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Professional Media Portal

Concrete Industry Links for Media Professionals

A recent Google search came up with about 364,000,000 hits for the word “concrete” (in 0.37 seconds) and offered the following definition in a link to Answers.Com:

Concrete - A hard, strong construction material consisting of sand, conglomerate gravel, pebbles, broken stone, or slag in a mortar or cement matrix.

To help media professionals save time and maximize the effectiveness of their web research about concrete, Schmitz Ready Mix has developed this link listing of online concrete resources.

Media professionals will also find links to good background information about ready-mixed concrete on the Press Room Archives page of this portal and links to neat information about concrete (and Schmitz Ready Mix press releases)

One of Schmitz Ready Mix’s goals in undertaking its web site renovation in 2012 was to establish by merit schmitzmix.com as a reliable online resource for homeowners and construction and media professionals in Southeastern Wisconsin.  Your feedback on how well the site renovation lived up to this goal is appreciated. Please forward your comments and suggestions for improvement to our Suggestion Box.

More Professional Informaional Links

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New, Cool, and Interesting!

New …

This provides links for media professionals to background information about new, cool, and interesting innovations in the ready-mixed concrete industry and to recent Schmitz Ready Mix press releases.

Extreme Makeover: Internet Edition – Site Renovation transforms schmitzmix.com Into Your Concrete Connection. To view the press release, click here.

Cool

Concrete Plays Key Role In Green Building Design. Click here for details.

Reactive Powder Concrete | A new material has recently become available in the United States demonstrating greatly improved strength and durability characteristics compared with traditional or even high-performance concrete. Classified as Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC), or Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC), the material consist of a concrete using sand as its largest aggregate and fine steel fibers distributed within the concrete. Learn more by clicking here.

RCP Case Study: Qinghai-Tibet Railway – The Qinghai-Tibet Railway lies in the west area of China at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters. The 576-km railway is being built on frozen earth. The bad climate and sandstorms of the tundra require the concrete of the bridge to have superior mechanical properties and high durability. By adding portland cement, silica fume, super-fine fly ash, and superplasticizers, reactive powder concrete (RPC) is used in the sidewalk systems of bridges with compressive strength of 160 MPa. The research shows that RPC has high strength, excellent frost durability, and impermeability.  Learn more by clicking here.

Smog-Eating Concrete | A new type of concrete can clear the air by dissolving pollutants.  Using light and air, photocatalytic concrete breaks down organic and inorganic substances responsible for air pollution.  Cement used to make the concrete is treated with titanium dioxide, which reacts with ultraviolet light to decompose pollutants such as smog-forming nitrogen oxides. To learn more, click here.

Translucent Concrete | A Hungarian architect has combined the world’s most popular building material with optical fiber from Schott to create a new type of concrete that transmits light. A wall made of “LitraCon” purportedly has the strength of traditional concrete but thanks to an embedded array of glass fibers can display a view of the outside world, for example the silhouette of a tree.  Learn more by clicking here.

Interesting …

Blended Fiber Solutions combine an engineered mix of polypropylene fibers and high performance steel fibers, ideal for concrete mixes in commercial slab-on-grade or composite metal deck applications. Click here for details.

Blended Cements | Cement mixtures containing ordinary portland cement (OPC) and at least one supplementary cementitious material (SCM) are called blended cements. Benefits of blended cements include: Improved concrete workability, lower risk of thermal cracking, improved concrete durability and long-term strength, and reduced in-place concrete cost. To learn more, from an Iowa State University Research Study, click here.

For more information on SCMs and ready-mixed concrete, click here.

Self-Compacting Concrete | Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a relatively new product that sees the addition of superplasticizers and a stabilizer to the concrete mix to significantly increase the ease and rate of flow.  The non-segregating mix fills formwork and encapsulates reinforcement without consolidation, saving time and improving the quality of the in-place concrete. To learn more, click here.

For technical information about SCC, click here.

Pervious Concrete | It looks like a rice crispy treat and leaks like a sieve, which is precisely why it's so attractive to a growing number of Wisconsin communities.  It is called pervious concrete, one of several new and environmentally-friendly technologies developed to help communities better manage the myriad of problems associated with storm water runoff.  To learn more, click here.

