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M2 Concrete, Peoria, AZ (2026)

02/24/2023

We are gonna discuss a "hot" topic, cracking due to thermal fluctuation.
One of the challenges with concrete is its susceptibility to cracking due to ambient temperature and thermal fluctuations. These fluctuations can cause the concrete to expand and contract, which can lead to cracks in the material.

Understanding Thermal Fluctuation
Ambient temperature and thermal fluctuation refer to the changes in temperature that occur over time, both in extreme hot and extreme cold conditions. This can cause the concrete to expand and contract, which in turn leads to cracking. This is because concrete is made up of around 40-60% water, and when water is exposed to changing temperatures, it will expand or contract.

The most critical time to avoid these thermal fluctuations is in the curing time, especially the first 24 hrs., see picture.
Concrete increases internal temperature in the first 500 minutes up to 120 degree, as you move closer to external surface, that temperature increase, decreases. The skill is to unify both temperature increase and decrease throughout the concrete during the cure process and, to make sure below the concrete (subbase) and the surface of the concrete does not over heat or freeze. Controlling the surface temperature in Phoenix during the summer is difficult and not too many think about the surface or ground freezing but, it happens as we are experiencing this week, its cold.

Frozen base or surface
When concrete is placed on a frozen base and freezes before curing, it can lead to serious consequences for the strength and durability of the concrete. Freezing during the curing process can cause the water within the concrete mix to expand, creating internal stress that can lead to cracking and weakening of the structure. This can also lead to the formation of air pockets within the concrete, which can further weaken the structure and reduce its ability to withstand the forces it is intended to support and resulting cracks will spiderweb or flake off like scales.

Additionally, when concrete surface freezes before curing, it can cause the chemical reaction that occurs during the curing process to be disrupted. This can result in incomplete hydration and reduced strength, as well as increased permeability and non-binding to the internal concrete. When this happens, you get extreme cracking at the surface due to loss of strength, volume and integrity.

Heat
When concrete is placed on a dry base, in high ambient temperatures and low humidity, it will rapidly lose moisture through evaporation. This rapid loss of moisture can cause the concrete to set too quickly, decreased durability and decreased resistance to stress and pressure. The rapid loss of moisture also causes the surface of the concrete to dry out too quickly, leading to cracking and crazing (small cracks) on the surface of the concrete.

It is common for concrete finishers to want a "wet" mix, especially in hot weather in Phoenix, it makes their job easier. It also reduces the cement to water ratio which, reduces strength causing crazing-cracking.

How we reduce the probabilities of cracking:
1. Proper mix design. We pour stiff, we place stiff and we use the correct vibration techniques to ensure all voids are filled
2. We monitor the weather and adjust our schedules to earlier or later pour times.
3. Proper placement of control joints giving the concrete direction for its shrinkage.
4. We increase moisture content of the subbase over a period of days so the evaporation time is controlled.
5. If we can not control the weather, we use special additives in the concrete to increase tensile strength and also, manipulate the cure process to adhere to weather conditions.
6. Insulate the concrete if the temperature is going to drop below 44 degrees, we give ourselves a buffer to account for wind chill, micro climates and inaccurate weather predictions.

If you find yourself staring at a crack and wondering what caused it, reach out to us via dm and we can give you some high probability answers. Or if you just want some new concrete placed by a company that loves to reduce cracking, reach out.
M2 Concrete

02/22/2023

Good morning Phoenix Fam...its cold today and a perfect day to not be trudging through the mud yet and write you a few updates. As you can see, new Logo!!! Thanks to Sarah Kozlowski and her design.

One other change we have is....new name and although it is super close to our launching of this FB page, it is different. "Matts Squared Concrete" is changing to M2 Concrete which, technically you could say it is M Squared but this we thought would get confusing so we simplified to just M 2...all emails to us can be sent to [email protected] and/or [email protected] and both Matts will receive it. Our site is live right now but with the overwhelming support we received from all you guys, so honored and humbled by the support, we literally haven't had time to build the pages for the site. By the end of next week, March 3rd, our site will be populated.
Thank You again for the support and we look forward to providing your concrete needs at the highest levels!
Best
Matt and Matt

02/07/2023

As noted in our previous post, one of the most common reasons for concrete cracking is due to Shrinkage. In this post we will bring some understanding as to why it shrinks and how we at Matts Squared Concrete work to minimize cracks.

