Concrete Restoration Solutions

Modern concrete is designed to last 60 to 120 years, but lack of maintenance and environmental conditions can greatly reduce those numbers.

Many city practices like salting city streets in the winter can lead to pitted and stained concrete driveways. As snow plows push the snow from the streets onto sidewalks and driveways it also sends any vehicle waste like oils and engine fluids that have made their way to the street along with city particulates like salt and or grass control chemicals along with it.

Any or all of these waste products can have an effect on your sidewalks and driveways leaving them even more susceptible to the wear and tear of extreme weather and the fluctuations in temperature that cause cracking and flaking.

Hardscapes Inc. has solutions for every concrete restoration need and years of experience to make a repair that is beautiful and long-lasting. If your driveway is already stained and pitted from the harsh winter elements and you’re considering a driveway re-surfacing in the near future, give us a call to arrange an appointment for a free no-obligation quote or even just to meet for a chat to have all your questions and concerns addressed. We’re more than happy to be of assistance!

The Late Season Concrete Project

Poured concrete patio canadaconcrete.comDid you know that if you know what you’re doing you can pour concrete almost all year round?

That is if the general air temperature is between 10° C and 32° C you should be safe. There are other factors that might determine the outcome like wind and humidity along with water temp have an effect on pouring concrete in less than favorable conditions.

Cold Weather

Temperatures below 0° C should be left until warmer weather or best recommendation would be to hire a pro. Concrete sets slower in colder temperatures so the key to getting it right is to make sure the concrete sets fast.

Here is a cold weather tip to get your concrete set right, use hot water. You could always use a fast setting concrete to pour you your slab but if you really want it done right call someone who does it for a living.

Give us call or email us for more information on how we can get that late summer concrete project done right.

Concrete Resurfacing

BandageNo matter how much care you take with your concrete driveway it will eventually start to wear.

If your home was built in the last fifty years your driveway, and probably your walkway, are built with concrete. These outdoor features of your home need to be made of materials that are durable and long lasting, and concrete fits the bill.

What do you do when signs of aging start to appear? Whether it’s pitting due to oil or other petroleum products leaking from vehicles onto the surface, or from shifting soil that leaves cracks in the cement where grass and weeds can grow, your driveway can become an ugly welcome home.

If your driveway is looking like it may need to be jack-hammered out and re-poured that can be a big expense.

Here’s the good news, don’t just put a bandage on it, there is another solution. Concrete resurfacing is a way to bring those aging concrete walks and drives back to life.

Watch the Video »

Concrete Patio Finishes

Hardscapes Inc. concrete driveway and walk.Just like the interior floors in your home concrete patios can have as many different looks and finishes.

Colored Concrete can add beauty and design to your concrete. There are now so many different colored finishes that you would need to use a color chart to decide which would be appropriate for your décor.

Stamped Concrete can have the look and feel of any stone or brick surface you can imagine. Everything from stone pavers to naturally worn stone pavers. A great option for any back yard concrete patio.

Stenciled or Logoed concrete can leave a look of an open area rug or your corporate logo to enhance the look of your concrete surface. A great conversation starter.

Exposed Aggregate along with smooth concrete sections is a beautiful option for the new patio and can be manipulated for any design requirement.

Stained Concrete can add a durable and beautiful color to your patio with thousands of colors and finishes.

These are a few options for that new patio and there are many more. Give us a call to find out if one of these is right for your project.

Wine Store Floor Update

Remember a couple of weeks ago we asked you to stay tuned for updates on the wine store floor project. After Hardscapes Inc. gave it a diamond grind, some patching, and an Elite Crete pt1 epoxy application the old used up floor have found new life. Who would have guessed that this was the same floor.

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Too Much Water

Pitted DrivewayAdding too much water weakens your concrete. When that happens your aggregate or rock that is in the concrete begins to sink lower in the poured area. That leaves the lighter weight cement and sand at the top. This can lead to very quick pitting and damage to your poured area especially things like concrete driveways.

Today there are is a great number of additives you can use to improve the strength of your concrete. Plastisizers, hardeners, helps it set quicker, fiberglass strands which add strength.

Hardscapes Inc. has all the answers to the question of how to create great solid concrete. Why not give us a call.

Custom Flooring

Custom flooring is one of Hardscapes Inc’s specialties!

We just completed this little project for Calbridge Homes new sales center in Mahogany. It was done in their company colours with reflector/enhancer for the dark center and a custom orange to mimic their logo.
We have done many floors tailored to clients specific needs. Make your floor your own with corporate logos, company colours, or your favorite team or car logo, like the one below we installed in a show car trailer.

Hardscaped Inc. can configure any concrete or cement surface to meet your commercial or domestic needs.

Calbridge Homes Floor Calbridge Homes Flooring

Concrete Tips

How to cure concrete.

Stopping freshly poured concrete from drying out too quickly is called curing. If left to dry out of its own accord, concrete will not develop the full bond between all of its ingredients. It will be weaker and crack mill crack more. The surface might not be as hard as it should be.

  • The form work itself, if left in place, or on the underneath of a suspended slab, stops the concrete drying out too quickly, and can be a curing agent.
  • Spray water onto the formation. A simpler way is to just keep water sprayed onto the slab with garden sprinklers or hand held hose pipes.
  • Use a plastic shield, which basically is a plastic sheet laid on top of the slab to stop the evaporation process. This is one of the most efficient methods of curing concrete.
  • Use concrete curing oils or curing compounds. These compounds and oils now come in a variety of types.

Preparing concrete is harder than it looks. A professional in the field is always a good idea. Hardscapes Inc. has the experts and can help you with all your concrete ideas.

Basement Floor Repair

This cracked up basement floor was beautifully restored by Hardscapes Inc.

After grinding and patching, the floor received an overlay of Elite Crete’s thin Finish. Once dry, it was stained for a gorgeous titanium mottling. Top coated with Elite Crete E100 PT1 epoxy and a satin polyurethane, this floor will stand up to the daily abuse of kids, toys, pets etc.

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Sink Hole

Driveway RepairOver the years water, snow and ice even city fed runoff from sewer gutters can cause erosion under your driveway surface. This leaves your concrete driveway slab vulnerable to cracking and if not properly repaired it could collapse.

One way of solving this problem is called mud jacking, a process that pumps high pressured grout into the void under the driveway through holes cut in the surface. The process fills the space between the foundation element and the eroding soil.

Once you have corrected the elevation discrepancy you will still be left with cracking and the inevitable patchwork that covers the holes made to apply the process.

Hardscapes Inc. has a number of solutions to repair and rebuild the surface of your concrete drive and bring it back to its previous beauty.

Give us a call to find the solution right for you.