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…
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…
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…
A good concrete sealer will make concrete much more resistant to weather, long exposures to water, abrasions, those pesky deicing salts that litter the streets of any Montana town following every snow, and it will even protect the concrete from grease and oil stains. A good concrete sealer will also enhance the beauty of the…
Concrete is a sturdy, green, and economic building material. And, believe it or not, scientists have figured out how to add strength and green sustainability to an already incredible product. How did they do it? Scientists have discovered how to add a material called graphene to the concrete. Graphene is one of the strongest materials…
Concrete is one of the world’s greatest eco-friendly building materials, and it’s known as such because it remains eco-friendly in all its steps of process. First, the foundation of all concrete is limestone, and limestone is the most abundant mineral to be found on planet earth; yes, it is mined, but it is abundant. And,…
In Montana basements are fairly common, and often the basement floor is made up of concrete. A homeowner might finish the basement, might put down nice flooring over the top of the concrete, but, when the concrete below it has issues then so does the flooring above it. So, what do you do? Well, you…
Concrete is a simple, eco-friendly building material, that most anyone (at least when we’re considering a project with a size and complexity comparable to a manageable, non-construction crew-needed, type of scale) can learn to do. Concrete is a perfect Di-it-yourselfer’s material, because it’s so straight-forward. It’s like hammering a nail, with a little practice, and…
Concrete steps are common on many homes. Unfortunately, because the steps are poured separately from the foundation of the home, as the home’s foundation shifts over time its movement directly affects the stability of the concrete steps, causing the steps to possibly crack or begin to crumble. When you’ve decided it’s time to remove the…
Concrete is a reliable, durable building material. It’s the foundation of almost every home; it’s the foundation of our neighborhood’s sidewalks and paths, and for good reason: it’s a lasting, environmentally friendly product. But, even with all of its beneficial aspects, concrete can still develop cracks over time, as it gets weathered. Fortunately, though, concrete…