An article in Land Development Today provides a good summary of why, in a world of green aspirations and expensive land, pervious concrete is one of the hottest topics for land developers. Click here to view the article.

For technical information about pervious concrete, click here

Performance-Based Specifications Concrete | A shift to Performance Specifications for concrete focuses on innovation, quality and customer satisfaction.  To learn more about the Prescriptive to Performance Initiative (P2P), click here.

A performance specification is a set of instructions outlining the functional requirements and performance characteristics for ready-mixed concrete, based on the specific project application.  Performance specifications leverage the expertise of all parties in the construction process – producers, contractors, engineers, and architects – improving the quality of concrete construction.  They also elevate the performance level of the concrete industry while fostering innovation and market acceptance of new concrete technologies. To learn more, click here.

More Professional Informaional Links

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Cement vs. Ready-Mixed Concrete

Although often used interchangeably by Wisconsin media and construction professionals, cement is not concrete nor is concrete cement.  [This Old House's general contractor, Tom Silva, who knows better, drives ready-mix people crazy when he talks about the project's "cement" driveway.]

Concrete vs. Cement

CEMENT is one of the basic ingredients used to make CONCRETE … just as FLOUR is one of the basic ingredients used to make CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES.  No one calls flour "chocolate chip cookies" … and no one calls chocolate chip cookies "flour" (or thinks the words should be used interchangeably).

When cement is mixed with water and other basic ingredients – sand, and gravel or crushed stone, – it forms a paste that glues these basic ingredients into a rock-like mass, which is known as concrete.

In technical terms, concrete refers to a proportioned blend of cement, water, and aggregates (sand, gravel or crushed stone), and specified additives that construction professionals place to construct driveways, sidewalks, patios, garage and basement floors, structural walls, piers, mats, beams and columns, and pavements.  When combined with water, cement chemically hydrates to form the paste that bonds the sand and gravel or stone into a homogeneous mass.

Concrete can be mixed at the job site by a homeowner or construction professional or ordered for delivery in a "ready-mixed" state from Schmitz Ready Mix or other area ready-mix companies.

Then Why is It Called a Cement Truck?

When area homeowners or construction professionals order concrete, Schmitz Ready Mix mixes predetermined proportions of cement, water, sand, and gravel or crushed stone to produce the ready-mixed concrete and delivers the material to the job site in a safe and timely manner in a transit-mixer truck, more commonly known as a "concrete truck."

There are no cement trucks.  The trucking industry calls the vehicles that deliver cement to the ready-mix plant "bulkers."  Most first and second-grade students know this, because Hasbro has always labeled its toy Tonka trucks correctly.  Unfortunately, many children begin adopting their parents' and teachers' word usage, based on a general lack of knowledge by the adult population regarding the words concrete and cement.

Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation Rules

The ready-mixed concrete industry – nationally, and in Wisconsin – is inconsistent in spelling, the use of hyphens, and in word choices when referring to itself and its quality products.

Schmitz Ready Mix believes a hyphen is required when the words "ready-mixed" or "ready-mix" are used as adjectives to modify nouns, as in "the ready-mix plant," "ready-mixed concrete”, and "ready-mix industry."

Schmitz Ready Mix believes a hyphen is not necessary when the words "Ready Mixed" or "Ready Mix" are used as part of a compound, proper noun set, as in "Wisconsin Ready Mixed Concrete Association" or "Schmitz Ready Mix."

"Ready-mix" and "ready-mixed" are also not interchangeable.  Never use "ready-mixed" unless followed by the word "concrete," as in "quality, ready-mixed concrete" or the "ready-mixed concrete industry."

When the word "concrete" is absent, use "ready-mix" as in "ready-mix plant," "ready-mix dispatcher," or "ready-mix industry leaders."  Never use "ready-mix" if the word (or words, if you still refuse to use the hyphen) is to be followed by the word "concrete."

Building Our Communities

Concrete is more than a simple mixture of sand, stone, water, and cement.  The world’s most used construction material, concrete is beautiful, durable, versatile, practical, inspirational, and very environmentally friendly.  Since the turn of this century, construction projects in Wisconsin have used more than 10,000,000 cubic yards of ready-mixed concrete annually … approximately 8,000 pounds of concrete a year for every Wisconsin resident.

