Cement serves various purposes and it comes in different forms. One of the most commonly used forms of concrete is cement mix that comes in large bags or sacks.
You can implement it by pouring the mixture with water and applying it to the needed space. But what if the concrete gets hard? What can you do with a hardened bag of concrete? Is it all wasted or can you still find creative ways to use it?
While it’s unfortunate that the concrete has become hardened, you can still get creative with it. One of the most common uses is to create DIY stepping stones, or can be used for terraces, embankments, and other landscaping projects.
You can also use it for creating fire pits, benches, planters, and other outdoor furniture. If you have a large enough space, you can even build a wall or retaining wall with hardened concrete. You may need to break up the hardened bags into several pieces before beginning your projects.
Reason Behind Cement Becomes Hard
A premix bag of cement consists of ingredients mixed with aggregate and water. Over time, the aggregate and water mix until it becomes hardened concrete.
In general, premix cement will remain dry if properly stored. However, if it gets wet, it will start to harden due to the reaction between water and cement. This is called the hydration process and it’s the same reason why poured concrete hardens. The longer it’s exposed to water, the harder it will become.
During the hydration process, the primary compound of concrete creates chemical bonds with water molecules turning combinations into products of hydration or hydrates. You will be left with a solid and dense concrete block after hardening.
Your dry premix of cement can become wet and turn solid if moisture enters the sacks of cement.
It occurs if concrete bags that are stored in the open or in unprotected conditions become exposed to the elements such as rain, water spills, and humidity. Therefore, it’s important to store your cement in a dry area that is not exposed to moisture.
Seven Ways To Use Hardened Concrete bags
Gardens And Terraces
You can utilize hard concrete bags to make terraces as an attractive landscape project. One way is to use hard concrete bags like steps for smaller hills. You can also use them as an embankment for holding soil and creating garden beds.
Check how many steps are required for the project and break up the hardened bags into smaller pieces. Utilize one bag of hard concrete for each, or you can cut those hard cement bags into some functional blocks with a saw.
Create the path to your garden or terrace and also create the steps with the necessary height. Make sure to compact each piece properly by using a hand tamper.
Spruce Your Garden Up
The most common use of hard concrete is for landscaping projects. Again, they can be used for embankments, fire pits, and planters. Let your imagination go wild and create a visually appealing yard with these hardened bags.
You can make raised beds or vertical planters to spruce up your garden. The best part is that you don’t need any specialized tools for this project. You can use the hard cement blocks as building blocks of your raised beds.
Wall Retaining
Utilize hardened concrete bags for creating the retaining wall. You can use a shovel to dig out where the wall’s first layer resides. Place your bags on the end of the concrete until you have the desired length.
From there, you can use whatever hard concrete bags you have and continue with those until you reach the desired height. Compact each layer as you go, and consider using a leveler to make sure everything is even. When you’re done, cover your wall with soil or pebbles for an added aesthetic touch.
Backfill
For the majority of landscaping projects, backfills are essential. The hard concrete bags can help you with this as well. Take the hardened concrete bags, break them apart, and form a flat surface or any other design you would like to make.
Make sure that the backfilled material is properly compacted and packed in layers- just like the retaining wall project mentioned earlier.
Raised Beds
Raised beds look beautiful, yet a functional landscape project can be quite challenging. Making it from hard concrete bags is much easier and cost-effective.
Start by making a design for your bed, covering the area with hard concrete bags, and compacting them well into the ground. You can also consider adding a liner to keep backfill material intact or spread pebbles around for an added aesthetic touch.
Amazing Driveway Border
You can also utilize hardened cement mix to create a striking border for your driveway or a grand entrance to your house. Simply break the hardened bags apart and use them as the border for your driveway.
Aside from boosting your driveway’s curb appeal, the hard concrete bags can also prevent soil and grass from spilling over to your driveway.
Functional Landscapes
If you are a bit of a green thumb, your hard cement mix bags will be helpful to create a durable, gorgeous, and functional space to grow florals, veggies, and so on. Take advantage of the hard concrete bags to divide the area, create walls, and make raised beds.
Use them as steps to make the process easier and to ensure the even distribution of soil. You can also use these bags for planters, trellises, and more.
Final Thoughts
In almost everything, there’s a silver lining and the same goes with hardened cement bags. While you won’t be able to use them like how they’re originally intended, you can still make the most of them.
From making pathways to creating a striking driveway border, there is no shortage of creative ideas that you can do with hardened bags of concrete. You just have to think outside the box and use your imagination! Whatever project you have in mind, we hope that this guide has been helpful in some way.
