Top Tools and Equipment in Concrete Construction
When it comes to concrete construction, the right tools and equipment are necessary to build something or to create an output that meets the clients’ preferences, tastes, and expectations. Investing in the right tools will cost some money, but it is worth it because a construction individual or a crew will be able to build quality structures. Other than this, the job will also be easier, the crew will become more efficient, and most importantly, the safety of the people working on the job site will be ensured. When dealing with concrete, timing is also important in accomplishing the job. After the concrete has been poured, every tool necessary for the job must be present to finish the job on time and to avoid conflicts and unnecessary circumstances. For this reason, individual contractors and/or construction crews must know what are the right tools and equipment to buy or rent and use for their job, may it be for pouring, mixing, cutting, designing, or shaping the concrete even before accepting a job or project.
Concrete Construction Tools and Equipment
1. Screed
Screeds are used in applying and spreading wet concrete on surfaces, making sure that the concrete is as smooth and flat as possible after it has been poured, and are also used to scrape away any extra concrete from surfaces. Screeds are long thin bars made up of wood or plastic that have a long handle on the top. Screeds also come in different sizes and can be project-specific.
2. Floats
Floats are similar in purpose to screeds. But floats are smaller and are mainly used to smooth out wet concrete on smaller surfaces. The process of floating is a significant part of concrete construction. It is the process of tooling the surface of wet concrete to slightly elevate liquid cement to the surface to create a smooth finish.
3. Vapor Barriers
Vapor barriers are used to strengthen the quality of concrete.
It can be positioned over the top of poured concrete to suppress moisture from evaporating, or below the concrete surface to prevent water from escaping or to prevent the dry base from removing moisture out of the concrete.
4. Groove Cutters
A groove cutter has a horizontal plate with a vertical fin attachment, and the horizontal plate is consisting of rounded edges used for shaping grooves in the concrete. The horizontal plate is also used to make control joints on concrete surfaces for pavements, driveways, and residential slabs.
5. Laser Level
A laser level is used for leveling concrete forms and calculating their elevation. It can also be used in checking the height of embedded items like concrete anchors and bolts. Laser levels produce a beam of light to deliver a plumb line or straight level.
6. Shovel
Shovels are used in moving small amounts of concrete or cement around a pour to fill spaces and to reach areas that are difficult to reach. It is also used in removing excess concrete from overfilled forms and in small cement applications.
7. Curing Compound
Curing compound is used in concrete construction by applying the compound directly on wet concrete surfaces to help the concrete in setting and to reduce cracks.
8. Plate Compactor
Plate compactors are highly functional on uneven soils. A plate compactor is used to compact granular surfaces like gravel or sand sub-based to make a tightly-packed and dense surface for the concrete slab to rest on.
9. Tape measures
Tape measures are used for slab depth and concrete forms and are also handy in mapping and testing placement.
10. Rakes
Rakes are used to uniformly spread freshly-poured concrete into place. Concrete rakes can also be used to help lift rebar into its rightful place before the concrete hardens.
11. Tampers
Tampers are put into use together with low slump concrete to push the mass below the slab surface.
12. Kneeling Boards
Kneeling boards function by supporting a person’s weight while on the wet concrete. A person can also move along the slab surface while using a kneeling board.
13. Trowels
Trowels are utilized to smooth concrete surfaces for finish coats before the drying process.
14. Edger
An edger is used to create a smooth finish by rounding concrete edges.
15. Brooms
Brooms can be used in the process of finishing. It can produce an artistic pattern or a smooth draw.
16. Rubber Gloves
Wearing rubber gloves is necessary when handling concrete. Doing so will prevent the skin from coming in contact with chemicals that can be harmful or that can irritate the skin. It will also protect the skin’s moisture from cement, a material that can cause more damage in the long run.
17. Rubber Boots
Rubber boots allow workers to step on concrete while working and it protects them from skin irritation. In choosing rubber boots for concrete construction, it is important to choose something that is comfortable to wear, water-resistant, and chemical resistant. It is also better if the boots have drawing tops that seal the boots around the calves and steel toes to prevent concrete from entering and for extra protection.
18. Safety Glasses
Safety glasses are important in concrete construction. It is used during grinding, drilling, sawing concrete, or power troweling.
19. Mixers
One of the most important pieces of equipment in concrete construction is mixers. Mixers are used to mix concrete or cement which is the primary material in concrete construction. On this day, portable concrete mixers are now also being used. These are small, efficient, and portable mixers commonly used by commercial concrete contractors in their small-scale concrete-based repair works. Also, portable concrete mixers make a smoother and more thorough concrete pour. Although these cement mixers have smaller capacities which is why it is required that contractors accurately estimate how much concrete is needed. Portable mixers also have different sizes and can be gas-powered or electric.
20. Wheelbarrows
Wheelbarrows are used to transport small batches of concrete, debris, dirt, and tools across the construction site. These can also be used when taking concrete samples for assessments such as the slump test.
21. Concrete Vibrator
Concrete vibrators are used to make sure that the concrete is densely and rightly packed after being poured onto a surface. Concrete vibrators are used to get rid of air pockets and to improve the consolidation of the mixture of concrete because better consolidation ensures better cure and durability. Furthermore, there are four types of concrete vibrators. 1) An internal vibrator has a vibrating probe use to settle wet concrete. 2) Form vibrator, fastened to the outside of the concrete form to make vibrations that remove the voids on the edges of the form. 3) Surface vibrator, put to a screed to create a vibration on the concrete surface during screeding. 4) Table vibrator, consists of a vibrating metal table used to vibrate concrete inside a mold.
22. Concrete Saw
A concrete saw is used in cutting control joints while the concrete is on the process of setting after being poured, and is also used in removing old concrete. Concrete saws are heavy, portable, and are consist of a high-speed rotating blade powered by an electric motor attached to the saw.
23. Water Pump
Water Pumps are used to remove the water caused by drainage, rain, or snow from concrete forms. With the use of motorized water pumps, it will be easier and faster to empty concrete forms that are full of water.
24. Polishers and Grinders
Polishers and grinders can be used in floor polishing and counter top fabrication. Polishers can be used to make a surface finish effect and grinders can be used to create aesthetic effects.
Another tool which can be used in concrete construction that can make a construction business or crew function more effectively and efficiently is a project management software. Project management software can become one of the new trends for builders. It is because such software like other new concrete construction tools and equipment produced by today’s technology makes the contractors’ and construction crews’ jobs easier. With the use of a project management software like Pro Crew Schedule, tasks such as project scheduling, and task tracking will become a lot easier. It will also be easier to send files, updates, and feedback about a project through this software.
In today’s time, there are plenty of different kinds of tools and equipment that can greatly help people who work in the field of concrete construction accomplished their jobs easily, efficiently, and with quality. Technology and modernity have gone a long way. Mixing cement, creating concrete designs, and other tasks that are part of the process of working with concrete has been a lot easier. The use of high-technology in concrete construction has been very prevalent in these recent times because it makes the work easier and it still gets the job done. But before using these tools and equipment, it is also a must that the people who are going to use these things know how to operate and manage such, and also know the safety precautions to truly maximize the use of it and to avoid accidents and mistakes which can incur more cost.