Concrete demand in the Southeastern Wisconsin counties of Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha exceeds 3,000,000 cubic yards annually. 

Concrete is the foundation for the high quality of life enjoyed in Southeastern Wisconsin.  Schmitz Ready Mix employees are proud of the essential role they play in building their communities.

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Schmitz Ready Mix Company History

Schmitz Ready Mix has been serving Southeastern Wisconsin homeowners and construction professionals since 1949, when cousins and company founders Harvey and Nick Schmitz opened the first Schmitz Ready Mix plant in Port Washington to support the post-war housing construction boom in the north and west sections of the city.

Over the years, an expanding base of repeat and referral business from contractors and homeowners in Milwaukee, Washington, and Ozaukee counties provided sufficient increased business to support production from three ready-mix plants, located in Port Washington, Mequon, and Richfield.

Harvey’s son, Al Schmitz, and Al's wife, Cindy, purchased the company in 1988 and, responding to customer feedback, added four more plants over the next fourteen years: Milwaukee, Franklin, New Berlin, and Grafton.

The debut of the Milwaukee plant included the launching of the company’s Schmitz Ready Mix Construction Supply Division, which offers a full and expanding line of concrete and masonry-related materials, tools, and supplies for homeowners and construction and restoration contractors.

Today, from seven state of the art ready-mix operations, Schmitz Ready Mix proudly provides materials, tools, supplies, service, and technical support for concrete and masonry projects from the Illinois border to Sheboygan, and from the Lake Michigan shoreline to the western watches of Darien, LaGrange, Oconomowoc, Summit, and Wayne Townships.

Schmitz Ready Mix delivers throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, presently serving all of Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington, and Waukesha counties, plus portions of Kenosha, Sheboygan, and Walworth counties.

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Company Principals

Alan Schmitz

Alan Schmitz | Alan began his career with Schmitz in 1972 working for his father Harvey in a variety of positions from quality control, to sales, to accounting, to driving truck, while also attending night school to further his education. In 1988 he and wife Cindy bought the company, then a three-plant operation.  As President, Alan has guided the company to its present position today as one of the leading ready-mixed concrete firms in the state.  He has been actively involved with the Wisconsin Ready Mixed Concrete Association, having twice served as its president, most recently in 2003.

Jerry Kultgen

Jerry Kultgen | Spanning 29 years of service to Schmitz Ready Mix as a ready mix driver, mechanic, and manager, and as corporate Vice President since 1990, Jerry brings a wealth of practical experience to the company.  Having been involved in all facets of the company from operations, to sales, to human resources, he has been intimately involved with the growth of Schmitz Ready Mix from a three-plant operation to its current seven plant configuration.

Hal Janke

Harold (Hal) Janke | Hal has been with Schmitz since 1988, rapidly progressing from ready mix driver to dispatcher to his present position of Sales Manager.  A graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, his work background with the company has provided valuable insight in dealing with a varied and diverse customer base.

Jason Libka

Jason Libka | Currently heading the Quality Control department, Jason joined Schmitz Ready Mix in May, 2003, upon graduation from Alpena Community College with an Associate Degree in Applied Science (concentration in Concrete Technology).  His work with the latest in concrete technology has kept the company on the cutting edge of innovative concrete applications.

Todd Schulz

Todd Schulz | Todd began his employment in 1987 as a ready mix driver for Schmitz Ready Mix and made a successful transition to counter sales, then outside sales for the newly formed supply division in 1992, prior to assuming his current position as Manager - Construction Supply in 2003.  Under his direction, the division has seen significant growth.

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Primary Media Contact Person

Matt Schmitz is Schmitz Ready Mix's lead spokesperson and knowledge gatekeeper. Contacting him is the most efficient way for media professionals to gain access to industry and company information and to other Schmitz Ready Mix principals.

Contact Matt by clicking here, or calling 414.831.2475.

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Awards and Achievements

Schmitz Ready Mix is the proud recipient of numerous Concrete Design Awards (CDAs), presented annually by the Wisconsin Ready Mixed Concrete Association and the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Concrete Institute. 

