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CEMENT
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Concrete is one of the most durable construction materials around, but the characteristic dull gray of a concrete sla...
Pavers—be they brick, stone, or concrete—are a pleasing alternative to large expanses of plain concrete, adding visua...
Even without the perfect growing conditions or abundant acreage, you can create a wow-worthy landscape. In fact, the surprising secret to success isn't actually <...
Q: We moved into a new house and I just noticed some cracks in the basement floor. They don’t look new, but I can’t b...
If you’re a homeowner in the process of winterizing your property, by late fall you’ve probably already replaced the ...
If you’re looking to upgrade your interiors with cool new amenities like seating, sleek surfaces, lighting, and accessories, you may already have the ideal materi...
Do-it-yourselfers love spray paint as a fast, fun way to complete projects or breathe new life into tired décor. Acci...
If you love having a cheerful jack-o'-lantern (or two) on your front porch, but you're tired of all the mess and hass...
Though made from one of the most durable construction materials around, even once-strong concrete sidewalks can deter...
Concrete is durable, dependable—and, naturally, a bit cold in tone. If this steely neutral isn't your style, you can ...
You may rightly consider concrete to be one of the most durable and attractive construction materials around, but did...
Want to make your own concrete decor and furnishings but have no idea how to get started? Sure, you can buy concrete-specific molds from the hardware store, but y...
Concrete holds a place of honor in both the professional construction and do-it-yourself worlds. When mixed correctly...
Now that the mercury's rising—but not yet too high—it's the perfect time to amp up the landscaping and spruce up the patio in preparation for a summer filled with...
Cinder blocks may used as the material for load-bearing walls or in the foundation of a house, but their sturdy, heavy composition and stackable design also make ...
Concrete is one of the most durable construction materials around, but faulty installation, everyday wear and tear, e...
Concrete is one of the most popular construction materials around, and for good reason: It’s affordable, structurally...
You don’t have to spend a lot of time and effort to keep your house in top condition. Some of the best improvement projects don’t require pulling permits or hirin...
As homeowners, we all have our dirty little secrets, whether it be a carpet stain concealed by strategically placed f...
Stylish, strong, and versatile, concrete excels in household projects ranging from exterior walkways to sleek, modern furnishings. And yet, even handy homeowners ...
Whether you want to create a countertop or expand your sidewalk, cutting concrete yourself may not be as daunting as ...
If you thought concrete was just for sidewalks, think again. This DIY-friendly material is rapidly finding its way into homes and offices, bringing with it limitl...
Pouring concrete yourself may save you money and build your skills, but without proper equipment and attention to det...
While concrete's cool, industrial aesthetic is a go-to design touch in modern homes, its density and strength are wha...
Concrete is tough stuff but over time, environmental exposure and wear-and-tear almost inevitably lead to cracks and ...
Looking to make your own creepy decor for October's main event? This easy DIY molds concrete into the shape of a cold...
Fall means many things to many people. Some look forward to football season. Others relish apples and pumpkins and all the other autumn harvest delights. However,...
As one of the strongest, most durable, and longest-lasting construction materials, it's no wonder why concrete is the...
Concrete has long been a favorite choice for hardscaping features like driveways and walkways, porch stairs and patios. After all, few things on Earth are as toug...
For construction professionals and homeowners alike, concrete offers many appealing qualities, but there may be none ...
The lazy days of summer come with a catch. You want nothing more than to lounge around the yard. But having been drawn outdoors by sunny skies, you notice all the...
It's a bona fide do-it-yourself classic: Every summer without fail, legions of homeowners grab their toolbox and head...
Q: Parts of my concrete driveway are flaky, cracked, and pitted. How do I halt the deterioration and return the surfa...
Everyone knows that few building materials are as strong or long-lasting as concrete. That durability makes it a go-to, cost-effective choice for hardscaping feat...
Spring may have arrived, but in cold-weather climates, wicked winter isn’t likely to have vanished without a trace. Those frigid temperatures and severe storms ta...
For the last 50 years or so, new home foundations have almost always been made of concrete. Ranking among the toughes...
Wholly malleable yet still a sturdy project material, concrete mix has proven its worth outside of just lawn and gard...
After a long and hot summer, many homeowners are enjoying the cooler temperatures of autumn. While it may be a welcome relief, the chill in the air carries a sobe...
All good things must come to an end, and that goes for summer too. On a blistering August afternoon, cold weather may seem like an almost inconceivably remote pro...
There's no disagreement here: Concrete ranks among the most durable, longest-lasting of all building materials. That ...
