concrete

Hi Everyone, I am wanting to create some cheese boards and servingware out of concrete to use at home. I am looking for an easy to use sealer or wax that would be food-safe. I have read about the beeswax & carnauba wax, are these long lasting? Or should I be looking at the type of sealers they...

I have a very old driveway that's gone from gravel ( 1860 ) surface to cement panels to the current asphalt surface. I'm seeing cracks on the surface, some 1" to 3" wide x 1.5" D, various lengths. Can I use cement to fill the cracks, concrete, asphalt crack filler ( last choice )? Thanks

Hi all! I'm redoing the basement kitchen and after removing the cabinets I found that they were sitting on old 2x4s recessed into the concrete. I'm left with a recession that is about 1" deep along the exterior wall and 2" deep on the inside of the recession where the tiles are. I'm thinking...

Hi, I'm pooring a small basement slab soon here in Montreal QC, around 470sqft. The place will have a bathroom with a no-curb shower 3x5ft. I will also install pex tubing with appropriate rigid board insulation for radiant heat (I already have the boiler setup for the ground floor). My question...

Need some advice from an expert. I am currently building a home in NJ. I stopped by the site to look at progress and noticed an irregularity in the basement wall. is this something I need to fight the builder to remove and redo, or will it be fine to just have it patched and filled In. I looks...

Hi All, new here so apologies if this doesn't fit! I'm looking to use concrete to make two balustrades (that will stand alone) and four hollow cubes stacked 2x2. The balustrades will have my speakers on them, with my turntables on top of the cubes and records within. Sourcing molds for the...

Bought this old house a few years ago and slowly been updating everything and fixing sloppy work from the past 50 years. I'm just wondering what I can do with this concrete porch. At first I was thinking of turning it into a mudroom because the porch needs torn down before it falls down (look at...

Hey. I need to pour concrete in a select section of my basement measuring approx: 11ft x 16ft x 1.2in and I had a few questions regarding what's the correct thing to do or what can I get away with. 1. Can I pour concrete over tile? The tile is in good condition, but would be a paint to remove...

I just bought a house with this as the fireplace. I am redoing the floors and would like to remove this tile as the surround. And replace it with a concrete front. Has anyone done this before? It doesn’t need to come off the wall like the photo below, but I do like the texture and color a lot

I plan on getting 2 pallets for some slabs in my basement. I am going to put these down through the basement window. Could I have the pallets delivered and cover them with a tarp and haul the bags down over a few days? The temps are about 30 degrees and I would cover them with a tarp. They...

All, My client has a sunken room in her house that she is wanting to bring up (~3") to the same level as the rest of the house. The previous owners built this addition onto the house years ago (was likely a patio previously), and expanded the size of the room 1.5" on the outside walls. The...

Good day guys, I'm building a 10-ft high concrete retaining wall 12-in thick with a 10-ft radius curve. Looking for advice on forming. Was figuring on using two pieces of 3/8 inch plywood with 2x4 verticals every 12 in. Does that sound like enough support? On the curve section should I just do...

Hi forum, We have a concrete pad that's adjacent a concrete walkway in our backyard. I made some wet cuts on the concrete pad, finished late at night and didn't realize just how much I tracked some of the slurry from the pad on to the walkway. I had to finish some other tasks, and now several...

Hi all, I would like to install a 30 x 60 inches wood panel (3/8" melamine) on the ceiling. Concrete ceiling. This will act as a second ceiling, so we can hang things and occasionally being able to replace the panel for a brand new installation (therefore not needing to drill new holes in the...

Greetings. I'm in my 20s, not a contractor, and seeking to build a home that will outlast me. My research tells me that concrete is (somehow) still the best option for a foundation, period. It also tells me that pier & beam style foundations are the longest lasting, out of any concrete...

Hi. I recently had a chainlink fence installed. I've noticed several single wires (maybe where they had to splice together) sticking straight up on top rail. Is that right? Don't look right to me. Also several poles seem loose. I don't think deep enough they used concrete. He said to soke the...

I have recently poured a 1500sq/ft concrete pad for a basketball court and am wondering if anyone has suggestions on adding a non-slip additive to the surface along with a paint/sealer. The concrete is smooth and very slippery when wet. I have looked into painting the surface with a product from...

Hi. This is my first post here. I'm a 2nd year carpentry apprentice Located in Montreal. I'm currently in the process of building our family cottage and I joined this community for construction advice. I'm almost done with building the forms, and next I'll be laying 4 inches of rigid insulation...

Screed is a thin layer of paste on a concrete structure which is made of cement, sand, and other fine aggregates. Generally, the ratio of material combination to create good quality screed is one part of cement added to 3 – 5 parts of sand. If you are into the construction business, it is...

Need help explaining what this is and can it be fixed without covering it up. The new concrete floor was poured this week and cut 48 hours later.