concrete Archives - Page 3 of 8

Faux stones made with concrete can be a great alternative to real stone, notes Scott Cohen. But you need to be aware of a key detail in their manufacturing process -- a piece of information that will enable you to avoid costly consequences on the job site.

All Cracked Up

In recent years, we've seen a dramatic increase in the use of faux stone as well as concrete flagstones and pavers. Popular for their affordability and ease of installation as well as the ever-improving realism of their appearance, these materials are widely available for use on

They're wildly popular, writes Scott Cohen, but he's seen enough problems with salt-chlorination systems in his role as a construction-defects expert witness that he thinks it's wise to make homeowners aware of the possible drawbacks that can be associated with saline technologies.

Coping with Salt

In my work as a construction-defect expert witness, I've seen how damaging salty water can be to hardscape materials around pools and spas equipped with saltwater chlorination systems. It's so common that, personally, I now try to avoid using those devices on the watershapes I design and build. It's not that I think saltwater chlorination is intrinsically evil; instead, it's the fact I've seen so many different things go wrong with watershapes that have these systems that I decided some time ago that they weren't for me. It's often said that

2015/2.2, February 18 — Saltwater Concerns, Ingenious Lap Lane, Quick Compaction and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS February 18, 2015 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…

Many renovation projects include lifting the floor of an old pool to make it possible to play games such as volleyball, notes Scott Cohen. So it's a good idea to know what's really involved in the process -- and learn how to avoid the serious errors he describes in this article.

Raising the Floor

In a great many of the renovation projects I come across, one part of the program involves raising the floor in the deep end of the pool to create the classic play-pool contour with a deeper area in the middle and shallower sections on both ends. This retrofit brings these pools into line with one of the most popular features of today's new pools, so many of which are set up for pool volleyball and other vigorous games. The great thing about these sporty pools is that the shallower ends have a

It's too easy to look at concrete as a commodity and therefore take it for granted. That's a mistake, says Paolo Benedetti, who explains here why it's so important to know something about how a batch comes together.

Concrete’s Ways

Many times in the past 15 years, articles published by WaterShapes have referred to water as "the main ingredient" when it comes to pools, spas, fountains, ponds and all of the other forms of contained, controlled water. I'm willing to accept that assertion and have probably offered it myself a time or two. Here, however, I want to