Sakrete vs. Quikrete, Which Is the Better Choice?

When concreting an area of your home, should you use a Sakrete or Quikrete concrete mix? For those individuals who are unfamiliar with Sakrete and Quikrete, here’s a little summary of these two products.

Sakrete is a name-brand concrete mix and is commonly used for things like fence posts and a variety of flat surfaces.It’s generally made from a mixture of sand, coarse aggregate materials, and cementitious materials.

Quikrete, on the other hand, is another name-brand product of concrete mix. Quikrete is commonly used to repair sidewalks, curbs, ramps, steps, and footings. Quikrete is typically made from a blend of sand, gravel, and Portland cement.

When you compare the two, there’s not a whole lot of difference in their composition.

Even though Sakrete and Quikrete may vary in the materials they’re made up of, sometimes the packaging companies who package the concrete mixtures for Sakrete and Quikrete will use the same materials for both kinds of mixes. Why?

The price to ship aggregate across the country can be quite high, so a company may just make the mixture out of local materials instead as a way to save money. This is allowed because companies that sell concrete mixes are not bound to any specific ASTM standards.

Sakrete vs. Quikrete

Although Sakrete and Quikrete are alike in many ways, there are a few other differences between them as well.

Sakrete tends to have big pebbles in their mix, even though their composition is similar. So, you might have to put enough cement down to cover the rocks. Quikrete, on the other hand, is usually easier to mix and work with.

Quikrete is sold at Home Depot while Sakrete is sold at Lowes. Quikrete also tends to be a couple of dollars more.

In addition to this, Quikrete offers its customers a larger array of products. Now, that’s not to say that Sakrete doesn’t offer their customers quite a few products either, because they do, but with Quikrete, you get more choices. Besides those differences, Sakrete and Quikrete are really alike. The choice is really up to you.

Quikrete vs. Concrete: Is Quikrete as strong as concrete?

Quikrete makes both mortar and concrete mixes, but which one is the strongest, and what are each of their uses? Concrete is composed of Portland cement, sand, and coarse stone. Mortar, on the other hand, is a mixture of cement, lime, and sand.

Concrete is specifically designed to create foundations, steps, large flat surfaces, and even ramps. Mortar’s main purpose is to hold bricks, blocks, and stones together. It’s much softer than concrete, and because walls move over time, the mortar will adjust to the wall’s movement and keep them from moving too much. Between the two, concrete is definitely stronger than Quikrete’s mortar mix.

How long does it take for Quikrete and Sakrete to set and what’s the average strength?

Both Quikrete and Sakrete set about the same amount of time. However, it’s important to read the instructions on the side of the packages, because different products will vary in their cure times.

Both Sakrete and Quikrete have a variety of set times. Some of their products set from 20 to 40 minutes while others take 8 to 10 hours.

In addition to this, the average strength of both Quikrete and Sakrete products is about 4000 PSI (pounds per square inch). Now, the strength of the different products can also vary as well. To give you a better understanding of the products that Quikrete and Sakrete offer, examine the list below and see which ones are right for your home improvement projects.

Sakrete and Quikrete products

Quikrete Concrete Mix

This Quikrete concrete mix works well for patios, sidewalks, setting posts, steps, walls, curbs, and more. The set time is normal, and the average strength is 4000 PSI.

Fast Setting Quikrete

This is a concrete mixture that has very limited uses but works well for setting posts, setting posts with mixing, and air conditioning pads. The set time is only 20 to 40 minutes, and the overall strength is 7000 PSI. Now that’s incredible.

Crack Resistant Quikrete Concrete Mix

This is a great choice for sidewalks, driveway aprons, steps, curbs, air conditioning pads, floors, and concrete parking lots. The set time is about 8 to 10 hours, and this mixture has a 4000 PSI rating.

Sakrete Fast Setting Concrete Mix

This concrete mix will set in 30 minutes, has a strength of 4000 PSI, and works great for stairs, ramps, curbs, fence posts, patios, and much more.

Sakrete Maximizer Concrete Mix

If you’re looking for tough, this mixture has a maximum strength of 5500 PSI. Now that’s quality. You’ll also get 67% more coverage when you use this mixture. However, the only downside is that it takes about 8 to 10 hours to set fully.

Sakrete Crack Resistant Concrete Mix

To prevent your concrete surfaces and structures from cracking, Sakrete designed a crack-resistant concrete mixture. This mixture has a strength rating of 4000 PSI and is a great choice for driveways, slabs, curbs, stairs, and much more.

A final thought

If you’re trying to choose between Sakrete and Quikrete, you need first to decide what you’re going to do with it. Both of these products are very similar, with only a few minor differences.

The thing you really need to decide on is whether you should use a concrete mix or a mortar mix. Mortar is a better choice for holding bricks, stones, or boulders together, whereas concrete is a better choice for both large structures and flat surfaces. The choice is yours.

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Mike Bailey

Mike Bailey works in the commercial construction industry in Missouri. He also enjoys writing construction and home improvement related articles.

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