What can I do with builders sand and gravel mix

[sandy_v]

I've got a large heap of sand and gravel mix left by builders who made a concrete base for the oil tank.
What proportions of cement would I have to add (by volume) to make it in to concrete, and could I put the concrete straight on the groung without hardcore, if it was only going to take the weight of a chicken run (and me walking on it occasionally)?

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Sandy_v, your sand and gravel mix is called ballast, to make your concrete mix six parts ballast to one part cement, if you are just using a shovel to measure, make sure the shovel of cement is as big as the shovels of ballast.
It would be alright to just put the concrete straight on the ground, but do try and consolidate the soil as much as possible.

When you lay your concrete give it a good old bashing with a lenght of wood, this helps to get the air out of the concrete, so making it stronger, it also makes a bit of the softer stuff come to the top so making it easier to get a good finish.

Hope this helps a little.

[peter]

You will need at least two inches depth of concrete or it will just crack.
Depending on the size of the area you want to cover you may need it thicker.
Hardcore provides a stable base and helps prevent cracking.
What also helps is to use some boards to make a "form" or frame within which you put the wet mix to give a neat edge all round.
sorry if I'm telling you how to suck egss.

[Geoff]

Rooster Booster tubs are great for measuring materials into a mixer. A tub holds ½ a new style small bag of cement with 6 tubs of ballast makes a nicely full mixer load that also fits in an ordinary size builders barrow. I agree it is better to have some hardcore underneath unless the soil is really solid. Used a ton to make paths in my fruit cage extension a couple of weeks ago - at least you haven't got to work out how to get it out of those modern bag things!

[oldherbaceous]

Just to add, if you can put some plastic sheet [old compost sacks] down underneath the concrete, it helps the concrete to cure more slowy, making the concrete stronger.
If the weather becomes really hot when you have laid the concrete, you should either damp it down, or lay a plastic sheet over it for a couple of days.

Bet you didn't realize laying a bit of concrete could be so coplicated.

But however you do it, it will last a good while.

[oldherbaceous]

Forgot to say, Geoff if you get those big one ton bags, cut down one side with a stanley knife, it makes getting the stuff out so much easier. Most of them are nonreturnable now.
Thats unless you want to keep them of course.

[sandy_v]

Thanks everyone. That's really good news, because I had serious doubts about it.

[John]

Hello Sandy
Do you really want to make a permanent concrete base for your chicken run?
If you have room it always a very good idea to move the coop and run onto a fresh area every few years so that soil and pest problems don't build up in the soil where the birds are. I simply stand my coop on several concrete blocks just to lift it up off the damp and to allow ventilation underneath. Chickens much prefer an earth based run - its hard work trying to dustbath on a concrete floor!

John

[Geoff]

Thanks OH - good idea.
Obvious really but you always think you should use them for something other than starting a bonfire but never do.