Archives of previous features

12/18/99

Walk through the installation process of building Reward Wall Systems concrete home. From pouring footings and blocking out for windows and doors, to applying interior and exterior finishes.

If the rain or melted snow channeled off the roof isnt carried far enough away from the house, it will collect against the foundation wall or footing and seep into your basement or crawl space.

Here is a solution.

From fixing mortar joints in brick, repairing small cracks, to anchoring a handrail in concrete Typical concrete Repairs read about it here.

12/11/99

ARDEX CD Concrete Dressing Driveway and Sidewalk Resurfacing Formula can give worn, spalled, or gouged concrete surfaces such as driveways, patios, and sidewalks a whole new look.

Read about it here. Includes installation instructions and a feature from Todays Homeowner.

Reward Wall Systems breaks the benefits of concrete homes into four distinct categories.

"What exactly is radiant energy?" Hold your hand over a hot cup of coffee and feel the heat. The logical conclusion is that heat rises. Logical maybe, but incorrect! "Hot air" rises but "heat" can travel in any direction.

Find out how radiant energy works, where radiant panels are located, and much more.Click here.

11/27/99

D.A. Brown Construction, Inc. describes what is involved in building a strong silent, secure, energy efficient home (typically a concrete home) that is much more comfortable than anything you have lived in before. Here is information on building an energy efficient home.

Hardwood flooring can be installed successfully over a slab which is on-grade or above grade. Below-grade installations are not recommended. The slab must be constructed properly (dry and flat with a trowel finish).

Follow these recommendations from the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association.

Rainwater or melted snow that isn't routed away from the house is the most common cause of basement and crawl space moisture. Here is how to tell if condensation, runoff, or if a subsurface source is the cause of your wet basement. And what to do about it!

11/13/99

This courtyard features Ashlar Slate and Running Bond Belgian Block stamping pattern. The border is Used Brick Soldier Course. There are double Used Brick Soldier Course feature strips.

Review other samples of stamped concrete work, available patterns of stamps.

If you are building a new house, research all the concrete products used for building with concrete under the house, inside the house, and outside the house. You might be surprised at what is available.

In providing well-managed design and development plans, landscape architects offer an essential array of services and expertise that reduces costs and adds long-term value to a project. Read all about it here.

11/06/99

This beautiful fireplace mantel was cast in a shop versus hand carving.read about the components of a fireplace surround, get price information, and Review the entire collection of fireplace surrounds available form Siteworks Architectural Cast Stone.

Build your own walkways, borders, and steps with Walkmaker products. Included are easy installation instructions.

Three types of cracks in concrete where you will be better off replacing the concrete along with instructions on how to replace the concrete properly.

10/30/99

Keystone Retaining Walls. This feature shows photos of residential retaining wall applications, the type of retaining walls units available, installation procedures, and where to locate this product.

The questions pour in to ConcreteNetwork.com about problems with concrete work that has been done recently or existing concrete. Use this American Society of Home Inspectors site to find technical links to various categories of construction work and to locate an inspector for an on site inspection.

Civil Engineering is a very broad field covering a number of seemingly diverse specialties.

10/23/99

Thompsons offers a system to clean your garage floor, etch it to prepare for the garage floor protector, then apply the garage floor protector. It also provides excellent resistance to abrasion and hot tire pickup while resisting oil, grease and automotive fluid penetration.

Seismic Support for Old Foundations: Learn how to and what the cost benefits are of bolting your house to the foundation and strengthening cripple walls before the next earthquake. Also detailed here are more elaborate repairs. Read this Journal of Light Construction Article.

Concrete Homes a Solid Hit in Nevada

10/16/99

Visit this online construction diary of the foundation construction process by Sunlight Homes.

Read this ConcreteNetwork.com feature on curing concrete.

More resources:What is Curing? Prepared by Alby Materials outlines a variety of curing methods.

Preventing concrete cracks
One of the most common questions received on ConcreteNetwork.com is about cracks that are developing in newly poured concrete. The homeowner will question why it is cracking and did they receive a shoddy job. Hopefully you are reading this before you have concrete poured.

10/09/99

Waterproofing or Dampproofing Basements:
Which to do? Here are the types of basement waterproofing systems, how they work, and the cost difference. For more information on basements, click here.

Build a Pond in Your Yard: This HouseNet article outlines the steps required to do the job.

Concrete Driveways: This Portland Cement article includes tips on designing concrete driveways, site preparation, ordering concrete, placing and finishing concrete, jointing, curing, and aftercare of concrete.

9/25/99

What Do Structural Engineers Do

See this map from the Federal Emergency Management Agency which details how Tropical Storm Floyd passed right over North Carolina.

Building a Safe Room Inside Your House

Advantages of Concrete Over Asphalt Parking Lots

9/18/99

To duplicate hurricane-like conditions in the laboratory, researchers atTexas Tech Wind Engineering shot wall sections with 15-pound 2 x 4 lumber "missiles" at up to 100 mph, simulating debris carried in a 250 mph wind.

Read how concrete wall systems, lightweight steel, and wood stud walls survived these tests.

Read sample uses of Concrete Homes and how they can offer extra protection in violent storms.

Post Hurricane Andrew Research Efforts by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Florida International University.

A State of Florida University System Center at Florida International University

Links to USA and International information about any type of disaster.

