Which brand of concrete to choose for pouring a strip foundation?

The stability and longevity of your building project depend on the concrete brand you use when pouring a strip foundation. For particular uses, different brands provide formulations and strengths that differ. Any building’s foundation is its structural core, bearing the weight of the structure and transferring loads to the earth. Thus, choosing the right concrete guarantees the longevity and structural integrity of your foundation.

Think about the intended load-bearing capacity of the foundation, the local climate, and the soil conditions when selecting a concrete brand. Whether the concrete mix is intended for standard residential buildings or more substantial industrial structures, these factors determine the kind of mix you’ll need. Selecting concrete that can withstand environmental conditions and offer sufficient support is made easier when you are aware of the requirements for your project.

Choosing a concrete supplier requires careful consideration of quality assurance. Reputable brands frequently offer certifications and test results attesting to the fact that their product satisfies industry standards for robustness and longevity. To guarantee that you get consistent quality and performance, look for suppliers who have a history of dependability and happy customers.

Take into account the logistical aspects of pouring and delivering concrete as well. Select a provider who can provide the necessary quantities of concrete mix at your location on schedule. Smooth operations and a shorter project timeline are ensured by the supplier and your construction team working together effectively.

Concept and classification of building material

When used in a liquid state, concrete, a high-strength building material, solidifies and takes on the properties of artificial stone. Water, various additives, binder, and fillers are mixed to create the concrete mixture.

Traditional concrete includes:

Upgrades could come with a larger list of parts.

Concrete is actively used in building and designing landscapes. A variety of options are selected for this material, contingent upon its intended use and operating conditions.

It is categorized by:

• purpose – constructive and specialized with improving additives;
• density – light and heavy;
• structure – solid, porous, cellular, large-porous;
• type of filler – dense, porous, special;
• speed of strength gain;
• abrasion.

Furthermore, classes of concrete are created based on how well it resists water, frost, and workability.

Brands and strength classes

The letters M and B are used to identify concrete. The material grade M indicates the average load per square centimeter that a particular sample can bear before completely breaking down through compression.

The strength of the concrete is indicated by the higher number next to the letter M. Concrete mixtures range in brand from M50 to M1000.

The most common grades utilized in construction are M100 through M500:

1. M400-M500 is concrete used for the construction of bridges, tunnels, hydraulic structures and other large objects with increased strength requirements.
2. M400 is a material intended for industrial construction and the construction of foundations for low-rise buildings on wet and soft soils.
3. M350 – used in the construction of swimming pools, multi-storey buildings, various high-rise structures.
4. M300 – used in the creation of reinforced concrete structures, as well as for the arrangement of road slabs and staircases.
5. M200 – concrete for private construction. Used for the construction of light foundations and interior work.
6. M100 – auxiliary material used for preparing the foundation base, arranging drainage drains, thin screeds.

Concrete class is B. It shows the actual compressive load capacity of a particular type.

A cube of hardened concrete with a side length of 15 cm is destroyed with a specialized press to ascertain the strength class.

Class and brand are not synonymous. However, each class has a grade that is as similar to the others as feasible. As can be seen in the table:

Class	Average strength (kg/cm2)	Brand
AT 5	65	M75
B7.5	98	M100
AT 10	131	M150
B12.5	164	M150
B15	196	M200
IN 20	262	M250
B25	327	M350
B30	393	M400
B35	458	M450
B40	524	M550
B45	589	M600
B50	655	M600
B55	720	M700
B60	786	M800

The following video will explain the differences between concrete brands and classes:

Frost resistance

The letter F is used to identify this indicator. It ascertains the amount of freezing and thawing that concrete can sustain without experiencing more than 5% degradation.

Concrete of various brands may freeze and thaw up to 300 times.

Waterproof

Water resistance is denoted by the letter W. The water pressure that a concrete coating can withstand without allowing water to seep through the pores is demonstrated by this.

The material’s water resistance ranges from W2 to W20. Frost-resistant materials up to W4 are used in low-rise construction.

A unique table is used to assess how well concrete adheres to grades and classes in terms of its water and frost resistance:

Concrete grade	Concrete class	Frost resistance F	Water resistance W
m100	B-7.5	F50	W2
m150	B-12.5	F50	W2
m200	B-15	F100	W4
m250	B-20	F100	W4
m300	B-22.5	F200	W6
m350	B-25	F200	W8
m400	B-30	F300	W10
m450	B-35	F200-F300	W8-W14
m550	B-40	F200-F300	W10-W16
m600	B-45	F100-F300	W12-W18

Indicators of mortar workability

The capacity of concrete to fill a form uniformly during pouring and to create a homogenous, dense mass following compaction is known as workability.

