Drum or Volley?
When ordering concrete, there are two options: drum or volumetric. This refers to the type of concrete wagon the concrete in transported and installed with. But which of these options is best? That depends on the kind of job it is.
Drum Mixer
Drum mixers are the traditional method, with the large rotating drum that keeps the concrete from setting or “going off” in the drum. For decades this was the only option, with the first commercial drum mixer developed in 1900 by T.L. Smith in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This was trailer-mounted, and pioneered concrete delivery globally.
Today, drum mixers are the leading method of concrete delivery in the U.S. The issue with a drum is the lack of adjusting the grade or consistency. You have to order – and pay for – an exact amount whether you use it or not.
On the other hand, drum mixers can typically transport 12 cubic-metres of concrete which helps for larger commercial jobs.
Volumetric
The other method is a volumetric concrete wagon. Entirely different to a drum mixer, a volumetric stores stone, sand, cement and water separately. This allows for mixing concrete on-site and having full control of the grade and consistency. The first volumetric wagons were developed in the U.S. in 1965, becoming more efficient over the following decades.
Volumetric systems support up to 8 cubic-metres of concrete per full-load, although most modern wagons can support loads as much as 11 cubic-metres.
Both methods of concrete delivery are in effect today, although volumetric wagons are more prominent in the UK due to their versatility when it comes to small jobs as well as large.
To conclude, drum mixers are more suited for very large construction jobs. For anything else (e.g. small home renovations, extensions, slabs, foundations in general) a volumetric has proven the most cost-effective and practical choice.