When handled correctly, poured concrete will last for decades. And that’s exactly what you should expect from a concrete contractor. Because if your home’s walkways or outdoor living area is having problems with cracks, you might be facing some expensive repair costs. Getting the right team at the start makes a big difference.
Concrete Cracks and Hardening
There are a handful of ways that contractors can mess up concrete. Making sure your crew knows how to avoid these pitfalls will help give you a great final result. Concrete is pretty complex without enough experience. You have to follow specific steps and work carefully in order to prevent cracks for both the short-term and the long-term.
Taking the time to properly prep the sub-grade will give your concrete the right amount of support. Then, as the concrete settles, your contractors will need to make sure the hardening process hits all the necessary checkpoints. There are different types of cracks that can happen before and after your concrete structure hardens. Water content is one major concern. Another relates to the structural design of the concrete slabs themselves.
Depending on the time of year, temperature will also play a role. A professional concrete contractor shouldn’t have any problem pouring concrete in winter. But it does take a little know-how. They’ll need to keep an eye on risks for premature freezing and the potential for frost damage before the concrete starts to harden.
Proper Control Joints for Concrete
Lots of concrete cracks are the result of poor planning. No one should blame all of the problems on the weather. Knowing how to position control joints is critical if your concrete project is going to stand the test of time.
A control joint is a technique that works to direct concrete cracks to specific areas. Adding these shallow gaps throughout the concrete acts as a sort of insurance policy for the structure as a whole. Rather than have these splits pop up in the middle of a slab, they’ll be guided to the control joint instead. Encouraging the cracks to happen there lowers the chance of getting random splits—you just have to install the control joints in the best places.
Let’s Get the Job Done Right
As with any home project, pouring concrete or building an entire outdoor living area doesn’t leave much room for error. Careful work and will help ensure it holds up for years to come. That’s why you want to choose a responsible concrete contractor.
Our team at Lunar Concrete knows how to handle everything from start to finish. We can partner with you on the design process, get the foundation situated, and customize every aspect of your decorative concrete. We’re here to give you a final result that you’re proud to show off to your friends and family. While it’s not always possible to avoid concrete cracks altogether, there are definitely ways to minimize the risks. You can trust us to follow all the right steps!