12-03-2019, 10:54 PM
Well, not exactly all that informative.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/...will-last/
How to install a concrete driveway or sidewalk that will last
“Q: Tim, I’m about to have a new concrete driveway installed, as well as some sidewalks. I asked the bidding contractors how long I might expect the concrete to last. The range given was from 20 to 30 years. That seems like a long time, but I thought it could last much longer. How long can concrete last, in your opinion? What can be done to extend the useful life of concrete whether it’s flatwork, steps or foundation walls? — Tom B., Rockdale, Ill.
A: These are good questions, especially if you’ve ever had problems with concrete installed by a nonprofessional. If improperly installed, new concrete can crack, spall or fail in any number of other ways.
I'd like to share some experiences with you to give you an idea of what's possible with concrete life expectancy. The first one involves railroads. I was a conductor on a local scenic train for two years, and I've always taken an interest in railroads and how they were built.
I started to notice the concrete abutments and bridge supports near my last home in Cincinnati years ago. One day I happened to see on one abutment a cast date in the concrete. It was 1919! The concrete looked to be in fantastic shape with no cracks, no spalling and nothing missing. It was dirty, of course, but otherwise looked almost new. I've since looked at other railroad bridge abutments and seen the same thing: old concrete in great shape.
I also used to take walks around the older suburb of Pleasant Ridge in Cincinnati. There were numerous houses built upon slight rises from the street. Many had a set of concrete steps coated with stucco. These steps were in perfect condition, and most, no doubt, were installed in the early 1900s. Stuccoing steps is almost a lost art, by the way.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/...will-last/
How to install a concrete driveway or sidewalk that will last
“Q: Tim, I’m about to have a new concrete driveway installed, as well as some sidewalks. I asked the bidding contractors how long I might expect the concrete to last. The range given was from 20 to 30 years. That seems like a long time, but I thought it could last much longer. How long can concrete last, in your opinion? What can be done to extend the useful life of concrete whether it’s flatwork, steps or foundation walls? — Tom B., Rockdale, Ill.
A: These are good questions, especially if you’ve ever had problems with concrete installed by a nonprofessional. If improperly installed, new concrete can crack, spall or fail in any number of other ways.
I'd like to share some experiences with you to give you an idea of what's possible with concrete life expectancy. The first one involves railroads. I was a conductor on a local scenic train for two years, and I've always taken an interest in railroads and how they were built.
I started to notice the concrete abutments and bridge supports near my last home in Cincinnati years ago. One day I happened to see on one abutment a cast date in the concrete. It was 1919! The concrete looked to be in fantastic shape with no cracks, no spalling and nothing missing. It was dirty, of course, but otherwise looked almost new. I've since looked at other railroad bridge abutments and seen the same thing: old concrete in great shape.
I also used to take walks around the older suburb of Pleasant Ridge in Cincinnati. There were numerous houses built upon slight rises from the street. Many had a set of concrete steps coated with stucco. These steps were in perfect condition, and most, no doubt, were installed in the early 1900s. Stuccoing steps is almost a lost art, by the way.”
