Once you have mixed the ingredients to make concrete, it will start the hardening process right away, so once you have laid the concrete, you have to cover it for it to cure. The drying process should be a gradual process, and to keep it gradual (even on a hot day), you should cover the slab with plastic while it is curing/drying. This will allow the slab to stay moist while curing, which is the key to reduce cracking.

Part of the mixing process includes adding water, which concrete loves, so you have to keep water in the process. While the concrete is curing, it is also building its strength, which is quick at first, then tapers off, and as long as there is water present, the concrete will continue to cure (making it even stronger). Once all the water is gone, the concrete is done curing (so a longer curing process makes for stronger concrete).

If it is hot outside, and the water is evaporating quickly, you can lift up the plastic covering, gently spray the concrete with a water hose, put the plastic back over it, and let it continue to cure. You can keep doing this for several days without harming the slab.

What about slabs of concrete to be poured against an older surface of concrete that has already cured? This process would include moistening the older surface first, then adding the new concrete to it. If you do not initially moisten the older surface, a “cold joint” will be created, and the bond will not be strong, thus allowing a weak area, causing cracking in that area possible separation between the two slabs.

Can you have too much water in the mix? Yes, but you want to have enough that the concrete is allowed to cure properly. A good rule of thumb is to look for a shimmer while mixing. If you have a shimmer, then you have too much water, which is easily fixed by adding more dry ingredients (mostly cement mix). It may make the mix a little richer, but in the long run will only add strength, and reduce cracking.

After the concrete has set in about two to three hours, it will start showing its hardness, but keep it moist (using the spray nozzle gently) for the next two to three days allowing it to cure properly. Remember, to keep the concrete surface covered with plastic to keep in the moisture. After about the third day, you can uncover and allow the concrete to dry.

There are a few basic tools that every gardener should have. Garden tools can be broken down into four main categories: digging, weeding, raking, and pruning.

Digging Tools

A trowel is used for planting, transplanting and dividing small plants. Trowels usually have a short handle and come in regular and narrow sizes. Some trowels will even have inches marked along the blade to help gauge how deep to plant your plants. A trowel is a must have item for gardeners.

A spade is a lot like a shovel. A spade has straight sides and a rectangular shaped head with a sharp, flat edge. A spade is used when you need sharp, clean cuts. It is ideal for lifting sod, edging beds or working in closely planted areas. A spade is more versatile than a shovel and should be the item bought if you cannot afford to buy both.

A shovel is used for digging and lifting jobs. Shovels come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The most useful of these for gardening is probably a long handled, round-point shovel.

A spading fork is indispensable in gardening. A spading fork has a short handle and four flat tines. It is useful for turning over already loosened soil and also for breaking up heavy soil when preparing to plant.

Weeding Tools

A hoe is one of the oldest and most effective tools made for the garden. It is definitely another of those must have tools for a gardener. A hoe will scrape out weed seedlings and hack out shallow rooted weedy plants.

A hand fork has a short handle with three or four curved tines. A hand fork is a necessity for any garden. It can be used to eliminate weeds. It can also be used to pull rocks, leaves and other debris away from your plants.

An asparagus weeder is handy for getting rid of weeds from the root. An asparagus weeder has a long shaft with a V-shaped notched blade at the bottom. This blade is inserted below the root levered down to help pop out the weed.

A garden claw has sharp tines set in a circular pattern. You insert the claw part into the soil around the weeds and twist the handle. This loosens the soil and allows you to pull the weed free. A garden claw can also be useful for hand-tilling your soil.

Raking Tools

A bow rake is a one-pieced steel, metal-toothed rake. It is useful for smoothing soil and spreading fertilizer or compost. You should never use a bow rake to rake your lawn because it can tear your grass.

A lawn rake is a fan or broom shaped rake. These can be made with metal, plastic or bamboo tines. A lawn rake is useful for so many jobs including collecting leaves, grass clippings, twigs, light garden debris and many other garden jobs.

Pruning Tools

Hand pruners come in two styles: bypass and anvil. Bypass pruners have two curved blades like scissors. Anvil pruners have only one cutting blade that cuts against a straight, flattened edge. Hand pruners are used for innumerable tasks such as snipping blooms, harvesting plants, trimming small twigs and cutting back plants. Hand pruners should definitely be a part of your gardening tool set.

