also adjust grades through the RFI process . This ensures a more ADAfriendly , easy-to-maintain and aesthetically pleasing project . In all regards , many problems exist and require us to constantly adjust and maintain our equipment and procedures .
Shaw & Sons Craftsmen Specification includes our own joint plan that allows just the right amount of movement and constraint . Shaw & Sons Craftsmen still holds many in-service dowel patents that not only save time and money but also add superior performance in our design . Craftsmen Specification also includes all fiberglass or stainless steel dowels in order to eliminate rusting and dowel failure . Shaw & Sons has witnessed ½ ” mild steel dowels disintegrate after only a few years in common hardscape and vehicular sections of our competitors work . These are only a few of the factors that enable us to offer an 8-year warranty .
Another example of a Craftsmen Specification trade secret is our hinge slab detail . Hinge slabs provide needed support out from building foundations when a building is either expected to settle or when soil is moderately expansive . Hinge slabs prevent doors catching on the hardscape at the doorways . For very little cost to the owner , hinge slabs can save years of repair work and provide the best solution for this ageold problem . Our hinge slab details are one example of our trade secrets but hopefully sheds a little light on what our company provides that all others do not . it as hazardous waste .
Concrete sealer prices can vary by up to $ 2.50 per square foot . They can also vary considerably just through the application . This is one of many items people can shortcut , not applying per the manufacturer ’ s recommendations . Craftsmen Hydrolyzed Lithium Quartz must be applied properly to have it function correctly . This is not a typical sealer as it must be applied in 3 to 5 coats ; it creates a chemical change in the surface tension of the concrete and generates a dense quartz barrier . Craftsmen Hydrolyzed Lithium Quartz is a lifetime product and does not need further applications . A molecule of cement hydrates and sends out shafts that interlock sand and aggregate . When hydration occurs , 150 pounds of concrete loses 10 pounds of water . When it dissipates , it leaves tiny air holes . There are approximately 20 molecules of water between every molecule of cement that creates these voids – concrete is porous . This is where Craftsmen Hydrolyzed Lithium Quartz densifies the surface to help longevity of our product . It gels within the capillaries and hardens the concrete surface , making it moisture repellant . It fills in the void space . It also reduces and , in some cases , eliminates efflorescence which is common for dark paving types . Another product we recommend , Craftsmen Cure and Seal , is also a penetrating sealer . It creates a breathable nano-coating on the finish surface without changing the paving ’ s appearance . It is designed to resist staining from oil , food , and waterborne materials .
Another step we include that others do not is cleaning the concrete after placement . After concrete is placed and has preferably cured for seven to twenty eight days , finishes with exposed materials need to be acid cleaned . Two to three applications of acid is typically enough to remove the stubborn salts that accumulate on the surface that are brought out from thermal curing by the sun . Craftsmen Specification follows the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans ( SWPP ) recommended procedures of extracting the acid wash water from the site and removing
4