Concrete is divided into three classes based on workability:

• P – flowable mixtures;
• P – mobile;
• G – rigid.

There is a division based on the degree of characteristic manifestation within each class. Flowable mixtures are therefore classified into six categories, P1 through P6. The material’s capacity to self-fill the form without compaction due to vibration increases with an increased indicator.

Indicating mobility is the letter P. Concrete has five degrees of freedom. Concrete is put into a mold that has a cone shape with a height of 30 cm, a lower diameter of 30 cm, and an upper diameter of 10 cm to measure mobility.

The mobility increases with the number. The concrete eventually becomes more amorphous after the cone is removed. The mixture’s mobility is determined by the mold’s degree of shrinkage.

The purpose of the mixture is ascertained by its degree of mobility.

P1	Pouring concrete pads under the foundation, floor screeds, creating concrete slabs without reinforcement, foundations with a small amount of reinforcement.
P2	Slab foundations with lightweight reinforcement frame, concrete beams.
P3	Dimensional columns and supports, horizontal concrete structures with full reinforcement, high foundations.
P4	Any reinforced concrete structures with tightly packed reinforcement, installed without vibration.
P5	Structures obtained by pouring concrete with sealed formwork.

Which one is better to use??

You must consider the features of various classes and brands of mixtures when selecting the proper kind of concrete for a strip foundation for a particular building. Here is how they are displayed:

Concrete brand	Class (grade) of concrete by strength	Application of concrete
BSG V 7.5 F50 W2 P3	B7.5; M100	Used for preparatory work
BSG V 10 F50 W2 P3	AT 10 O"CLOCK; M150	For arranging strip foundations during the construction of small buildings
BSG V 12.5 F100 W2 P3	B12.5; M150	For pouring tapes under light oversized buildings
BSG V 15 F100 W4 P3	B15; M200	For grillages and screeds, as well as strip and slab supports for buildings
BSG V 20 F150 W4 P3	IN 20; M250	For monolithic foundations (strips and slabs), for pouring floors with insulation
BSG V 22.5 F150 W6 P3	B22.5; M300	Used in construction load-bearing reinforced concrete structures, can be used for floor screeds with a high strength index and heating
BSG V 25 F200 W8 ​​P3	B25; M350	This material is used to create reinforced concrete load-bearing elements that will be operated under increased load
BSG V 30 F200 W8 ​​P3	B30; M400	The foundations of cottages are constructed from this material when building on soft soil, and for the foundations of apartment buildings above 3 floors

Although private homes are hardly ever built using concrete from M500 and up, these structures are nonetheless built using it for country cottages.

Concrete mixer trucks are specialized vehicles used to transport ready-made concrete mixtures, such as trademark, from construction companies to the construction site. Delivery of the construction organization’s mixture must occur no later than 1.5 hours after mixing.

Concrete can be delivered in a dump truck if speedy delivery is possible, but the entire process from mixing to unloading shouldn’t take longer than 45 minutes, as concrete will solidify and become useless if it isn’t constantly mixed.

Concrete is prepared on-site when building takes place in an area far from the city and it is not possible to deliver the completed mixture in the allotted time. The constituents are mixed in these precise ratios to produce a material with the desired properties.

Average prices

Prices can differ greatly between locations and vary depending on the manufacturer:

Concrete grade	Price per cube
M50 (B3.5) gravel	3500-4000
M100 (B7.5) gravel	2900-4000
M150 (B12.5) gravel	3000-4200
M200 (B15) gravel	3200-4400
M250 (B 20) gravel	3200-4500
M300 (B22.5) gravel	3300-4600
M350 (B25) gravel	3800-4700
M400 (B30) gravel	3700-5100
M450 (B35) gravel	4200-5500
M500 (B40) gravel	4400-4600
M550 (B40) gravel	4200-6000
M600 (B45) gravel	4500-4900
M700 (B50) gravel	5400-5500
M800 (B60) gravel	5700-5900
M100 (B7.5) granite	3500-3800
M150 (B12.5) granite	3700-4000
M200 (B15) granite	3900-4100
M250 (B20) granite	4000-4300
M300 (B22.5) Granite	4299-4400
M350 (B25) Granite	4300-4600

What is needed for private construction?

The brand is chosen with consideration for:

• soil quality,
• wall materials of the future house,
• its architectural features,
• number of storeys,
• The purpose of the building (temporary construction, summer cottage, year -round country house).

