Basic Knowledge behind Constructing Concrete Driveways 

Concrete is a mixture of cement, sand, water, and crushed rocks. This makes it the most used man-made mixed material for structures such as roads, buildings, bridges, dams, and many more. Concrete has been favored by man as the only material for driveway surface. Concrete driveways are very important in our homes as we can park vehicles and reduce the risks of parking them along the roadside. Click here  for more driveways guide.

How to Build a Concrete Driveway

To have a good concrete driveway you have to start smart and somewhere. If you don’t have ideas then you can use the following tricks;

1.      Check for Underground utilities

This helps in finding out if there are any underground lines or cables that can prevent excavation and construction plans. This will give you time to have any underground lines to be moved and pave way for the construction of your concrete driveway.

2.      Always Keep the Boundaries in Mind

The boundary of your land is very important, know your property, land blueprints, and if possible mark them out. This will help in getting the right measurement of your soon to be the concrete driveway.

3.      Topsoil

Level out the construction site by excavating the topsoil. Approximately, level out around 250mm down from the level of the ground.

4.      Wooden forms are Always a Good Idea

Get wooden forms to lay them along the projected area where the concrete driveway should be created. The concrete that will be poured might spill outside and the wooden forms will be there to prevent it.

5.      Do Not Forget the Sand

The base needs to be added with fillers like sand and then add a thin layer of gravel to have a thick concrete driveway base of about 4 to 10 inches also consider the soil condition when doing so. Compact the gravel and soil and dampen the place once more.

6.      Reinforcement is Key in Concrete Driveways

This is the critical stage where you strengthen your driveway. Reinforce the foundation with mesh to cover the surface. Pour concrete depending on the project scope across the projected area and spread evenly. When the concrete is poured, curing follows.

Remember the curing is supposed to take a long time, this makes the concrete stronger. You can let this process take 4 to 14 days depending on the specification of the application.

Use tools your tools to smoothen and levels the concrete. It is recommended to use a broom to avoid the slippage of the driveway incases of rain. Secure the concrete by watering it daily or use a dedicated sealant. This gives it strength and makes it hard.

Corrosion may occur due to exposure to moisture, to avoid this always make the concrete to be less permeable by lowering the cement water ration. Aggregate uniformity gradation and density then apply the mixtures.

7.     Maintenance of Concrete Driveways

Concrete driveways need maintenance from time to time. This can be done by sealing it once or twice a year. Scrubbing it from time to time also gives it longevity. Maintenance starts from the time of installation, if the driveway was not installed properly then it can give you a hard time. One of the biggest secrets about concrete driveways is for it to be cured not dried.

Conclusion

Concrete is highly durable, these will depend on its maintenance and the way it was installed. This will stand the heaviest vehicles that are likely to drive.

Types of Concrete Slabs for Large Ground pools when shotcreting.

Slabs are usually used to create a flat surface in buildings, parking lots, bridges, etc. There are so many types of concrete slabs used in the construction industry. In this article, there are different types of concrete slabs that you can find suitable to use on a large ground.

Hallow Core Concrete Slabs

They are also known as Hallow Ribbed Core Concrete Slabs. These slabs have cores or voids in their units. The voids have the following significance;

  • They can serve as ducts
  • Reduces the slab’s weight
  • Improves structural efficiency
  • Minimizes concrete used

The main factor that makes these slabs admirable is that you have total freedom in terms of length units. They are best used where there is an existing construction because they are pre-cast.

Advantages of Using Hallow Core Concrete Slabs

  • Easy to use and install
  • Drilling through the concrete slab is unnecessary
  • Good sound insulator
  • It is fire resistant
  • Reduces cost
  • Minimizes the structure’s overall weight
  • Requires less labor

Disadvantages of Hallow Core Concrete Slabs

  • It is fragile and can easily damage if not handled with care
  • Uneconomical in small spans
  • Difficult to repair

Types of Concrete Slabs for Large Ground

The Flat concrete Slabs: Contribution by: proshotcretesydney.com

These types of concrete slabs are also known as beamless slabs. They are usually reinforced or supported by concrete columns also known as caps. In this particular construction, the results look like a plain ceiling. Which from an architectural perspective they appear very attractive. Click here for more type of concrete slab.

The plain ceiling blends well in the light. It is considered safe in case of a fire outbreak when compared to other beam slab techniques. Flat concrete slabs are easy to construct and need less formwork.

Uses of Flat concrete slabs

  • To achieve a plain ceiling and good diffusion of light
  • To economize the constructability in terms of formwork
  • Used in parking lots, hotels, commercial buildings, and where beamless slabs are required.

Conventional Concrete Slabs

Conventional slabs are the ones that are supported using beams and columns. Here the thickness of the slab is lower compared to the depth of the beam. This leads to the loads being transferred to the beam then later to the columns. Unlike flat slabs, conventional concrete slabs need a lot of formwork.

These beam concrete pool slabs are usually square with a length of four meters. Conventional slabs are further divided into two according to the length and breadth they are;

  • One-way slabs – these slabs are supported by two beams on each opposite side
  • Two-way slab – these slabs are supported by four beams on both sides

Arched Concrete slabs

These types of concrete slabs are mostly used in the bridge construction industry. Bridges are subject to two different types of mobile loads. They include the wind and vehicle load.

To redirect the wind load, arched slabs come in very handy. They make the bridge more resistant to the wind which can take it down.

Back in the days, arched slabs were made from stones and bricks. Presently, these slabs are made of reinforced steel and concrete. These new materials make the elongation of bridges with lower spans possible.

