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All concrete is not made the same.
There are a wide range of different types, strengths and compositions of concrete, based on what the material will be used for. Concrete strength is measured in pounds per square inch or PSI. Normal mixes range from 2,500 to 5,000 PSI, with some specially designed mixes capable of more than 10,000 PSI.
Let’s look, though, at the common range and what different strengths of concrete are used for with help from wikiHow.
Used primarily in driveways, walkways and floors slabs, this concrete tends to be the cheapest. It’s used also as fill material and performs satisfactory for these types of projects.
Used in general construction, this mix is durable and has good finishing characteristics. It can be placed fairly wet without sacrificing quality.
3,500 PSIPerfect for areas where significant loading is expected, such as for paving curbs. Other uses include building footings, bond beams, grade beams and floor slabs.
This concrete is used for heavy traffic payment and heavy-use floor slabs, like those in shops or warehouses. This mix is made to handle a great deal of weight for a long period of time.
Incredibly strong, 5,000 PSI concrete and higher PSI-rated concrete mixes are used for special construction projects where high-impact resistance and low wear rates are expected.
As you can see, concrete comes in many different forms. The final decision comes down to the type of job being done. If you are about to start a job and want to know what concrete you should use, call us at Bergen Mobile Concrete. We have worked with a wide-range of concrete projects and can help you determine the right pressure and mix for the type of project you want to complete. Picking the wrong type of concrete can be detrimental to your project, so make sure you have the right one before you start.
To learn more or to schedule a concrete delivery, call us today at 201-797-7550.
But what should you consider as you head outside in the heat with your pets?
As part of our Dog Days of Summer campaign with the Wisconsin Humane Society, our team of asphalt paving contractors at Wolf Paving wanted to follow up from our collar tag safety initiative with some must-know tips for pet safety during the hot summer months.
In interviews with experts from the Wisconsin Humane Society, we found some great information you need to save and share! Take a look below.
Prevent your animal from overheating by taking walks in the early mornings and after the sun sets and consider these additional tips:
Make sure you regulate the temperature inside your home on hot days, too. If your house heats up while you’re at work, leave on the air conditioning if possible; otherwise, use fans and keep your blinds closed to limit sunlight. Make sure your dog has access to a basement or the coolest room in your home.
Symptoms of heat stroke include excessive panting, difficulty breathing, collapse, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, rapid pulse, bright red gums, and blue tongue or lips. Young puppies, dogs who are older, overweight, have long or thick coats, or are snub-nosed (Bulldogs, Pugs, etc.) are higher-risk and should be monitored closely in the heat, along with dogs who have heart or lung diseases. If your dog exhibits any of these symptoms, you must take immediate action.
Move them to a cool place like a basement,
air conditioned room or shady area.
Provide them with cool water, but do not use ice, as rapid changes
in body temperature can cause them to go into shock.
Contact your vet immediately and be prepared to give
them a thorough and detailed list of you dogs symptoms.
Just like people, some dogs enjoy public events more than others, and it’s important to respect their feelings. Forcing an animal into a situation where they’re not comfortable can be dangerous and sets them up for failure. Fireworks are confusing and terrifying for animals, so be sure to leave them at home when you head out to enjoy the show.
Some dogs don’t mind the hustle and bustle of parades, but for most dogs, the loud music, sudden noises, and crowds of people are too overwhelming.
Many dogs are fearful of loud sounds like thunder and fireworks, but we can take a few extra steps to make them feel more comfortable in these situations.
When your water-loving dog is ready to graduate to deeper waters, get in with them to ensure they’re able to swim confidently for an extended period of time. If your dog loves water but isn’t a strong swimmer, consider a doggie life jacket to keep them afloat and highly visible. Whether it’s a pool, river, lake, or pond, dogs should always be monitored while swimming and their guardians should be prepared to jump in if their pet needs rescuing.
If your dog loves to get in the water here are some tips you should consider for safety.
Lastly, always be sure to consider packing your car with the basics and the importance of a rise-down. Bring a first aid kit to allow for quick response to emergencies, fresh water for drinking, and a few clean towels. If you have access to a hose or public shower, rinse your dog off before the ride home and always dry them off as best you can to prevent skin irritation. Make sure their ears are clean and dry, too, especially if they have floppy ears or are prone to ear infections. Once you’re home, brush out your dog’s coat and check head to tail for ticks, thorns, cuts, or any potential problems.
Take a look at our Summer Safety Toolkit! The Summer Roadway Safety Toolkit Includes:
With 75 years of asphalt paving experience, from highways to driveways, we are your local source for all of your asphalt paving needs.
Wolf Paving offers professional paving services from Milwaukee to Madison, and everywhere in between, including all areas around: Sun Prairie, Oconomowoc and Waukesha.
