What is better steel or concrete?
The scrap value of concrete is nil : The scrap value of steel is good : Self-weight: The self-weight of concrete is more : The steel is 60% lighter than the concrete: Foundation: The foundation for the concrete structure should be strong because of the larger weight of concrete: The steel structure can be made without foundation: Construction time
Can I put hardwood floors on a concrete slab?
You CAN install hardwood floors on a concrete slab. More Info: It is possible to install hardwood floors on a concrete slab as long as you first install proper subflooring. The two most important aspects of hardwood over concrete are expansion and moisture control.
How to pour a concrete slab successfully?
Steps Involved in Pouring Concrete over Existing Concrete Slab
- Cleaning Old Concrete Surface. Sweeping dirt’s debris over the existing concrete slab will allow bonding to take place. ...
- Setting Up Slab Perimeter. Measure the perimeter of the area to pour the concrete over the existing slab. ...
- Pouring a Primer Coat. ...
- Pouring of Concrete. ...
What is the difference between gravel and concrete?
is that gravel is to apply a layer of gravel to the surface of a road, etc while concrete is to cover with or encase in concrete; often constructed as concrete over . particular, perceivable, real. Other Comparisons: What's the difference? (uncountable) Small fragments of rock, used for laying on the beds of roads and railroads, and as ballast.
Is there caulking for concrete?
Can you fill a felt joint with dirt?
What should I put between two concrete slabs?
An expansion joint is a material placed in the cracks (or joints) between concrete slabs to protect the slabs from cracking when they contract and expand as the temperature changes. This material acts as a shock absorber, absorbing the stress from the slab's movement.
What material is used for expansion joints in concrete?
Minimize Concrete Cracking and Damage with Expansion Joints. ASPHALT EXPANSION JOINT is composed of a blend of asphalts, vegetable fibers, and mineral fillers formed under heat and pressure between two asphalt-saturated liners. It is waterproof, permanent, flexible, and self-sealing.
What can you put between concrete joints?
Expansion joints must be sealed with a flexible sealant, like QUIKRETE® Self-Leveling Polyurethane Sealant or QUIKRETE® Non-Sag Polyurethane Sealant…or an expansion joint strip, to prevent water from penetrating the joint and deteriorating the sub-base.
What do you put between concrete slabs on a patio?
When installing a new slab against an existing one, many concrete masons put expansion joint material between the two slabs. Asphalt-saturated fiberboard was the staple expansion joint material of choice for years. Here's what I would do: Clean out the gap to a depth of about 3 inches.
What is the best concrete joint filler?
Epoxy and polyurea-based joint fillers are two of the most popular filler solutions. They help extend the lifetime of concrete floors and allow them to perform as intended throughout their usable years.
What happens if you don't put expansion joints in concrete?
Concrete expansion joints give the slabs just enough room to move which helps prevent cracks & buckling. Without these joints, even a little movement creates pressure and stress on the concrete. Eventually weak spots can crack or buckle.
Which are the material used for filling joints?
Rubber, asphalt and other compressible materials are popular joint filler material choices. Joint filler also prevents the introduction of other materials that are not compressible from entering the joint, which could cause concrete failure as well.
How do you seal gaps in concrete?
1:3511:17How To Seal A Gap Between Concrete Slabs - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd the other debris in the expansion joint itself and vacuum that with a small handheld shop backMoreAnd the other debris in the expansion joint itself and vacuum that with a small handheld shop back might be a little bit more ideal for that. Now if i have any large holes where voids are starting to
Do you need expansion joints in concrete slabs?
Expansion joints are virtually never needed with interior slabs, because the concrete doesn't expand that much—it never gets that hot. Expansion joints in concrete pavement are also seldom needed, since the contraction joints open enough (from drying shrinkage) to account for temperature expansion.
What to put between paving slabs to stop weeds?
Make a saltwater solution of 3 parts water and 1 part salt, and mix together. Pour this saltwater solution between your patio slabs. As the weeds start to die, pour some dry salt over areas where there are lots of weeds.
What is expansion joint material?
Expansion joint material is a product used to fill, seal, fire rate, or provide a transitional surface over an expansion joint. An expansion joint is a gap designed into a building element to accommodate movement.
Which are the material used for filling joints?
Rubber, asphalt and other compressible materials are popular joint filler material choices. Joint filler also prevents the introduction of other materials that are not compressible from entering the joint, which could cause concrete failure as well.
What is the material used for joints?
Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is the main polymer used for joints, and it is widely used as acetabular cup material due to its superior biocompatibility, high impact strength and non-toxicity.