Privacy, safety, security—these are only a few of the reasons that homeowners build solid, durable garden walls. Alth...
Do-it-yourself types depend on cement backer board for numerous projects, including tiled walls, flooring, and even c...
Other than wood, concrete may be the most favored residential building material in the country, because builders and ...
Durability ranks high among the many reasons to choose concrete as a driveway surfacing material. After years of expo...
Do-it-yourselfers have a new favorite material: concrete. Inexpensive and versatile, it can be used in seemingly limi...
A special type of cement, similar to mortar and easy to use, hydraulic cement is handy for preventing water from seep...
Does your concrete walkway or driveway need patching? That’s an easy fix! Here’s how to do it. mp3 fileListen to BOB ...
Everyone knows that for major construction, concrete offers unparalleled durability at low cost. What you may not hav...
For 75 years now, QUIKRETE® has supplied homeowners with high-quality concrete mixes for a staggering variety of projects. Some things don't change, and concrete ...
Concrete floors are no longer found only in garages and basements. With elegant finishes now available—like stencilin...
Installations of concrete can last hundreds of years, but sooner of later, most end up developing small cracks and ga...
Everyone knows how concrete looks and that it lasts for years and years. What you may not have realized is that prepa...
When we came across this DIY concrete letter and ampersand from Katelyn at Learning, Creating, Living, we had to shar...
I’d like some advice on how to level a concrete floor. We plan to finish the basement in my house, and there are goin...
Concrete is porous, which means that it readily absorbs liquids like paint. With this ease of penetration, paint can ...
To paint concrete successfully—so that it looks good and lasts a long time—proper preparation is of paramount importa...
I am living in Spain and redoing an old house in the country. I'd like some of the floors to be polished concrete. C...
If you're remodeling or adding a bathroom, use cement board as an underlayment. A bit of hardened mortar is sandwich...
Here's a way to create a decorative textured finish for a cement surface. Once your cement is poured and flowed out,...
The brute strength of concrete has made it the go-to building material for a variety of such outdoor installations as...
Homeowners used to think of concrete as being strictly utilitarian stuff, resorted to only when a better-looking mate...
If you're pouring a concrete foundation, how do you figure out how much concrete you'll need? There's a pretty simpl...
Here's how to lay out a cement block wall yourself. Mix two parts masonry cement with one part sand, and add just en...
It's an old cliché of the Mafia: A fellow gets on the wrong side of La Cosa Nostra only to wind up wearing cement sho...
Satisfy your craving for modern industrial design with some cool—and affordable—concrete creations, complete with instructions.
As with any structure, a new garage foundation plays a crucial role in the integrity of the building above: A quality...
In Season Five of “Bob Vila's Home Again,” the popular “Cabin in the Woods” project showcased a unique array of innov...
Don't miss Solid as a Rock: 11 Unbelievable Concrete HomesFar from the misconceptions of dark, damp, musty-smelling s...
When it comes time to learn how to clean concrete, realize you don't need to be delicate; after all, it's a very hard...
Even though the words are often used interchangeably, concrete and cement are not the same thing. Portland cement is ...
When building a house, two main types of foundations are used: slab-on-grade or below-grade foundations with a baseme...
Bob introduces homeowner Howard Brickman. Steve Ivas, an environmental engineer, describes the area wetlands, which must be accommodated. Innovative building tech...
Todd LaBarge describes the ReddiForm block system used to create a one-step monolithic pour.
Bob and Howard discuss the concrete mesh used in the foundation that saved time and materials. Bob reviews the upcoming episode during which first floor walls ar...
The new addition's footprint is essentially a whole other house, yet it will integrate visually with a matching roofline to the existing house. New technologies h...
As the upper-story walls are poured, Bob talks with the builder and contractor about the significant savings in time, energy, and cost that come with concrete and...
The home's concrete-slab floor is constructed with foam decking and connected to PEX tubing that will heat the home. The ReddiForm foam blocks enable a single con...
Bob explores innovative construction technologies – Insul-Tarp and ReddiForm polystyrene blocks – as the structure is reinforced and the first-floor walls start t...
A slab is poured in the basement and work is underway to add two new dormers to the roof.
Don Humphrey is spraying a cement and polymer mix onto the pool edge.
Bob works with Scott and Aaron Renfroe to install impact-resistant windows and sliding doors.
Bob meets with Leslie Chapman-Henderson from the Federal Alliance for Safe Housing (FLASH) and Randy Shackelford to discuss an assortment of storm-resistant roof ...
Mark Newton and Jesse Gonzales explain what happens when the metal frames are removed from the poured walls, then they apply a three-coat plaster.
