CONCRETE SPECIALISTS IS A SMALL COMPANY DEDICATED TO DOING CONCRETE "THE
RIGHT WAY" FOR THE ULTIMATE SATISFACTION AND BENEFIT OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
THERE ARE MANY MYTHS ABOUT CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION AND PLACEMENT.

BELOW YOU WILL FIND ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING CONCRETE
INSTALLATIONS. WE TRY TO DISPEL THE MYTHS AND INCORRECT INFORMATION
REGARDING CONCRETE INSTALLATIONS. YOU ARE HERE BECAUSE YOU SEEK
KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION ABOUT CONCRETE WORK. PERHAPS YOU ARE
CONSIDERING A PATIO, OR DRIVEWAY OR SOME OTHER CONCRETE WORK. THE BEST
CUSTOMER IS AN INFORMED CUSTOMER. THERE ARE FOUR SPECIFIC RULES THAT
GOVERN SLAB ON GRADE APPLICATIONS. THEY ARE;
(1) PREPARATION OF SUBGRADE (2)
REINFORCEMENT,  (3) TYPE OF CONCRETE (ALSO CALLED PSI, OR COMPRESSIVE POUNDS
PER SQUARE INCH). AND (4) PROPER AND CORRECT PLACEMENT OF CONTROL JOINTS.

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REINFORCEMENT

THE PRIMARY CONCERN FOR THOSE WISHING NEW CONCRETE WORK IS HOW THE CONCRETE WILL BE REINFORCED. MANY,
MANY OF THE OLDER HOMES DO NOT HAVE REINFORCEMENT IN THEIR CONCRETE DRIVEWAYS OR PATIOS. MANY PEOPLE
THINK THE CRACKS ARE CAUSED BY LACK OF REBAR OR REINFORCEMENT. THIS IS NOT TRUE ! FOR A "SLAB ON GRADE"
APPLICATION, THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO TYPES OF REINFORCEMENT I.E. REBAR OR WIRE MESH. CONCRETE SPECIALISTS
USES BOTH TYPES, DEPENDENT UPON THE CUSTOMER'S WISHES.
TO DISPEL A POPULAR MYTH -- REBAR OR REINFORCEMENT
"DOES NOT"-- I REPEAT - "DOES NOT" PREVENT INDISCRIMINATE CRACKS IN SLAB ON GRADE CONCRETE ! IF ONE WANTS TO
MINIMIZE CRACKING, USE A HGHER PSI MIX OF CONCRETE AND INSURE CONTROL JOINTS ARE CORRECTLY INSTALLED.
MORE INFO REGARDING INDISCRIMINATE CRACKS BELOW!
ABOUT OUR COMPANY
ESTIMATES
CONCRETE SPECIALISTS DOES NOT JUST GIVE ESTIMATES. WE PROVIDE "CONSULTATIONS" ALL
FREE OF CHARGE. OUR CONSULTATIONS TELL YOU WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM YOU ARE
EXPERIENCING WITH YOUR CONCRETE AND HOW IT SHOULD BE FIXED. WE OVERVIEW YOUR
PROBLEM, AND THEN EMAIL YOU THE WRITTEN ESTIMATE. THE ESTIMATE INCLUDES AN
OVERVIEW OF YOUR PROBLEM, HOW WE WILL CORRECT IT, WHAT WE DO, HOW WE DO IT, THE
MATERIALS WE USE, THE METHODOLOGY (OR THE STEPS WE TAKE), AND LAST, THE MIX DESIGN
FOR THE CONCRETE WE WILL USE ON YOUR WORK. ALL THIS IS FREE OF CHARGE.

IN SHORT, CONCRETE SPECIALISTS ADHERES TO THE FOUR RULES OF SLAB ON GRADE CONSTRUCTION . DON'T BE FOOLED BY
GLIB TALK AND OTHER CONTRACTORS WHO TELL YOU THESE RULES DON'T APPLY TO "YOUR" PROJECT.  THEY APPLY TO ALL
PROJECTS WHEN THEY ARE SLAB ON GRADE SUCH AS DRIVEWAYS, PATIOS, WALKS, ETC. CONCRETE SPECIALISTS WORKS ALL
OVER THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.  WE HAVE COMPLETED WORK FROM SEABROOK TO THE SOUTH TO MAGNOLIA, AND
LIVINGSTON TO THE NORTH, BAYTOWN TO THE EAST, AND PAST KATY TO THE WEST.

