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Concrete, Home Improvement Library, HVAC
First, use expanding foam to fill the ductwork below the floor at each register. Just foam block the area near the floor hole with foam. Then mix up some pre-mix concrete and dump it into the hole in the floor into the ductwork. Fill the duct register hole with the...
Concrete, Home Improvement Library
Curing happens unevenly in concrete, with parts of the concrete losing or curing faster than others. This leaves different color or darker patches in it. The good news is the bad news: the sealer wisely applied to your concrete also holds in the moisture for a longer...
Brick & Masonry, Concrete, Foundation, Home Improvement Library
The cause of the crack is expansion of the brick usually from sunlight or summer heat. The brick is usually a different color than the white concrete foundation and therefore expands and contracts at a different rate than the concrete. During the heat of the summer...
Concrete, Home Improvement Library
The poch marks are likely from rock salt deterioration on your concrete drive. It can be caused by using rock salt to melt ice on your drive or can be brought onto your drive by parking vehicles on your drive that drive on public roads. The road crews typically and...
Concrete, Doors, Foundation, Home Improvement Library, Windows
Whoa there! This is a big league structural issue when you start sawing structural concrete like a foundation. The good news is it can be done, the bad news is that it takes the help of a structural engineer and a building permit is required. You need the engineer to...
Concrete, Home Improvement Library
Use the old soil, put it loosely in the hole and ram compact it with the end of a 2×4. This allows the soil to be compacted through the hole with an inexpensive tool. The end of the 2×4 can really pack the soil. If you have difficulty ramming the 2×4,...
Concrete, Home Improvement Library
Concrete Slab with Fiber Mesh or Wire Mesh Reinforcement Q: Should I reinforce my concrete slab with fiber mesh or wire mesh? A: I advise welded wire fabric (6x6x10x10 mesh – 6″x6″ pattern with #10 gauge wire both directions), low slump concrete...
Basements, Concrete, Home Improvement Library
Your concrete floor is probably fine. Hundreds of gallons of water leave your floor concrete over the first year and this causes shrinkage. This shrinkage commonly shows as a fine crack, which is typically an even width along the crack. Some builders design shrinkage...
Cleaning, Concrete, Home Improvement Library, Painting
Yes, the paint can be stripped from the concrete, but it is usually a messy, tedious task with no real guarantee that the concrete will return 100% to its original appearance. The removal process entails application of chemical strippers to the surface and then...
Brick & Masonry, Concrete, Home Improvement Library
Paver bricks are substantially more attractive and more costly than standard white concrete. Brick pavers are considered a premium surface. Pavers also offer the ability to repair, re-grade, remove & replace the pavers in shifting soil condition without having to...