Friday, July 14, 2017

Details When Using Quality Concrete Slabs

By Frank Foster


Concrete slabs are structural elements common in modern building that are used often for constructing floors and ceilings reinforced by steel. Thinner ones can be used in paving the exterior on crawl space and under the slabs of main floor. They could either be supported with foundations or placed directly on subsoil for most domestic and industrial structures.

Most contractors choose them for their attractive and durable surface that could be easily maintained and their inexpensiveness. Your company might be one among the users of concrete slabs Mandeville meant for your construction projects. Here are some things to know in helping your projects in cities like Mandeville, LA to be built with quality.

First, remove all rocks, soft soils and vegetation so that the slabs are uniformly supported when put there. Place the concrete on firm, undisturbed ground if ever possible so that it could stay in place properly. Set forms so their surfaces would slope for at least two percent in providing adequate drainage to the area after.

Use a lumber with the same thickness as specified for the slab as scratch template having stakes on its top surface attached. A string line can be placed also across its top of the forms to ensure proper thickness. Get a concrete with an entrained air if the flatwork will be exposed to freezing, deicing chemicals and thawing.

A minimum cementitious material should be specified in relation with its maximum aggregate size in ensuring good durability and finish. High slump concretes must not be used and control at the truck the water additions. Because admixtures of high slump can become detrimental due to the paste content being greater in the upper portion than the lower one resulting in increased warping.

Wet concretes saturating clothing, contacting your skin, and entering boots must not be permitted while you place or finish them. Strike off the surface while keeping a small amount at the front of straightedge for filling low spots in. This will help in preventing the formation of birdbaths when the finished surface gets dry.

Use bullfloat or darby before bleeding of concretes begin on the surface or the appearance of excess moisture to fill voids and level ridges. Any finishing operation shall not be performed while bleed water is currently present. Dust drying cement when you have to soak the bleed water up is not advisable.

Use groover in making contraction joints while the concretes are still fresh and its dept should be a quarter of their thickness. Conventional or early cut saw can be used for sawing the joints which prevents cracking if done early. Air entrained concretes must not be hard troweled as doing so might cause the deterioration of the surface.

After the finishing operation is completed, start curing immediately the concrete with different available methods which depends on the season. When the location have cycles in freezing and thawing then use wet curing methods during the fall seasons. This allows them in becoming dry before the first freeze arrives though do not use deicing agents during winter,




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