You can either mix concrete by hand or with a mixing bucket, either way, there is a certain viscosity you need in the concrete before applying it in a job. The amount of water needed for a mix is dependent on the wetness of the sand. After deciding what concrete mix you will use, never ever change the ratio of cement, sand, and gravel. The mix should not be soupy or very liquid, it should be more of a mush. The concrete should be able to stick together without crumbling. If the concrete mix is too dry, add small amounts of water, and if the mix is too wet, add cement, sand, and gravel in the ratio you started with.

To use a concrete mixer, measure all ingredients beforehand and follow these steps:

1. Load all of your coarse aggregate and half of the measured water into the mixer while it isn’t turning. If you are using a separate air-entraining agent then mix it with the first half of water you will put in. The agent you are using will have specific instructions as well from the manufacturer. You can however use portland cement that already contains an air-entraining agent.
2. Start your concrete mixer and slowly add the fine aggregate and the rest of the water.
3. All the materials should be properly combined and the mix should be relatively the same color. This should take about 3-4 minutes.

To mix concrete by hand, measure all materials beforehand and follow these steps:

1. Put all of the coarse aggregate, sand, and cement in a ring in the mixing area. Spread the mix, turn it over multiple times, and make sure it is uniform in color.
2. Put a depression in the middle of the pile and add some of the measured water in the middle of the heap and add more as needed. Do so until the pile is damp. 
3. Shovel the dry part of the mix into the depression with water and make sure to keep the walls of the concrete intact.
4. Now even out the pile while mixing and add a new depression in case you need more water. If the pile gets too dry, add water, if the pile is too wet, add the materials in the correct ratio.
5. Test the mix with a shovel and make some jabs into the concrete. If the lines level out, the mix is too watery, and if the lines are indistinct, the mix needs more water.

Information sponsored by M3 Industries of St. George, UT.