Concrete is an engineering material widely used in the construction industry, which reached the pinnacle of its popularity in modern architecture during the 1960s and 1970s. It is a composite material, basically consisting of three components: water, cement, and a combination of rock, sand or gravel (aggregate), which have to be mixed together.
These three ingredients have to be mixed in correct ratios for the quantity of concrete required; the ratio of the ingredients will affect the properties of the concrete, including strength, durability and workability. For large projects, a concrete mixer is needed, although smaller amounts can be made by hand in a bowl or bucket. Depending on its application, traditional concrete can take between 24-48 hours and 7 days to set properly and will reach its optimum strength after 25-28 days.
Postcrete, on the other hand, is the name given to a post mix concrete, which is a ready to use blend of concrete ingredients that requires no mixing. Postcrete has additives that have been formulated specifically for setting wooden, metal or concrete posts into the ground on smaller projects, including fencing.
Is Postcrete better than concrete?
Most fence or gate posts require fixing in place with concrete and traditionally builders would need to either mix the sand and cement on site or have ready-mixed concrete delivered. As postcrete is a ready to use product, considerable time can be saved on site waiting for deliveries and mixing the cement. Additionally, you can be sure that the mix will be correct every time.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of postcrete however is that it sets within 5-10 minutes in suitable conditions, fully hardening within hours. What this means on a practical level is that a series of fence posts can be installed in rapid succession which makes it easier to maintain a consistent pace across a project. In turn this means that fencing, gates, trellis or any heavy load can be hung within just four hours on a post that has been set with postcrete, turning a weekend project into a single day’s work.
What is Postcrete used for?
Postcrete is ideal for fixing decking posts, rotary washing lines and small/medium sized gate posts for gates less than a metre in width. Postcrete should not be used for general concreting, screeds, mortar, grout or render.
How to use Postcrete
1 Once the post holes have been dug, place the post into the hole, making sure that your plumbline sits flat against the face of the post and that the post is upright and straight. Our guide to erecting a fence will help with this.
2 Following the instructions on the bag, fill the hole with water
3 Simply pour the mix around the post until the mix covers the water and no water is visible.
4 Once you are happy that the post is upright and true, the mix will take approximately 10 minutes to set sufficiently to remove any supports or to let go of the post.
5 Once the postcrete has set completely, it can be covered with soil and grass if preferred.
Our postcrete is available in handy 20kg bags, perfect for small projects but if you have a larger project planned, our expert staff will be happy to offer help and advice on all the relevant materials your project requires.