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Concrete mix strength guide

Find out which concrete strength you need for your project with our easy to understand guide. Let’s start with a few frequently asked questions about concrete and concrete strengths.

What concrete strength do I need?

At Gorillacrete we supply a lot of domestic customers and a C20 mix is most used due to its versatility on applications. However, what strength you need will depend on your application. Fore more info read the guide below & contact our team.

Which admixtures / additives can I use with my concrete?

We provide a range of admixtures and additives that can be used to enhance your concrete from Polypropylene Fibres to help reduce surface cracking, to Retarding Agents to delay the setting time of your concrete.

How long does concrete take to cure?

As a standard mark, it takes 28 full days for your concrete to be fully cured. At the 7 day mark your concrete will be at around 70% strength. For concrete to set though it is between 24 – 48 hours. See more information below.

What concrete strength do I need?

You should always use the right concrete mix strength for your project and here at Gorillacrete, we can provide you with the knowledge you need as well as the right concrete for the job. The varying grades of concrete are made up of three basic components: water, aggregate (sand, gravel, or crushed stone) and Portland Cement. The Cement itself, usually in powder form, acts as a binding agent when mixed with water and aggregates.
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C10

CONCRETE MIX STRENGTH: C10

C10 is 10 Newton of strength per mm2 after 28 days of curing.

DOMESTIC PROJECTS

C10 concrete mix is suitable for Domestic Projects.

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

C10 Concrete mix is suitable for Commercial concrete projects.

The C10 concrete strength mix is most commonly used for Domestic applications such as single storey foundations but being a versatile concrete strength mix it also has its place in the Commercial and Agricultural field, mainly non-structural projects. So what is C10 Concrete used for?

  • Foundations
  • Cavity Fills
  • Drainage works
  • Garden Walls
  • Haunching
  • Kerbing
  • Non Load Bearing Walls

C20

CONCRETE MIX STRENGTH: C20

C20 is 20 Newton’s of strength per mm2 after 28 days of curing.

DOMESTIC PROJECTS

C20 concrete mix is suitable for Domestic Projects.

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

C20 Concrete mix is suitable for Commercial concrete projects.

The C20 concrete strength mix is the most commonly used mix strength when it comes to lightweight Domestic and Commercial construction applications. As an extremely versatile domestic mix, C20 is ideal for a range of applications on a home extension. So what is C20 concrete used for?

  • Foundations
  • Patio Paving
  • Walls
  • Shed Bases
  • Reinforced Bases
  • House Extensions
  • Internal Flooring
  • Garages
  • Lightweight Agricultural Slabs

C25

CONCRETE MIX STRENGTH: C25

C25 is 25 Newton’s of strength per mm2 after 28 days of curing.

DOMESTIC PROJECTS

C25 concrete mix is suitable for Domestic Projects.

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

C25 Concrete mix is suitable for Commercial concrete projects.

C25 strength is a multi-purpose concrete mix being used in both Domestic and Commercial projects. It’s main use is for projects such as Foundations, Footings, and Land / Trench Fill. This is also a popular strength mix for roadworks and groundworks. So what is C25 concrete used for?

  • Foundations
  • Footings
  • Land Fill
  • Trench Fill
  • Groundworks
  • Roadworks
  • Flooring
  • Kerbing

C30

CONCRETE MIX STRENGTH: C30

C30 is 30 Newton’s of strength per mm2 after 28 days of curing.

DOMESTIC PROJECTS

C30 concrete mix is suitable for Domestic Projects.

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

C30 Concrete mix is suitable for Commercial concrete projects.

A C30 concrete strength is often used as the preferred mix for pavement construction. It is a medium strength concrete mix and is also used in lighter external projects, such as domestic patios, driveways & walkways. So what is C30 concrete used for?  So what is C30 concrete used for?

  • Paving
  • Bases
  • Reinforced Foundations
  • Driveways
  • External Parking
  • Access Roads for Vehicles
  • Hard Standing Areas

C35

CONCRETE MIX STRENGTH: C35

C35 is 35 Newton’s of strength per mm2 after 28 days of curing.

DOMESTIC PROJECTS

C35 concrete mix is suitable for Domestic Projects.

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

C35 Concrete mix is suitable for Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural concrete projects.

The C35 concrete strength mix is a strong and durable concrete mix used on the majority of construction fields such as Agricultural, Industrial, Commerical and Domestic. The C35 mix is ideal for loading bays or areas that bear constant heavy loads from industrial machinery.  So what is C35 concrete used for?

  • Loading Bays
  • Light Storage Areas
  • Industrial Driveways
  • External Slabs
  • Heavy Load Paving
  • Heavy Duty Garages
  • External Paving

C40

CONCRETE MIX STRENGTH: C40

C40 is 40 Newton’s of strength per mm2 after 28 days of curing.

DOMESTIC PROJECTS

C40 concrete mix is not suitable for Domestic Projects.

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

C40 Concrete mix is suitable for Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural concrete projects.

The C40 concrete mix is a higher strength Industrial and Commercial concrete mix which is suitable for structural applications. This high strength mix will be used in most industrial based concrete projects including heavy traffic areas.  So what is C40 concrete used for?

  • Slurry Pits
  • Ironworks
  • Piling
  • Roadworks
  • Foundations
  • Agricultural Yards
  • Support Beams
  • Septic tanks
  • Harsh Environments

C45

CONCRETE MIX STRENGTH: C45

C45 is 45 Newton’s of strength per mm2 after 28 days of curing.

DOMESTIC PROJECTS

C45 concrete mix is not suitable for Domestic Projects.

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

C45 Concrete mix is suitable for Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural concrete projects.

The C45 concrete mix is a high strength concrete mix usually prescribed at design stage, which is suitable for structural applications and agricultural uses. It is commonly applied in exposed rural areas and heavy-duty construction. So what is C45 concrete used for?

  • Foundations
  • Roadworks
  • Piling
  • Stable Flooring
  • Slurry Pits
  • Aggresive Ground
  • Silage Pits
  • HGV Parks
  • Harsh Environments

C50

CONCRETE MIX STRENGTH: C50

C50 is 50 Newton’s of strength per mm2 after 28 days of curing.

DOMESTIC PROJECTS

C50 concrete mix is not suitable for Domestic Projects.

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

C50 Concrete mix is suitable for Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural concrete projects.

A C50 concrete is used when placing concrete in harsh conditions where aggressive chemicals or high levels of abrasion are present, and you need a high-performance concrete that can provide the levels of durability and technical performance your specialist application requires. Contact us for more details.

  • Foundations
  • Roadworks
  • Piling
  • Stable Flooring
  • Slurry Pits
  • Aggresive Ground
  • Silage Pits
  • HGV Parks
  • Harsh Environments

How long does it take for my concrete to dry?

Most concrete will be suitable for light foot traffic 24 – 48 hours after placing. At 7 days your concrete will have reached around 70% of its design strength and at this point some may choose to progress their project, however at 28 days it will have reached its full design strength and this is the optimum time to wait until putting any heavy vehicles on it.

We can supply you with the right concrete strength on the spot!

Gorillacrete were one of the very first companies in the UK to run a fleet of volumetric concrete mixers and the first in our borough, to give the ability to mix on site instead of at a static batching plant. We carry raw materials and utilise world class batching technology enabling us to give you a variety of different mix strengths during the same delivery. If you need 2m3 of C20 and then 3m3 of C35 – No problem! For more information about volumetric mixers and why we chose to invest in them, take a look at our Volumetric Concrete and Volumetric vs Ready Mix pages.
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