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Winter Concrete Maintenance Tips: Avoid De-Icing Chemicals on Concrete

Friday, February 22nd, 2013

PTG_Feb18

As a business owner or property manager you have a responsibility to ensure your property is safe for your customers. In the winter time, this means clearing walkways of both snow and ice. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to use de-icing chemicals.Common De-Icing Chemicals

  • Sodium chloride or rock salt (NaCL)
  • Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA)
  • Magnesium chloride (MgCl2) andorganic-based performance enhancer (OBPE)
  • NaCL with MgCl2 and OBPE
  • NaCL with Magic-O – a proprietaryblend of OBPE and 30% MgCl2
  • Calcium chloride (CaCl2) and OBPE
  • NaCL until 15° F degrees, then NaCL with CaCl2 until 5° F degrees, thenNaCL with sand

Unfortunately, using de-icing chemicals on concrete pavement is a no-no. Why? Well, let’s hear what the professionals have to say.

  1. According to a 2002 federal government funded study, “The Deleterious Effects of Concentrated Deicing Solutions on Portland Cement Concrete,” there is significant evidence that certain de-icing chemicals chemically interact with both cement and aggregate. The results of this reaction include cracking, strength loss, and eventually premature failure.
  2. According to the study “Effects of Deicers on Concrete Deterioration,” by David Darwin, JoAnn Browning, Lein Gong, and Sean Hughes, applying significant quantities of CaCl2, MgCl2, and CMA over the pavement’s life will negatively impact the concrete’s long-term durability.
  3. According to a study by H. Lee, R. D. Cody, A. M. Cody, and P. G. Spry entitled, “Effects of Various Deicing Chemicals on Pavement Concrete Deterioration,” sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) with 5 different Ca/Mg ratios, Ca-acetate, and Mg-acetate each “produced characteristic effects on the concrete samples by physically and chemically altering the dolomite coarse aggregate, the dolomite coarse aggregate-paste interface, and the cement paste.”

So do yourself and your concrete a favor and put the de-icing chemicals away. However, if you do decide to still use de-icing chemicals, heed the warning of Patrick T. Gillen III, the owner of the Baltimore, Maryland-based asphalt and concrete paving company PTG Enterprises.

“De-icing chemicals should definitely not be placed on concrete within the first year. This is when the concrete is most vulnerable.”

If you have any further questions about De-Icing Chemicals & Concrete, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! You can check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

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Concrete Cracking: Is it time to call your Baltimore Concrete Contractor?

Friday, January 11th, 2013

When it comes to your concrete, whether it is a driveway, sidewalk, or parking lot, it will eventually crack. That is just life. Even the best concrete cracks eventually. The key to concrete longevity is to address these cracks as they happen…before they get out of control.

Remember the old adage, “a stitch in time saves nine?” Well, the same holds true for concrete. Addressing a small crack when it happens is much easier and much more cost-effective than trying to fix larger or multiple cracks.

When your concrete pavement begins to show signs of wear and tear, you need the help of an expert. So call the concrete experts at PTG Enterprises before that small crack becomes a major issue. Our crews are the best available and they use only the best materials and equipment around.

Concrete Cracking FAQs

  1. What Causes Concrete Cracking? Well, there is no one answer. Cracking is typically the result of several factors, including drying shrinkage, thermal contraction, restraint (external or internal) to shortening, subgrade settlement, and applied loads.
  2. Can Concrete Cracking be prevented? Yes and no. With proper concrete maintenance, concrete longevity can be increased, but eventually all concretes will crack.
  3. All Concrete Contractors are the same, right? No! Just as in any profession, there are good and bad concrete contractors. And if you choose a bad contractor, your concrete could fail quicker than normal. Improper installation is one of the number one causes of concrete failure.

Do yourself a favor and call PTG Enterprises for all of your concrete needs, both installation and repair. PTG Enterprises are experts with commercial concrete jobs. We work closely with you to ensure the details of the project are fully understood, and that timetables are met.

Our crews are extremely familiar with all types of concrete paving, so you know the job will look professional and last for years to come.

If you have any further questions, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

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History of the Inner Harbor & Federal Hill: Cobblestones & Concrete Pavers

Friday, September 28th, 2012

Baltimore, Maryland’s famous Inner Harbor almost never existed. In the early 1960s, a proposed road project threatened what would become the Inner Harbor. Luckily, residents of Federal Hill joined forces with other Baltimoreans and defeated the highway project. This proved to be the right move not only for Federal Hill, but also Baltimore.

The completion of Rouse’s Inner Harbor in the early 1980s brought acclaim to Baltimore and quickened the pace of revitalization in nearby Federal Hill. Then in 1994, Federal Hill park underwent a facelift. Residents wanted a better pavement than the existing gravel. They needed a pavement that would accommodate both carriages and heavy commercial trucks.

The Solution: Concrete pavers!

Reminiscent of the cobblestones used in many of Baltimore’s streets, concrete pavers provided an aesthetically pleasing, incredibly durable, and cost effective solution for Federal Hill. Since the use of concrete pavers in the park, they have spread to several blocks of sidewalks within the neighborhood.

The pavers were placed over 1 in. (25 mm) of bedding sand on 12 in. (300 mm) of compacted aggregate base.

Commercial Concrete Paving Services in and around Baltimore, Maryland

PTG Enterprises are experts with commercial concrete jobs. We work closely with you to ensure the details of the project are fully understood, and that timetables are met.

Our crews are extremely familiar with all types of concrete paving, so you know the job will look professional and last for years to come.

PTG Enterprises performs concrete work for:

If you have any further questions, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of Maryland, DC, and Virginia pavement projects and have the experience you need.

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Sources:

Federal Hill Park–A Key Place for Concrete Pavers

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