What are the types of expansion joint?
What are the different types of expansion joints?Single Expansion Joints.Hinged Expansion Joints.Gimbal Expansion Joints.Universal Expansion Joints.Elbow Pressure Balanced Expansion Joints.In-line Pressure Balanced Expansion Joints.Externally Pressurized Expansion Joints.Toroidal Expansion Joints.More items...
How to clean joints between slabs?
With a wet-dry vacuum, clean out the joints between the slabs very well.
What is an expansion joint?
An expansion joint is a material placed in the cracks (or joints) between concrete slabs to protect the slabs from cracking when they contract and expand as the temperature changes. This material acts as a shock absorber, absorbing the stress from the slab's movement. After a while, the expansion joint can dry out and won't absorb ...
Why do concrete slabs crack?
If a concrete slab is too big and doesn’t have expansion joints, when the structure shifts, vibrates, expands or contracts, the stress and pressure finds relief by cracking. Expansion joints are used to prevent these cracks.
What is joint in concrete?
Joints are used in areas where two slabs of concrete meet, when a slab meets another concrete structure like a wall or when a span of concrete is overly long. For example, a 100 ft. concrete sidewalk wouldn’t be poured in one long slab. You’d get lots of cracks. Rather, we cut expansion joints which breaks the sidewalk into smaller pieces. These smaller slabs of concrete can move much easier which helps prevent cracks and buckling.
How thick is a concrete sidewalk?
Cut them to be the same height as the thickness of your concrete. So for a 4″ thick sidewalk you’ll cut 4″ expansion joints. As you pour each slab of concrete, stop and place your joint in between each slab.
What is pre-molded joint filler?
Pre-molded joint filler should be used to separate slabs from building walls and footings. If the slab contains wire mesh, I recommend you stop the mesh at the joint. Joints should be spaced so that the concrete sections are even and uniform. It’s recommended to have concrete joints along column lines.
Why do you need an expansion joint in a concrete slab?
The purpose of having an expansion joint in a concrete slab is to prevent cracks and buckling. Joints prevent damage to the slab which makes them last longer and look better. By including expansion joints, there’s a place for the concrete to go when it moves.
Why does concrete expand?
Concrete routinely expands and contracts as it changes temperature. It can also shift a little with the movement of the earth. Concrete expansion joints give the slabs just enough room to move which helps prevent cracks & buckling. Without these joints, even a little movement creates pressure and stress on the concrete.
What is an expansion joint?
Expansion joints are filled with a flexible material that runs along and inside the joint or gap in slabs and other concrete structures. An expansion joint is designed to absorb the expansion and contraction of concrete that naturally occurs due to change in temperatures.
What is concrete expansion joint?
Also called concrete isolation joints. Concrete expansion joints, also referred to as concrete isolation joints , are a very important part of designing and building concrete slabs. Concrete cracks because it is weak in tensile strength, so when its natural tendency to shrink is restrained, tensile stresses that exceed its tensile strength occur, ...
Why do concrete joints need to be isolated?
Concrete isolation joints provide relief from the tensile stresses that cause uncontrolled cracking in concrete slabs by allowing the concrete to move freely as it shrinks or expands. Concrete expands and shrinks with changes in moisture, humidity, and temperature.
What is the best material for expansion joints?
The materials used for expansion joints are asphalt-impregnated fiber sheeting. You can buy these 4' x 8' sheets and cut them to the width you need or you can buy pre-cut strips that are 4" or 6" wide by 10' long. We usually use a spray adhesive to attach the material to the wall, you can also use small concrete nails or caulking.
Does shrinkage cracking affect concrete?
Although shrinka ge cracking doesn't usually affect the integrity of the concrete, the irregular cracks aren't pretty to look at. Installing expansion joints in concrete permit independent horizontal and vertical movement between adjoining parts of the structure and help minimize cracking when such movements are restrained.
Is there caulking for concrete?
There is a caulking that is grey and made especially for this application. sonneborne is a manufacture of the caulking I have used on many concrete jobs. The caulking is very tacky when applied, so I usually sprinkle some pure silicone sand on it right after placing it so it won’t get tracked all over the place. I have used this on sidewalks,warehouse slabs and driveways. There are many types that will do the job just fine, just go by your local building supply store and ask.
Can you fill a felt joint with dirt?
The felt that your talking about is an expansion joint filler. I would not fill it with anything that would stop the expansion and contraction of the concrete slab. You might find some heavy duty caulking that would stay flexible. You could also fill it with dirt and spray Roundup in the joint to kill the weeds. Regards, Dale