Concrete Contractors That Get The Job Done Right
Don’t settle for any Billings, MT contractor to fulfill your concrete needs. You need a professional contractor to create level, smooth, and durable additions to your home. RAE Contracting in Billings, MT is your trusted source for driveways, walkways, patios, stairs, and more. Show your individuality on your existing concrete with our concrete stamping and coloring. We’ll stain, color, resurface and seal your concrete so you can enjoy your design for years to come!
Why RAE Contracting is Right For You
Any Billings Concrete Contractor worth their salt will do more than simply pour concrete on the ground. We take care and are precise to get the job done the right way. We construct concrete walls, repair existing concrete structures, use concrete as a material for finishing structures, lay concrete for outdoor areas like driveways, and much more. Most homeowners will find themselves in need of a reliable concrete contractor at some point in their lives, so it’s always a good idea to learn more about the ins and outs of concrete.
How Is Concrete Made?
Concrete is made up of 3 ingredients; water, aggregate (rock, sand, or gravel), and cement. The cement comes in the form of a powder and when all three ingredients are mixed together, you get the wet cement that people are familiar with seeing. Once it is ready, it can then be poured and left to harden.
The strength of the concrete and the finish depends on the aggregate that is used. Fine aggregate like sand is best for creating smaller concrete slabs, for example, and gives a smooth finish. Coarse aggregate, on the other hand, is used to add more load-bearing strength and is used for things like foundations, roads, and pavements. You should always choose a local, reputable concrete contractor that will use high quality materials for any concrete job.
How Is Concrete Poured?
Once the concrete has been mixed, it needs to be poured. Before starting a job, a quality concrete contractor like RAE Contracting will determine the size and depth of the area that needs to be covered, as well as the desired finish of the concrete, so they can ensure that it gets poured correctly.
Before pouring can begin, the area needs to be prepared. All loose rubble, grass, weeds, and anything else need to be removed. The areas must be flattened as much as possible so the concrete is poured onto a level surface. Forms will also be used to contain the concrete and make sure it doesn’t pour out.
Wooden forms are the cheapest option and are used when the finish does not matter, like when laying foundations, for example. Metal forms are more expensive, but they give a smoother finish. A quality concrete contractor will select the proper forms for the job.
After the concrete has been poured, the contractors will then screed the top, which means they scrape off the top layer of the concrete to ensure a smooth surface. Depending on what the concrete will be used for, a finish will be applied. It may be left smooth or brushed over to create a rougher surface, for example.
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How Long Does Concrete Take To Cure?
It can take as long as 28 days for the concrete to cure, but the first two days are the most important. A curing compound can be used to prevent any cracking as the concrete dries.
Concrete contractors in Billings, Montana are a lot more skilled than people realize, and pouring concrete isn’t something that you can easily do on your own.
If you are in need of a concrete company to carry out work on your home, get in touch with RAE Contracting today. You can give us a call at (406) 272-5109 or get a free estimate online through our website.
How to Care For and Maintain Concrete
In most cases concrete is a durable, long lasting product without maintenance.
So, it often raises eyebrows when the subject of maintaining concrete is brought up. Properly maintaining concrete, however, can greatly
extend the life of the concrete and the beauty of the concrete: plain concrete can look clean and bright-instead of oil stained and grimy. Decorative Concrete can look the same after years of enjoyment as it did when it was brand new-instead of faded, oil stained, and dirty.
Properly maintaining the concrete protects your investment in concrete, particularly if you have taken the initiative and incurred the
expense of pouring decorative concrete. RAE Contracting wants to help you understand how to preserve and protect the beauty of your
new concrete. Please feel free to call us if you have questions about caring for your concrete. Once your freshly laid concrete is completed, some simple care and maintenance measures will help assure you of a long life of beauty and service.
Cleaning your concrete periodically and keeping it sealed are the key components of any good maintenance program. How often you clean and reseal will largely depend on the conditions the concrete is exposed to, especially weather extremes, sunlight intensity and the amount of foot or vehicle traffic.
Control Plantings: Trees and other plants with big root systems can cause problems if they are planted too close to your concrete. Roots can grow up through the cement, or even raise the concrete, cracking it and causing it to break off and crumble. Weeds may sprout in any controlled cracks, expansion joints or cracks that may develop, but can be treated with spot herbicides.
Clean Up Spills: Using a pressure washer and degreasing chemicals to spray and clean the area immediately after spilling oil, grease or other stains is the best bet for removing these types of stains (make sure you follow the manufacturers
recommendation on degreasers and ensure the chemicals are suitable on concrete surfaces).
Apply Sealant: You can do this job yourself or may have already engaged RAE Contracting to do this for you. If you do this yourself carefully following the instructions on the sealing product, since spread rates differ. If you prefer to have sealing done professionally, feel free to call us for our professional opinion about sealers. Generally, you would seal colored or exposed aggregate concrete, you can also color plain concrete with colored sealers in a wide range of colors.