Shrinkage is a normal occurrence in concrete as it dries and cures. When concrete is poured, it is made up of 40-60 percent water, which starts to evaporate as soon as it is exposed to air/temperature/direct sunlight/humidity, all of which are an extreme factor in Phoenix. (Sidenote: Freezing Temps also cause cracks but instead of shrinkage, we get expansion of water molecules which shatters the concrete internally, and creates a massive structural problem). As the water evaporates, the concrete starts to shrink, leading to the formation of cracks. These cracks are usually small, but they can get bigger over time, leading to structural issues if left unaddressed.

So, how do we minimize concrete cracking from shrinkage? Here are a few procedures we undertake to minimize shrinkage:

1. Proper curing of concrete: Curing is the process of keeping the concrete moist and warm after it has been poured. Proper curing helps the concrete to harden slowly, which reduces the amount of rapid shrinkage that occurs. To cure concrete properly in the Valley we avoid direct sunlight concrete placement during hottest months, proper compaction and proper water content of the base material, appropriate curing material and application methods for when we complete the concrete pour and any additional resources to maintain the ideal climate in the concrete.

2. Proper Water-to-Cement ratio: Since concrete volume is almost half water when it is mixed, evaporation of that water causes reduction in mass, creating shrinkage cracks. Concrete is designed for certain percentages of its mass to shrink and yet retain its strength but, if you increase the water-to-cement ratio, you start to reduce the structural integrity of the concrete. This can happen at time of mixing or, the most common, as it is being laid and getting hard. A common “lazy-mans” way of “finishing” concrete as it gets hard is to sprinkle, or sometimes pour, water on the surface of the concrete. The is an absolute red flag and no-no. You have now changed the water-cement ratio at the surface layer of the concrete where the water may rise to 80% of the concrete mix at the surface layer. You can see examples of this on city sidewalks, driveways and exterior slabs where during the finishing process, the contractor or finisher threw water on top because it was getting harder to finish. We avoid this, do not practice this and never will. This causes shrinkage cracks that look like spiderwebs. I could write an entire post on how we prevent this from even being an option. Bottom line, we use minimal water at mixing (difficult to pour but reduces cracks), we use no water while finishing except when a broom finish is requested and that is at very end, we use the best concrete mixing service and we have proper tools and techniques that ensure proper time to finish without a slab “getting away from us”.

3. Use of appropriate steel reinforcement: Although this is dedicated to surface shrinkage cracks, reinforcement plays a role from the ground up. Proper placement of reinforcement, not laying on the ground during concrete pour, which would be no greater then ½ the depth of the concrete (too high can cause cracking also), proper spacing and addition reinforcing at high probability areas of cracking such as 90 degree corners.

4. Use of shrinkage-reducing admixtures: Shrinkage-reducing admixtures are special chemicals that can be added to the concrete mix to reduce the amount of shrinkage that occurs. These admixtures work by slowing down the evaporation of water from the concrete, reducing the amount of rapid shrinkage that occurs.

5. Proper design and placement of control joints: Control joints are a type of joint that is placed in concrete to control where cracks form. By placing control joints in strategic locations, you can reduce the number and size of cracks that form due to shrinkage. Although these are required, we can work with you to design aesthetically pleasing placement of joints. Most common types of control joints are “trowelled/tooled” joints which are placed during the concrete pour and, “sawcut” control joints which are placed day of or day after concrete has been poured. “Trowelled/Tooled” control joints range between ½” to 1” wide with rounded edges and the “sawcut” control joints are 1/8th wide with right angle edges.