This prestigious award program showcases best uses of ready-mixed concrete in Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and Schmitz Ready Mix competes annually against more than 60 ready-mix producers for the awards. Award winners are determined by a panel of Wisconsin educators (architecture, engineering, technology, and project management) and construction professionals.

Schmitz Ready Mix’s mix design expertise is demonstrated in the rich variety of concrete applications recognized with CDAs, including decorative concrete flatwork; site-cast tilt-up panels; cast-in-place, structural-decorative concrete highway retaining walls; concrete bridge work; high-performance industrial concrete floors; concrete parking lots; and residential exterior concrete flatwork, including driveways, and patios.

Award-winning projects Schmitz Ready Mix provided concrete for include:

To list all the community, business, and educational awards and sponsorships Schmitz Ready Mix has garnered since 1949 would occupy a significant portion of concrete pavement squares on the Internet Super Highway.  Recent sponsorships include:

Slinger School District:

Schmitz Ready Mix president, Alan Schmitz, was a recent nominee for SBA Small Business Person of the year.  He has twice (1990, 2003) received the President’s Award from the Wisconsin Ready Mixed Concrete Association for his leadership efforts as the organization’s chief elected officer.

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Press Room Archives

The archived information can be readily adapted for "How-To" articles about residential concrete construction in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Good background information about concrete can also be found in the external links found on the Concrete Industry Links for Media Professionals page of this portal.

Archived Information:

Schmitz Ready Mix Press Release Archive:

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Smog-Eating Concrete

From the Essroc Cement Corp. web site: http://www.essroc.com

Essroc Cement Corp. has begun North American production of TX Millennium. The product line consists of two key products: TX Arca cement, which provides concrete with a self-cleaning benefit and TX Aria cement, which provides concrete with the added ability to mitigate environmental pollution. The science behind the products is based upon utilizing a hydraulic binder with photo-catalytic properties that render concrete self-cleaning and/or pollution-mitigating.

Essroc's TX Millennium will impact concrete construction in several ways. Through photo-catalysis, TX Arca reduces the maintenance requirements for concrete structures or buildings by destroying most organic and inorganic pollutants that come into contact with the concrete surface and cause discoloration. In addition to this self-cleaning benefit, TX Aria effectively destroys airborne pollutants, which are responsible for urban organic pollution.

Concrete applications for TX Millennium include vertical, horizontal, structural, architectural concrete, plasters and coatings, concrete blocks, median barriers, retaining walls, concrete paving/roads and cementitious tiles.

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Self-Compacting Concrete

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a newer concrete technology using admixtures (superplasticizers and a stabilizer) to significantly increase ease of placement and rate of flow for a concrete mix.

SCC does not require vibration, yet will achieve compaction into every part of a mould or formwork, by means of its own weight, and without segregation of the coarse aggregate.

Having no need for vibrating equipment increases job site safety by sparing workers from exposure to vibration. No vibration equipment for the project also means a quieter construction site and reduced labor and in-place concrete costs.

Developed in Japan and Europe, SCC is now gaining acceptance and use throughout Asia and North America, providing faster construction times, increased workability, and more efficient flow around heavy reinforcement than non-SCC mixes.

Also known as self-consolidating concrete, SCC is the generic term for mix designs that differ from traditional concretes at the molecular interface between cement compounds and admixture polymers.

Case Study: City and County Museum, Lincoln, United Kingdom

Used on the new City and County Museum in Lincoln, self-compacting concrete (SCC) proved to be the best solution for a sloping, saw-tooth, cast-on-site roof slab system.

Architect Panter Hudspith required a formed finish for the top surface and specified SCC, which not only negotiated those parts of the forming system where non-SCC concrete mixes could not, but gave a consistent, high-quality finish to both sides of the roof slab.

For more details about the project, please visit the Concrete Centre web site:

http://www.concretecentre.com.

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Project Design Considerations for Residential Concrete

Concrete Thickness ...

Concrete thickness for residential flatwork will vary, depending on the application and anticipated loading.  For patios, basement floors, walkways, and for driveways and garage slabs used by cars only, a four-inch slab thickness is satisfactory, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).  If the driveway and garage slab will be used by pickup trucks, minivans, or SUVs, slab thickness should be at least five-inches.  Driveways that regularly accommodate truck traffic should be a minimum of six-inches.

