A publication of the Concrete Foundations Association
Concrete Facts Magazine Online
Feature
Remembering Ron
by Ed Sauter Those who knew Ron Colvin (RC) will never forget him. Beneath the ever-present beard, overalls, Hawaiian shirts and sandals was a kind, smart, and caring individual who would do anything to make life better for those who worked with him. Ron was a little unconventional in his appearance and approach to things, […]
Twisted Steel Micro-Rebar in Load-Carrying Concrete Walls
by Samhar Hoz, Jeff Novak, Luke Pinkerton Concrete walls are widely used in building construction. Concrete is strong in compression; however, its tensile strength is only 8 to 15 percent of the compressive strength. Thus, plain concrete does not have good tensile properties. Cracks can develop due to loads, restrained shrinkage, or temperature changes […]
UNDERSTANDING PYRRHOTITE IN CONCRETE
by James Baty, Gary Ehrlich, Jamie Farny, Don Penepent, and Dennis Purinton Concrete, the most widely used construction material in the world, is a complex matrix of materials that transforms into a reliable structural product. With so many variables—different ingredients, different performance requirements, varying exposures—specifiers are faced with many choices when designing durable concrete mixtures […]
3 Tips from a Seasoned Concrete Contractor
Follow these ideas to become a more profitable contractor. In the Farmers Insurance commercials, the tagline is: “We know a thing or two, because we’ve seen a thing or two.” I feel the same way about the concrete construction industry. I’ve seen a lot of changes in the industry, as well as noticing that […]
Give A Little, Learn A Lot
There is something to be said for those who take the time and energy to go out of their way to help somebody in need, even more so for those who are able to ask for help when it is needed. Oftentimes the benefits of helping others are not always tangible, and it is that […]
Water: Is It The Basement Contractor’s Worst Enemy?
Sit down at any contractor’s round table and start a discussion about the predominant headache or source of callbacks for basements and you are likely to get common agreement that it is water or moisture. The presence of moisture is a sure sign to the homeowner that a) something dire is wrong with the foundation […]
Magazine Issues
Resilient (Concrete) Homes by Bill Palmer
Concrete Construction editor Bill Palmer opens back up the discussion of the future of concrete homes that benefit the consumer with the most resilient of performances in his February 21 blog post. Excerpt We’ve been talking about concrete homes for many years, but they never seem to have really clicked with home buyers. Maybe that’s […]
CFA Member: Prinsco, Inc. Recognized by Hanley Wood as MIP
“2014 Most Innovative Products Award” Winners Announced Washington, D.C., February, 2014 — The votes are in and winners selected for the “2014 Most Innovative Products (MIP) Award” program. Held annually at Hanley Wood’s World of Concrete, the MIP Award program showcases many of the products exhibited. The MIP award program allows attendees and audiences of […]
Proposed rule issued to extend compliance date for crane operator certification requirements
OSHA has issued a proposed rule to extend the compliance date for the crane operator certification requirement by three years, to Nov. 10, 2017. The proposal would also extend the phase-in requirement for employers to ensure that their operators are qualified to operate the equipment. OSHA issued a final standard on requirements for cranes and […]
OSHA Crane Operator Certification Compliance Dates Extended
Proposed rule issued to extend compliance date for crane operator certification requirements OSHA has issued a proposed rule to extend the compliance date for the crane operator certification requirement by three years, to Nov. 10, 2017. The proposal would also extend the phase-in requirement for employers to ensure that their operators are qualified to operate […]
Project Entries for 2014 CFA Projects of the Year: Vote Now!
The 2014 CFA Projects of the Year Voting is now open. Submitted by CFA members from diverse markets, this year’s crop of projects feature single family residences of monstrous proportion and insanely detailed modest footprints as well as challenging and imaginative multi-family. Never before has this level of detail and achievement been evidenced from submittals […]
CFA Member Obituary: Gary Lee Bromley
Gary Lee Bromley, 75, of Lee’s Summit, MO passed away Wed. Jan. 15, 2014 at his home. Funeral service will be held on Sat. Jan. 18th at 11am at Woods Chapel UMC. Visitation will be held on Fri. Jan. 17th from 5-7pm at the church. Burial in Lee’s Summit cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made […]
North American Specialty Products Debuts New Website, Offering Easy Access to Product and Application Information
CFA National Associate Member Debuts New Website (Wayne, Pa.) – North American Specialty Products LLC (NASP), formerly CertainTeed Pipe and Foundation Group, a leading provider of specialty PVC pipe and residential and commercial building products, has launched a new website — offering easy access to information on its complete line of products and their benefits in a […]
The Time Has Come
Letter from the Executive Director Those who regularly receive this magazine know I have written several times about the formation of an insurance captive for CFA members. Over the past months the insurance market, as well as efforts to start this captive, have taken significant turns – one for the worse, one for the better. […]
Tired of Breaking Even?
Letter from your president, Jim Bartley Dear Friends, Our long, tough recession has had one of two effects on most concrete foundation contractors. Either we went broke, or mastered the art of breaking even. If you are reading this, my guess is you are a fine-tuned, break-even machine! I know I am. Now that we […]
What Should You Expect from 2014?
Codes, Standards, Rules, Regulations and Insurance…It is All Changing It really doesn’t matter that your profession is the concrete industry. Were you in just about any industry, the rules for doing business and the parameters that shape your industry are likely to be changing such that business next year, perhaps even tomorrow, will most […]
Bilco Introduces Redesigned Window Well System
Enhanced Design Allows System to Fit Wider Applications NEW HAVEN, CT/December 3, 2013 – The stakWEL® Egress Window Well system consists of modular units that simply stack and mate together to accommodate virtually any foundation depth. The Bilco Company is pleased to announce that system has been redesigned to now accommodate window openings up to […]
Casting Foundation Concrete in Cold Weather
Expanded from Q&A Article seen in Concrete Contractor magazine. by James R. Baty II, CFA Managing Director The Concrete Foundations Association explains how commonly and effectively residential concrete foundations are constructed during the winter. Question: Our foundations scheduled for installation these next few months will be affected by projected temperatures in the mid […]