Hedge Shears are used primarily for pruning and shaping shrubs and hedges. They have long handles that can make it easier to reach those hard to reach places. Hedge shears resemble a large pair of scissors. Hedge shears can also be used to cut tall grasses and weeds.

Long-handled loppers are like hand pruners, but with much longer handles. Long-handled loppers also come in bypass and anvil styles. These are used to cut larger size branches that hand pruners cannot cut through.

Pruning saws come in handy for things that even long handled loppers cannot cut through. Pruning saws have a saw blade that is used to saw, rather than cut, through wood. Most pruning saws are folded, allowing you to fold the blade into the handle for safe storage.

The tools above can be found in many different shapes and sizes, along with a variety of quality. A good quality tool will say that the metal is tempered, heat treated or forged. Stainless steel tools are also very good, though they tend to be more expensive. Make sure that the metal part of the tool is attached securely to the handle.

Another way to ensure that your tools will last a long time is to take proper care of them. Make sure to pick up all of your tools when you are done a job and clean them off. Wipe all of the metal parts with an oiled cloth to keep them from rusting. Have your tool blades sharpened at the beginning of every season. And finally, store them in a dry place. Taking proper care of your tools will extend their life for years to come.

Decorative Concrete

There are many varieties of concrete floor coatings which refer to several types of products and systems that are used specifically to cover bare concrete for aesthetic reasons, protective purposes, or simply to comply with codes and regulations. The better you understand the differences between each type of coating, the better decision you can make as to which one will work better in your situation, if any.

The basic coating is a concrete sealer, which requires the least amount of preparation and time. The sealer will protect the concrete floor from food stains, oil stains, tire traffic, and most chemical spills. The sealer also allows for a much easier clean up when you do spill. Just take a garden hose and rinse away, or use a mild detergent with a bucket of warm water and wipe away. The sealer can be colored, so you can add a little pizzazz to the floor, but it is not meant so much for decorative purpose, mostly protective.

If you want to get a little fancier with your concrete floor, try a system of stains and sealers that are still on the inexpensive side of floor coatings. The concrete stains offer some enhancement with a natural, long lasting appearance. The benefit of stains over other floor coatings is that the stain actually penetrates into the concrete creating a very durable finish that cannot be peeled or flaked away. This coating does require a little more effort and time, as you have to prepare the floor more to accept the stain, but the application is still pretty simple to undertake. When looking for stains for your concrete floor, you do have a choose between an acid stain or a more environmentally friendly acrylic stain. Either is about the same price, but no matter what you choose, always remember to put down coat of the concrete sealer afterward, which is the protective coat. The stains do not offer protection, only beauty.

A different concrete coating that is especially great for garages and popular in basements is epoxy floor paint specifically for concrete floors. An epoxy coating is a more expensive solution and is a little harder to apply, but offers a long lasting, very strong surface. Since the epoxy can be a bit more complicate to apply, a professional may be better to apply it. If you are home repair handy, you can probably do this yourself with caution. Just know that in order for the epoxy to bond well with the floor, it has to be “scratched up” to a degree to achieve the bond. Acid etching can accomplish this, but using a grinder or shot blaster is the best recommendation (which is how epoxy is applied in a commercial or industrial area). And also know that epoxy materials come in to parts. Once part A is mixed with part B, you have a limited amount of time to apply it, before it becomes too hard, and is not workable.

One of the most decorative concrete flooring, of course, is one of the most expensive options. That is a coating of overlay, which can be applied many different ways, with many different colors, and many different patterns. So there are lots of choices, but you may have to work it into your budget as it can be double to triple the price of sealer or stain, depending on how customize you make it. This type of coating would definitely be recommended to be installed by a professional, because it is very laborious and must have prior planning before being applied.
NOTE: Not all concrete floors are conducive to all concrete floor coatings. Some concrete floors, depending on condition, may be better to use carpet or tile. If any questions, ask your local decorative concrete professional.

Written by Daniel Riggins for Ultimate Concrete. To contact Ultimate Concrete go to http://www.ultimatenewlook.com