-
You’re probably planning a Shotcrete or Gunite pond, but I bet you do not know what Shotcrete and Gunite are. Come on. Take a guess. If you answered, a sprayed concrete, that would be incorrect. In reality, Shotcrete is an all-inclusive term used for describing the process of spraying concrete or mortar through either a wet or dry application technique.
Gunite, on the other hand refers only to the dry-mix process in which the dry cementitious mixture is blown through a hose to the nozzle, where the water is injected immediately prior to application. So in essence, what you end up with is still concrete. The only real difference is how it was just applied.
When people think of concrete, they think of concrete that is poured into forms that have steel rebar and mesh reinforcement, which is then allowed to set up and cure. The Shotcrete or Gunite process allows the concrete to be sprayed in place instead.
Shotcrete is a wet spray application, meaning that the concrete mixture is blended with water and pushed through the application hose pneumatically where it is applied to the job site. Gunite consists of a dry mixture that is pushed through the hose pneumatically until it gets to the gun nozzle, at which point water is injected into the mixture where it is mixed as it hits the job site.
In the end, one could say that besides a few minor differences, Shotcrete and Gunite work the same. Small differences such as how each material might be applied to a vertical or overhang area are about all you’ll find.
Now you may have also been thinking that Shotcrete or Gunite were actually waterproof after they have been sprayed and cured. This is a misconception. Remember when I said that you’re still spraying concrete? Concrete is not waterproof either. This is why, when building a pond, you need to seal the inside of the concrete shell.
The positive side of this is that because it is concrete, using the right waterproofing coating means you’ll not have to use a primer in order to get it to stick. Just prepare the surface as you would any concrete and you’ll be in business.
Keep in mind though, that because it is normal concrete, it will have to cure for a minimum of 28 days just like any other concrete. During the hydration process, the typical precautions of keeping the concrete moist are very important in order to minimize shrinkage.
One of the things you’ll find that is a plus for Shotcrete or Gunite is that because it is sprayed, a lot more of the air is removed from the over-all product. This means that the concrete is stronger than a typical poured type of concrete. Poured concrete might have a compressive strength of 2500 psi where Shotcrete or Gunite average out at near 4000+ psi.
The draw back with that is minor, only being air entrainment within the concrete. Air entrainment in the concrete is good for freeze/thaw cycles. During a freeze for instance, water is pushed into the concrete and can literally expand within the air pockets meaning the concrete will have a better chance at withstanding cracking.
A good spray contractor will know this and attempt to entrain at the proper percentage so as to accommodate for freeze/thaw when the scenario calls for it. This is referred to as the spacing factor.
One other thing you might ask your contractor about is whether or not your application could benefit from the Shotcrete or Gunite being partly composed of silica fume. Silica fume makes the Shotcrete or Gunite stickier and aids in the application process where a quicker build up is needed.
Finally, you should take care when deciding upon a contractor to apply your Shotcrete or Gunite. Here are some questions to ask both yourself and the contractor.
- Does the contractor have a good track record of shooting ponds with the wet method? Dry method?
- How many ponds have they completed with the wet method? Dry method?
- Can you provide a list of past completed jobs?
- How do they plan to incorporate the trimmed concrete into the shell? (The rebound and the trimmed concrete play a key role in the final quality of the pond shell.)
- What concrete mix design do they plan to use?
For more info on pattern imprinted concrete driveway instalations pls check this link http://supremedriveways.ie/about-us/
Gravel is just one of those things where we know it when we see it. If someone asked us just what gravel is, we might have a hard time expressing it, but we know we see it almost daily. Gravel is everywhere, and used in everything. But gravel doesn't come from just any old rocks; it has to come from a certain kind of gravel rock deposit and meet other qualifications to be considered gravel.So what kind of rock is used to make gravel, and how do they effect the gravel that is used in common [...]
Concrete acid stain can be applied to new or old, plain or colored concrete surfaces. They are available in 10 basic colors. Although they are often called acid stains, acid is not the ingredient that colors the concrete. Metallic salts in an acidic, water based solution react with the concrete to permanently color of the surface. Siliceous aggregates such as gravel or sand, do not react with the stain. Surfaces containing a higher content of cement will react more than one with less cement [...]
Stone cobbles are one of the most beautiful materials to use in paving. Done properly they have a European elegance and robustness which is hard to match.Cobbles come in several types of material, including granite, porphyry and even concrete. They can be laid on a sand base if they are at least 60mm thick and grouted with gravel, sand, tar or mortar. For the best results though they should be glued onto a concrete slab and this article discusses this procedure.Cobbles can be purchased either as[...]
You're probably planning a Shotcrete or Gunite pond, but I bet you do not know what Shotcrete and Gunite are. Come on. Take a guess. If you answered, a sprayed concrete, that would be incorrect. In reality, Shotcrete is an all-inclusive term used for describing the process of spraying concrete or mortar through either a wet or dry application technique.Gunite, on the other hand refers only to the dry-mix process in which the dry cementitious mixture is blown through a hose to the nozzle, [...]
Catchpits refer to a pit inside a drainage system. This piece in the drainage system collects matter that could potentially cause blockage. On draining systems that do not make use of any sort of geo-membrane, a catchpit system is appropriate. This will minimize the collection of soil particles and other pieces of sediment like grits and silts. This pit must be considered before setting up outfall.When you look at a catchpits piece, you will see an empty chamber. It will also have an inlet pipe [...]
Catchpits refer to a pit inside a drainage system. This piece in the drainage system collects matter that could potentially cause blockage. On draining systems that do not make use of any sort of geo-membrane, a catchpit system is appropriate. This will minimize the collection of soil particles and other pieces of sediment like grits and silts. This pit must be considered before setting up outfall.When you look at a catchpits piece, you will see an empty chamber. It will also have an inlet pipe [...]
Catchpits refer to a pit inside a drainage system. This piece in the drainage system collects matter that could potentially cause blockage. On draining systems that do not make use of any sort of geo-membrane, a catchpit system is appropriate. This will minimize the collection of soil particles and other pieces of sediment like grits and silts. This pit must be considered before setting up outfall.When you look at a catchpits piece, you will see an empty chamber. It will also have an inlet pipe [...]
Catchpits refer to a pit inside a drainage system. This piece in the drainage system collects matter that could potentially cause blockage. On draining systems that do not make use of any sort of geo-membrane, a catchpit system is appropriate. This will minimize the collection of soil particles and other pieces of sediment like grits and silts. This pit must be considered before setting up outfall.When you look at a catchpits piece, you will see an empty chamber. It will also have an inlet pipe [...]
There are many different varieties of concrete blocks. But, the majority of building blocks are simple rectangular blocks of cement, which are gray or white concrete. The average concrete block measures 1ft 6in x 9in and can range in thickness from 3 inches to 9 inches. There are special instances where this thickness may differ a classic example of this would be a foundation block which although maybe thicker if required will still measure about the same.There is another terms you may come [...]
Two frequent questions I get from homeowners: My driveway sounds hollow... is that bad? Sand runs out the end of my drive after it rains... is that bad? If you have significant voids or space between the concrete and sub grade or if your drive is on a steep grade, this can certainly be "bad". Does your drive make a thumping noise when you drive in on it? Maybe it rocks when you drive over it. Can you see between the joints? Are there visible cracks? Does it look like your driveway concrete is[...]
We'd love to hear what you think
Send Cancel