CONCRETE SPECIALISTS IS LICENSED AND BONDED. ONCE YOU AWARD US YOUR WORK, WE SEND YOU A LOSS PAYABLE FROM
OUR INSURANCE COMPANY IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR WORK.  FEW COMPANIES DO THIS WHICH
IS ONE MORE REASON OF THE MANY, THAT YOUR CHOICE OF CONCRETE SPECIALISTS TO DO YOUR WORK IS THE BEST CHOICE
YOU CAN MAKE.

THE PRESIDENT  OF THE BUSINESS IS WENDELL JOHNSON. HE IS DEGREED AND EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE REGARDING ALL
TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION. PRIOR TO COMING TO HOUSTON, HE OWNED ONE OF THE LARGEST CONCRETE INSTALLATION
COMPANIES IN THE KANSAS CITY AREA.  HE PARTICIPATES IN THE WORK WHEN CONCRETE IS BEING POURED BECAUSE HE
WANTS IT TO ADHERE TO HIS STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE. THEREFORE HE IS ON THE JOB WHEN IT MATTERS MOST.

CONCRETE SPECIALISTS DOES MORE THAN CONCRETE WORK. WE DO PERGOLAS, PATIO COVERS (WHEN WE DO THE ORIGINAL
PATIO), PATIO DESIGN AND CAN COMPLETE YOUR  PROJECT IN A TURNKEY MANNER.  ALL WE ASK IS THAT YOU WATCH AND
WRITE THE CHECK.

PLEASE GIVE US A CALL AT 832-533-8885
PREPARATION OF SUBGRADE

THE REASON THE SUBGRADE IS SO VITAL TO GOOD CONCRETE INSTALLATIONS IS DUE TO MANY THINGS. ITS WHY CONCRETE
SHOULD NEVER BE PLACED ON MUD, OR ANY UNSOUND SUBGRADE. CERTAINLY CONCRETE HARDENS, BUT WHEN PLACED ON A
UNSOUND SUBGRADE, A VOID CAN OCCUR UNDERNEATH,  WATER INFILTRATON IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE BASICS. ALSO, PLEASE
UNDERSTAND THAT CONCRETE IS ONLY AS SOUND AS WHAT IT IS PLACED UPON. THINK ABOUT IT. PROFESSIONALS DOING
STREETS OR HIGHWAYS SPEND MORE TIME IN SUBGRADE PREPARATION THAN POURING THE CONCRETE. WATER IS CONCRETE'S
WORST ENEMY.
WHEN WATER GETS UNDER UNPREPPED CONCRETE THAT DOES NOT HAVE A SUBGRADE, MANY THINGS HAPPEN,
BUT ALL OF THEM ARE BAD !!

CONCRETE SHOULD NEVER BE PLACED ON A DIRT SUBGRADE !! DIRT IS EASILY COMPROMISED BY WATER INFILTRATION. WHEN
ONE LOOKS AT ANY PROFESSIONAL CONCRETE PLACEMENT, ONE SEES THEM PLACE A SUBGRADE PRIOR TO THE CONCRETE.  
THEY MAY SPEND MORE TIME ON THE SUBGRADE THAN ON THE CONCRETE PLACEMENT BECAUSE CONCRETE MUST HAVE A
SOLID SUBGRADE.

CONCRETE SPECIALISTS ALWAYS PLACES A SUBGRADE BENEATH ALL SLABS. THE  SUBGRADE IS COMPOSED OF EITHER BANK
SAND, OR CRUSHED CONCRETE.  THEN WE COMPACT THE SUBGRADE WITH A PLATE COMPACTOR TO INSURE A SOLID SUBGRADE
PRIOR TO CONCRETE PLACEMENT.  AFTER REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING CONCRETE, MOST HOUSTON CONCRETE CONTRACTORS
PLACE THE CONCRETE RIGHT BACK ON THE DIRT SUBGRADE.

THIS SHOULD NEVER BE DONE !!
CONTROL JOINTS

THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR INDISCRIMINATE CRACKING IN SLAB ON GRADE CONCRETE IS
IMPROPER PLACEMENT OF CONTROL JOINTS !!!

I MUST EMPHASIZE AGAIN, HOW IMPORTANT PROPER PLACEMENT OF CONTROL JOINTS IN SLAB
ON GRADE CONCRETE  IS TO THE PREVENTION OF INDISCRIMINATE CRACKS !!!

THE SECOND REASON IS DUE TO WATER INFILTRATION BECAUSE OF ROTTED OUT WOOD CONTROL JOINTS. ONCE THE WOOD HAS
ROTTED, IT ALLOWS WATER TO GET UNDER THE SLAB.
WHEN WATER GETS BENEATH A CONCRETE SLAB, MANY THINGS HAPPEN ... BUT ALL OF THEM ARE BAD !!

