When Should You Call a Concrete Contractor?

Concrete is an extremely popular building material for homeowners and businesses alike. It can be used for many things, including:

Driveways

Patios

Pool Decks

Front entryways

Garages

Basements

Though Concrete is the most heavily used material in the world, it’s not without its problems. If you’ve noticed cracks or deteriorations in your concrete, it may be time to call a contractor. These problems, if left unchecked, can cause extensive damage, eventually costing far more money than you probably want to spend.

Large cracks can occur within a concrete slab. You may also notice warped or curling edges. This deterioration can be caused by excessive temperatures (most common during hot summers), heavy loads, chemical damage, trapped water or bacteria.

Concrete repair is a fast and stress-free process. Most contractors are well-equipped to handle even the toughest restoration. Larger cracks and deterioration can be fixed through full-depth repair, where the damaged portion is removed and replaced by a new concrete piece. If the cracks or deterioration affects a smaller area of the concrete slab, partial-depth repairs can be done.

Bottom line is, if your property is not as visually pleasing as you’d like it to be, a contractor can help. Concrete restoration and repair doesn’t have to be a stressful process for you – one simple call to the pros will help ease your mind and transform your dream home or business into a place people will love to look at!

Addressing the Concrete Problems with Stamped Concrete Overlay

There are many problems, which can occur in acid stain, or stained concrete if the concrete is not prepared properly or the problems not anticipated prior to the application process. If the air entrainment is very high, then the strength will go down resulting in no bleed. This can also create a problem if the dry shake color hardeners are not properly “wet out”. Another issue which can arise between the acid stain, or stained concrete is a high water-cement ratio. Surfaces that are more porous will result when there is too much water. With decorative concrete color, finishes and chemical stains will then diffract additional light in these instances, which gives off the impression of a weaker color. With a weaker surface, your decorative concrete will be prone to traffic wear patterns. If you have chemical stains, then increased traffic can remove the entire colored layer.

If there is a lack of curing, the symptoms can be similar to those with a higher w/c ratio. If your un-hydrated cement fails to develop calcium hydroxide, then there will be less of a chance for a reaction with certain decorative concrete products. That being said, your colored surface might appear to be less intense than concrete, which is well cured, applied with the same amount of color. This makes stained surfaces appear less intense and patterns can results from dusting and traffic wearing. However, certain decorative finishes are unable to tolerate the same curing methods, which are used on plain concrete.

Lighting Your Stamped Concrete

Those who remember the first entrance of decorative solar garden lighting fixtures for your stamped concrete overlay remember that there were limited selections available at first. Now that has all changed. There are different sizes, shapes, and styles available. If you want an antique look there are retro shapes and copper colors that define an antique look. If would prefer that the lights are hardly noticed during the day but very noticeable at night, then there are new decorative solar garden lighting fixtures which are flush with the floor so that during the day they blend in with your existing landscape. If you prefer a classic look for your landscape then there are many options for solar garden lighting fixtures for your stamped concrete overlay which meet every need or desire.

Whatever style you find appealing for your landscape design, it is important that you ensure the fixtures are placed in an area where they will receive the best sunlight during the day. If they do not receive optimum sunlight during the day then they will not charge completely at night. This means that they will not shine as brightly as they could, that they won’t hold a charge for as long, and that their battery life will be shortened.

Once you have placed the lights where you want them be sure to clean them regularly so that they can last longer. If you leave them placed in your yard and do not clean them regularly then the tops will accumulate large quantities of dirt and grime, particularly in heavily landscaped areas. This dirt and grime will prevent them from getting the sunlight needed and the charge needed.

Decorative Concrete Designs

The use of a professional concrete company and a decorative concrete contractor makes it easy to incorporate a decorative concrete finish to your home. You can apply any one of the many types of finishes to the interior or the exterior of your home. If you already have existing concrete, you can resurface the concrete with decorative concrete methods such as stamping, staining, stencils, acid stain, aggregate finishes, pavers, or an exposed aggregate finish. Working with a decorative concrete contractor and a concrete company makes the decision about which treatment to use hassle-free. Some are better fit for certain areas. For example, if you have children and want to create a pool deck that is slip free, then using an exposed aggregate finish can create the traction that is necessary to help children who have just gotten out of the pool.

If you do not have existing concrete but recognize the potential in decorative concrete, then you create parameters as to where you want the concrete and which decorative technique you want to use with your decorative concrete contractor. You can apply a decorative concrete finish to existing counter tops in your bathroom or your kitchen. You can create or redecorate a pool deck, patio, garage floors, office floors, driveway, walkway, or other seating area. With the many colors available, you can decorate the exterior or interior surfaces to perfectly match your décor. You can also mimic the appearance of natural materials such as stone, marble, brick, or cobbles. By using a decorative concrete finish instead of the natural materials, you save time and maintenance overall.