Masonry

Architectural concrete is precast or cast-in-place concrete which will be permanently exposed to view in a building. When using it as a construction technique, special care is needed in selecting the concrete materials, method of forming, location and finishing, to achieve the required architectural appearance.

Pouring concrete for patios, walkways and edging strips is easier than indoor projects such as countertops; you don’t have to be so concerned with getting the base of your mold perfectly flat. Your big worry will be the top edges of your form.

Start building your concrete mold by marking out the perimeter, using lengths of string or spray paint. Dig out the area to a depth of 4 inches for patios and pathways, or two inches deep for smaller projects like stepping stones.

Rebar is a major component of structural concrete construction, but for decorative concrete flooring and countertops, it is not widely used. There are several reasons why. First of all, decorative concrete is made up of relatively thin slabs and putting rebar in them can cause cracking. If positioned close to the slab surface, rebar will rust due to moisture absorption, and rust corroded rebar can cause concrete to crack, particularly thinner concrete and concrete not made with gravel.

Cultured marble is a blend of polymers and stone dust fused together into molded pieces. It takes on the appearance of marble. It is less expensive than natural marble. It can be formed into things like bathtubs and vanity tops. It has the appearance of marble but also has more tensile strength. It does have the tendency to show wear and tear.

Concrete building blocks are made of cement. Solid cement blocks are heavy and expensive. They usually weigh 40 to 45 pounds each. They are larger than normal building bricks. The standard size is 8” depth by 8” width by 16” length. They are hard to work with and take a lot of time to install because of their weight and bulk. There are other cinder block types that are less heavy and easier to work with.