A little concrete history

Concrete is one of the world's oldest man-made building materials. Through the years many excellent improvements to concrete have been made. The knowledge of better aggregates has been applied and chemical additives have greatly improved to allow concrete to work with varying climates and situations. Many concrete by-products have been developed to increase concrete strength and workability.

A lot of these improvements in concrete technology have been put aside due to short-term cost implications. With proper use and installation there will be a substantial increase in long-term value. Concrete with all its positive attributes, still requires on-going maintenance which is often overlooked. In our climate, concrete is subject to freeze/thaw cycles and water damage due to poor protection or drainage. Without proper protection or repair this may have costly long term consequences.

There are many cost saving choices for effective concrete repair or maintenance. As long as the substrate is relatively sound, various repair techniques can be performed to reflect your budget. Indoor applications may include flexible urethane injection for concrete foundations, epoxy/urethane coatings, or epoxy mortar for floor resurfacing or leveling.

Outdoor applications may use breathable cementitious coatings, flexible cementitious membranes, rubberized foundation membranes, invisible penetrating sealers and fiber-reinforced concrete patching materials. As with all repair work, proper surface preparation is the key factor for successful repairs. Dust-free shot blast equipment is available, as well as dust-free diamond grinding or scarifying.

Some of the more respected brands that are recommended by Nor-con: Master Builders, W.R. Meadows, C.P.D., Dow Corning, 3M, Gemite Products, Polymerica, Multiurethanes and Sika. With these products and a professional installer you will be able to find a solution for all your concrete requirements.