For much of my career as a concrete contractor, my crews and I have focused on creating the best product we could for our customers. We established this through years of trial and error, regular training, and eventually implementation of practices that ensured we could produce the best aesthetics and quality for our customers.
Until recently I never took into consideration that not only our company’s practices and skill affected a job’s outcome but also the quality of the materials supplied to complete our projects.
Architectural concrete has become one of the most visually expressive and technically demanding forms of concrete in construction today. Unlike the standard concrete of the past that was covered with carpet and tile or simply received a broom finish, today’s concrete is polished, imprinted, stained, stenciled, and/or exposed to show its raw beauty. Uniform color, surface quality, consistency, and durability are essential to create a product that meets our clients’ expectations.
In order for our industry to continue to thrive, our suppliers’ quality control is essential. There can be no excuses.
DOT certification is a must
Concrete consumption has reached all-time highs, and the implementation of blended portlands is being used on a large-scale basis. Subsequently, this has created issues with color consistency, dusting, and scaling, just to name a few. Using dirty aggregates and sands that contain soft materials such as lignite
and coal create surface issues from pop-outs and scaling. Improper use of admixtures and water content also leads to surface and durability issues.
Quality control by our ready-mix suppliers is now just as important as our practices and skills as contractors. It is essential to make sure your ready-mix supplier is Department of Transportation compliant in your state. If it isn’t, find a new supplier. DOT-certified suppliers use materials approved in your state to be used on municipal projects. This means these materials have been tested and documented as acceptable for state agencies.
Make sure that the plant has a minimum quality control plan in place. Get a copy along with test results on the aggregates and sands used, as well as mill and batch certificates from the portland suppliers. Also ask for the weigh slips to be attached to every batch slip provided. And always document the weather and site conditions on the days of the pour.
Better safe than sorry
As contractors, when we take these steps to acquire batch tickets, testing records, and material certifications, we’ll help to protect not only our businesses but also our clients’ investments. While these things won’t completely remove the risks involved, they will help to provide legal protection in the event of failure. Additionally, they help reduce the risk of rework—which falls back on the contractor—and provide confidence in each load we pour and finish.
Today’s architectural concrete represents craftsmanship, innovation, and a commitment to quality, which directly reflects the outcome of every project undertaken. It all starts with quality control at your plant.