Driveway Width ...

According to the Portland Cement Association (PCA), the suggested driveway width to a single-car garage is 10 to 14-feet, with a 14-foot minimum width for curved driveways.  For a double width, use 20 to 28-feet.  When the distance from the street to a multi-car garage is significant, the entry approach can be single-car width and widened near the garage to accommodate the multiple vehicle stalls.  In all cases, according to the PCA, a driveway should be at least 36-inches wider than the widest vehicle it will serve.

Control and Isolation Joints ...

Properly designed and installed control joints are used by quality contractors to predetermine and control the location of cracks in concrete slabs.  Also known as "contraction joints," control joints are, in effect, pre-planned cracks, created after concrete placement by sawing, tooling, or placement of joint formers, and are placed where shrinkage stresses accumulate and are likely to cause cracks.  Control joints are placed where shrinkage stresses can concentrate to foster the likelihood of crack formation.

Concrete in restrained conditions undergoes stress due to both drying shrinkage and temperature changes.  As thermal stress can cause cracking at an early age, proper timing of the introduction of control joints is important to avoid random cracking.

Practical considerations for controlling cracks come first and foremost in control joint placement and design.  But in the planning stage, joint esthetics should also be considered.  Esthetics need not be compromised when following the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) guidelines for control joint construction and installation. A summary of the esthetic aspects of the jointing guidelines follows:

Isolation joints are used to separate a slab from other parts of a structure, permitting independent movement (vertical and horizontal) and helping to minimize cracking, should such movement become restrained.  In exterior concrete flatwork applications, isolation joints are used at garage doors, where driveways abut the street and sidewalks, where patios abut the house, and around drains, fire plugs, manholes, and utility boxes and poles.

In interior concrete slab applications, isolation joints are typically placed where restraint can occur, including at the juncture of floors with walls, footings, and columns.

Isolation joints should extend completely through the concrete slab and provide for total separation between structures or elements.  Pre-molded joint filler, 1/2-inch thick, should be used to separate new concrete slabs from the elements listed above.

Patio Design ...

Design considerations for patios include traffic flow to the home, privacy, and orientation to the sun.  Size, shape, color, and patterns can help to turn an ordinary concrete patio into an extraordinary outdoor living space.  Landscape architects and the PCA offer these rules of thumb for patio design:

Mix Design For Exterior Concrete Flatwork ...

For exterior residential concrete flatwork in Southeastern Wisconsin, mix technicians at Schmitz Ready Mix recommends a performance concrete including:

Decorative Finishes ...

Advances in concrete mix design and in forming and finishing technologies permit concrete to take on almost any shape, pattern, color, or texture, in both exterior and interior applications, resulting in special finishes for concrete pavements and slabs limited only by your imagination and the skill of your concrete contractor.

Through the use of specialized concrete forms, stains, stamps, dyes, colored pigments, surface retarders, texture patterns, decorative aggregates, or epoxy overlays, experienced concrete contractors command an artist’s pallet full of special finishes for providing durable decorative concrete options for Southeastern Wisconsin homeowners.

Some of the special finishes available include: exposed aggregate finishes, colored concrete finishes, stamped concrete finishes, engraved concrete finishes, stained concrete surfaces, and sawed and pattern-grooved concrete finishes.

A great web site for learning about the options available and techniques used to create special finishes is found at in the Indoor Floors and Outdoor Concrete sections of The Concrete Network web site:

Concrete Network Web Site

A spectacular showcase of the special finishes available using engineered systems for coloring and texturing concrete can be found at:

Butterfield Color Project Gallery.

See also the Schmitz Ready Mix Project Galleries

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Insulated Concrete Homes (ICFs)

Insulated concrete homes give Wisconsin homeowners what they want and need: a beautiful, healthy home that is strong, safe, quiet, comfortable, highly energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly.

With such tangible advantages over other residential construction methods, it is little wonder Wisconsin is one of the top North American markets for insulated concrete homes, ranking third in 2006, behind only Minnesota and Ontario, according to information recently released by the Insulating Concrete Form Association (ICFA).

What is ICF Technology?

