Frequent Asked Questions
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No, concrete is not the same with cement. While they may be related with each other, however, they are still different things. Cement is purely powder that turns into paste consistency upon mixing with water. Concrete, on the other hand, is the combination of different materials such as aggregates, sand, stones, water, and of course cement. The primary role of cement is to stick together all these ingredients to become concrete. The difference of these two materials are hardly discussed but these should be basic knowledge. To sum it up, cement is a component of concrete. But concrete is not cement, and vice versa.
Yes, there are different kinds of concrete available. Every concrete company in Charlotte offer a varying kind of concrete to fit into the different needs of property owners. In fact, here at The Charlotte Concrete Company, we offer more than one type of concrete and these are precast concrete, high density concrete, lightweight concrete, prestressed concrete, glass reinforced concrete, ordinary concrete, and reinforced concrete. By the names, they may sound confusing but they have significant characteristics that sets them apart from the others. If you are interested, we can explain it further for you. You can call us at 704-736-3059.
Yes, we do recommend getting a concrete contractor. Concrete is a tricky material and it would be challenging to work on it without prior practice. It takes time and experience to build the skills in installing concrete. Additionally, concrete mistakes are often irreversible. Unless you have spare time and resources, it would be costly to fail. Moreover, timing is ultimately important for concrete installation. Especially if you have a large project, it would be impossible to take on the job alone. Having a team would certainly come in handy. For inquiries regarding concrete contractor in Charlotte, call us at 704-736-3059.
Yes, concrete can set in the rain, but it comes with adverse effects. If you can help it, avoid pouring concrete on a cloudy or a rainy day. Meanwhile, in the case that rain comes unexpectedly, you can cover your poured concrete to protect it from the rain. Often, the rain can affect the overall appearance of the concrete. The rain can leave a mark on the concrete itself. At the same time, it could also affect the strength of the concrete. In fact, it may actually weaken the structure. Pouring in the rain may also result to concrete dusting and scaling.
Of course! You can certainly paint concrete with the color that you desire. Many property owners would have this wrong notion that concrete can’t be painted, when in fact, there are actually more options than just painting. Aside from concrete painting, there is also stamped concrete as well as concrete staining. But should you decide to go for concrete painting, it is vital to use the appropriate paint for the type of your concrete. Through this, you get the guarantee of the best application outcome. Also see to it to follow the procedures indicated on the label of the paint.
For one, concrete naturally cracks over time. It is something that would unsurprisingly occur for every concrete. However, there are instances when other factors can also cause the concrete to crack. For example, freeze and thaw temperatures can greatly affect the state of concrete. These extreme temperatures can possibly cause these cracks. Aside from that, concrete usually experiences volume changes, which would typically result in cracks. For Charlotte concrete contractors, the best solution for this is to use concrete joints. The ideal size of concrete joints should be about ¼ of the concrete’s thickness. Such would allow sufficient space for the concrete.
As concrete company in Charlotte for 18 years, the best curing time is one week. In this span of time, you get the assurance that concrete has dried enough and has gained sufficient strength to endure the weight of the vehicle. Using the concrete before it has properly cured can affect the overall quality and capacity of the concrete. If you wish to enjoy the concrete’s best assets, wait for the recommended curing time. On the other hand, if trucks and heavy equipment are using your driveway, you would need much longer curing time. We advise waiting for at least 30 days, instead.
The concrete sealer gives an outer protection for the concrete. It serves as a barrier to keep the concrete free from salt and moisture from penetrating the concrete. With this, it lets the concrete to last long. More importantly, the concrete sealer is helpful in preventing hairline cracks and peeling from happening. With our experience as Charlotte concrete contractor, we strongly recommend applying concrete sealer to protect your concrete and in effect prolong its life. We suggest applying a concrete sealer after 30 days because it has considerably dried at this point. You can reapply every 2 to 3 years.
