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The idea of maintaining concrete may seem absurd at first. After all, this is the most durable building material that is capable of lasting for decades with no maintenance. However, as concrete experts have always pointed out, concrete is not indestructible. This is why maintenance is essential. To ensure that this durable material can last a much longer time, and the owner can actually enjoy it. Without maintenance, concrete can soon become a burden and an eyesore. But with proper care, it will always be pleasant to the eyes, and the structural integrity will never be compromised. Thus, maintaining your concrete structure means protecting your investment in concrete. And lucky for you, the cost of maintaining concrete is very low both in terms of time and resources. In this article, we discuss the various ways in which you can properly maintain and preserve your concrete for a long time.

Ensure It Is Clean:

Dirty concrete is only a few steps away from getting damaged. Keeping your concrete clean is not just about making it look pleasant and attractive. It also prevents degradation and damage. Debris like stones can lead to scratches and cracks on the floor if they are not removed on time. You can get rid of this dirt with pressure washers, and other debris such as moisture, stains, etc. should also be rid of as they can affect the concrete. 

Treat Your Concrete:

If you are going to clean your concrete. Then you need to first make sure it is properly finished and sealed. Unsealed concrete is a problem for everybody. No amount of cleaning can rectify that. Concrete is naturally porous, and the only way to deal with the porosity is by sealing it. Without this, the pores become vessels for dust, moisture, grease, stains, etc. It becomes challenging to clean your concrete in such a condition, and before you know it, algae are growing from the surface. There are different types of sealers available. Some of them are even decorative in nature and will not only protect your concrete but give it a kind of sheen that makes it look polished.

Repair The Cracks:

You also need to fix any crack problem that you find your concrete. This is quite easy these days as all you have to do to find the right adhesive, and before you know it, any crack in your concrete is properly fixed up.  Technology has dramatically improved repair and adhesive materials, and you only need to find the one that works best for your concrete surface.

Don’t Use Deicing Chemicals:

You may want to get rid of the snow on your concrete as fast as possible in the winter but trust us. Using deicers is not the best choice. It will usually cause your concrete to spall and scale. You should avoid products that contain ammonium sulfates and ammonium nitrates as they will affect the concrete. If you really have to get rid of the snow chemically, you should settle calcium chloride or rock salt. However, these ones too will damage concrete, albeit a little, and can corrode metal as well. Thus, it is better to avoid de-icers altogether. If you can’t, ensure that you don’t use it in the first year of construction. 

Conclusion

Always watch out to ensure that your concrete is in good shape all the time and fix any problem once you notice it. Visit www.honolulu-concrete.com for all your maintenance questions.

The foundation is the most critical part of a building. It determines whether the building standards or not and any fault in the foundation can damage the entire structure. In most situations, this foundation is constructed with concrete—the abilities of this material are what makes it just the perfect material to use for your foundation. Generally, foundation construction is a complex job that requires a professional. However, there are instances when a homeowner might create the foundation by himself. Such situations include where the structure for which a foundation is being built is a small one such as a garage or shed. If you ever find yourself in such a situation, here is the best way to create a concrete foundation.

Plan The Foundation:

The importance of the concrete foundation to any structure you will erect on it means you should plan it before you start. You have to decide on the foundation’s size in terms of width, length, and thickness. The structure you plan to put on the foundation should determine the size. For instance, the thickness of a foundation for a tool shed cannot be the same as that of a garage. And a garage cannot compare with that of a house. You must make sure that the foundation is thick enough to support the structure, and you should make sure there are no weaknesses. 

Excavate The Land and Prepare It:

You have to prepare the place you are building on. The first part of this is to clear the land and excavate the topsoil.  You should dig a trench that covers the area you are using, and the depth of your trench should be twice the thickness of your foundation. Thus, if you are creating a 10inches foundation, the trench should be 20inches deep. Once it is deep enough, prepare it by getting rid of any debris, including stones. Once it is clear, use a soil compactor which you can rent to compress the soil. Then complete the preparation by pouring stone pebbles, sand, or gravel into the trench and leveling it.

Lay A Barrier:

You can also lay a material that will serve as a barrier to the leveled gravel or stones. This is necessary where it is a home foundation as it helps prevent ground moisture from getting through the concrete foundation. 

Erect A Frame:

You have to build a wooden form that fits into the dug trench. This frame will retain the concrete, so ensure that it is strong enough to fulfill its purpose. While it is not necessary, you can place rebar in this frame too.

Pour The Concrete:

Once everything is set, it is time to pour the concrete. You can mix the concrete yourself or order ready mixed concrete that you will pour into the frame. This process is crucial, and you must do it right to ensure the integrity of your frame. You will need a screed and hand trowel to level the concrete, ensure every millimeter of the frame is filled, and finish it. Ensure that the concrete foundation cures properly

Conclusion

The mixing of concrete for the foundation is different from other uses of concrete in terms of the ratio of materials to be used. If you’re not familiar with it, it is better to use ready mixed concrete delivered when you need it.

Concrete cutting refers to the controlled drilling, sawing, and removal of concrete. It is carried out by skilled operators who use specially designed saws for cutting through asphalt and concrete with accuracy and precision. In the process of cutting concrete, mistakes are abhorred. Before, cutting concrete was a dirty job that required a lot of hard words. Jackhammers were used to break concrete, and the result was a dust-filled atmosphere. This method has since been replaced with using specially designed tools and machinery with modern techniques that leave a smooth and clean environment after the job is done.

Concrete cutters use different types of blades to cut the concrete of varying strengths and design. When the right blade is used, there is a need for minimal water to achieve a quick finish within a short time. Most of the modern saws have a vacuum system that traps the dust generated during the concrete cutting. If you are going to hire a cutting company, ensure that the company uses these modern techniques and equipment. Only with such can you be assured of a quality, clean, and efficient job that does not leave wherever you are cutting like it was a tornado that did the damage. 

Concrete Cutting Techniques

There are many ways of concrete cutting; some are used more than others. Here, we examine the five commonly used techniques.

Diamond Sawing: The diamond saw is very easy to use, and they are more efficient for cutting through concrete than other tools. With the diamond sawing method, you need fewer operators to get the job done in a shorter time. It is also quieter and creates minimal vibration. However, only contractors can use the diamond sawing system for cutting concrete. 

Concrete Sawing: It is not every type of saw that can cut a concrete wall. Only the circular blades fixed on track-mounted machines can get the job done. The track allows the blade to climb up the wall and cut it or even the ceiling. It is usually used for walls with a thickness between 16 to 32 inches.

Flat Sawing: This is the method for cutting floors, pavements, and decks. This method which is also called the slab sawing method is a process where the saws are set into a cart for the operator to push around. It can be used to fix spoilt parts of roads, cut through concrete to reach broken pipes and wire connections, etc. 

Core Drilling: This is the process used to create openings for cables, pipes, air conditioning or ventilation vents, etc. The cutter drills circular holes into the concrete using diamond-tipped bits and steel tubes. Core drilling requires precision and expertise, so it is better to hire a coring contractor.

Wire Sawing: This method is used only when other methods are impractical. A wire with diamond segments is operated through pulley systems fixed to a power drive. It is very technical.

Conclusion

There are aspects of concrete sawing that may look simple, but the truth is, every aspect requires technical expertise. Concrete cutting is rarely something you should do yourself.