Conclusion

In general, contractors prefer using concrete slabs because they are easy to install and time-bound. They are easy to maintain and suitable for all types of soil.

Simple DIY Concrete Driveway Ideas in Your Garden

Because first impressions matter, your driveway should be distinct and at the same time speak your personality. It doesn’t matter whether the driveway is at the entrance of your home or back in the garden. The way that it looks is what matters.

The most challenging driveways to create are the garden concrete driveways. On one side you have the concrete driveway and on the other side is the garden. How can one DIY a garden concrete driveway to appear unique and classy without damaging the garden?

Below are some simple concrete driveway ideas that one can use to DIY a garden concrete driveway

Why DIY Your Garden Concrete Driveway?

  • DIY your garden concrete driveway allows you to give the driveway a unique touch that stands out from the rest
  • It defines your test and style
  • It is economical, helps you save money
  • Bring a sense of pride

Try a Two-Tracked Concrete Driveway in Your Garden

A side-by-side concrete driveway in your garden is a great idea to make your property stand out from the rest. You can DIY this idea using different shapes of concrete. For example, you can decide to put a square or rectangular concrete stepping stone upon your garden grass. The shaped stones will blend in perfectly with the grass making a beautiful concrete driveway.

Simple DIY Concrete Driveway Ideas in Your Garden

Add Pebbles to Concrete Driveway in Your Garden

An advantage of DIY is the freedom to customize. Especially when it is about pouring your concrete to form different types of stepping stones In the process of preparing your concrete driveway, you can add pebbles in the concrete mixture to give it a new look. Adding Color and more textures will give you a unique and very beautiful concrete driveway in your garden. Click here to get more how to plan a concrete driveway.

Be Creative by Making Tractions on Your Concrete Driveway

Traction is the act of making drawings or pulling something over a surface. In this case, you can make traction onto the concrete driveway of your garden to make it more elegant.

In a situation where your concrete driveway is slippery and people slip and fall easily, you can create a variety of tractions on it. You can achieve this by placing pebbles and cracks on your driveway. Traction provides a firm foothold, especially during severe weather conditions.

Play Along with Colors on your Garden’s Concrete Driveway

One advantage of using concrete on driveways is that it can easily be colored. You should use this feature to your advantage.  Use known hues for example natural stones. They come in different colors like white, blue, green, and grey. You can blend two colors for example white and green to pop and give contrast to your garden.

Bottom Line

With the above garden concrete driveway ideas, you can know DIY your path or entryway in a way that makes you happy. You do not have to rely on professionals to make your garden concrete driveway way beautiful. All you need is your preferences and materials needed and you are good to go.

All You Need to Know about Formwork for Concrete Structure

It is that when constructing a large structure or a building, there are many steps involved to make it strong and durable. One of the processes involved includes formwork. Formwork is the art of using a temporary structure to hold concrete either permanently or temporally. The temporal formwork means that the material used can be moved easily. This is done when the main concrete structure is firm and in place.

Formwork has allowed constructors to pour concrete that gives the structure a bearing and strong stability. Depending on the design of the building, the formwork can be removed. It can also be left on the out or in to enhance strength. Different types of formwork can be used depending on nature, the purpose of the structure also not forgetting the budget of the project.

Types of Formwork for concrete structures

  • Foundation Formwork
  • Wall Formwork
  • Ceiling Formwork
  • Beam Formwork
  • Column Formwork

Benefits of Using Formwork in Concrete Structures

The following are some of the benefits of using formwork for concrete structures.

1.      Formwork for Concrete Structures are Quick and Time-Saving

With formwork, builders can build the structure quickly once assembled. The concrete is poured onto the construct created the job is done and now is to wait for it to dry up. This means different sides of the building can be done in a very short time. In doing so, the formwork can be applied horizontally and vertically to support floating roofs. This has made it easy for structures to be fabricated to many designs.

2.      Formwork for Concrete Structures presents Strength and Beauty

Other than stability and beauty, the formwork can also be used to make patterns while using concrete. A reclaimed wood when used as formwork it gives a super wood grain finish to the structure. When constructing a slab, building, or wall you can choose to use various types of formwork depending on your ability to cut down on cost.

All You Need to Know about Formwork for Concrete Structure

3.      Flexible Formwork for Concrete Structures

Formworks can be fixed easily.  they are flexible to dismantle as most of the materials used are readily available. The most commonly used formwork is timber which is also known as traditional formwork because it was used from ancient times.

4.      Good Thermal and Smoothness

For concrete not to get damaged in colder regions, the use of timber is highly recommended because it has good thermal resistance. Plywood as formwork material is increasing this is because they provide a smooth finish as compared to the use of normal timber which also reduces the cost of finish.

5.      Formwork for Concrete Structures has Excellent Finish

The use of steel formwork material is a bit costly but can be used severally as compared to timber; they give an excellent finish on the concrete structures. For uniformity and smoothness steel can be the ideal formwork material.

6.      Formwork for Concrete Structures are Safe

The safety of workers in any construction site is paramount. Formwork provides orderly and accessibility of working platforms that ensure all workers are safe during construction. Modern formwork also ensures the safety of the structure by giving out custom solutions with regards to all superimposed loads and gives safe and sustainable structures.

7.      Formwork for Concrete Structures are Re-Usable

Formwork material can be re-cycled. Once the materials are used they can be re-cycled to mount up another wall, slab, or floor when the other structure is in place. The use of formwork gives builders enough time to either permanently or temporally remove the formwork materials once are set.