I've had a big builder's bag of ballast in the garden for a few years,
when I went to make up some concrete there were roots in it.

If I pull the biggest ones out is it OK to use?

Maybe not for foundations as the roots could grow and crack?

advice please...

[george]

George Miles Wrote in message:
I've had a big builder's bag of ballast in the garden for a few years,
when I went to make up some concrete there were roots in it.

If I pull the biggest ones out is it OK to use?

Maybe not for foundations as the roots could grow and crack?

advice please...

[george]


That suggests to me the ballast is possibly contaminated with
organic matter other than "roots" ? (roots of what?) Any such
contamination will not be good for concrete longevity, it all
needs to be "clean".

Has the bag been folded or covered over all these years? Or open
to the elements?

May be as well to use it on paths or somesuch & buy fresh for
concreting?

--
Jimk


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It needs to be heated to a high temperature if you want to use it I think,
to kill of anything organic.
Brian

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"Jimk" wrote in message
o.uk...
George Miles Wrote in message:
I've had a big builder's bag of ballast in the garden for a few years,
when I went to make up some concrete there were roots in it.

If I pull the biggest ones out is it OK to use?

Maybe not for foundations as the roots could grow and crack?

advice please...

[george]


That suggests to me the ballast is possibly contaminated with
organic matter other than "roots" ? (roots of what?) Any such
contamination will not be good for concrete longevity, it all
needs to be "clean".

Has the bag been folded or covered over all these years? Or open
to the elements?

May be as well to use it on paths or somesuch & buy fresh for
concreting?

--
Jimk


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

It was covered, but a few leaves have got in there,
thinking back it could have been there for 5 years..
so just use it for non structural jobs like paths

[g]


On Friday, November 29, 2019 at 7:34:13 AM UTC, JimK wrote:
George Miles Wrote in message:
I've had a big builder's bag of ballast in the garden for a few years,
when I went to make up some concrete there were roots in it.

If I pull the biggest ones out is it OK to use?

Maybe not for foundations as the roots could grow and crack?

advice please...

[george]


That suggests to me the ballast is possibly contaminated with
organic matter other than "roots" ? (roots of what?) Any such
contamination will not be good for concrete longevity, it all
needs to be "clean".

Has the bag been folded or covered over all these years? Or open
to the elements?

May be as well to use it on paths or somesuch & buy fresh for
concreting?

--
Jimk


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/