It’s never too early or too late torequest a free paving estimate. Call Wolf Paving today. For the Milwaukee area, call us at 262-965-2121. For the Madison area, call us at 608-249-7931.
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— Wiltshire Driveways (@drivewaysuk) June 16, 2016
As asphalt paving industry-leaders, Wolf Paving leads the way with asphalt recycling and manufacturing, green paving solutions and expert asphalt installation and repair, but as a company, they are most proud of their customer service.
In this short video, vice-president Sean Wolf, along with president, Devin Wolf, describe why customer service is important in the asphalt paving industry.
With 75 years of asphalt paving experience, from highways to driveways, we are your local source for all of your asphalt paving needs.
Wolf Paving offers professional paving services from Milwaukee to Madison, and everywhere in between, including all areas around: Sun Prairie, Oconomowoc and Waukesha.
It’s never too early or too late torequest a free paving estimate. Call Wolf Paving today. For the Milwaukee area, call us at 262-965-2121. For the Madison area, call us at 608-249-7931.
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— Wiltshire Driveways (@drivewaysuk) June 15, 2016
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It has been repeatedly reported that the UK’s construction industry (housing construction in particular) was one of the first sectors to feel the full scale of the impact the recession bought with it, and was also one of the slowest when it came to recovering.
While many other industries have been benefitting from a widening talent pool thanks to the ever advancing digital revolution, it seems that the construction industry is experiencing a tightening on the talent that is readily available.
In 2014, the Construction News Barometer found that almost 90% of construction leaders said that the skills shortage was one of the top challenges that their business faced. 88% of leaders also thought that a lack of both skills and staff was a major concern for the future of the business. Employment figures over the past few years have caused concern in the industry because it appears that it is suffering from a shortage of skilled workers.
In fact, the UK construction industry saw a decrease in ‘all work’ by 4.5% when compared with March 2015. The recession has created a paradox, because while we are experiencing a lack of skilled labourers there is also approximately 150,000 skilled construction workers that remain unemployed. While some of these workers have re-entered the sector, many have gone on to find work in industries that are flourishing, such as financial services and manufacturing. This being said, the total economic output for the UK construction industry in 2014 was £103 billion, 6.5% of the UKs total output; just 0.4% shy of its highest contribution in 18 years which was 6.9% in 2007.
Lee Bryer, Research and Development Operations Manager for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), added: “Many of them may be lost to the industry for good, as that has happened with other recessions, but other people could be waiting for the right conditions. The issue is where the work is: whether the wage is attractive enough and whether they are appropriately skilled.”
In July 2013, the coalition government published Construction 2025; a document that outlined the 10 year industrial strategy that would work to:
A Plan for Growth policy was also published alongside the 2011 budget; this outlined the way that the government planned to encourage growth in a number of UK industries, construction to be one. The policy highlights the importance of the investment in house building and infrastructure projects for our economy. It also contained particular actions the Government were to carry out that would assist the growth of the construction industry, along with general actions such as reforming the planning system and reducing regulations. The FirstBuy housing scheme has seen jointly funded equity loans helping a forecasted 10,000 extra people purchasing new homes; this is expected to accelerate growth in the sector along with stamp duty tax reforms.
“While I think that overall, yes there is a skill shortage within the construction industry, I’m happy to say that we have not been affected so far. We specialise in period and listed properties, it’s a niche area and there is always a demand for our skills, especially given the area that we live in. explains Steve Gilbert, owner and director of Steve Gilbert Building Services, “However, if this industry and the skills required aren’t recognised and nurtured properly at an appropriate age then I can see it swiftly becoming a real issue. It would be difficult to continue our business for many years to come if I don’t have the trained employees to carry out the level of work required.”
Just as the dust was beginning to settle when it came to political elections and policies, the Brexit gun was fired. The industry has relied heavily on foreign workers for a number of reasons, in both skilled and non-skilled positions. However, contrary to popular opinion, this is not an entirely new activity. Back in the mid-20th century there was a labour shortage which was filled with Irish migrant workers. At present, the movement between countries in the EU has meant that the construction industry has a vital resource of workers, an exit would potentially mean the resource would dry up almost instantly and the sector could once again face a skills shortage.
However, it’s not only the skills shortage we could face due to leaving the EU. The European Union is a trading union, removing the barriers that could make trading and investment between countries more difficult. In fact, a number of large manufacturing giants have already voiced their concern about continuing to trade with Britain should they leave the EU. As we would be the first country to ever leave the EU, it’s unlikely that companies would be willing to invest until the post referendum financial landscape provides a clearer picture.
Does anyone remember when George Osborne said “Britain is open for business”? Let’s hope that he is that passionate about those words that he is working tirelessly in a pursuit to protect the notion, especially when it comes to the UK construction industry.
