From Rome to Denver – Concrete Facts

Considered by many to be a Roman invention, concrete has been playing a major role in construction for centuries. Modern day structural engineering designs combine heavy steel bars known as rebar to concrete which gives incredible strength and resistance to compression and tension.

Concrete is made from a mixture of broken stones or gravel, sand, cement and water. The strength of the concrete mix is measured in PSI (pounds per square inch) and is especially critical for heavy use areas such as warehouses and airplane hangars.

As far as being versatile, concrete can do a lot more than most of us realize. New trends are taking concrete beyond basement walls and backyard patios. Board-formed concrete walls for example, have the “look” of rough sawn lumber which is simply jaw dropping when formed correctly. Whether used inside of a master bathroom shower, exterior house walls or retaining walls, board formed concrete has it going on!

Adding rigid or closed cell foam insulation to the exterior and interior of foundation walls increases the R value; this detail is often overlooked during the design phase.

At HomeWrights, we emphasize the importance of taking the time to plan your custom home well in advance to maximize your insulation investment. In the Denver area, it’s also important to consider soil testing to avoid future foundation problems.

Prioritizing comfort and aesthetics give concrete results that most anyone would be proud of. For slabs such as exterior patios and basement floors, the natural look of sand finish, polished or stained concrete offers many possibilities for homeowners to choose from.

So, do your research, ask a lot of questions and relax, it’s just concrete.