As a cement contractor, you know the value of concrete for industrial and commercial jobs. Concrete is the most frequently used manmade material in the world. There are very few instances in which concrete is not a preferred material on a construction site. There are many reasons why commercial concrete work is so prevalent, but here are three reasons why cement is preferable in certain situations for commercial and industrial construction work.
Concrete Companies Keep Americans Employed
Industrial concrete repair has good job security due to concrete’s prevalence throughout the United States. A cement contractor will always stay busy; in 2017 alone, the U.S. produced 2.4 million tons of masonry cement and around 83.5 million tons of Portland cement. That’s a lot of cement that needs reliable hands to make sure it gets laid. Working as a cement contractor also lets you see the country, as around 30% of U.S. highways are concrete and need do need occasional upkeep.
Cement is Reliable
Concrete materials do occasionally need a little maintenance, especially if they experience a lot of weather-related wear and tear or high traffic. However, concrete is a pretty hearty material that can withstand quite a punch. The oldest known man-made concrete has been dated around 500 BC, proving that concrete has been around for thousands of years. You can be sure that concrete provided by a cement contractor will keep long after you’ve gone with that kind of track record.
Concrete Stays Stronger for Longer
Last, but certainly not least, concrete is incredibly strong and keeps getting stronger as it ages. Most areas use Portland cement which is a mix of concrete, mortar, stucco, and non-specialty grout. This mixture will experience a process called hydration, which binds water and cement together in a hard, rocklike mass. This process repeats itself many times over the concrete’s life, which means that the cement only gets strong as it ages. Average concrete strength is about 3000 psi (pounds per square inch), but some concrete has the ability to reach over 20,000 psi. This means that your concrete will continue to work hard for you years after it’s been poured. That kind of strength and reliability is hard to find in some of the other construction materials.
With these key benefits in mind, it’s no wonder that concrete is still being used in all kinds of industrial and commercial applications. That said, you may not be equipped to handle concrete materials on your own. If you need a cement contractor for an upcoming project or want to learn more about how a concrete company can help you, please contact us today.