Expert Concrete Repair, Replacement & Resurfacing Contractors in Tampa, FL

A: This is a complicated question that really deserves a longer answer than here in the FAQ's- see our article on cracking. The bottom line however is- yes. Concrete is a rock-like substance that expands and contracts with temperature changes, as well as other factors having to do with the chemical process of the actual "drying" (which is in fact an exothermic chemical reaction) of the concrete. Control joints must be put in, whether they are hand tool joints, or saw cuts, in a timely manner to convince the concrete to crack in the joints created for them. Failure of a slab however is another thing. While a hairline crack might develop for some unknown reason, the actual concrete slab failing is usually due to either a poor design/installation with the sub-grade often being poorly compacted and/or wet. Other factors are the use of excessive water in the concrete leading to uncontrolled cracking, crazing, and slab failure. Pouring concrete on mud/muck can lead to sub-grade failure, with the dirt shrinking, leaving a void below that especially with car traffic on a driveway, that can lead to slab failure.

Absolutely! In fact, we encourage you to talk to other customers! Our best-selling point is the consistent installation of hundreds of patios and driveways in the Tampa Bay area- all small masterpieces!

This is a complicated question that really deserves a longer answer than here in the FAQs- see our article on cracking. The bottom line, however, is- yes. Concrete is a rock-like substance that expands and contracts with temperature changes, as well as other factors having to do with the chemical process of the actual "drying" (which is, in fact, an exothermic chemical reaction) of the concrete. Control joints must be put in, whether they are hand tool joints or saw cuts, in a timely manner to convince the concrete to crack in the joints created for them. Failure of a slab, however, is another thing. While a hairline crack might develop for some unknown reason, the actual concrete slab failing is usually due to a poor design/installation, with the subgrade often being poorly compacted and/or wet. Other factors are the use of excessive water in the concrete, which leads to uncontrolled cracking, crazing, and slab failure. Pouring concrete on mud/muck can lead to sub-grade failure, with the dirt shrinking, leaving a void below that, especially with car traffic on a driveway, that can lead to slab failure.

A monolithic pour is when the slab is poured first, with the footers (thickened edges) for the block integrated as part of the slab. The block is then laid on the slab, and a stem wall is a footer poured separately with the block laid on top of the footer. Then, the dirt is installed, and the slab is poured. The stem wall method is used in situations where the concrete floor height will be quite high in the air. This allows the contractor to install the dirt in lifts to get it ready to pour. The stem wall method is more expensive, as it requires more trips to complete. This would be in situations that are less than 16" in the air. If the floor height is higher, then a stem wall installation is recommended, as the cost savings for the monolithic slab are lost with the increased labor involved in forming high slabs.

Pumping the cells refers to the job of filling the open cells in the block wall with concrete. When a wall is built, the footer, the downcells, and the lintel at the top form a system that interlocks together. This is the real strength of the house. If not done properly, it could affect the integrity of the building.