Concrete

Concrete Sealers – Protect Your Concrete

Concrete sealers are used to protect your concrete floor from such damaging agents as oil, road salt, stains, molds and more. A sealed concrete floor is not only easier to wash and sweep it is protected from chemicals, water and whatever traffic the floor can bear. The sealer will protect the floor from any heavy traffic and will last a lifetime. Although a sealed concrete floor is durable it is not indestructible.

Using concrete sealers in places where water is liable to seep in is a good idea as the sealer will protect the concrete and make it waterproof. A sealer should be used if you want the floor to have a surface that cannot be penetrated or at least less penetrable than and unsealed concrete floor. If your concrete floor has cracks a sealer will fill the crack and make the surface solid.

Concrete sealers can be had as a clear sealer to be used on any concrete surface such as your driveway, garage, the deck around your pool, or on a wall. The clear concrete sealers can be used indoors or outdoors. If you are going to use the clear sealer than you should be prepared for some heavy use of elbow grease because you will need to patch cracks and fill holes to make the surface hard and somewhat smooth. You will have to remove oil stains and mold and mildew. When you are through with this clean-up than the second clean-up is needed and that is to use a stiff broom to clean anything that may remain from the first clean-up. You might want to use bleach and water as a final thorough clean-up.

When preparing to apply the clear sealer remember to wear protective clothing and goggles. Although the clear concrete sealers are harmless they may cause itching or an allergic reaction. You can use a roller or a brush to apply the sealer but keep it away from flames or anything that sparks. The most important component of applying the sealer is patience and care on your part. The job is finished.

By: Daniel Lanback

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More on concrete sealers and concrete for home check out http://concrete4home.com/ now.

Concrete is Useful Beyond Foundations

Travel throughout the United States and you will see a number of different styles of homes. They range from single story ranch homes to pristine Victorian houses to log houses and everything in between. This is not major news to anyone. What is interesting is that most homes in the United States sit on some form of concrete. So, although there are many different homes in the country, their foundations are relatively the same. Why is concrete used so often as a foundation? Quiet simply, it is incredibly strong and it can be energy efficient.

If concrete is useful as a foundation material, could it be useful in building an entire home? The answer is yes. Another way to look at this concept is to consider all of the commercial buildings made of concrete. If a contractor can build a commercial green building that is concrete, then they can build a green home made of concrete as well.

Concrete can be used to build an entire home that is energy efficient. A commercial center like a shopping mall will lower its energy use by using commercial ICF (insulated concrete form) in its construction. The same technology is available for residential homes. A new home builder can use insulated concrete forms to create a simple three bedroom, two bath house, or a large mansion with many rooms.

What are insulated concrete forms? Insulated concrete forming walls are the most common. Foam blocks are stacked on top of one another to create the outer and inner part of the wall, and then the concrete is poured between the two sections of foam. The great thing about this construction technique is the foam sections are left attached to the concrete; thus, a heavily insulated wall that has an amazing amount of strength is created.

By: Alice Lane

About the Author:
If you are interested in building a new home that has the strength of an entire foundation and uses commercial green building techniques, you will want to look to the industry leader NUDURA. NUDURA’s commercial ICF system is used to create homes that are incredibly strong and are able to withstand two hundred fifty mile winds. And, because NUDURA’s insulated concrete forming technique uses an interlocking system, the foam that is on the inside and outside of the concrete is sealed tight. NUDURA can show you why concrete no longer is just being used to build foundations.