Concrete with small size aggregate

[Broadback]

I am looking for a concrete that contains small size "stones". Is there such a thing? fine concrete is a different thing altogether I have found.

[Andy Burns]

Get a bag of "grano to dust" from you local builders merchant and mix your own

[Andrew]

Get a bag of pea shingle, some sand and some cement and away you go. Sharp sand might be better.

Any decorative aggregate from an English Garden Centre might by suitable, unless it is a critical application.

[Chris Hogg]

Can you not make up your own. Get a bag or ten of ready-mix mortar, bags of 'stones', size of your choice, and combine as appropriate?

[Broadback]

It is difficult to find the correct size gravel as it is not possible to visit any D-I-Y emporiums. However I will rty the suggestions given.

[Tricky Dicky]

If what you are looking for is a premixed bag of aggregate (stone and sand) round here referred to as ballast I would not bother as the mixes and aggregates are very variable as the Paving Expert says ?the sweepings off the yard floor?. Ballast is OK where finish and quality is unimportant footings and post holes come to mind.

If this is for your path/drive then you want to be sure about the quality which means buying the aggregates separately and mixing them accurately by volume. The best coarse aggregate for concrete is angular limestone chips @ 20mm for general purpose concrete. If you require a finer mix go for 10mm of the same. Make sure the chippings are angular in other words not rounded like pebbles the stones then tend to ?lock? together for a stronger result. For the fine aggregates use sharp sand not builders sand. Go to the paving expert website for what proportions of coarse and fine aggregates to use plus cement.

Richard

[John Rumm]

I find ordering "all in one ballast" usually does it. Locally that is a mixture of sharp sand and stones of varying sizes from fine to small pebble. Mix at about 5:1 by volume with cement for a general purpose concrete.

(although note the term ballast has regional variations - some seem to only apply it to coarse stones on their own, like that used for railway track ballast)

[harry]

The size of aggregate requires depends on the thickness of the concrete. Thinner concrete = smaller aggregate.

10/1 is about right

ie 10mm aggregate for 100mm thick concrete.

You can buy it premixed, eg 10mm down to dust, only the cement needed to be added. In bags or loose if in large amounts.

[Andrew]

Are you anywhere near Brighton ?. Plenty of aggregate on the beach. Just give it a good wash :-)

[Chris Hogg]

You might try garden centres. They usually do grits and grit-sands in a range sizes for potting etc. I guess it depends on how much you want.