U-Cart concrete

[NDJ]

Well, My trench on the property line is dug, Now need to figure out a way to get about 1 yard of concrete in to make the retaining wall. Anyone used the U-Cart service ? Its a tow behind trailer that the ready mix places loan to you, allowing you to deliver your own concrete.
Cant really get a concrete truck in there, and renting a truck and a pumper would be ridiculous $$ for this job.

 

[yatg]

Haven't done that in a lot of years. A yard of wet concrete is about 2 tons, plus the trailer weight. And those things don't have brakes. If you have to go a long distance, the rock settles to the bottom. You'll need to wash it out before returning it.

 

[unslow1]

We use the Georgia Buggy. Put the truck out in the street or where is won't cause problems. The truck fills up a motorized wheelbarrow. You drive the load to where you need it and it has a dump bucket on the front. It would probably be overkill unless you have a neighbor with a project also.

 

[jbfsr]

I did it once. NEVER again. Water separated and went to the top. Very hard to remix.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Probably easier to mix your own.

 

[hefnerconstructionlc]

If you can get the one with the mini mixer and not the cart. They work really well for small jobs. It like a small concrete mixer on a trailer. Uses a gas engine to mix the concrete.

 

[nadogail]

I once had concrete delivered by a truck that carried the Cement, Aggregate and Sand, The mixer was on the truck and they metered it as they sent it down the chute. That was almost 40 years ago. The little jobs I am involved in are just mixed from bags in a plastic tub.

 

[larry4406]

I recently had a rear stoop redone as part of the kitchen extension project.

The masons used 80# bagged cement for the stoop which was later faced with stone.

They used contractor trash bags to mix the cement. Put one bag of cement in the bag, added the proper amount of water, kneaded the bag to mix, then dumped it into the forms. Repeated as they went. One contractor trash bag lasted for 3-5 bags of cement.

Never seen that technique before.

 

[vavet]

I recently had a rear stoop redone as part of the kitchen extension project.

The masons used 80# bagged cement for the stoop which was later faced with stone.

The used contractor trash bags to mix the cement. Put one bag of cement in the bag, added the proper amount of water, kneaded the bag to mix, then dumped it into the forms. Repeated as they went. One contractor trash bag lasted for 3-5 bags of cement.

Never seen that technique before.

that seems bizarre at first glance, but I think that’s a “if it looks stupid but it works, it’s not stupid.”

 

[mike93lx]

I recently had a rear stoop redone as part of the kitchen extension project.

The masons used 80# bagged cement for the stoop which was later faced with stone.

The used contractor trash bags to mix the cement. Put one bag of cement in the bag, added the proper amount of water, kneaded the bag to mix, then dumped it into the forms. Repeated as they went. One contractor trash bag lasted for 3-5 bags of cement.

Never seen that technique before.

A yard is 45 80lb bags... I can't imagine someone mixing that much in a trash bag.

 

[CraigStu]

I recently had a rear stoop redone as part of the kitchen extension project.

The masons used 80# bagged cement for the stoop which was later faced with stone.

The used contractor trash bags to mix the cement. Put one bag of cement in the bag, added the proper amount of water, kneaded the bag to mix, then dumped it into the forms. Repeated as they went. One contractor trash bag lasted for 3-5 bags of cement.

Never seen that technique before.

That is brilliant. I have been thinking about some small uses for concrete. Thought about a wheelbarrow, a HF mixer, etc. One of the things that holds me back is the cleaning that is needed so your equipment doesn't become a one project deal. Heck, I can afford plastic bags even the best quality ones, and just throw them away when done. Thanks for posting.

 

[mike93lx]

We use the Georgia Buggy. Put the truck out in the street or where is won't cause problems. The truck fills up a motorized wheelbarrow. You drive the load to where you need it and it has a dump bucket on the front. It would probably be overkill unless you have a neighbor with a project also.

