Are you tired of trying to keep your concrete driveway free of snow and ice in the wintertime? As we’ve discussed before in the blog, using rock salt is not recommended, but there are a number of nontraditional ways to keep it clear. Here in the state of Minnesota, we have benefited greatly from the… Read more »
Scientists Invent New Ice-Free Concrete With Extra Benefit
Two engineers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have invented an incredible new kind of concrete that is able to melt away snow and ice. The concrete was developed by Christopher Tuan and Lim Nguyen, and while it’s actually a very cost-effective type of concrete, it has some pretty amazing properties that weren’t originally intended. The… Read more »
Winter ‘A-Salt’ – Why to Not Use Rock Salt on Concrete this Winter
Let’s face it. Snow is a hassle. When it comes down, it can come down hard, and before you know it your driveway, sidewalk and patio is covered in feet of the white stuff. Then comes the ice, and depending on the temperature and density, ice can be even harder to remove and more dangerous… Read more »
Create a Custom Wet Bar With Concrete
Many people today are adding wet bars to the entertaining places of the home. A common new feature in living rooms, man caves and even garages, a wet bar allows you to host guests and serve beverages conveniently and quickly. But how do you make your space truly unique? With a concrete counter! Concrete is… Read more »
New Type of Concrete Could Offer New Options
To the layman, concrete may all appear the same, but the truth is the concrete industry continues to evolve and innovate. As Archinect recently reported, researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore invented a type of concrete that is not only bendable, but stronger than traditional concrete. While that alone is amazing, the scientists’ creation,… Read more »
Maximizing the Strength and Durability of Your Pour
You trust your concrete to be strong. You trust your concrete to withstand harsh weather elements and climates such as snow, ice, rain and extremely hot and cold temperatures. You trust your concrete to withstand heavy tension, and to look its best for many years to come, but do you know how to maximize the… Read more »
Stamped Concrete Maintenance 101
Stamped concrete has added inherent strength and endurance over conventional concrete. When properly installed and maintained, even when exposed to harsh winter weather conditions, stamped concrete is much stronger than many of the most common decorative stone alternatives, and provides a consistent, stable option for outdoor patios, walkways and more. A complete concrete installation will include… Read more »
Concrete Counters a Top 2016 Kitchen Trend
Concrete is one of the hottest materials in kitchen design for 2016 and 2017, the interior design experts at the news and trends site InteriorZine.com recently wrote. While concrete has long been seen as a structural building material, it has begun to make its way inside the house of late. With an interesting texture and… Read more »
UK-Based Company Develops New, Highly Absorbent Concrete
From Texas to Maine, 2015 has seen a number of flash flooding incidents that have left towns all across the country under water. Soon, however, thanks to a recent innovation from the British building materials company Tarmac, some of these towns may be able to pave their streets, sidewalks, and parking lots in a new… Read more »
Concrete Vs. Cement: What’s the Difference, Anyway?
These days, you hear the words cement and concrete get thrown around as if they’re pretty much interchangeable to some people. In fact, cement is actually just one component of concrete. You wouldn’t have much luck building anything with cement alone. You might think of cement as the glue that holds the other parts of… Read more »