Decorative concrete products are attractive and durable. Cared for properly, your products will last for many years. Follow the guidelines below to ensure the best work:

 

General Concrete Care

• Keep pets, children and objects away from the concrete for at least 48 hours. It will be "hard" to the touch at this point, but still needs several days to fully set up.
  
  
• Sod laying, sprinkler and landscape work can be started 48-72 hours after installation; however, caution must be taken as shovels, picks and wheelbarrows can damage the concrete for several more days while it is still curing. A full cure requires 28 days.
  
  
• If you have a landscape contractor working for you, caution him about protecting the concrete from damage. If wheelbarrows are used for hauling rock over the concrete, put a mound of dirt over it (at least 6" deep) or build a ramp over the concrete to keep the weight from cracking or damaging it. NEVER allow a tractor, bobcat or truck to run over the concrete.
  
  
• If it begins to rain within 6 hours after we leave the job, try to cover the concrete with plastic. Make sure sprinklers do NOT come on for at least 48 hours. Irrigation, backwash from pools, condensate lines or rain can damage the concrete during the first 48 hours.
  
  
• Once in a while concrete with color in it (integral) may look "splotchy" for a few days while it is curing. This will go away as it cures and is not to be confused with efflorescence.
  
  

Curbing Specific Care

• When installed as a retrofit (grass already in place) there will be a small amount of concrete on the ground between the new curb and the grass. It is very difficult to remove this concrete while the curb is still wet. After a 48-hour curing period, this concrete can be picked up in small pieces and thrown away. Since we have not included a return trip in the price of our curbing to do this, we ask that you take a few minutes to remove the excess concrete. This will allow your grass to grow back against the curb. You may want to place sand and/or dirt in this area as well if there are voids between the curb and grass.
  
  
• Efflorescence (white, powder substance) can appear on occasion and does not look good on curbing. The intensity of efflorescence varies depending upon the type (hardness) of water and the volume of water that gets on the curb. Check your sprinkler heads while the system is on and try to adjust them to minimize the amount of water spraying directly on the curb. If you have just planted sod and are watering frequently, efflorescence may appear more readily. Be patient, wait for the lawn to get established, turn the water off for a few days, and then clean the curb after it dries. A solution of 50/50 vinegar and water with a light brushing will remove the efflorescence. You may have to do this a few times; eventually the efflorescence should go away.

Liability

• If the concrete is damaged, we will come back and make the necessary repairs. Concrete can and will crack. We make control cuts every 18" - 24". If you look at a concrete driveway, sidewalk, patio, etc., you will see that they all have either control cuts or expansion joints. Ideally, that is where the concrete will crack as that is the weakest point in the concrete. We experience very little cracking outside of the control cuts, but it does happen. We can come back and repair the cracks, but keep in mind that it is extremely hard to match the original color and sometimes a small crack looks much better than a patch that is "off color".  There is a $100.00 minimum charge for this service.
  
  
• Damage to sprinkler lines, telephone wires, cable TV or other buried items by our equipment and personnel is not our responsibility unless we have been forewarned. We will make every effort to avoid these areas.

Warranty

• A one-year warranty against defects in materials or workmanship. It will be replaced at no charge if the defect is caused by the materials we use or the way it was installed by our workmen.