You can rent one from home depot for about $150 for 4 hrs/$200 for the day. Then the problem is getting a concrete company to deliver just one yard

 

[Jinks]

Last small job I had I bought a small mixer from Harbor Freight. Used it about three days, cleaning it VERY thoroughly each day. At the end of the project I cleaned it really well again, then put it on Craig's List. In a couple of days someone came & bought it. Total cost to me between Harbor Freight's price & my sale price....$5.

 

[larry4406]

A yard is 45 80lb bags... I can't imagine someone mixing that much in a trash bag.

The crew did around 25-30 bags this way on my stoop. I supplied the Home Depot contractor trash bags.

Damndest thing I ever saw. Threw the empty concrete bags inside when done. Cleanup was a snap.

 

[mike93lx]

The crew did around 25-30 bags this way on my stoop. I supplied the Home Depot contractor trash bags.

Damndest thing I ever saw. Threw the empty concrete bags inside when done. Cleanup was a snap.

That's nuts, but the key there is crew. Feels like the OP is flying solo on this

If you don't have a spot to wash out a mixer, it does look like a clean way to do it. For me, I just rinse the tools off in the woods

 

[metlmunchr]

Mixing a yard in garbage bags doesn't sound like a one man job to me. I'd go with Jinks's idea of a HF mixer. Locally, a concrete plant that's one of the largest in the state has a $100 delivery charge for anything less than 4 yards, plus a $25 fuel surcharge at current diesel prices.

By the time you add buggy rental, you'd have $500+ in a yard. Then you have the issue of scheduling since a one yard load isn't gonna be high on the plant's list of priorities yet you need to be able to coordinate the truck and the buggy or possibly end up with another half day rental on the buggy. A mixer allows you to do the job on your own schedule, and when you're done you have the mixer which is worth something as opposed to the same amount of money sunk in delivery and rental charges.

Re the u-cart option, there was one of those places here that started up several years ago. In a fairly short time, contractors wouldn't touch the stuff, so they were entirely dependent on homeowners for sales and they folded after a couple years. The concept is good, but the execution not so much.

 

[niget2002]

I think I'd be looking around the yard for other projects the wife has been nagging me about that needs concrete.

 

[FredWanaker]

the tow behinds work well under 2 circumstances - (1) you have a large enough truck to tow it. (2) you have crew of six to eight strong bodied men or late teens to help you remix it and pour it. It is not a DIY one guy project.

 

[metlmunchr]

- (1) you have a large enough truck to tow it.

This is a good point. I've got a F350 dually and a half ton short bed Chevy. The Ford would tow it fine, but there's no way I'd hook 2 1/2 tons behind the Chevy unless it was a short trip on a road with little to no traffic.

 

[Bucko]

In my younger days I did a total of about 11 yards at my first home with a harbor freight mixer and a couple good sized pads at my buddys. All of mine I did myself with one pour being a slab for a shed that was about 150 bags if I remember correctly. I sold the mixer for $150 to my neighbor when I moved.

As for the trailer yard my moms now long ex-husband did it once. He said it was a pain with the rock settling quite a bit in the trailer. He also miscalculated and ran short so he had to put alot more slope in the pad and a bit thinner. If you go this route have some extra sack mix just in case.

I would just rent the homeyD mixer and do it that way.

I was lucky and worked next to a home depot so I just picked up 20 bags at a time after work.

 

[FredWanaker]

In my younger days I did a total of about 11 yards at my first home with a harbor freight mixer and a couple good sized pads at my buddys. All of mine I did myself with one pour being a slab for a shed that was about 150 bags if I remember correctly.

60 lb bag is .45 cu ft. 150 x ,45 is 67.5 cu feet \ 27 = 2.5 cu yards of concrete. 11 yards would be closer to 660 60 lb bags.

 

[mike93lx]

60 lb bag is .45 cu ft. 150 x ,45 is 67.5 cu feet \ 27 = 2.5 cu yards of concrete. 11 yards would be closer to 660 60 lb bags.

Read his post again. 11 yards total with one of the pours being 150 bags

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... I bought a wheelbarrow type mixer from Northern Tool,....

