Welcome to the Homeowner’s Page
Wingra Redi-Mix Inc. is committed to providing quality concrete to our customers. In the last 25 years new raw materials have 
become available to our industry that have allowed us to make our product even more durable. Portland Cement is a critical component in concrete, it is the glue that makes concrete strong. While Portland Cement is critical it has drawbacks. The cement industry has changed drastically in the last few years, at one time there were many cement manufacturing companies that provide ample sources of material. That is not the case anymore; the cement industry has consolidated most of these smaller companies into five major world companies. At the same time cement consumption has increased to the point that demand has at times exceeded supply.
Cement is expensive to produce, and the price of Portland Cement has increased greatly. Cement requires great amounts of fuel to be changed from the raw material to the end product. The production of cement also causes emissions, the production of one ton of cement results in one ton of carbon dioxide. This has lead to the introduction of new cementious materials which have become available to our industry. Extensive research in the concrete industry has allowed us to incorporate materials into concrete that at one time went straight to landfills. Fly Ash, a byproduct of burning coal, is such a product. It was found that replacing a portion of the Portland Cement with Fly Ash produced a better concrete. Fly Ash is much finer then cement, and as a result makes denser concrete that is more durable. Wingra Redi-Mix began utilizing Fly Ash in the early 1980s and continues to today.
In the last few years another product has become available to our industry Slag Cement. Slag Cement is a byproduct of Steel production, with this product we have been able to replace more Portland Cement. Wingra is now able to supply concrete that incorporates all three components, Portland Cement, Fly Ash and Slag Cement, this end product is extremely durable and much more environmentally friendly. When ordering concrete, ask us about Green Concrete.
Do’s and Don’ts
If you have recently purchased concrete or are thinking of purchasing in the future, Wingra Redi-Mix Inc. would like to provide you with some do’s and don’ts.
Do’s
- Locate a quality contractor; a good contractor is critical for a successful project. Please see our Contractor Referrals page. By choosing a quality contractor you can be assured that proper drainage and cracking will be addressed. Contact us so that we can provide you with a list of quality contractors.
- Request that your contractor utilize concrete containing recycled material, by doing so you will receive the best quality concrete available, and will be doing your part to help save the environment.
- Provide proper curing of your freshly placed concrete, either by water curing or the application of curing compound. By providing a good cure you will help the concrete gain strength, and make it more durable.
- Request that your concrete contractor return at the proper time and apply a good quality sealer to your concrete. If you prefer you may purchase sealer from us and our staff can instruct you on how to apply it yourself. Sealer will protect your concrete from salt damage, aid in strength gain, and also protect concrete from staining.
Don’ts
- Drive on concrete for 7 days after it is placed.
- Place concrete when temperatures are expected to freeze within 7 days unless proper planning is in place to protect the concrete. Strength gain of concrete is the result of a process called “hydration”. Temperature of the concrete must remain above freezing for hydration to take place. If the concrete lacks this protection it will not gain adequate strength and be prone to surface failure.
- Allow ice or snow to accumulate on concrete less then 1 year old.
- Apply salt or ice melting chemicals to concrete less then 1 year old. New concrete can be greatly damaged by these products. Use sand during the first year to minimize this problem.
By following these guidelines you can avoid problems in the future and look forward to long lasting concrete. If you have questions about your concrete feel free to E-mail us at ron.carlson@wingraredimix.com