CONCRETE SPECIALISTS DOES NOT USE WOOD FOR CONTROL JOINTS UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY THE CUSTOMER.  
WE USE A ENGINEER DEPRESSED TYPE OF CONTROL JOINT, NO WOOD, AND PLACE THEM WITHIN 120 SQUARE FOOT MASS OF
CONCRETE IN THE AGGREGATE.

AS A GENERAL RULE (SLAB ON GRADE 4 INCHES THICK),  CONCRETE CRACKS WITHIN AN AGGREGATE MASS EXCEEDING 200
SQUARE FEET. IF CONTROL JOINTS ARE NOT CORRECTLY SPACED, REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF REINFORCEMENT ONE
HAS, THE CONCRETE WILL SUFFER AN INDISCRIMINATE CRACK.
TYPE OF CONCRETE

   THERE ARE ALL TYPES OF CONCRETE MIXES. CONCRETE CAN BE ORDERED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.    

ALL CONCRETE IS NOT THE SAME!!

THE TYPE OF CONCRETE USED ON YOUR PROJECT SHOULD BE ORDERED TO FIT YOUR SPECIFIC PROJECT.  THE TYPE OF CONCRETE A
READY MIX PLANT BATCHES IS CALLED THE "MIX DESIGN". IF YOUR CONTRACTOR DOES NOT KNOW THE MIX DESIGN FOR YOUR
PROJECT, I SUGGEST YOU USE A DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR.

THE MIX DESIGN IS JUST LIKE THE OIL IN YOUR CAR. IT SHOULD BE THE CORRECT TYPE OR THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES.  
CONCRETE CAN BE ORDERED WITH DIFFERENT INGREDIENTS. IT WILL ALWAYS HAVE AGGREGATE, SAND, CEMENT AND WATER. WHAT
MAKES ONE MIX DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER IS THE ADDITIVES AND THE AMOUNT OF CEMENT ORDERED FOR THE MIX. FOR
EXAMPLE, "RETARDANT" CAN BE ORDERED IN THE MIX TO SLOW DOWN THE HYDRATION OR CURING PROCESS.  CC (OR A FORM OF
ANIFREEZE),CAN BE ORDERED IN THE MIX TO PREVENT THE WATER FROM FREEZING. "ACCELLERANT" CAN BE ORDERED (HIGH EARLY
CEMENT), TO HASTEN THE HYDRATION PROCESS  WITHOUT LOSING STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE  
ADDITIVES AND MIXES AVAILABLE TO YOUR CONTRACTOR. READY MIX PLANTS PROVIDE WHATS ORDERED BY THE CONTRACTOR.

THE ADDITIVES CAN DO MANY THINGS AND AFFECT THE STRUCTURE, VIABILITY, AND STRENGTH OF CONCRETE. PRIMARILY, THE  
STRENGTH OF THE CONCRETE DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF "CEMENT" IN THE MIX.  THE MORE CEMENT = THE GREATER THE
STRENGTH. THINK OF CEMENT AS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS THE OTHER INGREDIENTS TOGETHER. THE STRONGER THE GLUE = THE
STRONGER THE CONCRETE.

THERE ARE MANY OTHER ADDITIVES AND COMPONENTS TO GOOD CONCRETE. FOR EXAMPLE "FLY ASH" CAN BE GOOD AND BAD FOR
CONCRETE. A LITTLE IS GOOD, A LOT IS BAD. YEARS AGO IN HOUSTON, SEA SHELLS WERE USED AS THE AGGREGATE IN CONCRETE
BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT AGGREGATE PLANTS. IN THE HEIGHTS, ONE CAN STILL SEE SOME DRIVEWAYS WITH SEASHELLS USED AS
THE AGGREGATE. THEY ARE STILL USED TODAY IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS - YOUR CONTRACTOR SHOULD KNOW THE TYPE OF CONCRETE HE IS USING FOR YOUR WORK.  CONCRETE
SPECIALISTS ALWAYS GIVES THE CUSTOMER THE MIX DESIGN CONJUNCTIVE WITH THE PROPOSAL ALLOWING THE CUSTOMER TO
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TYPE OF CONCRETE IS BEING USED.
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CONCRETE SPECIALISTS HAS TWO WEBSITES! FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AND PICTURES OF COMPLETED WORK, PLEASE GO TO
WWW.CONSPECINC.COM
THIS WEBSITE ALSO ADDRESSES EVERYTHING WE DO. IN BUSINESS OVER 15 YEARS AND
LICENSED, BONDED, AND INSURED.
 WE PROVIDE DESIGN, CONSULTATION, ADVICE, AND
ESTIMATES FREE OF CHARGE !!
ENJOY OUR WORK AND CALL 832-533-8885 FOR QUESTIONS