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.