What You Need To Know About Concrete

Cracking is one of the most common causes of customer complaints that concrete contractors deal with. Few homeowners are aware of the fact that new concrete normally cracks and there is no absolute guarantee against this. Nevertheless, while cracks cannot be entirely prevented, a professional concrete mason takes careful measures to minimise cracking.

Below are some of the common causes of https://austinconcrete.net/ concrete cracks that must be considered and the necessary preventive actions that should be taken

Adding too much water to the concrete makes the installation much easier but if the water content is more than enough, it will greatly weaken the concrete. Water content is also a major factor that affects drying shrinkage, which simply refers to the concrete shrinking when it hardens and dries. This happens because the excess water in the mix evaporates. Therefore, you can expect greater shrinkage the more water the mix has. When concrete shrinks, the slabs are pulled apart, resulting to cracks.

Solution: It is best to use the lowest required amount that will allow workability with the cement. Also, find out the maximum amount of water that is allowable for the cement mix that you are using so you can check if the consistency is overly wet. Additionally, avoid using high-shrinkage and small coarse aggregates. Professionals also install control, construction and isolation joints that help make the concrete crack at a predetermined spot.