McClay Industries

McClay Industries Concrete technology and products that ensure durability and quality to construction projects.

How many ideal slabs have you built? CCAA T48 Industrial Floors and Pavement guide says pavements should ideally have no...
01/09/2026

How many ideal slabs have you built?
CCAA T48 Industrial Floors and Pavement guide says pavements should ideally have no joints at all. Everyone agrees. Almost nobody does it. (See section 2.2)

Why is it ideal to have no joints? Because joints tend to be the most vulnerable areas to wear and requiring repairs.

Construction joints are a logistics constraint. You can't design them away. Contraction joints, on the other hand, are different: they exist purely to decide where the slab cracks.

Jointless slabs don't stop cracking; they change the pattern, from a few wide cracks to many fine ones held tight by reinforcement. The trade: more cracks, in exchange for much narrower ones. Durability cares only about the crack width, not the number of cracks.

The cost: more & continuous reinforcement (or smarter reinforcement), maybe an additional slip layer, tighter restraint detailing, and curing that matters more.

Not right for every slab — small pours and tight programmes are reasonable places to stay jointed - but options exist that don't break the bank and can remove all contraction joints.

Slab that currently have two layers of steel, high wear requirements, washdown slabs, containment slabs, freezer slabs, basement slabs or aircraft hangers are all suited to a joint free solution.

If you need support in joint free slab design, contact us. 🙂

🌐 mcclay.au/solutions/joint-free-slabs | 📞 1300 443 549

AS 3600 allows three curing methods. Two of them can stop working.Clause 17.1.5.1: water applied to, accelerated curing ...
26/08/2026

AS 3600 allows three curing methods. Two of them can stop working.

Clause 17.1.5.1: water applied to, accelerated curing of, or water retained in the concrete. Table 4.4 sets the duration - 3 to 7 days depending on exposure class. The standard prescribes duration, not method.

Ponding stops. Hessian dries out. Sheeting lifts. All three external methods depend on someone maintaining them. Water retained in the mix can't be interrupted, walked on, or forgotten.

Huang et al. (2023, ES Materials & Manufacturing) tested colloidal nano-silica: internal RH held above 92% vs. continuous decline in the reference, drying shrinkage down ~15% at 7 days, sorptivity down 18%+.

Worth noting: no method has a defined sufficiency threshold — internal curing included. The standard trusts the process.

Want the full paper or the E5 technical data sheet? Get in touch.

🌐 https://zurl.co/qtGnz | 📞 1300 443 549

It's not the shrinkage that cracks the slab. It's the restraint.Concrete shrinks - that's a material property, not a def...
24/08/2026

It's not the shrinkage that cracks the slab. It's the restraint.

Concrete shrinks - that's a material property, not a defect. A slab free to move shortens quietly and stays intact. Cracking only happens when something holds it back: subgrade friction, columns, edge beams, adjacent pours.

Which means cracking is decided on the drawing board, not on the day:
— How much it shrinks (mix design, water content, curing)
— How much it's restrained (thickness, joint layout, pour size)
— How much tension it carries once cracked (reinforcement type & continuity)

Change one variable and the outcome changes.

What's the last spec change you made specifically to control cracking?

🌐 https://zurl.co/PTJbT | 📞 1300 443 549

18/08/2026

A good day on the tools starts with concrete that behaves.

E5 Internal Cure helps make finishing easier by controlling bleed water and keeping more moisture where it’s needed.

That can mean:

-less waiting for bleed water
-fewer surprises between loads
-more time to get the finish right

If you’re looking for a more predictable concrete mix on your next project, get in touch with us. Call us at 1300 443 549 or send us a message HERE.

Why add a secondary waterproofing system if the concrete itself can be designed to be watertight?For basements, podiums ...
17/08/2026

Why add a secondary waterproofing system if the concrete itself can be designed to be watertight?

For basements, podiums and roof slabs, waterproofing is often treated as something that happens after the structural design is complete.

- Design the concrete structure.
- Then add a membrane, coating or other secondary waterproofing system.

But there is another approach:
- Design the structural concrete element itself for watertight performance.

With Mi Concrete Design (https://zurl.co/CQdD0), engineers can assess reinforced and SteelX-reinforced concrete sections and design specifically for service crack widths below 0.10 mm.

(See the second image where adding 22kg/m3 of SteelX reduces the crack width from >0.40mm to

14/08/2026

🎥 On Site: Getting the slab ready for finishing

The roller tamper plays an important role immediately after screeding.

As it moves across the fresh concrete, it helps:
→ Push larger aggregate below the surface
→ Bring mortar and fines upward
→ Even out the surface before floating
→ Reduce the amount of work required during finishing

A small step in the placement process that can make a big difference to efficiency and finish quality.

Make concrete better.

📞 1300 443 549
✉️ [email protected]

13/08/2026

The best feedback often comes from the people on the tools.

On this pour, the finisher was genuinely surprised by the difference E5 made to the concrete.

More stable. More predictable. Easier to work with.

Combined with SteelX, it's another example of how the right concrete technology can make placement, finishing and long-term performance better for everyone on site.

If you're looking to improve concrete quality, reduce risk and make your next pour easier, we'd love to show you what's possible with SteelX and E5.

Get in touch with our team to discuss your next project. Call us at 1300 443 549.

Make Concrete Better.

Not every piece of equipment gets the spotlight. This one deserves it.Our SteelX blower is back on site, helping introdu...
06/08/2026

Not every piece of equipment gets the spotlight. This one deserves it.

Our SteelX blower is back on site, helping introduce SteelX into the concrete quickly, safely and efficiently.

It's a simple piece of equipment, but it plays an important role in making sure SteelX is incorporated into the mix with minimal disruption to the pour.

Less manual handling. A smoother installation process. Greater confidence on site.

The right tools make the biggest difference.

Interested in using SteelX on your next project? Give us a call on 1300 443 549 or visit https://zurl.co/uxONO.

Make Concrete Better.

04/08/2026

What does better concrete actually look like on site?

It’s not just higher strength or lower permeability.

It’s concrete that’s easier to pump, place, and finish with fewer surprises during the pour. That’s where E5 makes a difference.

By controlling water within the mix and curing concrete from the inside, E5 helps reduce bleed water and creates a more stable, workable mix.

The result?

A more consistent finish and a more predictable finishing window from the first truck to the last.

And when experienced concreters say the concrete feels easier to manage, that’s feedback worth listening to.

Call 1300 443 549 or visit our website https://zurl.co/qNk4X

Make Concrete Better.

30/07/2026

Workable concrete without adding water on site.

That’s the difference Brad Stevenson from A La Spec Concreting noticed when using E5 Internal Cure.

With 36 years of concreting experience, Brad knows what a manageable mix feels like, and E5 helped the concrete stay workable, pumpable, and easier to place without compromising the mix.

Better workability. Better control. Better outcomes. That’s how we make concrete better.

Talk to McClay Industries about using E5 on your next pour. Send us a DM 👷

Address

15 Kitney Close
Sunshine Coast, QLD
4556

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 5pm
Tuesday 7am - 5pm
Wednesday 7am - 5pm
Thursday 7am - 5pm
Friday 7am - 5pm

Telephone

+611300443549

Website

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