Yes, the weather can affect the concrete. The exposure to direct weather and extreme weather conditions can adversely affect the concrete. For example, the rain may result to weakening of it. At the same time, it can heavily affect the appearance due to waterdrops and waterflow. Meanwhile, the wind can cause cracks. At the same time, extreme temperatures can also affect concrete installation. If you are in a cold place, we suggest heating the materials first prior to use to avoid freezing. On the other hand, you can instead cool the materials first, if you are in a hot climate.
You should choose concrete over asphalt because it remains to be more economical in the long run. Even though asphalt costs less upfront, it’s high requirement for maintenance can later accumulate. Asphalt, as compared to concrete, deteriorates at a fast rate. With regular use, it will quickly need repair. The best and only way to fix it is to add another layer. However, because of its characteristics, it will also wear off the same way. Then the cycle repeats. But with concrete, while it is more expensive upfront, it requires minimum maintenance. It will hardly need repairs because of its durability.
The majority of concrete contractors in Charlotte abide by the rule of 6’s. According to most, this formula is a guarantee of the best concrete proportions. The rule of 6’s mandates the use of at least six bags of cement for every cubic yard of concrete. At the same time, there should be 6% of air for concrete that endures extreme temperatures. Next is to use a minimum of six gallons of water for each cement bag. Finally, one should let the concrete cure for 6 days before use. The rule of 6’s has been a foolproof solution for the best concrete.
To begin with, concrete really cracks by nature. However, there are other several possible causes for this to happen. The weather, for one, can cause cracks to appear. Both rain and wind can adversely affect the concrete. They tend to speed up the hydration process. But the most common cause for concrete cracks is the volume change. Even though very minimal at 500 millionths, it can still accumulate and come up as cracks. This rate is equivalent to 0.4 cm per 3 meters of 1/16 inches per 10 ft. By using concrete joints, you can avoid these cracks from appearing on the surface.
We recommend testing concrete to ensure the quality. It is almost impossible to identify the actual quality of concrete from the mere face value. So concrete tests help in identifying the consistency, weight, temperature, and air content. The sum of all of these factors together determine the total quality of the concrete. Through different tests, you can test either the mixed concrete or the hardened concrete. If you are interested, you can consult your concrete contractor for recommendations. There are some tests which are exclusive to some specific organizations like that of the Federal Highway Administration and department of transportation.
We understand that stains can affect the entire of the appearance of concrete. Luckily, concrete is easy to maintain. You can opt for two methods to eliminate stains. First, is the dry method. With this, you can use methods such as planning, scouring, flame cleaning, scabbing, and sandblasting. Moreover, you can also use steel brush. Just be sure that no steel debris is left behind. Since concrete is waterproof, you can use water and chemicals on it. Substances like bleach can help dissolve stains fully. Rest assured that the concrete won’t rot and is safe to get soaked in water.
One of the most well-known qualities of concrete in the practical aspect is how little maintenance is required for it. But even if there is only limited maintenance required, there are still a lot that you can do make sure it stays in good shape. A method that is not labor intensive but has a lot of benefits is the simple application of a concrete sealer. This can serve as a surface protectant of the concrete for up to five years. A very simple way is simply to clean it. Most of the time, a garden hose can do the job.
The concrete is gray because of its main ingredient, which is cement. The cement gets the gray color from one of its elements, that is iron ore. Even when the iron ore is really black, it turns gray when it mixes with other cement elements. Often, property owners perceive the gray color of concrete as too plain and boring. With that, concrete comes in different styles and color. Almost every other Charlotte concrete company offer these services which are stamped concrete and concrete staining. In the recent years, these have been increasingly becoming popular for a lot of property owners.
No, concrete is not gaining strength from drying out. Truth is that another process is responsible for the strength gain of concrete and that is hydration. Through this, the moisture within the concrete gradually dries up. As this happens, new chemical bonds form, which then facilitates the strength gain of concrete. This process typically happens in the first month of concrete. As long as there is moisture, hydration will continually happen. If you want to stop the process, you can use different methods like organic solvent for example. Just avoid too rapid strength gain as it may have long term effects.