Shotcrete vs Gunite - The Key Differences

On the What Is Gunite page, we talked briefly about the differences between gunite and shotcrete. We will go into some more detail here.

Shotcrete and gunite are both different forms of pneumatically applied concrete. “Pneumatically applied” means that the concrete is applied under pressure through a hose and a nozzle or “gun” instead of poured into forms like traditional concrete.

Gunite can be an umbrella terms for both gunite and shotcrete, but in the swimming pool business, gunite and shotcrete refer to different things.

Gunite

Gunite is a dry-mix concrete or a mixture of cement and sand that flows through a hose, and water is added at the last minute at the nozzle. The person handling the nozzle uses his or her skill and experience to increase or decrease the amount of water added depending on the project and the behavior of the concrete.

Shotcrete

Shotcrete, on the other hand, is a wet-mix concrete. That means that the concrete is already mixed with water before it flows through the hose. The wet mix is typically delivered to the jobsite in a cement-mixer truck.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each, and your professional gunite person should be the one to decide what to use depending on the application. For example, clean-up is easier and faster with gunite (the dry mix) because it is dry. However, shotcrete tends to create slightly less rebound. Both gunite and shotcrete have their place in construction and repair of concrete surfaces.

Union Gunite is available for all your gunite needs in the Houston, Texas area. Contact us using the convenient form on our Contact page.