If you start a project that involves a hard, paved surface—like a sidewalk or a driveway—given you are going to use concrete forms but are you going to use concrete or cement to get the job done? To a novice builder, this may seem like a redundant question. After all, aren’t they pretty much the […]
Like cooking a chicken filet, not giving concrete enough time to cure is inevitably going to lead to problems. Rather than giving you salmonella, though, not giving concrete enough time to cure before putting weight on it will undermine its structural integrity, leading to lowered durability and a greater risk of cracking later on no […]
While concrete is known for being strong, that doesn’t make it indestructible. Even concrete laid carefully can be subject to cracks, which are costly and time-consuming to repair. When the need to repair a crack does arise, it must be done with serious and careful attention to avoid further issues. We will explore the reasons […]
If you live in an area with snow, you’re likely familiar with the idea of “salting” the roads, sidewalks, and your driveway throughout the winter. This salt is actually a product specifically crafted to melt ice that can be dangerous when it forms on these surfaces and is crucial for many people to make it […]
When concrete slabs, old and new, have moisture issues, it can be a serious problem in all kinds of construction projects. Bubbling, blistering, and blushing are all possible, especially for concrete that is being set for indoor use. However, just like finding the right concrete forms for sale, finding ways to address moisture in concrete […]
While concreting work can be done year-round, there are special considerations to make in extreme temperatures, both hot and cold. Any placement, finishing, curing, and protection of concrete in weather below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for longer than three days is considered cold weather concreting. Generally, cold weather concreting can be done effectively with the use […]
In recent years, recycling concrete has become more popular among builders. When a building is torn down, there is often a large amount of concrete leftover that the industry has begun to tap into. In the past, this waste would have ended up in a landfill as a non-biodegradable material. Instead, it can be repurposed […]
Traditionally, any concrete construction project you could imagine would have involved the use of steel rebar to provide the rigidity and structure necessary. However, the same rigidity that helps concrete forms can also have drawbacks, including the added weight of steel and its vulnerability to corrosion over time. Many modern concrete jobs instead use glass […]
Fly ash is a fine powder, a byproduct of burning pulverized coal in electricity-generating power plants, and a pozzolan, or a substance that contains aluminous and siliceous material which forms cement when introduced to water. When mixed properly, fly ash forms a material similar to cement, making it suitable as a building material. When used […]
Because concrete is one of the few building materials that can be impacted after transport, the addition of water to concrete is one of the biggest challenges faced by many construction sites today. Ready-to-mix concrete requires the addition of water, but many people prefer to do this after the product has arrived from the manufacturing […]