“Quality Matters Here” isn’t just a slogan, it is our philosophy to provide a good quality product with equally great service.
Duke City Redi-Mix is committed to providing quality products, highly trained employees, accuracy in scheduling, and ultimately the final product. From the moment you call the office staff at Duke City Redi-Mix, to the final product, it is our commitment that each and every customer will be satisfied with their project.
This is why we want to make the process of ordering concrete and easy and as accurate as possible, catered to your specific dimensions and engineering needs.
There are 5 important items to consider before placing a concrete order.
How much you need (if you need help with this just call and we will help)
Use of final product
When you would like it to be delivered
The Job Site access and conditions
A spot for our truck to washout
How much do you need?
Calculating how much concrete you need can be difficult. Accuracy when you are figuring the dimensions of your pour is very important. If you calculate your slab at 4 inches thick but it is 6 inches in some places it could average 5 inches thick. That is a 20% difference in the amount of concrete needed. It is very important to take the time necessary to get your grade correct and even.
Use of Final Product
All concrete mixes contain four basic components. The variation of these ingredients is what makes up the different mixes for a wide variety of uses.
Course Aggregate – 3/8” and larger rock
Fine Aggregate – Sand
Cement – A fine powder made from limestone.
Water
Strength
Strength in concrete is one of the most important components when preparing for accuracy in the final product. Each mix is first defined by the compression strength it is required to meet 28 days after it is batched. This can range from 2500 psi to 12,000+ psi. The most important factor in making this strength is the water/cement ratio. This ratio needs to be maintained from the time it is batched into the truck all the way until initial cure is complete.
Slump
The slump of concrete is a way to measure the workability of the concrete. It is most commonly associated with the amount of water in the mix. The test is completed by placing the concrete in a 12” tall hallow cone and then lifting the cone up slowly. The concrete will fall or “slump” down as the cone is pulled up. The number of inches the concrete falls is the slump. If the concrete has a high content of water the slump will increase. Most mixes are designed for a 4” slump. If your project requires more workability additional water reducers can be added to increase slump and maintain strength.
Admixtures
There are a wide variety of concrete admixtures available to help you complete your project in the best and most cost effective way.
These can include:
-Air Entrainment
-Water reducers
-Accelerators
-Retarders
-Fiber
The Job Site
Job site safety and access are the responsibility of the contractor or owner of the property. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before ordering a load of concrete:
Will the truck fit onto the jobsite?
A mixer truck is 8 feet wide and 12 feet tall and will need additional room on all sides to safely maneuver around the jobsite.
Do you have a way to get the concrete from the truck to the final location?
Every truck can reach about 15 feet directly behind the truck with chutes, but can only flow down from gravity. If the truck cannot access it, do you have access to a concrete pump or wheel barrows and enough help to get the concrete to the placement? Keep in mind you are allotted 10 minutes per yard to unload the truck or you could be charged truck time.
Does the truck have a place to washout when the pour is complete?
Our trucks need to remove all wet concrete from the chutes before leaving the jobsite.This can often be accomplished with a wheelbarrow to catch the water and the waste.
We want our customers to have the smoothest project process and completion possible, and we will do our best to make sure everyone is prepared with the correct tools and information prior to starting the process. For more information about ordering concrete visit our Concrete page here. Questions? Call us! 505-877-5777