Just the word “concrete” conjures up images of enduring strength and durability, and it more than lives up to those connotations! Concrete has long been the favourite of builders who want a material that is strong, versatile, and affordable, it’s a substance that can be found in nearly every building on Earth.
Concrete is almost the perfect building material, but it does have a tendency to develop slight cracks, which is why the control joint was designed to guide that minor cracking in a safe manner along the joint, ensuring that the construction is built to last! Other than that small, and easily resolved issue, concrete has plenty to recommend it, so let’s find out more about what makes it the world’s go-to material for building:
- Cost Effective – Concrete is the world’s most cost-effective building material, it’s production cost is low, and its base ingredients- cement, water, and aggregates, can be sourced easily almost anywhere in the world, in contrast to steel and polymers. This level of accessibility and the low cost of its raw materials, make concrete very affordable, as well as long lasting- concrete will stand the test of time.
- Easy To Use – It’s easy to use concrete in construction projects because it can set quickly at room temperature, not requiring any heating or cooling to do so, a big expense incurred by some other materials. Concrete can be set under most weather conditions making it extremely convenient to work with.
- Easy To Mold – Concrete begins in a liquid state so it can easily be moulded into nearly any shape required. Forming complex configurations and shapes are a snap when all you have to do is pour your concrete mixture into the waiting mould and wait for it to set! Another great advantage is that it can be made in a variety of textures for whatever purpose is required, the shiny, smooth walls of an office building, or the rough pebble textured of a garden trail.
- Energy Efficient – These days energy efficiency has become a top concern, and concrete once again delivers, consuming far less energy than it takes to build with steel. A room made of concrete would use about 450-750 kWh/tons of energy to construct, whereas a room of the same size would consume 8000 kWh/tons if it were made of steel! This difference puts concrete firmly in the “green” materials camp, so it’s the perfect choice for projects that have the goal of reducing their carbon footprint.
- Water Resistant – Steel and wood can’t stand up to concrete in the realm of water resistance, it is far superior in its ability to keep water in, or out, never rusting and never rotting! This is the reason concrete is the ideal choice for building waterways, dams, pipelines, canals, and swimming pools! If you need a structure like a waterfront pier that has to be both in and out of the water, then concrete is the answer.
Those are just some of the benefits that concrete can provide, making it the unsurpassed construction material for most building projects. When you build with concrete you are building to last!
