Frequent Asked Questions
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No, cement and concrete are not the same. However, people tend to confuse them for each other because they are closely related. Basically, cement helps make up the concrete. It is a gray powder that turns into a paste once it combines with water. Concrete, on the other hand, is a combination of different materials including cement, fine aggregates, coarse aggregates, sand, stone, and gravel. So, although they are related in a way, it’s important to know that they are different from each other. The next time you encounter them, make sure to remember their distinct features to set them apart.
Yes, concrete comes in different kinds. Usually, these types would vary in durability, workability, and strength. Providing different kinds allow property owners different choices that would best suit their need. Here in our company, some kinds of concrete that we offer include ordinary concrete, reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, among others. Regardless of the type, all kinds of concrete are surely durable and reliable. At the end of the day, its quality heavily relies on the proper proportions of ingredients. One of the most popular types of concrete is the environment-friendly concrete. It’s perfect for areas with frequent rain since it allows water to easily pass through.
If you want the guarantee of the best quality concrete, there is no doubt that you should get a concrete contractor. It is a very common misconception that concrete is an easy material. However, the truth is, concrete is quite complicated. It requires experience and expertise to ensure the best results. You might have access to required tools like hammer, tape measure, saw, and chalk lines, but that would not suffice. It takes more than just that. If you have not enough experience and knowledge in concrete installation, make sure to hire a concrete contractor in Concord for your project.
Although it can, it is not ideal to allow concrete to set in the rain. Based on our experience, the rain can bring adverse effects to the concrete. It can lead to dusting and scaling, which might be indicators of decline in quality. Moreover, it can also affect the appearance of concrete especially because of the rain droplets and the water flow. These effects can be permanent on the concrete. But you can avoid it by making sure to pour concrete on a nice weather. In case of sudden rain, you can opt to cover fresh concrete to protect it from the rain.
Yes, you can paint concrete to the color that you desire. There is a wide variety of color choices available and you have the liberty to opt for the color that you desire. For the best outcomes, it would help to look for the concrete paint that suits the type of concrete you have. Also see to it to follow the instructions on the label for the best application method. Before application, make sure to clean the surface of dirt and debris. It would also help to use the appropriate roller to help with the application and the final result.
There are different possible reasons as to why concrete cracks. Normally, concrete cracks frequently happen in freeze and thaw climates due to the changing temperatures. The shift from cold to warm can lead to volume changes that may eventually lead to cracks. If you are residing in a place where you experience extreme weather conditions, there is still hope. You can opt to consult with a concrete company from your area and ask about concrete joints. These are useful in providing space for concrete to crack nicely and evenly. You can use products with lots of fibers that can control cracks.
The best waiting duration before driving on concrete driveway is seven days. By the end of this period, the concrete has dried up sufficiently and has consequently gained the strength it needs to carry the weight of the vehicle. Should you opt to use it sooner, you may end up compromising the quality of your concrete. Rest assured that the waiting is much shorter as compared to the long-term benefits that you will enjoy. Meanwhile, if you will be using the driveway for heavier vehicles such as trucks and heavy equipment, we suggest to wait for at least 30 days.
The concrete sealer provides protection on the concrete. It prevents moisture from penetrating through the surface of the concrete. At the same time, it also prevents salt penetration. By keeping moisture and salt from the concrete, the material gets to last longer. Concrete sealers are especially useful in places that experience extreme temperatures. If you want to have the best results, make sure to apply concrete sealer after 30 days of pouring the cement. It would also help to dry the surface prior to application. The concrete sealer doesn’t last forever, so you need to reapply every 2 to 3 years.
Yes, the weather affects the concrete in a lot of different ways. For example, the wind can speed up the hydration process which can compromise the overall quality of concrete. On the other hand, as previously discussed, rain can also affect the concrete in general. Moreover, the temperature can also affect the hardening of concrete. If you are pouring concrete under cold temperatures, we suggest to heat the materials first before using. It would also help to cover the concrete as it dries as well as to regularly monitor the constant gain of concrete. For warm weather, best to heat instead.
The truth is concrete tends to be less expensive in the long run even when the opposite is true upfront. Basically, asphalt is not as durable as concrete. It is likely to require several repairs throughout time. Before you know it, you have spent a good amount of money maintaining asphalt. On the other hand, concrete can last long without falling apart. Unlike other materials, it can last long even with no maintenance work. In the long run, concrete tends to be the more economical choice. Rest assured that you will surely never go wrong in choosing concrete over asphalt.
The best concrete proportions follow the rule of 6’s. Most concrete contractors in Concord follow these set of rules and these ensure the best quality. The first rule of 6’s says to use at least 6 bags of cement for each cubic yard of concrete. The second rule of 6’s is to use not more than 6 gallons of water for each cement bag. The third rule is to allow 6 days for the concrete to cure before use. Finally, the fourth rule of 6’s says to leave at least 6% of air content for concrete that goes through extreme weather temperatures.
There are different reasons as to why concrete may crack. One of the most common reasons for concrete cracks is weather. Various weather conditions like rain and wind can bring adverse effects to the concrete. Another possible reason for concrete cracks is the volume change. It happens on concretes that experiences freeze and thaw climates. As the concrete warms, there is a tendency for it to expand and which results into volume change. Despite that, the volume change is only minimal at 500th millionths. In the meantime, you can avoid cracks from these causes through the use of concrete joints.
Testing concrete is important as it helps ensure the quality of the concrete. It also gives the guarantee that it has the same contents as the label says. Different types and brands of concrete may look the same on face value, however, they greatly differ in some particular characteristics like weight, air content, consistency, and temperature. You can choose among a variety of concrete tests are available. Some would require hardened concrete while others may require for fresh concrete. It all depends on the type of concrete test that you will be availing. For more information, you can call us at 925-690-1468.
If you have hard to remove stains on your concrete, you can choose between two options available and these are wet methods and dry methods. By opting for wet method, you can make use of water, chemicals, and soap. Rest assured that your concrete can survive water because it is waterproof. You can use different chemicals like bleach as they can dissolve substances easily. Meanwhile, you can instead choose to opt for dry methods that include shotblasting, sandblasting, scabbing, flame cleaning, planning, grinding, and scouring. You can also use steel brush but make sure to clean out the steel debris.
Concrete is one of the most in demand materials there is because of its durability. It is a combination of different materials including cement, fine aggregates, coarse aggregates, some additives, water, and pozzolans. Some concrete also has mineral colors, combined cements, and granulated blast-furnace slag. Concrete takes any form, shape, or size since it is soft when fresh and then hardens through time. Often, people tend to interchange concrete for cement and vice versa. However, it is important to remember that these are two different things although they are related closely. In summary, the cement is a component of concrete.
Concrete is gray primarily because of cement. Although it has several other components, cement tends to prevail in giving concrete that color. On the other hand, cement gets its gray color from one of its components which is iron ore. The iron ore is originally black, but it turns gray as it mixes with other ingredients of concrete. While gray is a neutral color that can match almost anything, it tends to be underwhelming for some property owners. With that, we had concrete staining as one of the solutions for our clients who are particular with the color of concrete.
No. In fact, the moment concrete has dried out, it stops gaining strength. Concrete gains strength during the process of the drying out of moisture, and this is called hydration. As it happens, new bonds form which gives the concrete better strength. The crystals interlock and aggregate together. Hydration takes place as long as there is moisture. It would actively happen in the first 30 days and would continue to do so for longer as long as there is moisture. Meanwhile, if you reached your preferred concrete strength earlier than the moisture running out, you can opt to stop it manually.