Does Concrete Need To Be Vibrated?

Vibrating freshly poured concrete helps it to settle into place and get rid of unwanted hollow voids or air pockets. This is called concrete consolidation. It is important to vibrate or consolidate when placing concrete to give the finished concrete better strength, durability and surface finish. Consolidation reduces the voids between the concrete and the aggregates, reinforcements or molds or forms. Well consolidated concrete will be stronger and of higher quality than concrete with honeycombing or voids. A concrete mix that is drier makes it harder to vibrate the concrete into place without over vibrating it trying to remove all of the air pockets. A wetter concrete mix helps with the placement and consolidation of the concrete but adding too much water can leave the finished concrete product weak and likely to fail early. There are concrete additives like Water Reducer or Super-Plasticizer that get added to a drier concrete mix and these admixtures give the same effect as adding more water making the concrete easier to place and consolidate without compromising the finished concrete strength. It is definitely possible to over vibrate the concrete as well. Too much vibrating makes the denser concrete components like the cement and aggregates sink to the bottom and the water that the concrete needs for the curing process will rise to the top compromising the overall strength and leaving the finished surface of the concrete much weaker and prone to cracking, crazing and spalling. So consolidating the concrete is an important step to a high strength, high quality finished product but try to avoid over vibrating as this can weaken your finished concrete surface and lead to early failure. Referral links to products featured in Creating Concrete videos - As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases https://amzn.to/3vtmang – interlock stone mold https://amzn.to/3VIEmDX – universal mold release https://amzn.to/3TQ9e30 – silicone mold release https://amzn.to/3J7Q2II – sonite sealing wax https://amzn.to/4cDYz3T – Quikcrete red pigment https://amzn.to/4cIlDOK – Quikcrete brown pigment https://amzn.to/43EuVHL – Quikcrete charcoal pigment https://amzn.to/3J0MLee – Quikcrete bonding adhesive (PVA) https://amzn.to/3xlzwlW – Quikcrete bonding adhesive 4L (PVA) https://amzn.to/4aiGGGg – Sika acrylic fortifier 4L https://amzn.to/3vqjdUw – Drylok hydraulic cement https://amzn.to/3J3aDhv – Bosch mortar mixing drill https://amzn.to/4aiwQUS – 4.5" diamond cup wheel https://amzn.to/4aisWvb – mortar mixing paddle whip https://amzn.to/49nsDOq – Budget mortar mixer and paddle https://amzn.to/4ayjR1z – Sea sponge set for texturing https://amzn.to/3xvpE96 – Masonry / grout sponges https://amzn.to/3TGrZ8H – Marshalltown margin trowel (rubber grip) https://amzn.to/3VEhntP – Marshalltown margin trowel (wood grip) https://amzn.to/3xujXbx – Marshalltown point trowel (rubber grip) https://amzn.to/3TCp9Se – Marshalltown point trowel (wood grip) https://amzn.to/4ale5A4 – Marshalltown 12" square trowel https://amzn.to/4aEsUNI – 16" pool trowel set https://amzn.to/43H3cpO – powdered concrete pigments https://amzn.to/4avz2Is – fine sponge float https://amzn.to/4cFsYPi – 5 gallon mixing bucket https://amzn.to/4cyIKeG – bulk acrylic paint set https://amzn.to/4aB9oBU – airbrush and compressor kit https://amzn.to/3U29Y6c – high range water reducer https://amzn.to/3TGModV – fiberglass reinforcement 3/4" strands https://amzn.to/4cEd87w – alkalai resistant chopped glass fibers 3/4" https://amzn.to/3J0YzNR – perlite 4 cubic foot bag (coarse) https://amzn.to/3xiCYxI – vermiculite 4 cubic foot bag (coarse) https://amzn.to/43H2xV8 – Aircrete FM-160 liquid foam maker https://amzn.to/4aHPFk9 – RTV 100% silicone (10 pack) https://amzn.to/3VKbWcS – Smooth-On Vytaflex 30 urethane rubber https://amzn.to/3xiEhg6 – Smooth-On skin safe liquid silicone rubber https://amzn.to/3VE04cj – slate texture skin https://amzn.to/3J0QEAb – bluestone texture skin https://amzn.to/3xmZfdR – basalt texture skin https://amzn.to/4aFjSQE – Variable speed wet grinder step sanding kit https://amzn.to/43I090s – 4.5 cubic foot cement barrel mixer 0.5hp #creatingconcrete #concrete #cementart