6. If no cracks are permitted (certain jobs require this such as clean rooms) then we use what’s known as “fibers”. Fibers are small, discrete elements made of materials such as steel, glass, or synthetic materials that are added to the concrete mix. The fibers are dispersed throughout the concrete mixture to form a three-dimensional network that provides reinforcement which helps improve the tensile strength of the concrete and thus reduce the risk of cracking, even in the presence of shrinkage. It is important to note that while the use of fibers can help to minimize cracking in concrete, it does not eliminate cracking completely. However, the cracks that do form are generally smaller and less visible, and they do not compromise the structural integrity of the concrete.

Concrete cracking due to shrinkage is not necessarily structurally detrimental as it can be more cosmetic but if left unaddressed, they can lead to bigger cracks that can compromise the structural integrity of the concrete. At Matts Squared Concrete we know cracking can be minimized with proper curing, proper water-to-cement ratio, use of reinforcement, the use of shrinkage-reducing admixtures, and the proper design and placement of control joints and by understanding the causes and ways to cracking, you can ensure that we are going to deliver concrete structures that are structurally strong, durable, and free from structural issues.
Feel free to DM us if you have some cracks you would like an opinion on what caused them

02/05/2023

Concrete Cracking: Understanding the Causes and Significance

Concrete is a mixture of cement, water, sand, and aggregate (usually crushed stone or gravel). Despite its reputation for being sturdy, concrete is not immune to cracking. In this article, we will delve into the world of concrete cracking, exploring what causes it, the different types of cracks, and whether or not they are significant. Bottom line, all concrete cracks...lets delve into why

Shrinkage: The Volume of concrete, when its first mixed, is between 40%-60% water, depending on mix design. As concrete dries and cures, that volume shrinks. This can cause cracking if the concrete is not properly reinforced, dries too fast (shrinks too fast) or if it is poured in large slabs. Shrinkage cracks are usually fine and hairline and can be found on the surface of the concrete or near the edges.

Thermal Expansion: Concrete is affected by temperature changes. When it is exposed to heat, it expands, and when it is exposed to cold, it contracts. If the concrete is not allowed to expand and contract freely, cracks can form. Proper "expansion joints" placement is key to reducing cracks of significance.

Overloading: Concrete can crack if it is subjected to excessive weight or stress. Overloading can occur if the concrete is not designed or reinforced to withstand the weight it is subjected to, energy distributed at it or through it (earthquakes/wind/water).

Poor Quality Concrete Mixture: If the concrete mixture is not properly proportioned, it can be prone to cracking. Poor quality concrete can be too wet or too dry, which can cause cracking. It can also be mixed with improper aggregates, leading to weakness and cracking. It can also be mixed poorly in the drum, delivered via pump in a manner that separates ingredients or placed from too high of an elevation causing the concrete to free fall and separate.

Our future posts will go into detail on each type of crack and the top 5 ways we at Matts Squared Concrete minimize the number of cracks, mitigate significant cracks and crack repair.

If you, or you know someone who does, have cracks in concrete that you would like a free consultation on what type it is and how to fix, drop us a message and we will be happy to assist you. Until then, be safe and good to each other.

Matts

01/31/2023

At Matts Squared Concrete we are masters at getting your building sitting on solid ground, stabilizing your sidehill, stopping your basement water leaks, installing bull nose concrete ada steps, retrofitting your building, hardscaping your home with beautiful decorative concrete or installing foundations for you new or remodelled home.
We are masters of shoring, tight spaces, steep hillsides, extreme heat management, water displacement and precise craftsmanship. We have 40 years of combined knowledge in the art of concrete. Call us today for your free home walk through and free estimate. Every house call is completed by our owners so you will have experts onsite to answer every question you may have.

M2 Concrete

02/24/2023

02/22/2023

02/07/2023

02/05/2023

01/31/2023

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Monday	6am - 6pm
Tuesday	6am - 6pm
Wednesday	6am - 6pm
Thursday	6am - 6pm
Friday	6am - 6pm
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