Best Reasons to Avoid Making Concrete a DIY Project

We all love our home improvement projects, but pouring concrete should never be on that list! In our experience of fixing concrete DIY jobs gone wrong in Phoenix, AZ, there are too many ways this process goes off the rails in inexperienced hands. Call us instead and know it is done correctly! Here are five reasons to avoid DIY and concrete mishaps:

• Complex mixing ratios: Concrete is fussy. You must mix it with the right ratio of material and water, or you will have serious problems. Past customers tried to use concrete that was runny or chunky because they decided to guess this ratio and hope it worked out. All it did was make a large mess that was more expensive to fix than if we had performed the work in the first place. If you want smooth and malleable concrete that actually does its job, call in the professionals.
• Access to tools: Unless you want to invest a few thousand dollars for a one-time project, you do not have the right tools to do the job. Wheelbarrows and shovels leave uneven surfaces, holes and cracks. Our equipment mixes concrete at correct ratios and applies it quickly enough so it doesn’t dry during application. Most of our techniques are automated, too, which makes them less time consuming and labor intensive than hauling concrete, mixing sand and laying concrete before it dries.
• Site preparation: You cannot lay concrete just anywhere. Your site must be ready first. The soil must be lightly packed and willing to settle with the weight of the concrete. Then you use a plate compactor to level the surface and define borders. These processes involve tools only available to the commercial market, and this time-intensive job often bores the average homeowner. If you fail to finish site preparation or perform it inadequately, you will face cracked and crumbling concrete.
• Weather adjustments: Concrete is sensitive to weather. Your paving specialist knows how weather affects finished surfaces, work progress and timing. No one wants to pour in monsoon rain, but you don’t want to pour when it’s 105 degrees either. Many homeowners choose a hot day, thinking it will help concrete dry more quickly. In reality, it creates miserable conditions and weak concrete. The subtleties are not something you will learn for one DIY project, so again, delegate this to a concrete professional.
• Safety: Concrete contains particles, and protective equipment is necessary. You need protective equipment for your eyes, ears, skin and respiratory system as you pour concrete. During mixing, concrete releases dust that is hazardous to inhale. Regular consumer protection gear does not keep you safe from this dust, so you must buy or rent specialized equipment. When you consider the time, expense and effort required for this endeavor, it becomes easier to find a good contractor!

Has your concrete DIY job gone wrong? Sunstar Seal Coating, Inc. can fix it! We are the premier concrete provider in Phoenix, AZ, and we can fix DIY and concrete mishaps. Call us today to receive a free estimate.

Categorised in: Concrete

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