ACM Blog

Welcome to ACM Chemistries blog where we delve into all things relating to manufactured concrete products including concrete production, raw materials and admixtures. We also cover useful information on how to get the best out of concrete pavers, segmental retaining walls and CMU.

Cold Weather Concreting

Dry cast concrete production - what to know as temperatures fall Concrete professionals know that weather can have a big impact on concrete production. Here’s a short primer on low and freezing temperature challenges. Cement hydration basics Concrete is made up of aggregates (sand and stone), cementitious materials and water. The chemical reaction between cement […]

Face Mix Production

Best practices and guidelines for production crews. Face mix is now established in the North American concrete paver market, and many paver producers offer both traditional thru mix and face mix choices. In contrast to traditional thru mix pavers that use the same concrete mix throughout the paver, face mix pavers incorporate a top layer, […]

Hot Weather Concreting

Dry Cast Concrete - What to know as temperatures rise Concrete professionals know that weather can have a big impact on concrete performance. Here’s a short primer on high temperature challenges. Cement hydration basics Concrete is made up of aggregates (sand and stone), cementitious materials and water. The chemical reaction between cement and water is […]

Water Repellent Masonry

What is an Integral Water Repellent? Integral water repellents are polymer based chemical admixtures added to Concrete Masonry units (CMU) during the manufacturing process. The water repellent is incorporated into the concrete mix at the plant to ensure that each block has water repellent distributed throughout the concrete matrix. Untreated masonry units readily absorb water […]

Concrete Pavers and Sustainability

Light Color Pavers and the Urban Heat Island Effect. For hardscape owners and designers color is a very important consideration for aesthetics and function, but heres another factor: color can also impact sustainability. Choosing lighter colors can help mitigate the urban heat island effect. Urban Heat Islands Heat islands can result in cities when built […]

Face Mix and Thru-Mix Concrete Pavers

One of the more recent developments in dry cast or zero slump concrete paver production is “face mix”. The difference between face mix and conventional thru-mix pavers is that thru-mix paver mix design and color is the same throughout, whereas with face mix pavers there is a pigmented surface layer with a finer aggregate blend. […]

How are Dry Cast Concrete Pavers Made?

Most traditional dry cast or zero slump pavers will follow the steps below. Bear in mind that producers are coming up with new and interesting production methods and paver finishes every day! Mixing raw materials until a homogenous mix is obtained Feeding mix into a mold Compression into mold Inline surface treatment (if applicable) Curing […]

Concrete Pavers - a Brief Explainer

Concrete pavers are made out of … concrete. Sounds obvious, but there are actually at least two different types of concrete used to make pavers and slabs – dry cast (zero slump) and wet cast concrete. Dry cast concrete is the most common, so lets deal with that first. The word “concrete” comes from the […]

Introduction to Dry Cast Concrete Pavers

We tend to think of public transportation as a modern invention – but the Romans used segmented paving stones for public highways that sped troops, trade goods, tax collectors and administrators that ran and funded the empire. Roman roads were paved with locally available stone materials, but the Romans knew and applied sound, common engineering […]

Efflorescence - What is it and what can I do about it?

What is Efflorescence? Efflorescence in concrete units is usually observed as a white deposit on the surface. This deposit can occur as a slight haze up to a crusty layer. Efflorescence is not a structural problem, it does not affect concrete strength or durability. But it is unsightly and lowers the perceived value of the […]

Admixture and Paver Surface Treatment Supplier to Manufactured Concrete Products Producers