In building construction water vapor should always be controlled. When a concrete floor is poured a vapor and gas barrier should be placed beneath. Here’s why… There are a few reasons why a concrete vapor barrier is absolutely a necessity when you pour a concrete floor. The first reason is economical; the vapor barrier installed…
One of the current housing trends is to buy older houses and rehab them; in fact, it’s become more popular to rehab an older home than to build new. And it’s understandable because oftentimes those older homes have more character and charm; and they can oftentimes be purchased for less. But many of these homes…
Overtime, every house moves. The house moves as the earth moves, and the unbendable structures that support the house (concrete foundation) begin to buckle under the pressure of the movement. Overtime, the amount the foundation moves will cause damage; the severity of foundation damage can range from the simple and cosmetic to the drastic and…
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…
What is a culvert? A culvert is a type of structure which allows water to pass through an opening, but remains closed off at the top. Simple. Culverts can be found almost anywhere. The closure allows people and vehicles to pass over the top. You can find a very simple version of a culvert along…
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…
What’s the purpose of a retaining wall? A retaining wall is a lateral support built of concrete to support sloping soil. And, while all retaining walls are built for the same or very similar purposes, not all retaining walls are built in the same way. Here are four different types of retaining walls, and the…
Did you know that the fall season is one of the best times of year to pour concrete? It’s true. And the reason it’s true is that oftentimes the fall months offer the most neutral temperatures of the season. Concrete can be poured in any season, but mild and consistent temperatures work best. Concrete should…
Concrete is an incredibly durable building material, but it does have its limitations. All building materials have limitations that come with age. Concrete can develop hairline cracks after it cures, and, over time, these fine, hairline cracks can develop into larger, wider cracks that allow in water, insects, and radon gas. But, thankfully most of…
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…