Articles
Learn About Concrete
Plain English articles from our crews on how concrete works, what can go wrong, and how to take care of it.
3 Tips to Choosing a Quality Concrete Contractor – Nashville, TN
Have you or anyone you know had a bad experience with a concrete contractor? We’ve all heard the alarming stories of concrete hardening too …
3 Types of Concrete Construction Joints
What are the Different Types of Concrete Construction Joints? There are three different types of concrete construction joints: Butt-Type, Ke…
Air Entrained vs. Air Entrapped Concrete
Entrained Air – Chemical admixture that increases the air in the concrete. Entrapped Air – Natural air in concrete. What is Air Entrained Co…
Bull Float vs. Fresno (Key Differences)
Bull Float What it is: The bull float is a magnesium blade that is initially run across the surface of the slab in the finishing process. Pu…
Can You Drive Concrete Trucks and Heavy Equipment on Concrete Driveways?
Unless the concrete contractor that built the concrete driveway designed it to withstand loads heavier that regular passenger vehicles, the …
Cold Weather Concrete Construction Practices
Concrete pours can be performed and completed even during the coldest temperatures, as long as the right measures are taken to ensure a qual…
Concrete Admixtures
What is an Admixture? An admixture is anything added to concrete other than aggregates, cement, water, or fibers. Why Use Admixtures? Admixt…
Concrete Driveways vs. Asphalt Driveways – An Honest Comparison
Chances are you are here today because you are deciding between a concrete or asphalt driveway for your home. For starters, there are always…
Concrete Mix Designs – An Overview
Above is a basic concrete mix design from a concrete supplier. The five main materials in this mix are sand, course aggregate, cement, BASF …
Concrete Pouring Methods
There are three regularly applied methods to pouring concrete… Tailgating, Buggying, & Pumping 1) Tailgating Tailgating is the method of…
Concrete Slab Finishes – Residential Construction Guide
There are an endless number of concrete finishes. Today we will cover what can be found in the majority of residential homes, to help homeow…
Durability Enhancing Concrete Admixtures
Air Entraining – Corrosion Inhibiting – ASR Inhibiting – Shrinkage Reducing – Permeability Reducing Air Entraining Admixtures: The most comm…
Fiber Mesh in Concrete Construction
What is Fiber Mesh? (Also Called: Synthetic Fibers) There are several materials that are commonly used as fibers in concrete mix designs. A …
Hot Weather Concrete Construction Practices
Why are Hot Weather Concrete Practices and Precautions so Important? Weather plays a major role in concrete construction due to the chemical…
How Long Can You Wait to Pour Concrete from Ready Mix Trucks?
A common issue on job sites is the decision on whether to pour an old concrete truck or send it back. In the past, concrete contractors have…
How Long to Wait Before Driving on New Concrete
The hydration process, also known as curing, typically takes seven (7) days before the concrete reaches its designed compressive strength. I…
How Long to Wait Before You Can Walk on Concrete?
There is no specific amount of time one must wait before walking on concrete. This is due to the fact that concrete sets at different rates …
How Much Does a Concrete Slab Cost – Nashville, TN
Our goal in this article is to provide you with as much information as possible about the cost of your concrete project. Below is a breakdow…
How Much Should My Concrete Patio Slope?
When starting any concrete project, planning is everything. That’s why TriStar Concrete Construction applies a pre-pour checklist prior to e…
How to Prevent Concrete Cracking
The saying goes, “It’s not if your concrete is going to crack, it’s when your concrete is going to crack”. The Truth There is not much you…
How To Take Care Of Your Decorative Concrete
Hiring a concrete contractor to install a stamped concrete patio for your Nashville area home is becoming more common, and for plenty of gre…
Landscaping After Concrete Construction (Residential)
As a trusted and well-respected concrete contractor in middle Tennessee we want to be as honest with our customers as possible about what yo…
Purpose of Vapor Barrier in Concrete Slabs
What is Vapor Barrier? A plastic sheet that is placed between the base and the concrete slab. Always placed beneath the rebar or wire mesh a…
Set Control Concrete Admixtures – Accelerators & Retarders
Why Use Accelerating Admixtures? Accelerating admixtures are used to speed up the set time and increase the early strength of concrete. Acce…
Stamped Concrete – A Residential Concrete Construction Guide
There are two steps in choosing your stamped concrete patio design: Pattern & Color. Below is a walk through of how to choose both. Pattern …
Steel Corrosion in Concrete due to Calcium Chloride Accelerators
Why Use Calcium Chloride in Concrete? The primary purpose of adding calcium chloride to a concrete mix design is to increase the rate of the…
The Importance of Pre-Pour Meetings (Residential)
Any project you work on whether it is school, work, or a home improvement project with your concrete contractor, communication is the key to…
The Top 3 Ready Mix Concrete Suppliers – Nashville, TN
Nashville Ready Mix (NRM) Nashville Ready Mix is a locally owned and operated ready-mix concrete supplier. Nashville Ready Mix is solely foc…
Top 3 Gravel Suppliers – Nashville, TN
When it comes to materials, we all want quality products that are going to get the job done right for a reasonable price. We also want a mat…
Top 3 Residential Concrete Contractors – Nashville, TN
Concrete Driveways & Patios, LLC The name says it all. Concrete Driveways and Patios, LLC provides just that, driveways and patios. They sol…
Understanding Tension & Compression in Concrete Slabs
Let’s go over some basic physics… What is Tension? Consider the rope in the image above. The two forces are both pulling on the rope in …
Water Reducing Concrete Admixtures
Water Reducing Concrete Admixtures Just as the name implies, these are chemical admixtures that are added to the concrete in order to reduce…
What Goes Beneath Concrete?
What is the Base of a Concrete Slab? – The base in concrete construction is the layer between the sub-grade (existing soil) and the concrete…
What is an Isolation Joint?
What is an Isolation Joint? An isolation joint is a separation of an existing concrete slab from a new concrete slab or wall. A piece of exp…
What is Concrete?
Concrete is composed of three main materials: 1.) Aggregate (Coarse & Fine) 2.) Water 3.) Cement The Chemical Reaction: The three ma…
What is Crusher Run?
What is Crusher Run and Why is It Used? (Also Called: Crush and Run) Crusher run is a blended mix of coarse aggregate and fine aggregate. Th…
What is Curing in Concrete Construction?
What is Curing in Concrete Construction? Curing is the process of maintaining an adequate water cement ratio and temperature in concrete fro…
What is the Base of a Concrete Slab?
What is the Base of a Concrete Slab? What is the Base of a Concrete Slab? The base in concrete construction is the layer between the sub-gra…
Why are there Lines in Concrete? (Control Joints 101)
What are Control Joints in Concrete? Unfortunately, due to shrinkage that takes place when concrete cures, cracks in concrete can only be co…
Why Does Concrete Crack?
The saying goes, “It’s not if your concrete is going to crack, it’s when your concrete is going to crack”. The Truth There is not much you c…
Why Not to Pour Concrete on a Frozen Subgrade
Although it may be tempting to pour concrete on frozen subgrade to save time on a project, this can lead to major issues down the road for a…
Wire Mesh in Concrete Slabs
What is Wire Mesh? (Also Called: Welded Wire Fabric (WWF) & Welded Wire Mesh) Wire mesh is a steel fabric building material that can be used…
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