Sometimes, it’s the smallest of jobs that can provide the biggest of headaches. This applies just as much to concreting as anything, with plenty of guesswork and unnecessary lifting getting in the way of productivity.
Cement Australia has a range of ‘Just add water’ – no-fuss products, perfect for the tradies and their smaller jobs.
THE CONCRETE MIX from Cement Australia is a combination of aggregate, sand and general purpose cement. It delivers the Aussie-made quality Cement Australia is known for on a smaller scale.
SEE MORE: Tradie Tough Tests
The Concrete Mix is perfect for outdoor structures like posts, pergolas and letterboxes as well as garden work such as edging, pavement slabs and pathways. These are the kinds of things landscaping business owner Ben Richardson does on a daily basis.
A qualified landscaper by trade – Ben was biting at the chance to test out Cement Australia’s Concrete Mix for a retaining wall. He tested the product at a site in Bentleigh, South-East Melbourne.
TEST #1: NO HASSLE
Being designed for smaller jobs means the Concrete Mix isn’t a huge hassle for tradies to work around. Ben didn’t need to lug his equipment far for this test, but recognised the advantages of having everything you need easily handled by one tradie.
“You literally buy this, and away you go – there’s no fuss,” Ben said. “Whereas for bigger jobs, you would have to buy sand and cement separately from suppliers and mix it up on-site.”
Ben ended up using about 20kgs around one fence post for the retaining wall with a hole 50cm deep and 1m long. “I chucked it in my wheelbarrow, and we were good to go,” he said.
Ben only needed a small amount of water when mixing – it’s common sense but don’t chuck in too much water otherwise your mixture is ruined. From there, Ben was right into pouring the Concrete Mix, which went in as smooth as butter. We timed it, and Ben was able to complete the task properly, from opening the bag to pouring the cement, in a little over three minutes. That’s snappy work.
TEST #2: READY, SET, GO
Ben always loves using Cement Australia products on his sites. “Being manufactured in in Aus – it gives me that extra confidence the cement I’m using is of a high quality,” he said. Of course there are limitations to the Concrete Mix, given it’s mainly geared towards smaller jobs.
For jobs where higher strength concrete is required, Ben uses PROSTRENGTH Extra Strength Concrete Mix.
“This is obviously ideal for those bigger jobs, but naturally needs more hands on deck,” Ben said. “There’s more variables versus the simplicity of the Concrete Mix.”
ALL MIXED UP
Overall, Ben said he’s never had an easier time mixing and pouring cement as he had with Cement Australia’s Concrete Mix. Ensure when you use the mix to keep it moist for about a week for max strength. You can remove formwork after a day, and of course don’t walk on it until after at least three days.
CHECK IT OUT
Cement Australia is teeming with guides on correct mixing procedures and measurements. You can find out more here.