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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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: …continue reading Why Build A Home with Reinforced 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. …continue reading Gray vs. Decorative Concrete