How to Mix Concrete in a Mixer

When we need home improvements, we all want to make sure that the job is done well, but we also want to save money where possible. If your home improvement project needs concrete, that may be one of the tasks you might consider doing yourself rather than getting the professionals in.

Concrete for smaller jobs can be mixed by hand, but it is somewhat laborious and you will undoubtedly get a better result if you do it in a mixer. If you’ve not done that before, you need to make sure you know what you’re doing, because otherwise your chances of getting a successful mix are going to be small.

Here’s our guide to how to mix concrete in a mixer:

What you’ll need to mix concrete in a mixer

Apart from the concrete mixer itself, you’ll be needing cement, water, sand and aggregates. Before getting started, make sure you’ve got everything you’ll need and in the right quantities for the mix your job needs.

Positioning a concrete mixer

Make sure your concrete mixer is on a firm, level surface and make sure there’s enough room to both work around it and get a wheelbarrow in and out to collect the mixed concrete. At the same time, you want to have all the ingredients located conveniently so that they can be shovelled or tipped straight into the mixer without having to go too far to fetch them. 

It’s also a good idea to place some board underneath it – or at least under where you’ll be pouring from mixer to wheelbarrow, to catch any spillage.

Set it up so that the drum is facing upwards at an angle of about 45 degrees.

Preparing your concrete mix

Different projects require different mixes, so you’ll need to know what yours is before you get started – however, a good standard to work to is one part cement to two parts sand and three parts aggregates. Keep a good supply of water to hand as well, because you’ll also be needing to add that as you go.

Getting started

Turn your concrete mixer on. Start by tipping some water in, just enough to wet the inside of the drum – this will help prevent the concrete from sticking to the inside too much and make cleaning up afterwards much easier.

Add half of your cement, sand and aggregates and let them run as a dry mix for a couple of minutes before starting to add water. Keep gradually adding water until the thickness is about right. Then repeat the process by adding the rest of your mix followed by the water until it’s at the right consistency.

Keep it running for a few minutes to make sure that everything is properly mixed together before pouring it out into the wheelbarrow. Keep the mixer running while you’re doing this, as it will help make sure you get everything out.

Cleaning the concrete mixer

Clean the inside and rim of the mixer after each mix by running it with some water and a couple of handfuls of aggregates or sand. If there’s still some concrete clinging on to the inside, just use a stiff brush to remove it.

Safety measures when using a cement mixer

• Don’t overfill it
• Don’t leave it running unattended
• Don’t move it while it’s running

Take the guesswork and potential for expensive and time-wasting errors out of the mix by getting in touch with Total Concrete. Our many years of accumulated knowledge and experience mean we’re the ones to trust when sourcing ready-mix concrete for your job, no matter how big or small.

Get in touch now to find out more.