SECRET Ingredient For BETTER Concrete

To have better success with the things that you want to make out of concrete, consider using a water reducer, or super-plasticizer. This concrete additive makes the concrete mix more viscous (runnier) and makes concrete placement much easier and thorough. With the wetter consistency, the concrete will flow into the pockets, divots and cracks that need filling. It helps to avoid hollow air pockets or voids (honeycombing) in the finished product.
Plasticizers and super-plasticizers are polycarboxylates - this chemical compound allows the concrete or mortar mix to have a lower water content (which makes a stronger finished concrete). It improves the ability of the concrete to flow making it basically a self-levelling concrete while still being a high-strength concrete. Using it properly is the key to successful concrete projects.
Having a concrete or mortar mix that is very wet is easy to work with but too much water in the concrete mix is detrimental to the finished strength of the concrete. These water reducing products give the concrete the consistency you want for easy placement without compromising the finished strength. When used properly, experts say there are no disadvantages of using a super-plasticizer (or water reducer) in your concrete and mortar mixes.
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#CreatingConcrete #concretemix #concrete #diyconcrete

[@cchemmes-seeseeart3948]

I saw concrete company literature online that helped me envision the action of super-plasticizer as basically strengthening the chemical bonds between cement particles by making it possible for water interference to be removed from them, so the bonds are shorter and stronger- like squeezing out a sponge. Or it would be like loose weave fabric of lacy material, vs a tough tight weave strong material, such as that used for rugged outdoor gear/ waterproof tents. I studied chemistry so I like to at least get a sense of the chemistry, so i appreciated mention of that.

[@tashanakolanowski3822]

love the science behind it!!!

[@HLMcCoyEnterprises]

Excellent, educational AND entertaining! Thank you.

[@ryanshaver]

This was indeed internet magic! Thank you! Love these instructional videos where you show us how the process works. Definitely will go on the hunt for some super plasticiser, so I have a new option to pour my tiles. Thanks again!

[@l0I0I0I0]

This vid is very helpful! Ty. Just finished pouring 4 slabs for a school but I was helping our Deacon who wanted liquid cement and greatly compromised the cement with water. Sadly I had no say. However, you have given me some ammunition for best of both worlds, strength and viscosity. Ty

[@richardwallinger1683]

great presentation . adding that DRY plasticizer made the mix more runny .. excellent . I am about to pour a 4 cu m concrete slab for a two post car lift .

[@sonyalenz]

Interesting. I’m glad I found your channel. Looking forward to learning more!

[@creatingconcrete]

I am happy this content was helpful for you

[@bombshelldetail1961]

Thank you so much for this! I’ve been wanting to delve into admixtures but couldn’t seem to figure out WTH each product DOES bc I don’t speak construction, or PHd level chemistry . Thank you for translating and the demonstration was invaluable!

[@gruffalodaddy3973]

You are hilarious with that explanation! thank you so much

[@creatingconcrete]

I am happy you are enjoying the content

[@MsZzzipper]

Great teacher!! Made me laugh when you grinned after slowing saying “it makes the concrete wetter.” 😆

[@patglenn7762]

6:00 To put it into simpler terms, it's a special type of soap which breaks down the surface tension of the water, thus making the concrete flow easier.

[@Mr.FixIt1979]

DUDE! DUDE! wow! Thank you! Thank youuuu! 🙏

[@creatingconcrete]

I am happy this was helpful for you

[@Nettle314]

Fascinating!

[@kkarllwt]

There is a company in Woodstock,Il that I bought a gallon of super from . They are a cement counter top supplier. They may ship, I drove 40 miles. I used it to get strong concrete out of a Gilson 3 cubic ft. mixer. This is the only way to make strong , low water concrete with a small mixer. I used about 1 oz. for each 285 Lb. batch. Made great concrete.

[@flygirl244]

Polymer Backbone Akunamattatta?? 😂 love it - ty for keeping it real 😅

[@joshuamorris2784]

Thankyou for this video, May I ask, what would you mix be in percentages if you were to make concrete exercise weights? These will get abit of abuse, but really dropped onto anything other than foam pads.

[@heman5077]

You need to make a video making home made weight concrete plates- and how to get the stringest and best results

[@richardmccann4815]

He shows you how, it's up to you to do it. The plates don't need to be strong. Put sand in plastic bags for weight training.

[@justinw1765]

Can you use glycerin as the plasticizer? The potential downside is that glycerin attracts water vapor (it's hygroscopic).