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— Wiltshire Driveways (@drivewaysuk) June 14, 2016
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— Wiltshire Driveways (@drivewaysuk) June 13, 2016
Job figures rising to a four-month high in May isn’t necessarily good news for the construction industry, according to One Way.
An analysis by the construction and rail recruitment specialist found that the growth in the number of newly created jobs, outlined in the Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index, merely highlighted the worsening skills shortages that continue to impact the sector. This is made particularly concerning by the fact that rising job vacancies come at a time when industry output has slumped to a three-year low.
Managing Director of One Way Paul Payne, comments.
“On paper a rise in job vacancies should be great news for us, but when you consider the bigger picture it only highlights the growing skills shortages that the industry faces. Job vacancies have risen because there simply aren’t enough professionals to meet the demand, and that’s at a time when output is at a three-year low. Imagine what the situation will be like when we get over the Brexit uncertainty and look to raise productivity once again.”
“We’ve been banging the same drum for some time now, but something needs to be done before we hit a wall and projects have to be put on hold because of skills shortages. The issue is a ticking time bomb and unless something drastic is done soon, the industry could be in big trouble. That’s not to mention what could potentially happen if we were to leave the EU and talent pipelines from across Europe were affected. Obviously this is great news for current construction professionals who are likely to pick which projects they want to work on, and what they’ll be paid, but for the industry as a whole it’s a real worry.”
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— Wiltshire Driveways (@drivewaysuk) June 13, 2016
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— Wiltshire Driveways (@drivewaysuk) June 11, 2016
If you are ready to love your new driveway, consider using asphalt pavement. If you already have an asphalt pavement driveway, here are tips to help you protect and prolong your asphalt driveway. With proper maintenance, your asphalt pavement can last for 20+ years.
Seal coating shouldn't be done right away when new asphalt driveways are installed, but rather, completed about 2 years after initial installation. Seal coating will help preserve the asphalt and keep it looking like new for a long time. It prevents UV rays from the sun from damaging the base layer of the asphalt. It also prevents cracking and potholes from developing and spreading.
Seal coating can be a do-it-yourself job, but for best results, have it done professionally. Seal coating needs to be redone every few years to help improve the look and durability of your asphalt surface. Before applying seal coating, the driveway needs to be cleaned and power washed. Any stains from oil, transmission fluid, or other substances must be cleaned away. This is done by scrubbing the area with a commercial cleaner, following these simple tips. After the stains are cleaned, the driveway should be power washed. Always clean the stains first because power washing will drive the substance causing the stain deeper into the asphalt. After power washing, the driveway should be given time to dry completely and then seal coating can begin.
Cracks in an asphalt driveway should be filled as soon as possible after they are noticed. This will prevent them from spreading. The materials used to fill cracks in asphalt driveways can be purchased at any home improvement store as a short-term solution, but always contact an asphalt paving contractor because there is likely an underlying problem that requires inspection and repair.
As a general rule, whenever you see cracks in your asphalt, the first thing you should do is apply crack filler or sealcoating, weather permitting, to try to halt further spread of damage.
Try to keep traffic away from the affected area, if at all possible. Every vehicle passing over the crack and weakened area may damage the surface further.
Rely on an experienced asphalt pavement contractor to help you determine the underlying problems. You may have a sub-base problem that will only get worse without proper evaluation and maintenance. 
Patching HolesPotholes that appear in asphalt driveways should be patched as soon as possible after being noticed. This prevents the potholes from growing or further damage from occurring by driving over the potholes. The pothole should be cleaned of any debris, such as leaves or sticks, or other foreign objects. Believe it or not, there is a proper way to fill a pothole, and you should trust your local asphalt paving contractor to help you.
A properly laid asphalt driveway is eco-friendly. Green porous asphalt pavement helps to purify water as it goes through the surface, returning water naturally to the water table and naturally watering the landscape. This, along with the fact that asphalt can be recycled and reused, makes it a truly green technology.
If you have any questions about the benefits of asphalt paving or are interested in a free asphalt paving estimate, please contact us today!
With 75 years of asphalt paving experience, from highways to driveways, we are your local source for all of your asphalt paving needs. Wolf Paving offers professional paving services from Milwaukee to Madison, and everywhere in between, including all areas around: Sun Prairie, Oconomowoc and Waukesha.
It’s never too early or too late to request a free paving estimate. Call Wolf Paving today. For the Milwaukee area, call us at 262-965-2121. For the Madison area, call us at 608-249-7931.
