Ways on How Recycled Concrete Products are Used in Construction Projects

When any concrete structure, road, sidewalk or parking lot is destroyed, that concrete is often deposited in a landfill. Concrete is not biodegradable and unfortunately, will not decompose. Rather, it sits there taking up space and causing environmental problems. At the same time, new concrete is being created to begin the process all over again.

There is a solution to this wasteful, expensive cycle. It’s recycling!

You can do so much with reclaimed concrete aggregates. In fact, you can do pretty much all the same things you could do with fresh quarry products (like gravel) but save money.

If you have never considered using recycled concrete at your worksite, you could be missing out. Recycled concrete has numerous economic and environmental benefits, and can be used in many commercial, industrial and residential applications.

What Is Recycled Concrete?

Recycled concrete, also called ‘crush concrete’ is a concrete aggregate manufactured using preexisting concrete from demolished structures, sidewalks and roadways.

Recycling crushed concrete to be reused helps reduce landfill crowding AND saves more resources from being used to create new concrete. Old concrete can be crushed down to specific sizes, cleaned so that unwanted debris is removed from the mixture, and reused as a solution to several construction and landscaping problems.

Where Recycled Concrete Can Be Used

Drainage

When it rains, where does the water go? With the right landscaping, hopefully into your trenches and drains, then away from your buildings and pathways. But exposed drains aren’t exactly pretty, and might even cause a safety hazard in some homes and workplaces. A great solution is to cover your drains and surrounding areas with recycled concrete pebble mix. These are the perfect shape and size to let water through, but keep debris out of your drains.

Base

Crushed recycled concrete is perfect for laying down under road constructions, driveways, and pathways. It compacts nicely, providing a firm foundation and barrier between the ground and top layers.

Paths and driveways

Recycled concrete isn’t just suited for laying a base, it’s also good enough to use on its own. You can use recycled concrete aggregates to create paths and driveways that are easy to walk/drive on while offering better drainage and cost-effectiveness than most other materials.

Clean concrete that’s been broken up into uniform pieces creates a porous surface that’s stable enough for traffic, while allowing rainwater to permeate the ground underneath, minimising runoff. This is a double-win for the environment, reducing rainwater loss and using a recycled product.

Under-slab

Before you lay down a concrete slab or foundation, it’s good practice to smooth out and compact the ground first. Recycled concrete (particularly crusher dust) is perfect for this. You can also use it to create a firm and level pad to support water tanks, containers, or even a temporary site office.

Decoration and Mulch

Recycled concrete aggregates can be kind of pretty, don’t you think? They’re a hard-wearing, long-lasting option for garden mulch and look great in rock gardens, surrounding hardy plants that like dry conditions.

Of course, you should only use the best quality recycled aggregate concrete for highly visible, decorative work (and really, any kind of construction work). So always ensure you work with a reputable supplier that uses clean, high-quality concrete and a powerful concrete reclaimer that sorts products into uniform sizes.

Landscaping and Retaining Walls

When you build a retaining wall, you’ll first need to install the rock, brick, or concrete structure so that it’s not in contact with the soil behind it. Then once the wall is up, you’ll need to backfill the gap between the retaining wall and the soil. Recycled concrete aggregates are the perfect material for backfill as they provide good drainage and ensure the wall and soil don’t collapse.

You can get similar benefits from using recycled concrete products in your raised garden beds. After constructing the walls of your garden bed, use recycled concrete in the base to provide drainage, before adding your topsoil and plants.

You might’ve also noticed the recent trend towards using wire wall cages and baskets in landscaping. These are filled with functional and/or decorative rocks (larger concrete aggregates are perfect for these) and used as retaining walls, fences, or screens.