[@MadLadsAnonymous]

Can this be added to concrete used to fill up ICF blocks for a residential build? Would it strengthen the walls of the home? Or is it all dependent on local code and the structural engineer?

[@mckenziefidler2277]

My curiosity arises over water content. For example, in Gresham where I live my tap water is between 36-47ppm and hose water is above 140ppm. Would purifying the water first be best, or would higher heavy metals like in the hose water create a higher bondage?

[@Use-Your_Brain]

Could you mix actual insulation spray foam into cement instead of soap foam

[@DjCapnWolf]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. It makes a huge difference. I have a question for you, if I may: I will be grinding/sanding concrete pieces (terrazzo style). Would you recommend I get an angle grinder with either diamond grinding discs to get the bulk of the work done, then sand the rest by hand... or should I buy a random orbital sander and do something like 80-150-220-320-ish? (I've done the mentioned grit progression by hand, but it takes a long time and lots of elbow grease.) I appreciate any input you can provide. Thanks a ton!

[@cchemmes-seeseeart3948]

I'm not sure the scale of project you are doing or the type of concrete you are speaking of, so this might not apply. But I saw there is a tool called the dremel ultra saw takes some kind of surfacing discs that spin like a grinder. The dremel multi-max oscillating tool also has some golden discs meant for 'surfacing' concrete or smoothing it. My sense is that an oscillating tool & its concrete based attachments could avoid damage to give positive results, but I think that would depend on the scale of your project.

[@thomasashley-smith245]

About to do this - I think the 50 grit will take a long time to expose and grind the aggregate. I have a grinding cup but the issue is it’s very aggressive so chances are you will gouge. A wet flat grinder is probably the best option. Seeding the top with your aggregate will also mean less grinding to expose.

[@DjCapnWolf]

@@thomasashley-smith245 Thanks! I found the diamond grinding discs to be far too aggressive, and they scratch the material, leaving deep grooves. A 40-60 grit does a great job of removing lots of material quickly. Of course, the tool you use depends on the specific application you're working on. An ashtray will need different tools than, say, a floor will. Thank you all for the input. This way, we all learn together. 🙌

[@GoodCreativeDesign]

Did you cast this mix into something?

[@UapArkansas]

Ever tried carbonated water?

[@thomasashley-smith245]

I’m in Sydney Aus, and it seems so hard to find here. There is low level plasticizer but it refers to air entraining and that is not a quality I want.

[@harviecz]

People in my country actualy used dish soap instead of plasticiser in the past... Not exactly scientific as the dish soap manufacturer obviously does not specify ratios for cement mix, but might be fun experiment.

[@user-rn1ph6pv1r]

Hey, this is great - thank you! I was wondering, if the super plasticizer I'm using doesn't say that its a retarder, is it still okay to walk away for 10-15 min after mixing or are things going to start to set?

[@creatingconcrete]

Trial and error is key, but realistically you can walk away for a few minutes unless it is smoking hot or in direct sunlight

[@SmeeUncleJoe]

I'm thinking of building a dome with first and final coats being sprayed on White Cement. Any idea of the effects it would have on a white color ?

[@creatingconcrete]

It will create a plain for delamination. Essentially you are building a reverse pool, which normally has abotu 1/2" of white plaster on the inside. I can tell you that the white layer will delaminate because it is unsuitable for dry envornments. It will expand and contract at a different rate than the concrete substrate. So instead, paint the concrete with slurry made from white cement and water. Super easy, will also look bright white, and redoing the paint every few years will likely cost you only one bag of cement.

[@SmeeUncleJoe]

So I'm essentially just plastering but with white cement ? I'm surprised it would behave differently than that applied with essentially shotcrete equipment. So you are saying that white cement when sprayed on underlying regular N type will not adhere or adhere but delaminate off the type n substrate ? That would be a disaster so I appreciate the heads up. It's got me thinking though of just doing the whole dome in white cement. A bit expensive but maybe worth it. Wondering if basalt fibre, fly ash or silica fume should be added to white cement ?@@creatingconcrete

[@agomodern]

How well will that mix you made fill a detailed mold? I'm doing sculptures that are very different from your regular latex mold and am wondering if this is what I need. The cheapest I can find online is 1lb for $35 on Amazon and am afraid to spend that if this isn't exactly what I need.

[@kkarllwt]

Google concrete counter top suppliers. I found one in Woodstock, Ill.

[@SmeeUncleJoe]

I didn't catch the ingredients and proportions at minute 13 ?? Is that a 2 to 1 sand Portland cement mix ?