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— Wiltshire Driveways (@drivewaysuk) June 5, 2016
Most people think concrete should be poured on a sunny or hot day, but that’s incorrect. In fact, concrete is best poured on overcast damp days where the temperate is about 55 degrees. While it may be hard to time your pour to optimal weather conditions, try to keep it in mind when scheduling a pour as extreme temperatures can be detrimental to concrete’s longevity. Look for days where the temperate is more mild or at least not as extreme as others. If you have to pour on a bad day, there are still ways to improve your site conditions.
Windy days cause too much water to evaporate from the surface and shrinkage cracks often develop. If you pour on a hot day, as is sometimes inevitable during the summer, put a tent over the surface or a screen to block the sun a little and alleviate some of the heating impact of the sun.
As for cold weather, make sure the concrete is covered with insulating blankets, straw or plastic as soon as it’s finished and keep the cover on for at least 72 hours. As concrete hardens, it releases heat through internal chemical process, and you want to store this heat to stop the concrete from drying out or freezing, leading to the possibility of cracking.
At Bergen Mobile Concrete, we’ve poured concrete in all types of conditions. If you have any questions about how or when to pour, please give us a call. We specialize in concrete delivery services throughout the region and have worked in all sorts of climates and conditions. We’re happy to help you out. Give us a call today at 201-797-7550.
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— Wiltshire Driveways (@drivewaysuk) June 3, 2016
As part of our 75th Anniversary celebration, Wolf Paving is excited to give back to the local communities where we work. Each month, we are picking one local charity to recognize and make a donation to on behalf of our dedicated team of employees.
For the month of May, Wolf Paving teamed up with iHeartMedia for the Dog Days of Summer Giveaway, benefiting the Wisconsin Humane Society. Through online and radio advertising, Wolf Paving gave away free strobe dog collar tags, designed to keep dogs safe during, you guessed it, the dog days of summer. Whether it is out camping, on early morning or late night walks, the flashing collar tags are designed to keep pets visible to drivers, pedestrians and others.
In addition to donating the strobe dog collar tags, Wolf Paving also donated one bag of dog food to the Wisconsin Humane Society for every requested collar tag. The idea was to keep your pet safe, while at the same time, helping a dog in need.
In the end, Wolf Paving was proud to give Wolf Paving $4000 dollars, the equivalent of donating 2,500 pounds of dog food to pups in need.
Founded in 1879, the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) has been saving the lives of animals in need for 137 years, with shelters in Milwaukee, Ozaukee and Racine County.
As the largest shelter in the state of Wisconsin, WHS offers a number of specialized services, including: a comprehensive adoption program, lifesaving care, spay/neuter services, a pet food bank, educational programs for children and adults and pet training classes. For the full list of services, visit the 'About Us' webpage. To learn more about donating to WHS or about their services, please visit their website at www.wihumane.org/.
With 75 years of asphalt paving experience, from highways to driveways, we are your local source for all of your asphalt paving needs.
Wolf Paving offers professional paving services from Milwaukee to Madison, and everywhere in between, including all areas around: Sun Prairie, Oconomowoc and Waukesha.
It’s never too early or too late to request a free paving estimate. Call Wolf Paving today. For the Milwaukee area, call us at 262-965-2121. For the Madison area, call us at 608-249-7931.
Recently completed project in Durham Marshalls Paving & LazyLawn Artificial Lawn Installation.
We were asked to add a LazyLawn to both the front and rear of this property in Durham and create a new patio area.
We used Marshalls Fairstone Sawn Versuro in Autumn Bronze Multi for the project. This is part of their ethically sourced fairstone sandstone paving range. The beautiful sawn versuro paving offers a chic, modern look and can really transform any outdoor area.
This range of stone paving is carefully hand selected for the consistent colour and quality it offers. It comes with a smooth, fine grained finish and offers non-slip characteristics. The paving stone comes from Kota in India and is both a durable and hard wearing product, offering long lasting performance along with a great look.
Four different colours are available in the Marshalls Fairstone Sawn Versuro range, the Autumn Bronze Multi featured in the photos above, Antique Silver Multi, Golden Sand Multi and Caramel Cream Multi which is new to the range this year. A variety of different sizes of paving are available in this range, which can be laid together or as random coursed patterns. Walling, setts adn bullnosed steps are also available to complement this range of paving.
We love the Wonder Yarn range of artificial grass for its very realistic looks, for this project we used the 26mm size at both the front and rear of the property in Durham.
Artificial Grass is a perfect low maintenance option for people who don’t have the time or ability to give a real lawn the attention it requires. We find a lot of our customers that opt for an artificial lawn are retired, have busy lifestyles or pets and ideally want a product that looks great all year round with very little maintenance. We feel that the LazyLawn Wonder Yarn range of grass certainly offers this and with fantastic product guarantees you cannot go wrong.
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The post Durham Marshalls Paving & Artificial Lawn Installation appeared first on Driveways, Block Paving, Patios, Newcastle, North East | Driveway Company UK.
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