Concrete Basics

Concrete is a building material that is:

Unique	Versatile	Strong	Placid
Rigid	Firm	Bendable	Durable

But it does crack...

Control Joints should be constructed to permit transfer of loads perpendicular to the place of the slab. They have two purposes:

To provide for movement in a slab.
To induce cracking caused by drying and thermal shrinkage at preselected locations.

If no control joints are used or if they are too widely spaced in slabs, random cracks will occur.

Deterioration occurs when pieces of concrete pop out of the concrete slab. Reasons for this include:

Salt attacks concrete causing scaling and popouts.
Impurities in concrete prevent the portland paste from properly bonding to the aggregate.
In cold weather, calcium chloride that is added in dry form is not completely dissolved during mixing.
After the cracks and popouts are repaired and resurfaced, certain slabs can move and cause cracks to re-crack. This can be caused by the shale content in the aggregate supply.

This is not a wide spread problem but it happens with mainly old concrete where years of salt deteriorate it.

Sweeping and cleaning your floor with soap and water when needed is important for proper maintenance.

When power scrubbing the coating, use a soft brush or pad.
DO *NOT* USE abrasive brushes or pads.

Concrete, though extremely durable, will deteriorate without proper care. Extending its durability will provide many long lasting benefits.