Also known as ICFs, because of the stay-in-place forming technology (Insulating Concrete Forms) used to construct the structural building frame, insulated concrete homes represent one of the fastest growing sectors in the construction industry.

ICFs are hollow blocks or panels made of expanded polystyrene that a building crew stacks into the proper shape and braces to create the foundation and exterior walls of a new residence.

Construction workers then add reinforcing steel and fill the gap (typically 4 to 8 inches) in the foam block with ready-mixed concrete. After the concrete has hardened, the forms are left in place and provide a sandwich of effective insulation for the walls and backing for drywall (on the interior side of the walls) and lap siding, brick, or other exterior finish systems (on the exterior side of the walls).

ICF Technology Benefits

The thermal performance value of ICF wall assemblies can be equal to R-40 or R-50 stud wall construction, providing significant energy savings.  Extensive testing across North America shows the superior insulation, air tightness, and mass of ICF wall assemblies can cut the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling by approximately 30 to 40 percent.

By sandwiching a high-strength material (concrete) between two layers of insulating foam, ICF wall assemblies also provide superior comfort, safety, quietness, and indoor air quality.

The continuous layers of foam insulation provide a more uniform temperature profile over a 24-hour period than other construction methods, with no cold spots or convection currents, and sharply fewer draft points.

The rigid construction inherent in insulated concrete homes can survive storms and high-force winds better than homes built with other framing technologies.  As a testament to this benefit, most insurance carriers now provide homeowner policy discounts for insulated concrete homes.  Rigid concrete construction also stops a significant amount of outside noise from entering the home.  Tests show ICF wall assemblies block out 70 percent more noise than a typical wood-frame wall.

Because there are no wall cavities in ICF wall assembles, there is no place for mold to grow.  The concrete and foam used to build ICF walls also contribute to good indoor air quality (IAQ), because they do not have off-gassing characteristics associated with other new construction materials.

Building with ICF technology is also healthier for the environment. Concrete is ordered and mixed for each individual project.  This just-in-time manufacturing reduces on-site construction scrap inherent in sheeting, steel studs, and lumber, construction waste that often takes up valuable space in Wisconsin landfills.  The strength and durability of an insulated concrete home, and its demonstrated ability to lower energy needs, is also good for the environment.

Safe Port in a Storm

The damage done in the southern half of Wisconsin (especially the Stoughton area) on August 18, 2005, when a record 26 confirmed tornado sightings were reported in the state, and the devastation in New Orleans and in Brett Favre’s boyhood Mississippi township, caused by Hurricane Katrina, have kindled a desire in many Wisconsinites for disaster-resistant buildings. ICF structures provide significant resistance to storms, fire, and wind-blown debris, and an expanding segment of homebuyers and building owners in Southeastern Wisconsin are now interested in, and willing to spend more for, disaster-resistant construction options. To learn how one ICF home in Stoughton stood against the August 18th onslaught of storms and life-threatening winds, click here. 

Insulated Concrete Homes are Solid Investments

Insulated concrete homes initially cost slightly more than homes constructed with wood or steel-framing technologies.  However, lower annual energy bills and insurance premiums offset most of the dollars associated with the higher tax and mortgage obligations.

The Portland Cement Association publication, Concrete Homes are Solid Investments , provides the following cost comparison between a standard wood frame home and an insulated concrete home.

A family pays 4% more ($208,000 vs. $200,000) to build an insulated concrete home. They secure a mortgage with a 7.5% interest rate and make a 20% downpayment on the home. They pay $44 more per month on principal and interest ($1,163 vs. $1,119) and $12 more a month on property taxes ($312 vs. $300 at a 0.15% tax rate).

But they save $12 per month on their homeowners insurance ($48 vs. $60 ... 20% savings) and $43 per month in energy expenses ($102 vs. $145 ... 30% savings).

Total monthly housing costs for the insulated concrete home are $1,625 ($1,163 + $312 + $48 + $102).

Total monthly housing costs for the standard wood frame home are $1,624 ($1,119 + $300 + $60 + $145).

The total monthly cost for an insulated concrete home is only $1.00 more a month than the standard wood frame home. The difference is a small premium to pay for the superior safety, security, comfort, and indoor air quality.

