necessary to add sand? 804 is already very sandy. If adding anything I would have thought bigger chips would be better. Anyway good to know I can still possibly use it.

Eamon

Lumen · 04-12-2018 9:19am

If you're trying to do something useful with the 804, just use is as compacted sub-base under the wall footings.

You'll be left with a load of topsoil, but that's great stuff you can just spread around the garden., e.g. top dressing lawn, raised beds and so on.

_Brian · 04-12-2018 10:41am

eamon11 wrote: »

thanks lads,

thing is I have half a load of 804 there already and need to get rid of it.

It's for a foundation wall of 4 inch blocks. Wall will be approx 4 feet hign.

Cheers.

It might work out fine, but you won’t know for sure till it’s done and on a while. Allot will depend on the ground under the foundation. A strip foundation is still only as strong as the ground under it.

I don’t think I’d chance it.

rampantbunny · 04-12-2018 12:09pm

eamon11 wrote: »

Thanks Rampart,

appreciate your response.

Was it really necessary to add sand? 804 is already very sandy. If adding anything I would have thought bigger chips would be better. Anyway good to know I can still possibly use it.

Eamon

Depends. If you leave 804 sitting in the rain for a while the larger stones are left on the surface. A couple of weeks of shoveling and moving the 804 and again you may be left with more stone than small aggregate. So you need to gauge it yourself.
I'm not a builder or professional of any kind in this field so those more in the know could rightly suggest using a 'proper' mix. I can only give you my experience. I poured a decent thickness of base on compacted 804 and put a 4" block wall on top without any problems to date.