Concrete should be stronger the heavier the construction and the poorer the soil. Plots with high subterranean currents require concrete that has a high moisture resistance indicator.

As long as the building will be done on dense ground, you can select the material by just counting the storeys and using the table below to guide you:

Wall material	Concrete for one -story building	Concrete for a two -story building
Brick or stone	IN 20	B22.5
Tree	B15	B17.5
Porous concrete	B17.5	IN 20

The main components of a homemade concrete mixture

If you plan to make the mixture yourself right there on the construction site, you’ll need to follow the concrete manufacturing technology to ensure that it has the right properties.

Cement

There are various kinds of cement that can be used to make foundation concrete, including:

• quick-hardening Portland cement;
• pozzolanic cement;
• Portland slag cement;
• Portland cement.

Portland cement is the most often utilized choice. It has good qualities and is reasonably priced. For unique needs, other choices are used. You can buy Portland cement in grades M400 or M500.

Sand

The sand needs to be smooth, devoid of particles and contaminants. Using river sand is preferable because it is cleaner. Grain size is one of the key characteristics of sand.

You must purchase fine sand with a particle size of approximately 2.5 mm if you plan to use M300 cement. Sand with a grain size of at least 3.5 mm is required for a mixture based on stronger cement.

Gravel or crushed stone

Crushed stone or gravel can be used as the base filler. Because gravel has the best strength-to-price ratio, it is preferable to use it. The foundation’s measurements determine the filler fractions’ sizes.

Concrete is poured into large foundation strips with a 10–20 mm filler fraction. The gravel used in a small foundation arrangement should be smaller.

Water

A lot is also dependent on the water’s quality. It needs to comply with GOST regulations. It must have low acidity and no more than 2700 mg of sulfates and less than 5000 mg of salts per liter.

You can use drinking water or industrial water. Seawater is ideal because it has the ideal ratio of salt. You cannot use waste or swamp water to build a foundation.

There are a few things to consider when choosing a concrete brand to use for pouring a strip foundation. Find a company that is renowned for producing high-quality materials that adhere to regional building codes. Take into account the particular needs of your project, such as weather resistance and load bearing capacity. Reviews and suggestions from nearby builders or contractors can offer insightful information about the dependability and performance of various concrete brands. In the end, choosing the best concrete brand requires striking a balance between affordability and preserving the stability and strength of the foundation over time.

Independent preparation

It’s important to combine the ingredients in the right amounts during the preparation process, keeping in mind the type of cement being used:

Brand cement	Cement	Sand	Gravel	Water
M100	1	4.1	6.1	1.1
M200	1	2.5	4.2	0.9
M300	1	1.7	3.2	0.65
M400	1	1.1	2.4	0.5
M500	1	0.8	1.5	0.4

Mixing in a concrete mixer

A concrete mixer is required if mixing more than fifty liters of concrete at once.

First, add dry ingredients to the concrete mixer using a measured bucket. Make sure to add cement, sand, and crushed stone in the right order.

This is all allowed to dry in the form for a few minutes. After that, water is added, and everything is combined for 12 to 16 minutes. After being completed, the concrete mixture is transferred to the filling location in designated containers.

Brand	Features
Quikrete	Well-known for consistent quality and ease of use, suitable for various foundation types.
Sakrete	Offers high-strength mixes ideal for heavy loads, good for deep foundations.
DAP	Provides rapid-setting options, useful for projects requiring quick curing times.

For the stability and longevity of your building project, selecting the appropriate brand of concrete for your strip foundation is essential. Before choosing a brand, it’s crucial to take into account a number of factors as different brands have different compositions and strengths.

Examine the project’s particular requirements first. Crucial elements include the required load-bearing capacity, the surrounding environment, and the kind of soil in which the foundation will be built. You can determine the necessary concrete strength and mix design with the aid of this assessment.

Second, think about the standing and dependability of the local concrete brands. Seek out companies that have a solid reputation for reliability and quality. Expert opinions and suggestions from those working in the construction sector can offer insightful information.

Consider logistical aspects as well, like delivery schedules and the supplier’s technical support availability. Your construction process can be greatly expedited by selecting a dependable supplier who can deliver the concrete on schedule and offer assistance when needed.

Finally, even though price is a crucial factor, quality and suitability should take precedence over price alone. Purchasing premium concrete from a recognized manufacturer may seem more expensive at first, but it can save money on repairs and guarantee the stability of your foundation over the long run.

Video on the topic

Which concrete to choose for the foundation. We go to a concrete plant.

How to choose concrete correctly?