Many of you may have noticed that garden structures do not last long. It takes about 5 years and the material begins to crack, potholes appear. Why does this happen? After all, you did everything efficiently.
If you have concreted a blind area, a porch or a path in the garden, then it's all about cheap cement, which was made from low-quality material. Maybe cement coped with its main task, but it unable to repel excess moisture. It went through the pores, and in winter turned into ice. Cracks appear because of this in the spring.
How workers strengthen industrial floors
Many people noticed that the floors in shopping centers are quite durable and resistant to wear and tear. All this thanks to topping. This is a special compound that is poured over concrete. After that you need to smooth the surface with a trowel. Thanks to this simple method, concrete lasts for many years and does not deform.
How to make concrete durable with your own hands
This concrete was made by our grandfathers. Only the technology was slightly different. Cement of the highest category was used instead of topping. We start concreting any garden structure.
Pour concrete over the structure and wait 3-5 hours. The total waiting time depends on the weather. But it is worth knowing that the final drying of the cement must not be allowed. Then sprinkle the cement onto the concrete surface. The embankment should be no more than 2 millimeters thick.
As soon as the cement absorbs moisture, and this can be understood by the dark gray color, then immediately begin to smooth the surface with a steel trowel. We do the same with the second layer, only its thickness should equal to 1 mm. Smooth the surface backwards. This method is called "ironing".
What the master can be wrong
Many times there have been complaints that this method is completely ineffective. The concrete starts to crack even earlier. If you do everything strictly according to the instructions, then this will never happen. And if it happened, then the master made a mistake.
The biggest mistake workers make is that they missed the moment, and the concrete is completely set and hardened. This should not be allowed. If this is your first time concreting, then do not pour the entire solution at once. Do this gradually.
Avoid excess moisture on the surface. If the concrete has hardened strongly, then it can be slightly poured with water. But only slightly.
Never forget to take care of your concrete pavement. If there is no proper care, then there is a risk of cracks and small dents.
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