Concrete is a fantastic choice when it comes to pavements and driveways. However, its popularity means that several myths and legends have also sprouted. Some of these can be harmful to your own choices when it comes to the pavement material you would pick. So we want to set the record straight when it comes to these concrete myths and legends.
Concrete Myths and Legends You Should Know About
There are many myths and legends that directly affect people’s perception of things. One of these are the myths and legends surrounding concrete as a material for your pavement. We’re here to set the record straight and make sure you know everything you need to know about these hearsays regarding concrete.
Concrete is Environmentally Unfriendly
One of the more common myths or legends associated with concrete is how it is environmentally unfriendly. This myth does have some credence to it as concrete does have a few emissions whenever it is made. However, you shouldnt be afraid of using it as your material of choice for your pavement.
The main reason for this is because of how long concrete can last. Concrete lasts nearly three times as long as a comparable asphalt pavement. This makes it not as bad for the environment as you think.
Concrete is Completely Waterproof when Sealcoated
We’ve advocated for the use of sealcoating to ensure that your concrete is protected from the elements. However, having a sealcoat doesn’t mean that your concrete is completely immune to the effects of the weather, like rain. Eventually a sealcoat will start wearing off and weak points on your pavement will mean that water will seep in through there.
Less Water in A Concrete Mix Means a Stronger Pavement or Driveway
Water is an essential part of any concrete mix. It’s what lets concrete become malleable enough to mold into your pavement. However, more water does mean that a concrete will become more runny, and have a higher chance of being weaker. So you’d immediately think that less water is better right? Wrong!
Less water may mean that your concrete is less runny, but that also means that the concrete will not properly set. The lack of water will mean that there will be air pockets in your concrete, and these can make it weaker. So a good idea is to make sure you or your paver of choice uses just enough water to properly set your concrete without making it runny.
You Can Lay Concrete Whenever You Want
Concrete is touted as one of the most rounded choices when it comes to pavement materials. It’s strong, durable and lasts for a much longer time than asphalt. Many think that this also means that you can lay your concrete any time of the year. This is a big mistake that can heavily affect your concrete’s longevity.
As strong as concrete may be once it’s set, it is vulnerable to permanent damage when it’s just been freshly set. Rain, and extremely cold weather can heavily affect how it sets so it’s best to avoid laying it down when rain, snow and/or cold weather is common.
Final Thoughts
These myths and legends surrounding concrete are detrimental to the success of your own paving projects. So we hope that this article helps you avoid making these assumptions and improve the success of your future concrete pavement or driveway projects!