Mixed many yards with it, my only regret is, I bought the steel barrel, shoulda went with the plastic one,....

 

[kmacht]

For just a yard or two check for a ready mix truck near you. They have trucks that come with dry concrete and it mixes just what you need with water before it comes down the chute. They specialize in small jobs as I think the truck I used for a patio had a 6 yard maximum. The concrete costs about 50% more than a regular cement truck but it’s worth it for small jobs.

 

[jim keris]

I got a yard to go with the pull behind mixer for my shed floor. It worked out great for me the job turned out great and the concrete never cracked including the apron

 

[larry4406]

For just a yard or two check for a ready mix truck near you. They have trucks that come with dry concrete and it mixes just what you need with water before it comes down the chute. They specialize in small jobs as I think the truck I used for a patio had a 6 yard maximum. The concrete costs about 50% more than a regular cement truck but it’s worth it for small jobs.

In the OP’s first post he clearly said he can’t get a truck in there. So an on-site mixer is not helpful to him.

The OP’s concern is not a short load and $ thereof.

The OP’s concern is getting concrete to an inaccessible location.

 

[ddawg16]

Using 80 or lb bags is not bad if you have a mixer.
Beats the hell out of doing it in a wheel barrel

Don't forget to factor in the beer factor....how many bags per beer....
You know....mix a couple of bags....pour it...take a couple of swigs from your beer
Repeat.

Doing a whole yard sounds like a beer factor of 8

 

[Bucko]

Read his post again. 11 yards total with one of the pours being 150 bags

Yeah, no way even when I was young and dumb was I pulling off 11 yards in one shot....hahaha!

After all was said and done I ran the numbers based on sq' and slab thickness. Some were 80lb, some 60lb, and even some 50lb they had on a 4th of July special for .99 cents and it was total ****.
The pour at my buddies we did about a 10x10 and he decided he wanted to go ahead and do another area so we ran to get more mix. When we got back we found his dog had got outta its pen and ran all across it. He was not very happy. Must of been right after we broomed it and left.

 

[JoeMcGov]

You can rent one from home depot for about $150 for 4 hrs/$200 for the day. Then the problem is getting a concrete company to deliver just one yard

The risk is high of one yard setting up inside the truck drum before it gets discharged. Not necessarily due to the drive but rather lack of hurriedness at the one time residential customer's location.

 

[kmacht]

In the OP’s first post he clearly said he can’t get a truck in there. So an on-site mixer is not helpful to him.

The OP’s concern is not a short load and $ thereof.

The OP’s concern is getting concrete to an inaccessible location.

A wheel barrow works just fine for getting 1 yard delivered and moved. No regular concrete truck is going to deliver 1 yard of concrete. That's why I suggested a ready mix type of truck.

 

[Nthill93]

A wheel barrow works just fine for getting 1 yard delivered and moved. No regular concrete truck is going to deliver 1 yard of concrete. That's why I suggested a ready mix type of truck.

a concrete truck will deliver whatever you want if you’re willing to pay the extra money.
OP can you get a mixer back there? 1 yd in a mixer isn’t bad.

 

[NDJ]

Theres a place here - "Yard at a time" concrete, They have smaller single axle trucks that carry 3 yards max. I think the minimum is one yard. Problem is there is not enough clearance width to get the truck to the final spot, And yard is a mud bog right now. So closest they could get is probably the alley which is ~80 feet away and 4 feet downhill. I dont like the thought of trying to wheelbarrow that. I would have to pay them standby fees too.
With the U-Cart dealy I figured I could back it into the spot, But , From comments here, It may not be the best solution either. I can tow 6500 Lbs with my SUV, But as one poster said the Ucart has no brakes.
I am warming to the idea of mixing it on site from bags from Home depot. Would probably take 65 bags. I dismissed this idea as ridiculous at first but sounds like it may be my only option if I dont want to pay the pros. I can rent a 9 cuft mixer for the weekend for $100.

