What are the different types of concrete?

General

From the foundations beneath your feet to the buildings around you, concrete is a material that’s used for countless purposes. Its versatility and strength make it a top pick for construction work, but not all types of concrete are the same. Some are better suited for specific projects, and that’s what we’re here to help with.

Understanding the vast types of concrete is essential for anyone involved in construction to ensure durability, safety, and cost-efficiency. That’s why in this blog, we’ll look into all the different types of concrete, the classifications, and grades.

The category classification of concrete

What are the types of concrete? Well, first, let’s start with the categories of concrete. Industry standards help to simplify these categories, and according to British standards, concrete is sorted into four broad categories, each reflecting how mixes are designed and used. Let’s explore them further and learn about their uses and properties.

Designated concrete

These are pre-designed concrete mixes, specified by their intended application rather than their exact mix proportions. This helps with selecting what’s needed for common construction projects:

General Concrete (GEN): Ideal for non-structural uses such as bedding and blinding, where strength requirements aren’t as critical.
Reinforced Concrete (RC): Incorporates embedded steel reinforcement to support structural loads, essential for buildings, bridges, and industrial floors.
Paving Concrete (PAV): Formulated for outdoor surfaces, it resists freeze-thaw cycles and weathering, perfect for roads, pathways, and patios.
Foundation Concrete (FND): Designed with sulphate resistance in mind, suited to foundations exposed to aggressive soils and groundwater.

Designed concrete

Here, the concrete mix is carefully planned by the engineer or builder who decides the exact amounts of materials (e.g. portland cement, aggregates, chemical admixtures) to get the right strength and performance for a specific job. This could be geared towards further durability, workability, or resistance to weathering. For example, a designed concrete could be made with a durable, weather-resistant mix for bridges to withstand heavy traffic loads.

Standardised prescribed concrete (SPC)

The traditional approach to concrete specification, SPC, is when mixes are fixed proportions of cement, sand, and aggregate, categorised into grades ST1 through ST5. These mixes are common when standards need to be maintained, such as small-scale or routine construction projects, like domestic floors or simple pavements.

However, unlike designed or designated concrete, SPC does not guarantee a specific strength or tailored performance. This limitation means SPC may not be suitable for projects that require high durability, heavy structural loads, or chemical resistance.

Proprietary concrete

These types of concrete are specialised products that are engineered by manufacturers to deliver solutions for particular challenges (e.g. when rapid repair is needed or resistance to concrete). They usually include additives that enhance properties like rapid setting, high-strength, or chemical resistance.

Types of concrete strength and grade

Concrete strength is one of the most important factors when choosing the right type for your project. Strength is measured by how much pressure the concrete can handle after 28 days, shown in Newtons per square millimetre (N/mm²), and the higher the number, the stronger the concrete.

Standard concrete grades

These are common concrete mixes that are widely used in many different types of construction projects. Whether you’re working on small residential jobs or larger commercial builds, these grades offer a good balance of strength and versatility to meet typical building needs. They cover everything from simple non-structural work such as footpaths and garden edging, to more demanding applications like floors, foundations, and driveways.

C7/8 (GEN 0) / 7N/mm²: Low strength, used for things like kerb bedding and small non-structural jobs.
C10 (GEN 1) / 10N/mm²: A versatile mix for foundations and drainage works.
C15 (GEN 2) / 15N/mm²: Good for floors without metal reinforcement, like domestic flooring.
C20 (GEN 3) / 20N/mm²: Used for garages, driveways, and house foundations.
C25 (ST 2) / 25N/mm²: A multipurpose mix for many construction needs.
C30 (PAV1/ST 3) / 30N/mm²: Ideal for roads and pavements with added weather resistance.
C35 (PAV2) / 35N/mm²: Heavy-duty concrete for commercial buildings and walls.
C40 / 40N/mm²: High-strength concrete for structural use and chemical-resistant areas.

Reinforced concrete grades

Reinforced concrete (RC) is concrete that contains embedded steel reinforcement bars or mesh, which significantly improves its tensile strength. While plain concrete is strong in compression, it can crack or fail under tension. The steel reinforcement helps the concrete handle bending, stretching, and heavy loads.

The reason for the different RC grades is to suit certain structural requirements and environmental conditions. For example, lighter structural work like house floors may use lower-strength grades, while industrial or marine structures exposed to heavy loads, weathering, or chemicals require higher-strength, more durable grades. Let’s take a look:

RC20/25 (25N/mm2): For light reinforcement in house floors and foundations.
RC25/30 (30N/mm2): Suitable for mildly exposed structures.
RC28/35 (35N/mm2): For moderate exposure and farm buildings.
RC32/40 (40N/mm2): Used in industrial settings with moderate to high exposure.
RC35/45 (45N/mm2): Heavy-duty concrete for tough industrial and agricultural environments.
RC40/50 (50N/mm2): The strongest grade, designed for severe exposure conditions.

Speciality concrete types

Some projects need that extra little bit more beyond just strength and everyday use. These specialised types of concrete are made to meet some relatively niche requirements. Below, we explore the main categories of these speciality concretes designed to tackle those specific needs:

Lightweight concrete

Lightweight concrete is less dense than regular concrete, usually achieved by using lighter aggregates or incorporating air bubbles. Because of its lower density, it offers several benefits, including reduced dead load on structures, improved thermal insulation, and enhanced fire resistance. It’s often used in multi-storey buildings, roof slabs, partition walls, and insulation layers:

Foamed concrete (Aircrete): Contains lots of tiny air bubbles, making it light and good for filling spaces or insulating.
Lightweight aggregate concrete: Uses lighter materials like volcanic pumice instead of regular gravel.
Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC): A factory-made product that’s light and insulating.

