Slab Notes
Slab Notes
Plain-English guides on thickness, clay soil, freeze-thaw, curing, cracks, sealing and stamped concrete, written to be read in a few minutes.
Planning Your PourA Driveway Checklist Before You PourSlope, base, joints, finish and timing: here are the decisions that make a new driveway work.
Planning Your PourHow to Estimate Yards of ConcreteLength times width times thickness, divided by twenty-seven. Here is the simple way to estimate concrete for a slab.
Care and RepairRepair or Replace? How to DecideSome concrete problems are cosmetic and some are structural. Here is a simple way to decide between repair and replacement.
Care and RepairHow to Seal a Concrete PatioSealing protects color and keeps water and salt out. Here is when and how to seal a patio.
Decorative ConcreteStamped Concrete Patterns and Colors: How to ChooseSlate, cobblestone, brick, wood plank and flagstone each give a different mood. Here is how to pick a pattern and a color.
Care and RepairWhy Concrete Cracks and What to Do About ItMost concrete cracks a little. Here is how to tell harmless shrinkage cracks from the ones that signal a problem.
Pour Day and CuringHow Long Does Concrete Take to Cure?Hard to the touch is not the same as fully cured. Here is a typical timeline from pour day to full strength.
Colorado ConditionsHot, Dry and Windy: Pouring Concrete on the Front RangeLow humidity and steady wind pull water out of fresh concrete fast. Here is how crews keep a pour from drying too quickly.
Colorado ConditionsPouring Concrete in Cold WeatherConcrete can be poured in winter when it is protected. Here is what changes and what to expect on a cold pour.
Colorado ConditionsFreeze-Thaw and De-Icers: What Winter Does to ConcreteColorado winters swing from sun to hard freeze, and de-icers make it worse. Here is how surface damage happens and how to slow it.
Colorado ConditionsConcrete and Colorado Clay Soil: Why the Base MattersMuch of the Front Range sits on clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry. A good base is how concrete survives it.
Planning Your PourHow Thick Should a Concrete Slab Be?Four inches works for many patios and walks, but cars, trucks and equipment need more. Here is how to match thickness to the job.Have a question that is not here?
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