House Renovation Tips

You can fill cracks larger than 1/4 inch with concrete patching compound. Here’s how: Vacuum out any dirt. Brush on an acrylic bonding liquid for extra strength. Press the compound into the crack with a steel trowel. Strike off any excess. Before the mortar cures, finish the patch to match the surrounding area.
Professional tip
Don’t try [...]

There’s no easy way around it - removing existing concrete patios, driveways, and pathways is hard work. Whether or not you can do it by yourself depends on the thickness of the concrete and the strength of your back.
If the concrete is under 3 inches thick, you can break it up with a sledgehammer. Go [...]

Preparation is the key to patching. Remove all loose material with a wire brush. Then rinse with water to get rid of dust and to dampen the old concrete so it won’t suck moisture from the patching compound. Brace a form board against the step riser so the top is level with the tread. Apply [...]

A sidewalk section that is badly cracked or heaved is easier to replace than repair. Break out the bad concrete with a sledge hammer. Stake 2-by-4 forms against the sides of the adjoining sections. Mix bagged concrete with water and fill the forms.
The trick to making your new walk level and flat is called screeding. [...]

You can set fence posts directly in the ground or in a concrete collar for added strength. Either way, you should use rot-resistant wood and set the post on a bed of gravel, to aid drainage and to keep the end grain from soaking up excess moisture.
Posts for gates, fence corners or decks, and posts [...]

Before sweeping a large concrete floor or patio, sprinkle slightly damp coffee grounds on the surface. They will keep the dust down and pick up the dirt.
To get dried raw egg off a concrete floor, scrub the egg with a scrub brush while pouring on boiling water. Wear heavy rubber gloves for this process and [...]

Old chimneys were built without flue liners. The mason simply applied a layer of plaster to the inside of the chimney as he built it. If you have an old chimney that’s in need of repair, consider adding a flue liner instead of rebuilding the chimney. The former approach is much less expensive than the [...]

When you start to make concrete plans for a project, there are three considerations in buying concrete. The right choice depends on the amount you will need, how many people you can muster to help and how complicated it will be to do the placement and finishing.
Concrete mixes vary in strength depending on how many [...]

Holes and cracks in concrete only get worse if left alone, especially in colder climates with freeze/thaw cycles.
As long as you’re patching a hole, it’s a good idea to clean and seal the concrete too. Clean one section at a time, do your repairs, then apply a water seal. Since concrete’s worst enemy is water, [...]