How Much Concrete Can You Get (or Mix) in a Wheelbarrow

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There are many uses for concrete in your home or yard, and it can be used for utilitarian purposes as well as to beautify your yard. Whether you are adding a decorative walkway, or pouring concrete for a mailbox. You can also install a mailbox without concrete.

Concrete is invaluable. The bad news, though, is that concrete is both heavy and unwieldy. You need to have a good way to cart the concrete around your yard. A wheelbarrow, which is a compound machine, is the perfect way to move your concrete. So how much concrete can you actually get (or mix) in a wheelbarrow?

Bags of concrete are easy to mix in a wheelbarrow, a typical household wheelbarrow fits 3 cubic feet. One 80lb bag of concrete mix provides 0.6 cubic feet of concrete when used. Two 80lb bags of concrete can be mixed in a standard sized wheelbarrow, Each bag of concrete mix will also require around 3 quarts of water.

How Many Wheelbarrows in a Yard of Concrete?

A yard of any yard materials such as soil, sand, or concrete is a measurement of volume. This is measured as 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet deep. Hence, a yard measures 27 cubic feet. A typical wheelbarrow is 3 cubic feet, so dividing 27 by 3, there would be 9 wheelbarrows in a yard of concrete.

Read on to read more about how this compound machine known as the wheelbarrow can help you move your concrete where you need it to be. There is no way you could move it by the shovelful, and you definitely need to multiply the force of your work in order to get your load where it belongs.

What is Concrete Made Out Of?

Although you might think that cement is the same as concrete, this is an incorrect assumption. Cement and concrete are, however, very closely related. Concrete is made up of three basic parts: aggregate, (which is sand, rock, or gravel), water, and Portland cement.

The cement plays the role of a binding agent, and usually starts in the form of a powder. Once you mix the three components together, you will have a very thick “liquid,” and then once you pour it where you want it for your application, it hardens until it feels as hard as a rock.

If you are thinking about moving concrete around in your backyard, there are a few typical uses for concrete that you should consider. Many people create a concrete pad for garbage cans so the cans have a nice sturdy place to call home. Another use of concrete in a backyard is to build stones or walkways, so that it is easy for you to get from one part of your backyard to another.

Concrete can also be used when planting posts in your yard, such as for a mailbox or a flagpole. There are myriad ways that concrete can be used in order to beautify your yard or make it more functional.

How Do I Mix Concrete In a Wheelbarrow?

When it is time for you to do an at-home project in your backyard and you need the help of concrete, your wheelbarrow will definitely come in handy. Not only can you transport heavy loads of concrete in it, but you can also mix the concrete in there as well.

Using the wheelbarrow as the mixing bowl cuts out the middleman and allows you to enjoy less clean up when you are done mixing the concrete. As you can imagine, cleaning up concrete is no easy task.

For small jobs, the best way to mix concrete in a wheelbarrow is to pour the bag of concrete into the bed of the wheelbarrow, create a well in it, and then add the necessary amount of water. Make sure you read the directions on the bag carefully, and adjust the water amount if you are not using the entire bag of concrete. After you add the water, stir the mixture carefully.

Keep stirring with a flat shovel or a hoe, so that your concrete reaches the desired consistency. Make sure to pour the concrete soon after mixing, as it will harden quickly.

There is a limit to mixing your own concrete, and a point where it is definitely easier to have a concrete mixer deliver it for your needs. If you need around sixty pounds of concrete, such as what you would need if making a fire bowl, then this is the technique for you and mixing it yourself makes sense. If you need more than 60-80 pounds of concrete, having it delivered will be easier.

How Can a Wheelbarrow Help Me Carry This Heavy Load of Concrete?

A wheelbarrow is a compound machine consisting of a simple machine known as a wheel and axle, along with a lever. The lever allows a whole lot more weight to be carried with less effort, and the wheel and axle gets the load more easily from place to place.

Picking up the long handles of the wheelbarrow applies effort to the lever, and this will help the wheels to start rolling. The axle is there to increase the force, which is a great way to push the load more easily. Carrying a hundred pounds of concrete any other way would be extremely difficult, but the wheel and axle as well as the lever work together to carry heavy loads and get them where you need them.

If you need to carry concrete throughout your backyard, there really is no other way to do it than by choosing to use a wheelbarrow.

Final Thoughts

Using a wheelbarrow for concrete mixing and moving is imperative. A typical 3 cubic foot wheelbarrow will do a great job as a container for mixing concrete, and there are about 9 wheelbarrows in a yard of concrete. Using this compound machine will make your task much easier when it comes to moving and mixing concrete.