Where would we be without concrete? In this day and age, concrete contractors play an invaluable role in the development of our cities in a safe and structurally sound way. Concrete is a preferred construction material because of its durability, low maintenance, affordability, quick drying and ease of availability. And now that new concrete contractors have perfected numerous decorative concrete techniques, from stamping to staining, the possibilities of this tough and hardy substance are virtually endless.

Concrete is a manmade material made of earthly ingredients, including cement and various cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate, water, and chemical admixtures. The aggregate is typically a coarse substance such as gravel, limestone, or granite, which will be combined with a fine aggregate such as sand. Concrete solidifies and hardens after mixing. The transition from particle components to concrete mix to the hardened surface happens quickly and must be done in a particular fashion to ensure the durability of the finished product.

Concrete is known for its ability to quickly turn from a paste-like mixture into an extremely hardened matter. This happens after the various ingredients have been mixed with water in a chemical process known as hydration, after which the water reacts with the cement. The ingredients then bond together, eventually creating a stone-like material. In fact, some decorative concrete surfaces are actually designed to look as if they are stone.

It is easy to see the work of concrete contractors in cities all over the nation, from San Diego to New York. Concrete is used to make pavements, architectural structures, foundations, motorways, roads, bridges, overpasses, parking structures, brick walls, block walls, and footings for gates, fences and poles. Concrete comprises a $35 billion annual industry that employs more than two million workers in the United States and paves more than 55,000 miles of highways in America alone.