9/4/99

Concrete Engraving is a permanent pattern that is engraved into your existing concrete. Read here about the installation process and features and benefits of concrete engraving.

The top two uses of Grasscrete are emergency access paving and erosion control.

Over 20 state associations are now online. Many are providing excellent information about concrete for consumers

8/28/99

Interlocking concrete pavers are versatile sections of compacted concrete that are used to pave paths, patios, driveways and steps.

Your "hardscape", the concrete walkways, driveways, paths, pavers, etc. are one part of your outdoor environment. Review these 6 landscape ideas presented by Builder Online.

8/21/99

Where to get concrete home plans.

Select from this list of 10 typical concrete repairs:

Pacific Concrete makes a wide variety of Garden Sculptures, including bird baths and fountains, pond sculptures, and stepping stones.

8/7/99

Increte Systems Thin-Crete stamped overlay system can offer a stunning new look for any exterior or interior concrete surface at an extremely affordable cost.

See these beautiful examples of Natural Stone, Brick, Ceramic Tile, Concrete Pavers, and Aggregate Panels. Installation instructions are provided for each type of patio.

The more informed consumers are, the better the truly qualified contractor will look.The qualified contractor will have no problem discussing any of these items.

7/24/99

Hillside construction- hillside construction questions are asked and answered here.

Mesh often ends up on the ground instead of embedded in the concrete as workmen step on it as they place the concrete. Read here about the benefits of Fibermesh.

Use these tools from the About.com Construction Industry section. Find residential construction design tips, Bob Vilas site of homeowner tips, BuildNets home improvement information, UDA Home Building guides for construction, remodeling, and sales contracts-plus much more!

7/17/99

How to Build a Walkway

We visitedThe Stamp Store web site to check out examples of Decorative Sandblast Stenciling, Stamped and Stained Concrete, and " Stamped Overlay Concrete.

The construction of this San Antonio, Texas, custom home has been digitally documented from the start. Now, fencing is being installed on the project.

7/10/99

Should you pour a Slab-On-Grade foundation, a T-shaped foundation, or a Frost Protected Foundation? Find out here.

If you have ever walked on a plain concrete pool deck when the temperature is 100 degrees, you appreciate Mortex Kool Deckbrand.

Consider the different admixtures available that can give your concrete the performance it needs for your specific situation.

Check out the difference between arch, buttress, and gravity dams. Here are photos, construction details, and interesting statistics on this site by the Bureau of Reclamation.

7/3/99

Read this10-point BASEMENT CONSTRUCTION CHECKLIST by TUFF-N-DRI

Wildlife Sculptor John P. Kennedy takes full advantage of concretes workable qualities to create life-size and life-like animals. See pictures of his work.

FAQ about concrete. All material is from thePortland Cement Association.

Reinforcing bar is used to reduce cracking and sudden concrete failures. Steel has lots of tensile strength whereas concretes strength is compressive.Read about steel is this Todays Homeownerarticle.

6/26/99

Yes it is true,countertops can now be concrete and are gaining in popularity every day

No need to leave chipped concrete steps in disrepair. See this feature from Todays Homeowner for complete repair instructions.

Make sure you address these 4 critical issues outlined by Lafarge Corporation toavoid surface scaling of residential concrete slabs.

Improvenet.com outlines contracting scams and has documented them by state. Watch out! Click here, then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the link to view a list on home improvement scams.

6/19/99

Sport Courts range in cost from $5,000 to $40,000, depending on the size and the number of games and "extras" (fencing and lighting) selected. Some of the most popular games are basketball, short court tennis, and roller hockey.

Alby Materials provides information onhow to construct flatwork properly.

Excavating basements is just one of the excellent tips provided on Robert Gerichs Web site, buildahouse.com. Gerich is a custom builder based in Plymouth, Michigan.

6/12/99

Summer is here.Enjoy these concrete and masonry pool deck ideas. In this feature, one of the pool decks is built of concrete tinted and textured to look like stone.

If you need a reason to visit Palm Desert California, come and visit the Living Desertzoological and botanical park. Jeff Grieve of Concrete Art has built Navajo Rugs out of concrete using his grooving and chemical staining process.

Cement Masons use a screed to level the concrete: knocking down high spots and filling in low spots. See Todays Homeowner for more information on screeding concrete

Is a bigger home a better home? Architect Susan Sarah Saranka says no. She advocates saving money by reducing square footage and using that saved money on interior details and finishes.

6/5/99

This 11-step checklist provides useful information, fully illustrated, aboutbasement construction.

Karen & Terry Albys primary design criteria for LIFE - HOUSE includes quality, energy efficiency, environmentally friendly construction, and a loving, happy home.

A low water to cement ratio is the number one issue effecting concrete quality. A low water to cement ratio improves durability, improves strength, and reduces permeability. Read about water-cement ratio and how it is calculated.

5/29/99

Stenciling Designs in concrete can create beautiful effects in either existing concrete or new, freshly placed concrete.

Eager Web is an outstanding web site documenting a new home being constructed from the empty lot stage through completion.

5/22/99

Concrete Stains have become a hot item. Read more about stains including interior and exterior uses.

Estimating how much concrete goes in a set of steps is a mystery to most people.Follow these instructions an estimating steps will be a breeze.

The University of Minnesota has written an excellent document titled "Typical Causes of Basement Moisture Problems." This excellently illustrated article also provides solutions to these problems!

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