I intend to write a book about concrete; the subject fascinates me. However, in the meantime, read as much as you can about this wonderful material. Consider obtaining as many publications as possible from the Portland Cement Association and the American Concrete Institute. Also, check out the following list of manufacturers of concrete curing compounds and sealants for your next job.
The following publications are excellent source materials for facts about how concrete should be mixed, placed, finished and cured. All of these things must be done properly to ensure that your concrete will be durable and long lasting. While the ingredients in concrete are common - sand, gravel and water - many people don't realize that cement is crucial for making durable concrete.
Installing concrete to achieve long lasting, high quality results depends on many things. Some of the most important aspects are often overlooked, like its strength, application thickness, its cracks that form from shrinkage and the use of steel reinforcements. Understanding these components will lead to better results.
Concrete sealants are sold at many places. You can generally find them at building supply stores, hardware stores, etc. Shop around and read the product labels completely to see if the product will suit your needs.
Concrete is a very magnificent material. As you know, you can form it into almost any shape, you can apply many different finishes to it, you can stamp it with patterns, etc. Concrete has its strengths and weaknesses. You must minimize its weaknesses in order to maximize its useful life. There are several inexpensive yet effective ways to do this.
Concrete sealants are products designed to inhibit and/or prohibit liquids from being absorbed by concrete. Concrete, contrary to popular belief, is actually a porous material. It can and does absorb water and other liquids. Some of these liquids can have dissolved materials (salts, acids, etc.) which can severely harm the concrete. Water can enter concrete and freeze. Water which freezes expands by approximately nine percent. This expansion can literally tear concrete apart. It is a good idea to apply a concrete sealant to avoid such problems.
A fair contractor payment schedule also protects you from unfinished work. Use this chart as a basis for determining cost breakdown to build a home, and a mutually agreeable payment schedule to your contractor.
Contractors have been known to disappear and never return to finish a job. Why? Payment has usually been given in full by the homeowner before the job was done. Reputable contractors will work out a mutually fair and timely payment schedule. Do not pay up front until you read this advisory and check out the fair payment schedule provided.
Finding qualified contractors for your building or remodeling projects requires some self education. A contractor may be far less qualified than you might expect, even with references, BBB checks and visits to his/her completed jobs. A building contractor or remodeling contractor can start a business with no formal technical education, but simply a self proclaimed title of expert. Know the right questions to ask about your own project to find the right, trustworthy, contractor to do your job.
Problem solving is the nature of our world. Researchers and scientists create things, methods or new products only to find that a secondary problem develops as a result of the initial solution! This happened with the newer high efficiency furnaces. These furnaces deliver 90 percent or more combustion heat to your home, compared to old coal furnaces which only delivered about 50 percent. Here are some things to keep in mind for hot water heater venting into old chimneys.
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