Bob is joined by Jim Crain who will take him through the process of pouring cement walls. Mark Newton joins Bob as the pour begins.
Cameron Parker shows Bob the Solid Wall System and explains how it works. Bob recaps the foundation process.
Bob meets Mark Newton of Solid Wall Systems to learn about the solid-pour walls that will frame a storm-resistant home.
Bob meets with FLASH—Federal Alliance for Safe Housing and FEMA—Federal Emergency Management Agency, to learn how homeowners can protect their homes from damaging...
Bob watches over the installation of a few bathroom fixtures, including a custom vanity countertop and undermount sinks from Toto USA, as well as an acrylic soaki...
Bob meets with Jim Costello from Superior Walls of America to discuss the difference between a pre-cast and a traditional poured-concrete foundation.
Evan Zgonis of Olympia Marble and Granite gives Bob a tour of the facility where the kitchen countertops being used in the modern Colonial house are manufactured.
Bob talks with general contractor Ted Riley about the fireplace construction.
Bob tours the first floor of the house, then turns his attention to the family room addition. Demolition has taken place in the barn, where a concrete floor has r...
A representative from Owens Corning tells Bob about the architectural shingles that have been selected to replace the old roofing material. And Velux VSE skylight...
Bob confers with concrete specialist Phil Truit, whose team is pouring a concrete slab floor into an existing building.
As concrete specialist Phil Truit oversees the pouring of a concrete slab floor into the basement of an existing home, he explains the complex process to Bob, who...
Carpenter Bob Ryley and contractor Mike Wescott inspect the basement concrete slab, then go over other construction details in the basement.
Bob meets with Dan McDaniels, the public relations officer for the city, who shows Bob "The Big Dig Project".
The seventh Elmwood neighborhood project house has rotting sidewall and old asphalt roof shingles in need of replacement.
As part of a Miami kitchen renovation, Bob frames a partition wall made to resemble a banana leaf. He also pours concrete to patch a floor.
Bob watches a concrete slab foor being poured, and looks on as sets of insulated forms are filled with concrete to make walls.
Bob watches over a fresh strip of concrete being poured between two existing slabs.
Bob meets with the contractor to take down the old patio slab and lay out the new one.
Bob reviews progress on the joist system being constructed for the new back porch. The concrete has been poured and framing has begun.
Larry Long (from Anthony & Sylvan Pools) explains the excavation and preliminary work of building a new pool. Reinforcing rods are used to help the concrete hold ...
Bob meets with the contractor to inspect the poured footings and discuss the pouring process. Next, Bob helps install the sill plate and explains the various type...
Bob and roofer Paul Morris begin mounting the skylight, by cutting a rough opening in the roof and laying a weather shield. Once the skylight is mounted and the f...
Bob watches as the crew prepares the footings for the greenhouse foundation. Contractor John Pratt pours the concrete, using a conveyor instead of a traditional p...
With the bricklayers on hand, Bob discusses the techniques being used, and explains the "anti-freeze" that has been added to the concrete to retard the cold weath...
To provide structural support in the new Malibu beach house, holes are dug in the beach and the new cement caissons are poured.
Contractor Joe Fitzgerald explains the installation process for the authentic barrel tile roof. Bob then gives comedian Tim Allen some expert help pouring a new g...
Bob pays a visit to the site as work on the foundation gets underway. Once the excavation is complete, the forms (for the poured concrete) are assembled and put i...
Bob meets with Lars Anderson (from Owens Corning) to discuss the Lite-Form Insulating System used in the garage's foundation. The forms are pre-assembled and tied...
Bob and contractor Bob Ryley discuss the pouring of concrete into Styrofoam forms for the foundation. The mix is slightly more liquid than most. While the increas...
Bob and contractor Bob Ryley join exterminator Dean Bailey (of Fowler and Sons) to discuss termite control in and around the garage. Also, concrete contractor Sha...
Bob meets with contractor John Clancy to discuss building the concrete block foundation.
Bob and the contractor discuss the concrete walkway, with the contractor giving Bob tips on how to make concrete cure harder and have less cracks. Also discussed ...
Bob helps carpenter-contractor Bob Ryley build an insulated floor so as to extend living space into the basement.
Bob observes as gunite is poured over rebar to form the bottom and sides of the swimming pool cavity.
Bob meets with the architect to go over plans for the Cape-style house, before heading to the site to observe the pouring of the foundation.
The extensive new deck will have multiple levels and various sections. General contractor Tim Berky digs holes for the footings before setting them in concrete.