All You Need to Know About Concrete

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All You Need to Know About Concrete
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• Durable and low-maintenance, concrete is an
  excellent material for constructing walkways,
  driveways, entrances and backyard patios from,
  and maintains its condition well in those states
  that regularly experience colder climates, too.
  However, concrete is only ever as good as the
  person installing it, so if youre planning to
  have any concrete work carried out at your home,
  be sure to engage with an experienced company who
  are qualified and equipped to work with concrete.

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• Here are a few important facts about concrete
  that could help you determine whether to use it
  for a construction project at your home
• Concrete mixtures
• Made up of 4 components cement, coarse aggregate
  (such as gravel), fine aggregate (such as sand),
  and water.
• Concrete finishing
• Premature finishing and over finishing of
  concrete can quickly and easily result in surface
  defects, such as blisters, dusting, crazing or
  delamination.

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• Concrete curing
• Curing occurs once the concrete has been poured
  and finished, and the longer the curing or
  hydration time, the stronger the concrete.
  Ranging from between 3 to 14 days depending upon
  the type of application, a curing compound can be
  applied that acts as a blanket by forming a thin
  membrane over the concrete to prevent the water
  from evaporating quickly.
• A concrete professional will know exactly how to
  properly mix, finish and cure it so that it looks
  great and lasts for years.

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• Reinforced concrete
• The process of reinforcing concrete is when wire
  mesh or steel bars are embedded into the concrete
  to carry the tension forces, and the bars are
  often referred to as rebars. Even with rebar,
  concrete will eventually crack due to the natural
  occurrence of changes in temperature and moisture
  cycles, and while reinforcements cannot prevent
  this from happening, they will hold the crack
  faces together.

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• The durability of concrete
• Concrete can easily deteriorate due to
  temperature changes, chemical attacks and
  corrosion of metals to name but a few, but
  exposure to moisture is the most common culprit.
  Concrete is never entirely impermeable
  especially to the slow passage of water vapor
  but a slab of 4 inches of more is impermeable to
  the passage of water from the ground.
• To prevent water damage and to make concrete more
  durable, there are several things a construction
  professional can do, including lowering the water
  to cement ratio, uniform aggregate gradation and
  density, and using a vapor retarder.

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• Cracks can also occur in concrete due to
  shrinkage, causing the lifting of slab edges at
  the joints that is caused by the top and bottom
  of the slab having different moisture and
  temperature levels.
• As you have read, concrete can be a complex
  construction material, and only someone qualified
  and experienced at working with it, should ever
  be hired to help with your residential or
  commercial construction improvements.
• Contact local construction companies and ask them
  for advice as to whether a concrete structure is
  right for your needs.

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• RZ Construction Group Inc is a fully inclusive
  construction company and general contractor in
  Astoria NY. From initial design to final clean
  up, our results speak for themselves. We are
  fully licensed, insured, and bonded to provide
  both commercial and residential construction
  services to customers in Astoria and the
  surrounding area. Proud to serve New York State
  for 25 years. No job is too small nor too big. If
  you are looking for a general contractor or
  concrete contractor in Astoria NY or want to know
  more about our wide range of professional but
  affordable construction and repair services,
  reach out to us at [phone]