Sakrete Vs. Quikrete: Which Is The Better Concrete Mix?

Upgraded Home Team
by Upgraded Home Team
Sakrete and Quikrete are mentioned in the same breath as being the top concrete mixes on the market. Each product has distinct uses, and Sakrete is ideal for flat surfaces whereas Quikrete is better for sidewalks, curbs, and stairs. Whether it be purpose, price, or application, let’s take a look at the difference between Sakrete and Quikrete.

Both Sakrete and Quikrete are name-brand concrete mixes. Which leads us to the question, when fixing up your home, which brand should you go with? Is there one that’s better than the other? If so, in what ways?

Sakrete is sold at Home Depot and is ideal for flat surfaces and fence posts. You can buy Quikrete from Lowe’s, and it is great for curbs and sidewalks. Sakrete is cheaper than Quikrete, but Quikrete is much easier to prepare and work with.

However, there are a few other reasons why you may choose one brand over the other, such as the difference in cost, set time, and final endurance/PSI. This article will go over both sakrete and quikcrete to help you decide which is the better choice for your project.

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A Quick Look Into Sakrete

Sakrete has been around since 1936. They carry a wide variety of products, and most of their items are created for setting poles and rails on a flat surface. In the past few years, to compete against some of its major competitors, including Quikrete, Sakrete has developed new items to be used on other surfaces.

Sakrete’s Purpose

In general, Sakrete concrete mixtures are more suitable to be used on flat surfaces. They are most frequently used to set poles, posts, and slabs, especially for new construction projects. As a smaller manufacturer, Sakrete has a somewhat limited catalog. Nonetheless, the brand still provides plenty of products to cover most of your basic construction needs related to concrete work.

General Specs

Most of the Sakrete mixtures consist of sand, coarse aggregate materials, and cementitious materials to ensure long-lasting results. It is recommended to use Sakrete combinations when you are doing a pour of at least 1.5 – 2” deep for the best results.

Most Sakrete concrete mixture will conclude with a 4,000 psi within the first week, and the PSI is most likely to increase in the following weeks until the pour completely stabilizes.

If you are looking for something with a shorter set time for more urgent projects, Sakrete also has a quick set mix for that specific purpose.

Price & Distributors

Sakrete is one of the most affordable concrete mixes there is. Their products can be easily found at Home Depot and most other major or neighborhood hardware stores. However, before you purchase it, make sure that it’s the right type of product for your particular project.

Top 3 Sakrete Best Sellers

To offer you a bit additional insight, we sourced the three best-selling Sakrete products and put them into a comparison sheet.

PriceStrengthSet Time/Foot Traffic
Fast Setting Concrete Mix (50lb)$5.484,000 PSI30 min

Foot Traffic: 12hrs

The Original Concrete Mix (80lb)$4.554,000 PSIN/A

Foot Traffic: 24hrs

High Strength Concrete Mix (80lb)$6.945,000 PSIN/A

Foot Traffic: 24hrs

All these products are affordable and come in tight packaging that will allow you to purchase bulk for larger projects.

For a simple pole setting, the Fast Setting Concrete Mix will be your best choice. On the other hand, if you are working on a larger project, the High Strength Concrete Mix may be more suitable in the long run.

Fast Setting Concrete Mix

The fast setting concrete mix is the most convenient and flexible product provided by Sakrete, and they usually come in 50lb individual packaging, and some distributors will bundle the packages up.

Because this mixture sets so fast, it is perfect for setting up posts, fences, or even staircase railings. You’ll need to ensure you hold the structure in place while the mix sets.

The Original Concrete Mix

As the name suggests, this is Sakeret’s core product and what the company started with. These original concrete mixtures are suitable for almost any project as long as it is a flat surface.

They come in smaller bricks or larger bags, depending on the scale of the project you are working on.

High Strength Concrete Mix

The biggest perk about the high strength mix is that it provides additional protection against freezing weather. Many have found this to be the best option for outdoor projects, especially if they live in a colder area.

In addition, due to the materials used to make the high strength mix, this mixture can pour concrete countertops of as thin as 1.5” — an ability none of Sakret’s other products can compete with.

A Quick Look into Quikrete

On the other hand, Quikrete definitely offers a wider range of products compared to Sakrete. As the largest manufacturer of cement & concrete products, the name Quikrete alone stands for quality and assurance.

Quikret also carries other products other than concrete mixtures, such as adhesives, brick and wood materials, and other predesigned products for quicker remodeling.

Purpose Of Quikrete Concrete Mixtures

Quikrete concrete mixtures are designed for multi-surface usage. They are suitable for pouring curbs, steps, footings, ramps, and even sidewalks. You can use the concrete mixes for both new construction and quick fixups, thanks to their extensive product category offered to the consumers.

If you are not familiar with cement work, Quikrete’s got that part covered too. They actually have a detailed guide for homeowners who may not have professional construction knowledge. The guide will help them find the right products and complete their projects.

