Concrete retaining walls can be a pleasingly aesthetic addition in any landscape; it’s a natural-looking design element that ties together two distinct elevations of the landscape. And that’s it’s main purpose: to separate two distinct elevations of soil. Now the retaining wall can be built from many different types of building materials; you could build…
Overtime the earth moves, and slopes or cuts can erode and structurally degrade; even if you have areas like these on your property that have not yet completely deteriorated, these areas will, eventually, become a problem. Luckily, one option, for keeping erosion at bay, is to use shotcrete to stabilize the slope. If shotcrete is…
A concrete foundation should be built of such good quality that it supports a house for the duration—indefinitely; a foundation should outlast the house it supports. Obviously, over time, concrete will break down—it is a natural building material, after all—but any breakdown should be minimal and fixable, as much a natural deterioration of the building…
The best concrete jobs begin in the initial stages of form building and concrete mixing. Mixing concrete isn’t overly difficult, but there are certain tricks to making the consistency of the concrete just-so. Well-mixed concrete will be easier to work with and will hold up durably. Where Do I mix the concrete? You can use…
There’s no doubt that concrete as a building material is both strong and durable. It can’t be scratched or dented—it can be chipped, however. It’s simple and elegant, and can be dyed a variety of colors and styles to suit. But, if it’s so great, then why doesn’t everyone just tear up the old carpet…
We’ve talked about concrete countertops here before, but here are the actual steps to do it (an overview that will give you an idea what you are in for, when you decide to take on this awesome home project!) Remember this is going to take time: if you are at all weary of your abilities…
Let’s talk about how concrete works. Concrete is made simply of water, aggregate and cement mixed in proportions to a precise consistency. The key to achieving the strongest concrete is to have the mixture of ingredients properly proportioned. Thankfully products like Quikrete make the job simple and easy for the average concrete job. But, even…
Concrete as a sustainable building material Often we’ve talked about just how environmentally friendly concrete is; but you might have asked why is it environmentally friendly? What makes it such a unique, sustainable building material? Concrete is unique in that it remains an environmentally sustainable building material throughout its entire lifespan. Here are some of…
There are many jobs in the home that even the greenest do-it-yourself-er’ can accomplish. One material that makes for a good starter project is concrete. It may seem that concrete is a difficult material to work with, but with a little practice and by following the manufacturer’s instructions precisely, it can be easy. A good…
It’s common for older homes to have an unfinished basement: concrete floor and sheetrock-less stud walls. But, what happens when a person wants to refinish that basement? Often the concrete floors are cracked from the foundation’s settling over years. The floors may have low spots, and, in general, just seem to be in dire need…