I have a big pile of sand/gravel mix, with the supposed ratio being approx 3:1 sand to gravel. I need to mix up some concrete for a small project and I want to use this aggregate up before it washes away in spring rains, so I intend to mix it with type 1 portland cement at a 1 part cement/3 parts aggregate ratio. A thin pour, 2" thick--3 feet wide, a yet undetermined length. Not going to be a load bearing thing, just something to keep my feet dry. The thickness is not debatable.
My question is:

2" thick, 3 ft wide, how far (length) will each (one) bag of portland cement go, using 1 part cement to 3 parts aggregate? (ea bag is 91.6 lbs)

How many yards will your mix yeild you?

If I knew that, I could answer my own question.

A cubic foot of concrete weighs 150lbs. There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard

So maybe with your mix ratio your cubic foot would weigh maybe about 122lbs. depending on how much water is used.

So you might get 2/3 of a yard.
Got a clue on how much your aggrate weighs?

[This message has been edited by Indiana_resto_guy (edited 03-19-2011).]

quote Originally posted by maryjane: .... using 1 part cement to 3 parts aggregate? (ea bag is 91.6 lbs)

Don, how much water are you gonna add ? I can't answer your question but think of cement/concrete as pancake batter.
If I am not mistaken, the bag which it comes in will give an approximate spread rate.

Maryjane,

I used to pour a lot of concrete, and 1 cubic yard of concrete will cover 162 square feet at 2" thick, 81 square feet at 4" thick, 40.5 square feet at 8" thick, and 27 square feet at 12" thick. I've never had to mix bags of cement.

Hope this helps.

Fred

18 linear yards at 2x36 inches per cubic meter. At a 3 to 1 mix, you will use 1 bag cement for every 4.5 linear yards.
Nick

So...you going ahead with this Don??
Nick

It's done, or most of it anyway. Not sure I will do much more of it tho--the aggregate turned out having a LOT of "fines" in it, probably some fine clay, along with the sand, and turned into the gawd awfullest gummy mess ya ever saw when I mixed in the water. I wore out a shovel and 2 sets of shoulders getting it to mix to a spreadable, workable consistency. On top of that, the "gravel" was actually iron ore, took forever for me to get the dry raw cement mixed with the aggregate in a wheelbarrow, & I could only mix up about 1/4th sack of cement at a time--the stuff was HEAVY!! Took over 2 days for it to set up but it will be ok for what it is. 1 bag btw, made up about 12 linear ft, so you were pretty dang close in your math Nick---Thanks a bunch!!

quote Originally posted by maryjane: It's done, or most of it anyway. Not sure I will do much more of it tho--the aggregate turned out having a LOT of "fines" in it, probably some fine clay, along with the sand, and turned into the gawd awfullest gummy mess ya ever saw when I mixed in the water. I wore out a shovel and 2 sets of shoulders getting it to mix to a spreadable, workable consistency. On top of that, the "gravel" was actually iron ore, took forever for me to get the dry raw cement mixed with the aggregate in a wheelbarrow, & I could only mix up about 1/4th sack of cement at a time--the stuff was HEAVY!! Took over 2 days for it to set up but it will be ok for what it is. 1 bag btw, made up about 12 linear ft, so you were pretty dang close in your math Nick---Thanks a bunch!!

That is why I just call the cement truck, well that and I don’t have the back for it any more. The time involved in mixing even bagged concrete is just not worth it.

Call the cement truck and they can pour how ever much you want. All you have to do is squeegee it.
They will even figure out how much it will take to fill the framework for your pad.
Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't.
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 03-28-2011).]

Makes sense for somebody unable to physically mix the concrete themselves Steve...but look at it this way, for somebody who CAN
I don't know about in the USA, but a cubic metre of standard mix concrete costs 60 euros. Minimum order is half a truck. Don't want half a truck? Tough...you will still pay for half a truck, because that price has taken into consideration fuel, taxes, driver wages, waiting time, etc etc. And a half-truck load is the minimum PRICE they can work with to make it viable.
So, a half-truck load here is 3 cu metres. 180 euros plus taxes at 20%. 200 + euros.
Now, if I can pick up 2 cubic metres of ballast, and and 3 bags of cement for 55 euros...I would be paying myself 200+ euros minus 55 euros for doing the job instead of paying the company the extra 145+ euros!! For THAT amount, I could buy a cement mixer, get it delivered for free from the superstore, use it and then either keep it or sell it...or even hire it out to neighbours and friends

Nick

[This message has been edited by fierofetish (edited 03-28-2011).]

When you are done, come do my front stoop for me? it dissolved due to this winter. I get to do the same exact thing and was trying to figure it out too