3 Concrete Construction Uses Seen Throughout Okc
Concrete is one of the most widely used materials in the construction world, and for good reason. It’s strong, it’s reliable, and it’s multi-functional. While it can be used for many things, most builders and construction workers use concrete while building houses, skyscrapers, and even laying flooring and groundwork underneath our homes. If you’re working within the construction industry in okc and are interested in concrete projects, we’ve got you covered! Here are 3 concrete construction uses you can easily find throughout okc:
Asphalt and Concrete Parking Lots
Concrete is widely used to make and pave parking lots. In fact, it’s one of the main materials used in car parks, pavements, and roads throughout the US - not just Oklahoma. Parking lots are usually made with asphalt, a black type of concrete that uses tar, but they can also be made using regular concrete. Both asphalt parking lots and standard concrete parking lots are used the most due to the materials being extremely durable. An asphalt parking lot can withstand great weights and temperature fluctuations compare to other construction materials like cement, gravel, soil, and construction aggregate. Concrete and asphalt paving are also incredibly hard-wearing, and even when damage is done, both materials can be easily repaired and maintained. When you’re next in your supermarket parking lot, or even when you drive out onto the highway, you’ll more than likely be driving on a smooth section of concrete.
Concrete Patterned Driveways
If you’re smart, you’ll have a concrete driveway. Why? Because they’re much cheaper and sturdier than other driveway materials on the market. While driveways can be made with many different materials - resin, brick, and sandstone, to name a few - concrete is the most reliable option. Although the other materials mentioned pack a decent punch, none of them are structurally stronger than concrete. Bricks and flags can easily break under pressure, and resin paving can get quickly discolored by the hot Oklahoma sun. It’s true, plain concrete driveways aren’t the prettiest to look at, but they’ll last longer. Thankfully, concrete can be laid with patterns, so your driveway will look more appealing than your local parking lot’s flooring! Patterns are rolled and stamped onto the wet concrete, making it a lot quicker than positioning bricks for pattern work while still getting the same result. Take a look around at the driveways within your neighborhood - you might find a few concrete ones!
Construction Foundations
Without concrete, many buildings you see throughout Oklahoma would simply crash to the ground. That’s because concrete is used as a base for buildings to sit on. Due to its durability and weather resistance, concrete is laid as a foundation or base for a new building to be made on. Things like high rises, regular houses, and even garden sheds are all built on a sturdy concrete foundation. You can create the most stable structure known to man, but without a solid foundation to lay your structure on, it will inevitably collapse; that’s why concrete construction foundations are so vital. While you can’t physically see if a building has a concrete foundation, it definitely will - that is, unless it’s no longer standing!