General Specs

In most cases, the Quikrete concrete mixture is made of sand, gravel, and Portland cement. If you are looking for something less strong but more flexible, Quikrete also offers mortar mixtures, which are softer than concrete.

Their concrete mixtures have a wide variety of set time, which can go from as short as 30 minutes to as long as 24 hours. However, the final specs are usually somewhere around 4,000 PSI within the first seven days.

Price & Distributors

Compared to Sakrete, Quikrete concrete mix is less affordable. However, Quikrete’s pricing was backed by brand credibility, outstanding aftercare, and customer support, as well as the extremely high quality of their products.

Most mid-to-large size hardware stores carry Quikrete products. If you are not sure about where to go, Lowe’s is a major Quikrete mixture distribution partner. You can never go wrong there.

Top 3 Quikrete Best Sellers

Similarly, we also gathered the top 3 best-selling Quikrete concrete/cement mixtures.

PriceStrengthSet Time/Foot Traffic
Fast Setting Quikrete (50lb)$5.487,000 PSI20-40 min

Foot Traffic: 12hrs

Crack Resistant Quikrete Concrete Mix (50lb)$5.254,000 PSI8-10 hours

Foot Traffic: 24hrs

Quikrete Concrete Mix (80lb)$4.554,000 PSI60 min

Foot Traffic: 24hrs

As you could clearly see, the Quikrete products are around $1 more expensive. This margin may seem small, but when you buy a big batch of product for a larger project, the numbers begin to pile up. That aside, let’s take a more in-depth look at each of the products.

Fast Setting Quikrete

Compared to the Fast Setting Sakrete Mix, the Quikrete Fast Setting Mix has a setting time of 20-40 minutes, depending on the environment you are working in.

This fast-setting mix is an all-time favorite of Quikrete users because of how easily it can be applied. It is excellent for working well for setting posts, setting posts with mixing, and air conditioning pads.

Upon completion, the final strength reaches an impressive 7,000 PSI – one of the highest among all available concrete mixtures. If you have a higher-maintenance project, it will be worth adding the Fast Setting Quikrete to your shopping list.

Crack Resistant Quikrete Concrete Mix

Similar to the winter-resistant high-strength concrete mix provided by Sakrete, Quikrete took this one step further and created an overall crack-resistant mix. This is perfect for outdoor projects that will take some harsh rain, snowing, and blazing heat.

Compared to most Sakret products that require at least 12 hours of the set time, this crack-resistant mix wins as it only takes a maximum of 8 hours to set. Within the first 24 hours, it will reach a decent 4,000 PSI.

Quikrete Concrete Mix

Just like how Sakrete has the Original Concrete Mix, Quikrete has its core mixture as well. This product was the beginning of everything and Quikrete’s most famous pillar product that has won a vast majority of consumers over the years.

The Quikrete Concrete Mix is suitable for patios, sidewalks, setting posts, steps, walls, curbs, and more. The set time is average, and the final strength naturally reaches the general 4,000 PSI threshold.

However, the fact that this concrete mix can be applied to multiple types of surfaces makes it way bigger of a return on investment compared to other products.

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Related Questions

Is Sakrete Play Sand safe?

Sakrete Play Sand is safe and made of silica similar to sand from any natural beach. You can increase the safety of Sakrete Play Sand by getting it moist to reduce the risk of inhalation.

Does Quikrete go bad?

Quikrete goes bad after 12 months, but it can go bad after 3 months if you don’t properly store it. Keep your Quikrete in a dark and dry place so that it stays good for a year or longer.

Wrapping Up

To make things easier, we summed up some critical points on Sakrete vs. Quikrete and put everything into the table below.

Sakrete vs. Quikrete Concrete Mixtures
SakreteQuikrete
PurposesPoles and posts, mostlyMulti-purpose, suitable for sidewalk, slabs, curbs, steps, footings, etc
Product RangeA limited number of products to choose fromGiant, comprehensive product lines
PricingAffordable pricingSlightly more expensive
ContentSand, coarse aggregate materials, and cementitious materialsSand, gravel, and Portland cement.
DistributorHome DepotLowes
Setting Time30 min – 24 hour, 8-12 hour on average30 min – 24 hour depends on the product
Strength2,500 – 5,000 PSI4,000 – 7,000 PSI

Make your decision according to the type of project you are working on. Remember, Sakrete is more affordable and more suitable for setting posts and poles, whereas Quikrete is more expensive whereas more applicable for different surfaces.

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Upgraded Home Team
Upgraded Home Team

We are a team of passionate homeowners, home improvement pros, and DIY enthusiasts who enjoy sharing home improvement, housekeeping, decorating, and more with other homeowners! Whether you're looking for a step-by-step guide on fixing an appliance or the cost of installing a fence, we've here to help.

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