 

[Walkers]

I bought a janky 1/3 rd yard “1 sacker”. I spent a weekend repairing it, and have since mixed several yards using Portland cement, and sand/AB mix. It is one handy tool to have. Rent or borrow one for a yard. You can mix bags in it as well, just more control mixing your own.

 

[mike93lx]

Theres a place here - "Yard at a time" concrete, They have smaller single axle trucks that carry 3 yards max. I think the minimum is one yard. Problem is there is not enough clearance width to get the truck to the final spot, And yard is a mud bog right now. So closest they could get is probably the alley which is ~80 feet away and 4 feet downhill. I dont like the thought of trying to wheelbarrow that. I would have to pay them standby fees too.
With the U-Cart dealy I figured I could back it into the spot, But , From comments here, It may not be the best solution either. I can tow 6500 Lbs with my SUV, But as one poster said the Ucart has no brakes.
I am warming to the idea of mixing it on site from bags from Home depot. Would probably take 65 bags. I dismissed this idea as ridiculous at first but sounds like it may be my only option if I dont want to pay the pros. I can rent a 9 cuft mixer for the weekend for $100.

Get help doing it. At least one buddy, if not two

 

[Dagny]

1 yard is only about 9 wheelbarrows just wheel it.

 

[Bucko]

Theres a place here - "Yard at a time" concrete, They have smaller single axle trucks that carry 3 yards max. I think the minimum is one yard. Problem is there is not enough clearance width to get the truck to the final spot, And yard is a mud bog right now. So closest they could get is probably the alley which is ~80 feet away and 4 feet downhill. I dont like the thought of trying to wheelbarrow that. I would have to pay them standby fees too.
With the U-Cart dealy I figured I could back it into the spot, But , From comments here, It may not be the best solution either. I can tow 6500 Lbs with my SUV, But as one poster said the Ucart has no brakes.
I am warming to the idea of mixing it on site from bags from Home depot. Would probably take 65 bags. I dismissed this idea as ridiculous at first but sounds like it may be my only option if I dont want to pay the pros. I can rent a 9 cuft mixer for the weekend for $100.

The HF mixer I had was good for 2 of the 60lb sacks. Alot of what I did I could not get the mixer to the spot and had to use a wheelbarrow. I got it down to a science of the right amount of water and then marked a few 5 gallon buckets with another for overflow and set the hose to a steady flow. I could mix a batch and dump it in the wheelbarrow. Then put the water in with one sack, wait about 10 seconds and add the other. I would then go dump the wheelbarrow and by the time I would just repeat the process. It actually went pretty fast but I did not feel rushed.

 

[ybnormal]

at least you've got options. I had to put a new crown on my chimney and knew it was a 2-man job with no way to put scaffolding or a ladder at the chimney base, or even being able to bring in a wheeled powered mixing bucket. even so, almost killed myself mixing the stuff in the August heat. one guy at the bottom hand-mixed and poured into the 5gal bucket while the other guy pulled the bucket up 40ft and poured it into the frame and troweled it over. took us 9 bags of Quikcrete (don't recall if it was 60 or 80lbs)

at least it's a job I'll never have to do again

 

[mmb617]

I used the U-cart option for a couple of one yard jobs some 35 years ago without any problems and the concrete is still there. But the local U-cart went out of business years ago so that option doesn't even exist anymore.

The ready mix places around here all have a 4 yd minimum for decent pricing. Anything less gets a hefty surcharge.

 

[Sawlog]

Well, My trench on the property line is dug, Now need to figure out a way to get about 1 yard of concrete in to make the retaining wall. Anyone used the U-Cart service ? Its a tow behind trailer that the ready mix places loan to you, allowing you to deliver your own concrete.
Cant really get a concrete truck in there, and renting a truck and a pumper would be ridiculous $$ for this job.

Wheel barrow, that’s not a lot of concrete to wheel barrow. I have had to 5 gallon bucket much more then that to replace basement floors after I cut out to repair plumbing. That does **** but is doable .

 

[cdestuck]

We’re lucky enough to have a place here that has a couple of these. Sweet machines. Up to 1 3/4 yds. Pull it with a pickup.