Force Masonry offers more than just block and brick work, we are also skilled in the trade of concrete. If you have a crack in your driveway, need a totally new driveway, or want to create a nice outdoor patio, we have you covered! Our masons have a combined 70 years of experience in concrete work, and we are here to serve any of your concrete needs!

So, what is concrete? Most people have a base knowledge about what they think concrete is, but we thought we would give you all a little history to understand what exactly it is, where it came from, and why it is beneficial for certain projects. Concrete means, “together, to grow”, and can be shaped and molded to make almost any shape! Many believe the Romans created it thousands of years back when they were building their empire. After that people spent years of trial and error to try anything they thought they could melt and paste together to give the effect of the concrete we now have today. Though over time, our knowledge and technologies have improved, giving us the strong and long-lasting concrete, we know of today.

Concrete is made from various forms of rocks, sand, and water. More accurately, today it’s made up of cement, which is the heated fusion of powdered limestone and clay, water, sand, crushed stone or gravel, and a few other elements to help with sealing and appearance. There is an art to mixing the proper amounts of water and cement mix, that takes time and years to achieve. Force Masonry’s skilled masons have perfected this, and know the proper times to lay, how fast the concrete is going to dry, how fast they need to move before it hardens, and the best mixes to use for the project you have in mind.

Concrete can be a great material to use when it comes to laying a new driveway, a new patio, a basement floor, or using it as walls for a building. Concrete has a multitude of benefits. We will share a few of these with you, and the different uses concrete serves!

Concrete can actually help reduce your energy bills, saving you money over time! When using it in a basement, it can be incredibly cooling, and play its part in lowering your bill, depending on where you use it in a home or business, and how much of it you use. It can also be used for the walls, depending on what you are building, and increase the savings even more!

Another thing people may not know, concrete actually grows stronger over time, while a lot of other materials can grow weaker. The process of weathering, wear and tear, and unforeseeable disasters can leave other materials damaged in situations that concrete could have withstood. This is a huge benefit for people, especially considering where they live. Here in Central, IL we often deal with Tornados. While we know tornados have the power to destroy everything in their path, you have a greater chance of experiencing less damage when using concrete in and around your home and business.

It is also very budget friendly, as it requires less labor on the front end, and less maintenance on the back end. Since it is an inert material, it will not rust, rot, mildew, or burn, which can give you additional peace of mind when thinking of your home or business. It also helps prevent insect and critter penetration in to your home or building. All of these factors give concrete a better service life overall, and therefore, deems concrete financially appealing when you’re considering your project costs.

So, what are all the uses of concrete? It can be used in variety of ways for many of the projects you may be considering. Due to all of the benefits we listed above, it is great to use when building residential and commercial projects. You can use it in your driveway, as a patio, in your basement, or as the walls in your home or business. Beyond that it is great for walkways and driveways as its strength decreases the chance of damage while it is used for years to come.

Concrete can also be designed. When it comes to laying your basement, you can discuss different options of design. A “stamp”, which is a big concrete paint brush if you will, can be used of varying patterns to give the appearance of a little something extra. You can also create a beautiful patio using concrete, and not just the base people are used to, but your benches, pillars, and even flowerpots to give your home an extra pop, without breaking the bank.

Concrete is a great all-around option that will provide you with lower maintenance, plenty of options for design, a stronger more durable material, affordability that will save you money to put towards other projects, and peace of mind as you make decisions that will affect your home and business for years to come!

Force Masonry has built a reputation on honesty and craftsmanship in our community, and concrete is just another way we are doing this. Take it from one of our customers, Samantha Matlock, who recently had her driveway done. “I had these guys do our driveway. I couldn’t have asked for a better job! Our driveway is pretty long and on a huge hill, they were in and out in 4 days. They worked really hard and did really great work!” As mentioned above, our masons have a combined 70 years of experience in a concrete and are the local trusted choice for any of your masonry and concrete needs. Call 309-642-5332 to get your estimate today!