Finishing concrete can be a tricky operation. Our technical services department has come up with ten tips to take the guesswork out of concrete practices so you can complete a professional job the first time and every time. By using these 10 tips, you can avoid common errors and misconceptions and the resulting problems that cause construction delays and cost you money while creating a professional job that exceeds your customers expectations.

1. To avoid settlement cracking you should ensure the highest quality sub grade possible (be certain it is properly compacted).

2. Please check and re-check the depth of your slabs, this can eliminate the wait needed for another concrete mixer, to arrive at your jobsite.

3. Do not use an impermeable vapor barrier under concrete that will be exposed to ambient conditions.

4. Air entrainment should only be used in exterior concrete, unless it will be exposed to freeze thaw, or sulfate attack.

5. A steel trowel should never be used on concrete that is entrained with air, it can trap bleed water and bleed air, which causes delaminating.

6. Remember to place your concrete with as little extra water as possible. Concrete only needs enough water (approximately a 1 inch slump) to hydrate. Any extra water is merely water of convenience, and the more water added the weaker the concrete becomes.

7. Try to avoid finishing operations if bleed water is still in or on your concrete, this will weaken and hinder the performance of your concrete surface.

8. Please try not to add more than 2% calcium accelerator to your concrete. A rule of thumb is no more than 2 bags of calcium per 10 yard load.

9. Please try to avoid placing concrete in high wind conditions, for it can institute a series of plastic shrinkage cracks, due to the rapid loss of surface moisture in your concrete.

10. Remember that the curing process is just as important as any other step in your concrete pour. It aids in strength gain, crack control, improved durability, better serviceability, and appearance.