In Wisconsin, the premium homeowners pay for an insulated concrete home varies, based on home size, location, design, and features. Todd Schulz , Manager of Schmitz Ready Mix's Construction Supply Division, which distributes ECO-Block ICF forms, estimates building a typical insulated concrete home in Wisconsin costs 4% to 12% more than a similar home built with standard wood frame technology.

Other Uses for ICF Technology

In addition to new home construction, ICF technology is ideal for residential additions and light commercial construction applications, including:

Safe Rooms; Apartments and Condos; Assisted Living Centers and Senior Housing; Health Care Facilities; Restaurants and Food Service Facilities; Low-Rise Hospitality Applications; Light Manufacturing; Military Housing and Offices; Low-Rise Municipal; and Low-Rise Office Buildings.

The energy-efficiency and sound protection benefits of ICF technology are also spurring market demand across North America and in Wisconsin in tall wall applications, including theaters, schools, churches, and warehouses and in high rise applications (exterior wall infill).

Links:

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Subgrade Preparation & Formwork

A properly prepared subgrade is crucial to constructing a quality concrete pavement or slab on grade.

Topsoil and any other organic matter must be removed before placing concrete, as  organic materials are unstable and unable to provide uniform support for concrete slabs.

While a satisfactory slab on ground can be built without a subbase – if the ground is uniform in firmness, grade, and dampness – subbases are recommended for most projects in Southeastern to insure uniformity of support, provide for proper drainage, and to easily adjust the site to the desired grade.  Typically, soil is removed to accommodate a 4-inch layer of granular material, which is placed and compacted to appropriate density and grade.

A granular base of crushed stone, sand, or gravel, should be used for the subbase, and must be compacted uniformly.  Flowable fill, a controlled, low-strength, self-leveling and self-compacting material manufactured at the ready-mix plant, can also be used.  Do not use clay, cinders, or vegetation as subbase materials, or to fill low spots, as these materials will not provide firm, uniform support for the concrete slab.

Uniform compaction refers to the condition where a similar loading capacity is maintained across the entire bottom surface area of the concrete slab, and is vital to the success of concrete slab and pavement construction. Slab settlement, serious cracking, and structural failure can result from placing concrete on a poorly-prepared, non-uniformly-compacted subgrade.

On small jobs, a hand tamper, hard work, and attention to detail are sufficient to provide uniform compaction of the subgrade.  For larger jobs, vibratory compactors are required to provide uniform subgrade compaction.

The slope of the subbase should mirror the slope of the finished concrete slab. The minimum slope recommendation for a concrete surface, according to the National Association of Home Builders, is 1/8-inch per lineal foot.  Patios abutting houses are often sloped at 1/4-inch per lineal foot to ensure water drains away from the foundation.  Grades adjoining driveways should have a minimum slope of 1/2-inch per foot to ensure proper drainage.

Formwork For Exterior Concrete Flatwork

Many forming materials and techniques are available for exterior concrete flatwork projects.  Forms create molds, holding the plastic concrete in place until it acquires sufficient internal strength to retain its position and desired shape.

Forming materials for exterior concrete flatwork must be straight and free from warping.  Forms should be thick enough and braced sufficiently with wood or steel stakes to withstand the pressure from the freshly-placed concrete.  Stakes are generally placed at 4-foot intervals for 2-inch thick formwork and closer for thinner formwork materials.  To keep forms plumb, stakes must be driven into the ground straight and true.  To accommodate placing and finishing operations, stakes should be driven slightly below the top edge of the forms.

Diggers Hotline

Most concrete projects will require some excavation in order to install a proper subbase and set forms. To increase worker and public safety and prevent damage to underground or overhead utility and communication services, anyone planning on digging in the State of Wisconsin -- no matter how big or small the project -- is required by law to contact Diggers Hotline at least three working days before starting excavation to find out where buried cables and utility lines are located.

Diggers Hotline is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can be reached by calling 1.800.242.8511. You can access the Diggers Hotline web site by clicking here.

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Maintaning Exterior Concrete Flatwork

In most cases, concrete is a durable, long lasting product requiring little or no maintenance. Concrete sidewalks and/or driveways are often expected to be basically maintenance free, so eyebrows are sometimes raised when the subject of maintaining concrete is brought up.

