April 11th, 2008 in Concrete
Concrete homes have grown in popularity with the growing attention to the conservation of trees and improving energy efficiency in homes. However, are they practical and functional, or simply a passing fad?
As discussed in the article Why Build a Home with Concrete, concrete homes offer many advantages over stick-built homes, including energy efficiency, non-toxic materials, and high durability. The drawbacks were also pointed out: concrete is not a renewable resource verses trees, which can be replanted.
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March 20th, 2008 in Concrete
Concrete has come into its own, and builders and remodelers are paying attention. A combination of cement and fine aggregates, concrete is surprisingly versatile and more affordable than natural stone. For a more environmentally friendly alternative, look for concrete infused with flyash, a byproduct of coal-fired electric generating plants. This diverts the byproduct from the wastestream while reducing the energy investment of concrete production and, ultimately, improving the strength and performance of the concrete. Here are 5 concrete ideas for your home renovation.
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December 3rd, 2007 in Concrete
Homes built with ICFs look the same as conventional new homes both inside and out. ICFs, or Insulated Concrete Forms, are forms or molds that have built-in insulation for accepting reinforced concrete. ICF structures are built using conventional house plans and refined with conventional exterior finishes. So, what makes them different from timber-based ones? Several things. According to the ICF Builders Network, reinforced concrete homes have the following advantages over wood structures:
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March 23rd, 2007 in Concrete
While plain gray concrete is still the most often concrete walkway installed, there are numerous decorative alternatives to dress it up, taking your walkway from boring to amazing. The best part is that most of the options will work just as well on an existing walkway, because the concrete industry has rapidly developed many decorative products that can be applied to existing plain concrete walkways.
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