flatwork: Articles tagged with “flatwork”

A patio at its most basic is an outdoor courtyard or paved open area such as a porch that's attached to the home, which can be made with concrete, brick or many other materials.

Q: My deck and surrounding patios are stamped (Bomanite) concrete in a Spanish tile pattern. The driveway is in the fishtail pattern.

We are researching how to bring back the original terra cotta color and then seal it with a sealer that won't be slippery to walk on when it rains.

Concrete surfaces come in three basic finishes and many colors. The most common finish for interiors has a smooth finish created by running a flat trowel over the top. This can be quite smooth, almost like glass.

Concrete can be colored and stamped to simulate other materials such as natural stone (granite, slate, cobblestone, etc.) or brick at about half the cost of using the real thing. This is because to use masonry stone or brick, a concrete foundation or slab must be poured first, then the stone or brick must be installed, then mortared. With stamped concrete, only concrete is used, so there is less invested in materials and labor.

This information can clarify and help answer some questions about repairing concrete flatwork.

Concrete is one of the most durable building materials, but it does require occasional repair and maintenance. Problems can be caused by outside forces such as freezing water, structural problems or surface damage, which is usually caused by improper finishing methods or poorly mixed concrete.

Concrete slabs, sidewalks and steps are fairly convenient and inexpensive additions to any home exterior and provide useful surface areas for a range of traffic. Once you have an idea of the areas where you'd like concrete to be poured, contact service professionals to get quotes.

There are several different types of concrete surfaces:

Q: I need to put concrete floors in my out-building. Can you provide me with resources or an instruction guide on how to "do-it-yourself"? Any information will be much appreciated as I have had difficulty in finding concrete services.

Curing

A variety of different chemicals and additives can be added to concrete to keep the consistency workable and to help the concrete cure at a proper rate. This is particularly important when pouring concrete in cold weather, where it can cure too slowly. Or in hot weather, where it can dry out and cure too quickly.

Concrete injection, leveling, or mudjacking is a process which hydraulically lifts an existing damaged concrete walk, drive, steps, etc. to its original position. Since it typically costs about half as much as total replacement, it is often an alternative worth exploring.

The following information can help answer some questions about excavating and grading.