Have a problem? - Look below and call us............................Call us anyway!

 
  • Low Strength
  • Curling
  • Finishing
  • Delamination
  • Scaling
  • Spalling
  • Popouts
  • Cyclic Freezing
  • Fire Damage
  • Delayed Setting
  • Rapid Slump Loss
  • Cracking
    • Drying Shrinkage
    • Plastic Shrinkage
    • D-Cracking
    • Structural
  • Cement Content
  • Entrained Air
 

 
  • Sulfate Attack
  • Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR)
  • Alkali Carbonate Reaction (ACR)
  • Gypsum - Anhydrite - Pyrite
  • Delayed Ettringite Formation (DEF)
  • Sea Water Attack
  • Salt Hydration Attack
  • Proportions
    • Concrete
    • Mortar
    • Stucco
    • Plaster
  • Unsound Cement
  • Unsound Aggregate

 

 
  • Mixing - Consolidation - Curing
  • Bleeding
  • Air Void Systems
  • Efflorescence
  • Staining
  • Rapid Wear
  • Erosion - Cavitation
  • Leaching
  • Acid Attack
  • Contamination
  • Corrosion
    • Steel reinforcement
    • Aluminum
    • Galvinized metals
  • Water / Cement Ratio
  • Chlorides
  • De-Icing Chemicals

Call us for suggestions and answers if you have any of the following commonly asked questions:

Concrete-related Questions

From Homeowners:

(1) My driveway is only 2 years old and is scaling. What went wrong? How can I prevent scaling of driveways?

(2) My concrete basement has a lot of cracks. Why? How can I control the cracks?

(3) My concrete home has cracks on the walls and ceiling - What went wrong and how can I prevent it?

(4) A paint coat on a basement is peeling and blistering - What went wrong?

(5) A paint coat on a drywall or stucco is peeling, cracking, blistering - What is the reason?

(6) My concrete driveway is cracking and spalling as chunks of broken concrete - What went wrong? 

From Contractors & Ready Mixed Concrete Suppliers:

(1) The strength of concrete cylinder is tested lower than the design strength - What went wrong?

(2) The air content of concrete is less than the designed air - What went wrong?

(3) Concern about whether or not a concrete was frozen in the plastic state.

(4) What causes cement or concrete burns? How can we prevent it?

(5) The concrete placed in a deck didn't set for a long period of time - What went wrong?

(6) How can we check whether or not a concrete meets the specification?

(7) How can we check the quality and degree of consolidation of a hardened concrete?

(8) How can we check the degree of curing of a concrete slab?

(9) What causes delamination of concrete slab? How can we prevent it?

(10) What causes cracking of concrete pavements? How can we control it?

(11) How can we check the depth of extent of fire attack in a concrete structure?

(12) How can we check the depth of extent of acid or sulfate attack in a concrete structure?

(13) How can I check the quality, freeze-thaw durability, soundness and potential reactivity of the aggregates used in concrete mix? 

(14) How can we prevent dusting of concrete slab? What causes dusting?

(15) How can we prevent staining and discoloration of concrete?

(16) What precautions should I take for concrete placement in Cold Weather?

(17) What precautions should I take for concrete placement in Hot Weather?

(18) Should I use a sealer on a concrete surface? What kind? When should I place it?

 

Masonry-related Questions

 

From Homeowners:

 

(1) I have awful white discoloration of my masonry walls - What went wrong and how can I prevent it?

(2) I have cracks in my masonry wall and water leakage problem - How to fix it?

 

From Masons & Contractors:

 

(1) How can I match my mortar with the existing pointing mortar? What should be the type of my mortar?

(2) How can I find out whether or not a mortar was frozen after placement?

(3) How can I test the compressive strength, freeze-thaw durability, efflorescence test, modulus of rupture, and initial rate of absorption tests of my bricks?

(4) How can find out the type of a mortar - whether it is portland cement based or masonry cement mortar, Type M or S or N or O?

 

Stone and Tile-related Questions

 

From Homeowners:

 

(1) The tiles in my kitchen floor are popping out. What went wrong? How can I do?

(2) The tiles on the walls of my bathroom are de-bonding. What went wrong?

(3) Tiles are cracking or curling - Why?

(4) An architectural cast stone sculpture is cracking or showing sings of distress - What went wrong?

(5) My stone counterpart shows signs of staining or discoloration - What went wrong?

 

From Suppliers & Contractors:

 

(1) How can I check the quality and durability of my tile or stone products?

(2) How can I check the slip resistance of my tiles?

(3) How can I check the absorption, bond strength, warpage, thickness, abrasive resistance, wedging, breaking strength, freeze-thaw durability and Mohs hardness properties of tile?

(4) How can is check whether my tiles complies with ANSI specifications?

(5) How can I check whether my installation procedures of ceramic tile meet the specifications of Tile Council of America?

(6) My customer is complaining about curling and cracking of stone tiles. What went wrong? Is it a problem with the product or with the installation procedure?

 

We provide services to fit the puzzles together!

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Copyright © 2007 CMC, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Berkshire Center, Suite 104, 4727 Route 30 Greensburg, PA 15601

724-834-3551 (Tel) ● 724-834-3556 (Fax) ● www.cmc-concrete.com

Cement-Aggregate-Concrete Division ● Masonry & Mortar Division ● Stone & Tile Division ● Applied Petrographic Services, Inc.