There are many building projects in home environments that require the use of concrete. It's a versatile, durable material that is fairly cheap and easy to handle even if you're not a professional builder. One application that can be used when you're using concrete for a project on your property is a vibrator. Industrial vibrating equipment is of great help when using concrete, as it forces all the air out of the material, making it denser and more prone to last for a long time. In order to use a concrete vibrator properly, you need to make sure you know how to handle it before you start using it in your concrete. To achieve that, there are a few things you should think about.

Place the vessel properly

The first thing you need to think about is the placement of the vessel you're using to vibrate the concrete. You should place it as close to the place where you wish to pour your concrete as possible. An internal concrete vibrator doesn't make it impossible to move the vessel around, but the issue is with the concrete itself. After you've finished the vibrating process, the concrete is dense and without internal air bubbles. Moving the vessel causes the concrete to move around and possibly form new air bubbles, which makes the vibration obsolete. Place the vessel close to the pouring site and avoid handling it too much in order to prevent the concrete from moving.

Get all of the concrete moving

You also need to make sure that all concrete in the vessel has been vibrated before you finish the process. Use a spatula to remove concrete from the edges of the vessel where it might have gotten stuck so that it's not affected by the vibrations. Be careful not to whisk any of the vibrating concrete to avoid making the process take longer. You should also make sure that you're wearing sturdy, long gloves to minimise the risk of you getting injured while operating inside the vessel.

How to tell when it's finished

You should also be careful to not under-vibrate the concrete by stopping the vibrator too quickly, as this will give a less satisfying result. Make sure that no large bubbles are rising to the surface and that there aren't any whirls in the concrete, as it might be from the beginning of the vibration process. The surface should be smooth and somewhat shiny, as cement paste most likely will rise to the surface as a result of the vibration. When you're certain that it's done, be very careful when pulling the vibrator out of the concrete. Try getting it out in a slow, controlled movement that doesn't allow the concrete to form more bubbles.