Les Kenny
Safety Tip: Be careful when you mix concrete as prolonged contact with fresh concrete will burn your skin. Wear safety goggles, gloves, rubber boots and long sleeves when working with concrete.
Ways to mix concrete
Small amounts of concrete can be easily mixed in a wheelbarrow with a spade but larger amounts might require a concrete mixer. Tow-able concrete mixers, both electrical and mechanical (petrol), can usually be hired from hire depots.
In the wheelbarrow or concrete mixer, mix cement, gravel, sand and water. For general purpose concrete, the mix can be 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 3 parts gravel.
Most cement bags will have mixture recommendations written on the bags.
How to mix concrete in a wheelbarrow
Small amounts of concrete can be easily mixed in a wheelbarrow with a spade or small shovel.
You can make your own concrete mix using 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 3 parts gravel.
So, to three-quarter-fill the average heavy-duty wheelbarrow, put in 6 spades full of gravel, 4 spades full of sand and 2 spades full of cement (which is a ratio of 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 3 parts gravel). Mix it all together before adding water.
Next add water: approximately half a standard household bucket more or less. Add a little of the water at a time. Mix with the spade from underneath and fold over. Keep doing this and adding the water until the mix is a uniform consistency.
Tip: when mixing, a smaller spade is easier to work with than a larger one.
You can easily make your own concrete mix in a wheelbarrow using 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 3 parts gravel. Mix it all together before adding water. A smaller spade or shovel is easier to work with than a bigger one.
Start pouring water in and mixing. Add a little of the water at a time. Mix with the spade from underneath and fold over. Keep doing this and adding the water until it is a uniform consistency. The wet concrete is now ready to pour.