[@creatingconcrete]

Yes that is correct

[@gabrifred8874]

Refined sugar

[@eldbudd]

where i'm from it is so hard to find superplasticizer. impossible on the hobbyist consumer level. all i can find is 1000 liter barrels....

[@creatingconcrete]

I had trouble finding it also. The thing is ypu must have concrete workers in your area. It's the most widely used construction material on the planet. Sure most contractors order ready mix concrete, but where do the finishers buy their high quality trowels and bow floats etc? Certainly not from home depot. There will be a specialty concrete tools / materials supplier somewhere in your area and they can get you what you need. Ask about Fritz Pak brand concrete admixtures as they have many plasticizer products and are widely available.

[@kkarllwt]

I bought a gallon from a concrete counter top supplier in Woodstock. ill

[@notanaive]

My super plastifizer (in liquid) suggests only 1% of the weight of cement.

[@cchemmes-seeseeart3948]

I have the problem mentioned in the video- no idea where to get these supplies in my town. I bought pre-mix cement products and acrylic additive at my local home store, but they don't sell these additives of super plasticizer, or water reducer???

[@creatingconcrete]

These are products found with specialty concrete supply stores. Usually for concrete and general contractors. This is where you need to find products like this. Also, Fritz Pack might sell online directly so check them out. They make a lot of the admixture products you see on this channel

[@teach-learn]

Amazon has it, as well as Etsy.

[@fenix3rd]

Dear CC, is it you you using polycarboxylate, polycarboxylate ether or polycarboxylate eSter? Is it in pure form? Also... I was looking to find it in my part of the world (any of polycarboxylates...) and only find it in pure form - just liquid polycarboxylate (acid????), or in final polycarboxylate containing mixtures. Never in solid form.

[@creatingconcrete]

The product I am using is from Fritz Pak if you want to look up the MSDS for the ingredient list. I believe it to be PCE

[@fenix3rd]

@@creatingconcrete thanks a lot. It seems there are some products on my side of the pond with PCE in hard form

[@VolodymyrArutiunov]

Need your help, I'm looking for a material I can use in simulating rocks on walls as a design. I know the mixes I have used at home, but I have found it difficult to find the right mortar in Canada. Could you direct me to the name of a material that would work for me, cement or plaster. Thank you

[@carterharrington]

Stone veneer mortar mix from Sakrete is your go to

[@carterharrington]

Or, buddy rhodes vertical mix

[@mattwernecke2342]

The bag tells us how much water to use.

[@danielbaffaro5193]

I thought you were supposed to mix the super-plasterizer with the water before adding it to the concrete? From what I have researched the superplasticizers actually change the polarity of the water and concrete making the concrete particles resist each other making them further apart on the molecular level making it less viscous. Anion is pronounced an-ion. Those are negatively charged ions. And coulomb, pronounced like comb with an L is that level of electrical charge.

[@creatingconcrete]

When I studied electrical engineering a coulomb was pronounced "cool - om" not comb. Thanks for the comment.

[@kkarllwt]

Mixing concrete in a 3 cu. ft. mixer. I weighed the portland and the water for each batch ( and all the other aggs. in 5 gal buckets.) I used .45 lb water for each Lb. of portland. and about 1 oz of plastisizer ( liquid, follow directions on bottle ) I mixed the water and plasttciser. to get good/quick dispersion.

[@Cfish613]

Aren’t you a pool expert

[@oceansben4018]

The plasticized LUBRICATES thr concrete. That may be word you need

[@DustyAnimations]

Humm, did you add more water😅

[@creatingconcrete]

I did not

[@ChrisBGramz4u]

Sooo...A little karo?

[@johnnyllooddte3415]

i can prove youre wrong.. adding more water than needed is ok if you add more space to your mold above the pour mold.. put some rebar or screen in the bottom of a bucket mix up a 4 inch amount of concrete with too much extra water. pour into your rebar bucket.. let the concrete settle over night in the water and let it set a few days.. the strength of your block is still 90% of rated.. case closed.. the problem with too much water is putting it the same size mold without a few inches on top for the excess water.. case closed.. dr johnny

[@l0I0I0I0]

You have stated an interesting proposal but you have not stated why? I have read and seen over and over excess water greatly reduces strength by engineers and chemist. If this hypothesis is false, clearly and scientifically explain 'why' accepted practice is wrong rather than just claim it's false? I look forward to hearing why and ty in advance.

[@stewpidaso1024]

You up?

[@charlescain7962]

Can't watch this, says same thing 3 times, what the hell is a negative benefit. Just teach me something, just like the "teachers " in school, loves to hear themselves talk but say nothing.