Controlling your concrete:
There is an old saying that states there are only two guarantees with concrete "it will get hard and it will crack". So what do we do about it and is it possible to control it?
Style & Structure takes care to make sure our concrete has the proper time to cure. On average it takes about 24 hours before concrete is cured enough to support foot traffic, about 7-10 days before being able to support light vehicle traffic, and roughly 28 days to be considered fully cured.
So what about those cracks?:
Well we can't eliminate them completely so we try to minimize and control them as much as possible. To minimize cracking with outdoor concrete we tie in 1/2" rebar in a grid pattern to give the concrete a much higher tensile strength, this helps to stabilize the slab and reduce movement and cracking.
Zip Strip:
Now that we have minimized potential cracks and have a plan for proper cure time we can address how to control where the cracks will happen. In basement floors we use what's called a "zip strip". This is a piece of plastic strategically placed while pouring to create a "controlled relief joint", by placing these under future walls etc. we are able to minimize them elsewhere. Another method is to "saw cut" or "trowel" in relief joints, this is most common in garage floors and sidewalks/patios.
Black Concrete:
Since we are talking about concrete, we need to show off one of our latest concrete projects for our 2021 Fall Parade of Homes model. This is a black concrete front porch, and we are so happy how it turned out. The home owner wanted modern and industrial, and we can't wait to have you come see it in person this fall.