Properly maintaining concrete can greatly extend its life and beauty, is easy, and helps protect your hardscape investment.

Cleaning keeps your new concrete looking good and does wonders to improve the curb appeal of your home. By keeping your concrete clean by frequent sweeping and occasional hosing, you can also significantly reduce fall risks to family and guests.

Concrete sealers are designed to prevent moisture from entering the concrete matrix, to assist in limiting surface deterioration due to cycles of freezing and thawing, and help protect the concrete from staining.  New concrete should air dry for 30 days prior to the application of a concrete sealer.  Follow the manufacturer’s directions for application rates and intervals.  Many sealer applications are effective for a two-year period.

Wet leaves left on a driveway will have a tendency to stain, so be prepared to sweep your driveway often in fall.  Heavy leaf staining can be cleaned away with a pressure washer (light pressure) or with hot water mixed with tri-sodium phosphate (one pound per gallon is recommended). Light leaf staining in Southeastern Wisconsin will most often disappear over time, due to exposure to the sun and elements.

The use of deicing chemicals during the first year of service is not recommended, especially if concrete is installed late in the year.  Sand is an acceptable alternative anytime. Deicing chemicals used for snow and ice removal can cause and aggravate surface scaling.  Therefore, judicious use of these products with regard to amount and frequency of application is strongly advised.  Remember deicers can also reach concrete surfaces other than by direct application -- for example, drippings from the under-carriage of vehicles.

During and after the concrete's second winter, deicing chemicals containing sodium chloride (common salt) or calcium chloride may be used judiciously.

Never use deicers containing ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate, as they will chemically attack and rapidly disintegrate concrete. Common garden fertilizers often contain ammonium sulfate and/or ammonium nitrate, and can cause disintegration of concrete.  Avoid loading or cleaning fertilizer spreaders on concrete, and follow best-spreading fertilizer practices by applying fertilizer around the periphery of the lawn first, without crossing pavement, then run the spreader back and forth within the area bounded by the perimeter run.  This practice both ensures consistent fertilizer application around the edge of the lawn and, because the spreader never crosses pavement, minimizes the potential for fertilizer damage to exterior concrete flatwork.

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Concrete Play a Key Role in Sustainable Development

Concrete plays a key role in green building design, helping owners, designers, specifiers, and contractors create the facilities and infrastructures we need today without sacrificing resources for future generations.

Concrete is durable. It will not rot, rust, or rut, and can be designed to provide service over several generations.

Concrete helps to optimize structure energy performance. Insulated concrete wall systems, for example, enhance the ability of buildings to even out daily temperature swings, reducing peak heating and cooling loads.  Concrete’s thermal mass provides energy savings for the lifetime of a structure.

Concrete used in roads, parking lots, and green roof systems can minimize heat islands in Southeastern Wisconsin. The natural color of concrete reflects more light, reducing heat gain in urban areas.

Concrete highways improve the fuel efficiency of the nation’s trucking fleets.  Concrete’s light-reflective properties mean less electricity is needed for pavement illumination compared to what is required for other pavement materials.

Concrete is versatile. It can be used both as the primary support for a building and as the building’s exterior and/or interior finish surface, preserving resources.

Compared to other building materials, the energy used to make and transport concrete is very low.  Produced from abundant and locally available raw materials, most ready-mixed concrete is manufactured within 20 miles of the job site where it will be used.

Ready-mixed concrete is manufactured and used on an “as-needed” basis, which minimizes the construction waste inherent in sheet goods, dimensional lumber, and most other construction materials.  Left-over concrete is easily reclaimed back at the ready-mix plant.

Concrete often contains recycled materials, which would otherwise become part of the waste stream and be deposited in landfills.  Industrial wastes like fly ash (a byproduct of electricity generation) and slag (a byproduct of steel manufacturing) are used to improve concrete properties.  The use of recycled materials reduces construction-industry reliance on raw materials and saves energy.

And concrete can be recycled. When concrete finally reaches the end of its service life, it can be crushed for use as a base material for roads, sidewalks, or concrete slabs.  Reinforcing steel in concrete, which is made from recycled materials, can be recycled and reused.

Concrete also helps to create a sustainable building site, by helping to manage and minimize storm water runoff.

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