FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CEMENT AND CONCRETE ?

Although you may hear them used interchangeably, they aren’t the same thing.  Cement is actually a powder (usually made from limestone and clay) that is used to MAKE concrete.  We make concrete by mixing cement with water and other ingredients to make the concrete that’s typically called Ready-Mix (hence our name!).  Think of cement as flour, and concrete as bread.  You use flour to make bread.  You use cement to make concrete.

HOW DO I KNOW HOW MUCH CONCRETE TO ORDER?

Measure the length and the width of the area you are interested in pouring and then call our dispatch center and they can provide you with the cubic yards required for the job.  Or just click HERE to use our concrete calculator.

WHAT STRENGTH OF CONCRETE DO I NEED?

We recommend referencing city ordinances, job permits and/or checking with your contractor for strength requirements.

WHY DOES CONCRETE CRACK?

The wet concrete will have a loss volume as the concrete sets and continues to harden. This is called shrinkage. That sets up tensile stresses which causes cracks in concrete. You can control cracking, but almost never eliminate it.  Cracking can be controlled by jointing the concrete.  Thickness of the concrete determines the joint placements.

WILL MY CONCRETE BE STRONGER IF I USE FIBER MESH?

No. Fiber mesh only keeps cracks from opening up once a crack has occurred, it does not make the concrete stronger.  Fiber mesh is meant to reduce or absorb micro cracking that takes place when concrete begins to set. If the micro-cracking is reduced or eliminated in the first few hours after placement, cracking may never take place.  If you reduce or eliminate the micro cracks, you reduce the chances of the cracking later.

WHAT KIND OF REINFORCEMENT SHOULD I USE?

In most cases fiber mesh is an excellent solution but it does depend on the job.  We would also recommend Rebar or wire depending on the use.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CURE CONCRETE?

Curing is one of the most important steps in quality concrete construction and one of the most neglected. Effective curing is essential for surface durability. Fresh concrete MUST be kept warm and moist until the mixing water combines chemically with the cement (called hydration). Without proper curing, the strength of the concrete can be reduced in half.

WHY SHOULD I CURE CONCRETE?

It is important to cure concrete to retain as much moisture as possible in the concrete for the first three to seven days. Curing also helps to maintain concrete temperatures between 50 and 90 degrees which help the concrete gain maximum strength. You usually apply curing compound to the concrete as soon as it’s hard enough to walk on without making marks on the surface.

CAN YOU POUR CONCRETE IN THE WINTER?

Yes we can!  There are certain methods that are used to pour/cure concrete during cold temperatures.  Ask us for more details.  

CAN YOU MAKE CONCRETE IN COLORS?

Absolutely! The possibilities are almost endless. Donaldson Bros. has a state of the art liquid color machine that’s sure to have a color you will like. Call us for pricing.

DO YOU SET UP THE FORMS YOU’RE GOING TO POUR CONCRETE INTO?

No. We only supply the concrete.  Form building and so forth is handled by the contractor.