High-performance concrete

High-performance concrete (HPC) is engineered for situations where regular concrete cannot meet the project’s strength, durability, or workability requirements. It typically offers higher compressive strength, improved durability, better resistance to environmental exposure, and enhanced long-term performance.

HPC is ideal for demanding applications such as long-span bridges, high-rise buildings, marine structures, and industrial floors where standard mixes might fail to provide the necessary performance.:

Self-compacting concrete (SCC): Flows easily into moulds without needing vibration, making it great for complex shapes, heavily reinforced structural elements, and architectural facades.
Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC): Extremely strong and is usually used when the highest durability is needed. Often used for bridge components, high-rise building columns, and areas exposed to severe weather.
High-performance self-consolidating concrete (HPSCC): A mix of easy flow and very high strength. Used for precast panels, intricate structural elements, and infrastructure projects requiring both durability and precision.

Fibre-reinforced concrete

Contains small, uniformly distributed fibres made from steel, glass, synthetic polymers, carbon, or natural plant fibres that are mixed throughout. These fibres act like tiny reinforcements, helping to control cracking caused by shrinkage, temperature changes, or heavy loads. By distributing stress more evenly, the fibres boost the concrete’s toughness, impact resistance, and long-term durability.

Steel fibre reinforced concrete: For industrial floors needing extra toughness. E.g. warehouse loading bays that handle heavy forklift traffic.

Glass fibre reinforced concrete: Lightweight and strong, making it popular in architectural panels. E.g. decorative façades

Synthetic fibre reinforced concrete: Uses plastic fibres to reduce cracking during drying. Used in driveways and footpaths.

Carbon fibre reinforced concrete: Offers top-level strength and is great for repairs, for instance, strengthening bridge decks without adding much weight.

Natural fibre reinforced concrete: Made with materials like hemp or jute, adding sustainability. Often used in eco-friendly housing projects for non-structural panels.

Previous and permeable concrete

These types of concrete allow water to pass through the surface, helping to manage large influxes of water and reduce flooding by preventing surface water build-up. They are a key component of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS), supporting environmentally friendly water management in parking areas, pavements, driveways, and pedestrian zones. By allowing rainwater to infiltrate naturally, they also help recharge groundwater, reduce runoff, and prevent erosion.

Pervious concrete: Very porous, allowing water to pass directly through the surface rather than pooling, meaning it’s ideal for parking areas and pavements to drain water naturally.
Permeable concrete: Has characteristics similar to pervious concrete except it’s designed to keep strength while allowing water flow. Great for use in heavy-duty pavements where load-bearing capacity is important.

Precast concrete

These are factory-made concrete pieces, such as beams, slabs, and panels, that can be assembled on-site. They’re manufactured in controlled factory conditions so that the quality and strength are consistent. Once cured, they’re transported to the site.

They’re great for faster construction, as large elements can be made in advance. That’s not all. Precast concrete can also reduce on-site labour, as a significant amount of the work is completed in the factory, and minimises delays, as factory production avoids potential delays from weather-related issues.

Flat slabs: Simple reinforced slabs that are useful for many types of buildings, such as offices and car parks.
Hollow core slabs: Lightweight with hollow sections to reduce weight, often used in multi-storey applications and commercial floors.
Double T slabs: Strong T-shaped slabs used for longer spans, commonly used in warehouses and factories.
Precast beams and girders: Structural parts for buildings and bridges.

Aggregate-based classification

Aggregates contribute to the concrete’s strength, durability, and workability. By using aggregates, you can change certain properties of the concrete you’re working with depending on the type and size, and understanding the differences helps in choosing the right mix for your project.

By aggregate types

The type of aggregate used in concrete can impact its strength, weight, and durability. Different sources and processing methods give each type of aggregate unique characteristics.

Natural aggregate concrete: Uses materials like river sand, gravel, and crushed stone sourced from natural deposits. This is one of the most common aggregate choices and is great for residential foundations, roads, sidewalks, and general-purpose structural elements.
Manufactured aggregate concrete: Incorporates industrial by-products or processed materials (crushed slag or expanded clay) made to improve performance. Often used in lightweight construction, thermal insulation panels, and speciality architectural elements.
Recycled aggregate concrete: Uses crushed concrete or other recycled materials (e.g. reclaimed asphalt, crushed brick or industrial by-products like slag), promoting sustainability while maintaining strength. Sometimes used in road sub-base layers, pavements, non-structural walls, and eco-friendly building projects.

By aggregate size

Aggregate size also plays a key role in concrete being mixed, placed and cured. It could be from fine sand to large stones, but the size of these directly affects the concrete’s workability, finish and load capacity.

Fine aggregate concrete: Contains particles smaller than 4mm, mainly sand, which helps in achieving a smooth finish and good workability.
Coarse aggregate concrete: Contains larger particles like gravel or crushed stone, which provide strength and resistance to wear.

Ready to take your concrete project to the next level?

Whether you’re planning a small repair or a major structural build, the right tools and treatments can make all the difference to your concrete’s performance and finish. From ensuring strength and durability to protecting against weather and wear, quality products help your work remain strong.

Explore our full range of formwork & concreting products, including curing agents, sealers, waterproofing solutions, formwork treatments and essential site ancillaries to get great results on every project. Not sure which products suit your needs? Our team is here to help. Contact us for advice today.

By Katie Taylor