Replies

1. 
   Mongo | Nov 22, 2003 12:02am | #1

   I doin't know how detailed of an answer you want, but air-entrained concrete is made by using air-entraining portland cement at the redi-mix plant, or on site by adding air-entraining admixtures to common portlant cement. 

   The former gives a much better product than the latter. I wouldn't recommend anyone try to mix air-entrained on-site, unless you are truly experienced. To be certain, you can;t do it by hand mixing.

   The amount of entrained air is between 5-8% of the volume of the concrete.

   Differences are simply the air bubbles. Air-entraining gives a path of microscopic voids in the concrete. In freezing situations, it gives a relief path to prevent spalling or cracking due to freeze/thaw cycles.

   It's so common nowadays (where I am in CT) that unless you specify you don't want an air-entrained mix, you'll get it.

1. 
   brownbagg | Nov 22, 2003 01:15am | #2

   Ok> air entrainment is a chemical admiture that added to the mix during batching. Air entrainment is like a soap that make small bubbles in the concrete. The purpose of entrainted air is so when the concrete freezes it has a area to expand into. Without entrainment concrete will crack as it expanded. air entainment acts like a shock absorber when it freezes.

   The best employee you can have but you wouldn't want him as a neighbor " He the shifty type"

1. 
   Ledebuhr1 | Nov 22, 2003 03:08am | #3

   Thanks,   Does anyone know if Quickrete has an air-entrained mix??  and can you buy this add mixture to add to Concrete yourself???

1. 
   brownbagg | Nov 22, 2003 04:45am | #4

   quick crete No, no entrainment

   Buy it yourself, only if you can talk the concrete producer out of some.

   but remember if you are placing anything close to a yard, it cheaper to order from the truck.

   it take 37 bag of quickcrete for a yard. @ $3 a bag thats $111.00. a yard of concrete run $65 here in a truck mix. To mix 35 bags by hand that would kill the average guy.

   The best employee you can have but you wouldn't want him as a neighbor " He the shifty type"

1. 
   Ledebuhr1 | Nov 22, 2003 05:13am | #5

   Do you know if Mortor has this same add-mixture added to it??  I have never seen masons add any add-mixture, but i could have missed it. 

2. 
   brownbagg | Nov 22, 2003 05:46am | #6

   mortar has lime and extra sand

   The best employee you can have but you wouldn't want him as a neighbor " He the shifty type"

3. 
   Mongo | Nov 22, 2003 07:02am | #7

   Mortar isn't air-entrained. The lime in the mortar makes is softer and more forgiving than a straight portland/sand mix.

   Again, you really can't properly air-entrain concrete when self-mixing on-site.

2. 
   artacoma | Nov 22, 2003 05:43pm | #8

   Home despot here (B.C.Can) has air entrained product on the shelves ,sold as special stuff for sidewalks exposed to freezing , I think it's made by 'Sakcrete'. Also here you would have to specify 'no' to air entrainment to not get it. cheers

   ...........Rik........

1. 
   Vincent1 | Jul 11, 2011 12:18pm | #9

   air Entrained concrete

   Sorry this is such an old thread,

   I am new to the site,  I am going on a mission trip to Athens Ohio, part of my task is to pour a concrete floor in a root seller.  And to cut cost they want to mix there on cement,  I have a feeling air entrained concrete would be best for this.  So if I want to make/mix bags of cement can I just add some liquid dish detergent to the mix to get air ebtrainment?

   Thanks for any help.

   Vince

1. 
   calvin | Jul 11, 2011 04:01pm | #11

   vince

   air entrained concrete............................dish detergent?

3. 
   gfretwell | Jul 11, 2011 03:10pm | #10

   I inspected a building in Naples Fla made with Y-Tong concrete. That is an air entrained product. The stuff is really pretty soft and it floats in water. This came in as prefab panels, 8" thick that were tilted up and grouted in.

   They had a huge fight with the fire inspector about the fire rating. In the end the builder won. An 8" wall was >1 hour.