We specify a minimum of four inches thick on patio and walkways and a minimum of five inches thick on driveways. Coupled with our steel rebar and fiber reinforcement, it gives the concrete the strength it needs for many years of trouble-free service and beauty.
All concrete has the potential to crack. Industry standards dictate methods or guidelines to greatly minimize or control cracking. Proper placement procedures, maintaining uniform thickness, a properly compacted base material, sufficient reinforcement, approved finishing techniques, control joints, and proper curing all are accepted standards that ensure against random cracking and shifting/lifting of slabs.
We incorporate all these methods in our work assuring you every effort is being used to prevent cracking.
Some of our competitors have voiced that opinion. Here in Indiana, we are subject to the freeze/thaw cycle of the changing seasons. Exterior concrete exposed to these weather changes need reinforcement. We use fiber mesh to prevent shrinkage cracking and steel rods for structural integrity. Doesn’t it make sense to spend a few extra pennies per square foot to ensure against unsightly shifting and raising of slabs? We think so! We want you to make sure that your decorative concrete looks just as beautiful in years to come as when it’s first installed.
The colors are either throughout the slab (integral) or form the top 1/8th inch of the slab (color hardener) to ensure the integrity of color that will last a lifetime with minimal maintenance. Two coats of a high solids sealer are applied as part of the bid price to protect and enhance the color and beauty of the decorative concrete artwork.
If you properly maintain our sealer on your slab, deicer and salt have a minimal effect, but you must have a high solids sealer in place to protect the bare concrete. Beware! Most deicers have a salt compound in their ingredients and therefore are still detrimental to concrete.
Dropping a snowplow on any paved surface has the potential of damage or scratching. We recommend the operator raise the plow one inch while plowing. This allows for snow removal without the problem of a heavy steel blade marring your decorative concrete surface. While on the subject, use a plastic snow shovel for walks and patios. While a steel shovel probably won’t harm the stamped concrete, it can scuff the sealer. (Easily fixed by applying another coat of sealer).
Sealed concrete can be slippery when wet. However, the nature of a textured surface usually deters the danger of slipping. If there is a need for extra traction, an anti-slip compound can be added to the sealer to further insure against slipping.
Most concrete jobs are typically completed in two to three days, depending on the square foot coverage. Under normal conditions, it can take a day to properly prepare the site, a day to pour, and another half day to detail and clean up. Sometimes we need more time to pour due to a larger area being covered.
We enjoy our work and take pride in doing the best work for every project. We will not forsake craftsmanship to justify pushing in another several hundred square feet per day. A good percentage of our leads are through referrals and you don’t get referrals unless you do great work.
Wilmer Concrete / Indiana Hardscape stocks sealer along with other items that you may need to maintain your hardscaping artwork. We would be glad to advise you which products would best fit your needs and how to properly use them. For instance, our sealer works very well on a garage floor to protect and help keep the plain concrete surface clean.
Contact us so we can help you find the right product for your hardscape.
Here’s where our years of experience in concrete stamping pays off. Our concrete stamping pattern and color catalog shows you various completed jobs from which you can gain an insight into what would be pleasing to you for your home or business. We also have numerous sample cuts from actual jobs that can be placed next to your home to vividly display how they will look together. Further, you are invited to visit the display area at our showroom where you can view actual samples of decorative concrete to find the pattern and color that you love.
Let’s Get Started
Contact us today to discuss your hardscape and landscape project.
Call today (260) 693-0847