Concrete is one of the most used materials when it comes to building and construction. Even though it is so commonly used, there aren’t many people who have a vast knowledge of it. While it might not seem like concrete is a fascinating topic, there are actually many interesting facts you can learn about it.
Custom Concrete Creations has a passion for concrete and vast experience with it. Below we’ll go through a quick differentiation between concrete and cement because many people confuse the two, and give you some cool facts you probably haven’t heard before.
Concrete vs. cement
Many people think concrete and cement are the same thing, but in reality, they are not. A great analogy to compare this to is flour and cake; one is needed to create the other, but they are not the same. About 10 to 15 percent of concrete is made up of cement. The other two parts contain 60 to 65 percent aggregates, such as gravel and sand, and the other 15 to 20 percent is water.
Now, onto fact number one…
Fun Fact #1: It was created by the Romans
Concrete was originally created by the Romans by mixing lime and volcanic ash. It was created that way until 1824, when modern cement was invented. It was highly used in Ancient Rome, but it was soon forgotten about during the Dark Ages. Once the Middle Ages passed, it had begun to be used again. It then began being used almost exclusively as the material for buildings and construction projects. So much so that the Empire State Building was created and built using 62,000 cubic yards of concrete!
Fun Fact #2: Enemy detection
Before World War II when the radar was invented, many different armies needed a way to detect if an enemy was close or coming near. The way that they solved this issue was by using concrete. The British developed something that they called parabolic acoustic mirrors, which were commonly called “listening ears.” This large assembly of concrete structures reflected and concentrated sound waves, mostly those of enemy aircraft.
Fun Fact #3: Underwater construction
There are many times when structures need to be reinforced underwater to ensure their safety. This can include bridges, dams, piers, tunnels, and sewers. In order to be sure that they are durable and will last, there are different types of concrete mixtures that can be created. Pozzolanic cement is perfectly suited for underwater construction and is the only material used to reinforce underwater concrete structures.
Nowadays, many companies, architects, and interior designers use concrete in their builds as design pieces and everyday elements. They make unique concrete creations such as intricate art pieces, countertops, and polished concrete floors. Polished concrete is a material many are drawn to mostly because of how incredibly durable it is, especially in areas of heavy wear and tear. This is what makes concrete such a great flooring option.
Concrete creations also allow you to be able to achieve the color of your choice, as well as many design options. There is no need to sacrifice appearance to get an incredibly strong flooring option for your space. If you need help deciding on your polished concrete options, give us a call today and we can help you out!