How to load 3PH Cement Mixer?

[Anonymous Poster]

Hi Rick and all,

If it were concrete I would certainly order readymix...but concrete is not what I am thinking about.

I have this infamously bad driveway. Not long as we are close to the road..too close really...but maybe about 80 or 100 feet max. I was thinking of using some kind of brick, to surface it after putting down concrete first as a solid base.

But as I though about it, I kind of like the idea of crushed limestone held together by some cement, like "no fines' concrete, but using limestone in place of gravel.

I should check and see if this can be prcvided by a redi mix truck. I would guess not.

The plus of doing this is that I could patch things in the future easily...add something easily in the future if I wanted, and it would look like one seamless surface...maybe...

Just an idea at this point...

I should check and see if getting this stuff delivered by multiple yards is possible. That would really make sense.

I just like the idea of easy patching things later...and also like the gray color of the limestone...but I suppose I should also consider simple "no fines" concrete concrete using river gravel rather than limestone. Might even like that better...nice natural brown color.

From what I have read after the no-fines concrete sets up a bit, you take a garden hose and wash off the top surface, so the stones show and the cement that covers them is washed off...

Could patch that later just as easy as the crushed limestone...that may be the easy solution...and even a better one...

Thanks for the advice.

Bill

[Soundguy]

How to get a cement mixer loaded?.. Buy him a case of beer?

Seriously though.. I always use ready mix.. all nicely pre-mixed.. a tad bit more expensive.. but then i don't do alot of concrete work...

Soundguy

[Carl_NH]

Bill,

For pavers (brick) no concrete is needed, just a good base of crusher run or what we call stone dust - limestone or granite fines about 3-4" on top of a few inches of 3/4 stone. This once packed down and watered makes for a fine base for a brick driveway.

Carl

I have us

[ScottAR]

It kinda sounds like you want somthing along the lines of a macadam drive. They lay a base of limestone, hose it down with liquid asphalt, then lay decorative stone over top and compact with a roller. In your case, the top stone could be the same limestone as the base, saving money.

[wroughtn_harv]

Let me offer you an alternative that you might find attractive.

Check around and find if your local redimix plants sell "washout".

Washout is what they wash out of the mixers when they come back in the yard. You get good sand and great rock all mixed together. It's just that the cement in the concrete isn't worth much. The yard I've rented for eleven years now has a twelve inch covering of this over pure t black gumbo clay. I never have had a problem.

It does have a couple of drawbacks. One is of course if they bring you washout that hasn't been worked you will have clumps. Some big clumps even. My yard used to be owned by a dirt work contractor. By working it I mean having it ran over by a crawler to break up the clumps.

And when it's real dry there is a dust problem. But if it's just your driveway and not a two acre parking lot like I have then it's one hardly worth mentioning. Unless of course some fool hauls butt up and down your driveway like a wild man.[img]/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif[/img]