Licensed, Bonded, Insured | License #936786
(916) 612.2399

Blog

Who Uses Cement?

What Happens to All That Concrete? Cement production is an incredibly important industry in the United States. About 14,000 people are employed around the nation making cement. They work at 96 different plants that create the most important ingredient for what becomes concrete. Add to the cement industry all the people involved in making concrete […]

Making Stronger Concrete — the Roman Way?

The ancient Romans are well known for their engineering prowess, constructing buildings, aqueducts, entertainment centers, roads, harbors and monuments that survive even today. What’s most amazing about their structures, however, is that the concrete and mortar used to build them, especially in their harbors, is stronger today than it was over two thousand years ago! […]

What is Crazing?

Cracks in concrete can be measured on a spectrum of severity. At the worst end, you have the kind of crack that forms when the ground settles underneath a slab and part of the concrete sinks far below the rest of it. That’s a serious crack and entails a major repair. On the other end […]

Why Concrete Fails: Abrasion

“Many industrial floors are subjected to abrasion by steel or hard rubber wheeled traffic, which can cause significant rutting.”—Portland Cement Association Abrasion is the simple act of one object rubbing against another. For example, in a sandstorm, sand particles are blown by the wind against painted objects, like cars, signs and houses, stripping the paint […]

Why Concrete Fails: Carbonation

Carbonation is something we typically associate with sodas, soft drinks and beer. Just as carbon dioxide penetrates some of our favorite liquids and creates effervescent bubbles, it can also penetrate the pores of concrete, directly from the surrounding air. When it does, and sufficient humidity is present, carbonation leads to concrete corrosion. How can our […]

Why Concrete Fails: Corrosion

“Corrosion of reinforcing steel and other embedded metals is the leading cause of deterioration in concrete.” — Portland Cement Association Concrete is one of the most commonly used construction materials and is present it nearly every Sacramento home. Protecting your concrete from failure increases the longevity of your home and its decorative elements. In the […]

How Concrete is Made

The terms concrete and cement are commonly interchanged when describing a solid surface made from these substances. If your neighbors need a new patio, whether they tell you it’s going to be made of cement, or they call it a concrete patio, your vision of the finished product may be the same. You understand that […]

What is Cement Made From?

Many think that cement is a raw material, like coal or iron, dug up out of the ground. In fact, cement is actually manufactured from other raw materials. According to the Portland Cement Association*, a British bricklayer made the first modern cement in his home kitchen, combining limestone with clay. Although making cement is a […]