Frequent Asked Questions
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Concrete is what is produced when crushed rock, sand, cement, and water are mixed together into a wet, paste-like material that will eventually harden into a rock-like consistency. With this, we can conclude that concrete and cement are not the same thing. Rather cement is a part of concrete, and a vital one at that. It is the main element that binds the other components of concrete together. Mainly, cement reacts with water to form a paste in which the particles of sand and rock are embedded into. The distinction between cement and concrete is very important to know for property owners.
Yes, the kinds of concrete do differ. The overall quality and consistency can change depending on the amounts and proportions of the different components, as well as the quality of the preparation and mixing techniques. Basically, more rock can increase the compressive strength of concrete and more sand can make it more flexible to shape. Hence, adjusting the amounts of rock and send can allow the production of different kinds of concrete. Apart from these, environmentally sustainable concrete is growing in popularity since they can allow the water to pass through straight to the subsoil, instead of being collected above.
A great proportion of property owners need a concrete contractor. Truthfully, this is the way to go if you your property to look of great quality and with good refinement. DIY concrete work will look obviously sloppy and the majority of it will not have the ideal structural integrity, necessitating repairs and maintenance early on. If you have a concrete contractor, you will not have to worry about where to procure the materials and where to rent heavy equipment since they will be the ones to do it for you. This can greatly reduce the hassle that you might experience otherwise.
We actively campaign against having the concrete set in the rain. Rain can have a lot of detrimental effects on the newly poured concrete. Hence, for our company, we make sure that we check weather forecasts before scheduling major pouring activities and we also bring enough waterproof tarps just in case that we need to cover the area. Rain contains water, and while water may be needed in the concrete mix, the added water from the rain can throw off the balance of the mix, adversely affecting the overall quality of the concrete. if we have to, we will postpone pouring when it rains.
The natural gray shade of gray can look plain, boring, and simply unattractive. Hence, we make sure that methods of adding color to concrete are available for every property owner. Painting is an easy method of coloring concrete that can be done even without professional assistance. One thing to note is that you should make sure that the right kind of paint will be used. Ask your local hardware store if they have masonry paint or elastomeric paint in stock. Some paint outlets can also mix colors for you should you need certain nonstandard shades to use in your property.
The reasons why concrete cracks can be multifactorial. Hence, no single cause should be blamed for why you will see some cracking. Some of these factors can include the mechanical damages which the concrete may sustain while it is being used. On the other hand, a lot of the other more important factors can be traced back in the concrete preparation phases. If the proportions of the components are off, you can expect that the concrete will be having cracks earlier that it should. Adding too much water is a common culprit to this. More water means more shrinkage forces.
Curing is an important step in making sure that the concrete reaches its full strength. Not disturbing the concrete for some time after pouring is a crucial part of curing. Since driving on the concrete pathway can disturb the concrete, you must wait for at least 7 days or more before you do so. By this time, you can ensure that minimal alterations will happen since the concrete by have reached near full strength by this point. But just a word of caution; you should not park on the driveway until after the first month to help it cure better.
Concrete will not need a lot of maintenance, but that as it may, it will still be prudent if property owners will do what they can to preserve its integrity. One of the simple things hat you can do to protect the surface of the concrete is to apply some concrete sealers. This are very affordable and may have various active ingredients including acrylic, polyurethane, epoxy, and other kinds of penetrating resins. If this is applied on the surface of the concrete every 2 to 5 years, the surface it can be protected from superficial damages from chemical spills or mechanical wear.
The weather conditions can have a lot of effects on concrete. Among the important elements of the weather which may be involved include precipitation and the temperature. Rain during concrete pouring is not an ideal situation. This will mean that the composition is altered which can compromise its quality. On the other hand, too cold temperatures can cause the concrete to freeze. if this happens, the concrete will solidify improperly without reaching its full strength. Hence precautions must be taken if the concrete will be poured on a rainy day or when the conditions are freezing in the winter season.
A less expensive option may seem to be the more ideal option if you are trying to save some money. However, you should keep in mind that in some cases, it may be more expensive to use a cheaper one because they may require a lot of maintenance. By choosing concrete, you will be paying for more, but not for nothing. Rather, you are paying for quality that can guarantee you many years of durability and comfort, with little need to spend anything for repairs. Imagine a concrete driveway that you can use for the next 30-40 years versus an asphalt one that needs repair a few months in.
There is no strict standard for the mix proportions for concrete used in many settings. However, there are proven and tested recommendations that can be used for your projects. The most used and foolproof mix is known as the four-two-one mix. This will have seven parts divided into four parts, two parts, and one part composed of some crushed rock, sand, and cement, respectively. If you need to modify the components to produce a different quality of concrete, a five-two-one-and-a-half mix may be appropriate if you want something stronger, or a two-four-one mix if you want to increase the flexibility.
Yes. Concrete can be recycled. There are a lot of advantages of concrete. However, its sustainability is one of the lesser-known ones that we think should be given more attention. There are many opportunities for concrete, and this fact is an important in considering its long-term usability. When a structure made from concrete has been demolished, the scrap concrete produced can be used again to make new structure. However, it needs to undergo certain processes to be able to do so. When done properly, the recycled products can be utilized as bulking aggregate material to new construction projects like buildings.
For all concrete projects, we always want to make sure that we are that we will have the best quality possible. To uphold the aim for quality, testing concrete can be beneficial. This will ensure that the processes necessary to prepare the concrete has be accomplished properly. Moreover, testing concrete allows the detection of any problems early on, for which modifications may still be possible. The tests to be done are simple. Part of the standard panel is the measurement of air content and the slump test. Experts will know how to interpret the results of each test how to address any problem.
Stains on concrete can be quite an eyesore for any property owner. Thankfully, they will not be permanent on your concrete surface if you do the proper methods recommended to remove them. This can be achieved even without the participation of professionals. In some cases, it may be necessary to repeat the procedures to be more effective. A product that you can use is a cleaner that contains sodium triphosphate. If you do not have this, a detergent will be effective too. Let the stain soak in your chosen cleaner substance, then scrub the surface off after a couple of minutes to remove stains.
Yes, any kind of concrete does require some form of maintenance. Probably one of the common problems that we can encounter with concrete is structural compromise. While there is little that the average property owner can do for this, it will be best to report it to professionals for repair. To avoid them, you can try the application of sealers over the surface of the concrete. This can give you surface protection enough to last for up to five years. Cleaning is also a form of maintenance that you can do and for outdoor settings, this can be completed using a garden hose.
We all know the typical color of concrete to be gray. Mostly, this appearance comes from its many different components. Crushed rock, sand, and cement can be gray so this can confer the gray color of concrete. Among these, cement gives the color that is most consistently gray since sand and rock may have different natural colors. Cement is gray because of its origins from a black substance known as iron ore. The black is diluted into a gray shade when the iron ore is combined with other substances which will make up cement. To do away with the gray, you may pant or stain the concrete.
The process of letting the concrete gain strength is complex. But to answer this question simply, it is not necessarily the drying out process that has the most influence in making the concrete stronger. Related to it, the interaction of the water with cement is the one the facilitates the strengthening of concrete. Hydration is the term used to describe this process. While water is present in the mix as it dries, the concrete can continue to be stronger and harder. By the time the concrete has completely dried, it would have already gained the maximum strength that can have.