At DeBuck Construction, we’re passionate about all things concrete-related. Our team has decades of experience laying roadways, sidewalks, and factory floors and installing concrete walls, basements, driveways, and even ponds.
Concrete is one of the most versatile building materials in the world. We use it to create hard-wearing structures for commercial and domestic applications, providing you with tremendous value. It’s an exciting material. You can quickly create elaborate, robust, and stable structures, enhancing your property at a relatively low cost.
DeBuck construction has over 30 years of experience in concrete construction. It is at the heart of everything we do.
This post discusses some of our concrete services in more detail and how they transform the community.
Roadways
Despite the lower cost of asphalt, concrete roadways remain exceptionally popular. The material is still in widespread use across Michigan’s highway infrastructure.
It’s famous for its durability and safety. Unlike asphalt, it is not as prone to wear and tear, such as rutting, stripping, and texture loss. It is also more resistant to potholes, reducing maintenance costs for municipal and state authorities.
Under the right conditions, a well-designed concrete roadway should last forty years before requiring replacement with little or no maintenance. Less maintenance means fewer roadworks and disruption for local people.
Concrete roadways also have other benefits DeBuck is keen to share with the local community. For instance, the hardness of the material means lower rolling resistance. Heavily-loaded trucks laden with goods sink less into the surface as they roll over it, improving mileage and reducing emissions.
Furthermore, concrete continues to improve as a material. New formulations include special fibers and additives, which reduce noise while making the concrete itself more resistant to ground movement.
Sidewalks
DuBuck Construction also lays high-quality concrete sidewalks.
Concrete is currently the most popular material for sidewalks because of its longevity. Most installations will last around forty years – just like roads – if not longer.
Concrete’s strength comes from the way that it is made. The material is a mixture of cement and aggregate formed into a kind of sticky paste. During the application stage, concrete is viscous – almost runny. But as it cures, it hardens rapidly, forming a firmer surface than more resistant to damage than regular asphalt.
Just like roadways, there have been advances in sidewalk concrete technology. Some products now contain additives and fibers that reduce cracking caused by dryness shrinkage. Concrete sidewalks now maintain their good looks for longer than they ever did in the past.
Concrete Walls
DeBuck Construction creates concrete walls by pouring concrete into a reinforced mold. The resulting wall is strong enough for the most intense of applications, including foundations and retaining walls.
Concrete walls are popular because of their lateral strength. Compared to regular cinder blocks, they are much better at resisting pressure from water and surrounding soil. Many homeowners like them, too, because of their natural resistance to storm damage.
DeBuck Construction consults with customers to design the components and determine the size, shape, and placement of concrete walls. We then layout and dig the footings, placing forms on top. We then add rebar reinforcement and pour the footings and wall. Every four to six feet or so, we leave contraction joints, allowing the concrete to expand and contract as temperatures vary.
Factory Floors And Pits
Concrete is a popular choice of material for factory flooring because of its robustness and durability. Companies can carry out their regular operations without becoming too concerned about the effects of their activities on their floors.
DeBuck Construction specializes in creating beautiful, smooth, flat floors for industrial applications. The most common variant is polished concrete floors; however, some companies prefer other finishes.
Our process involves several stages. First, we start by leveling the base using lasers and optical equipment to determine the relief and floor surface level.
After that, we prepare the subgrade – the material under the flooring so that the concrete does not crack over time. As a first step, we tire and compact the soil and then lay a sandy layer pillow on top, ready to receive concrete.
In some cases, we waterproof the floor surface too. Usually, that involves rolling a plastic film or bitumen (a substance that is known for it’s waterproofing and adhesive properties) directly over the ground.
We then start the formwork by breaking up the floor area into manageable zones and placing dividers.
The final stage involves applying the reinforcement to give the flooring its high-strength properties and then pouring the concrete.
Factor flooring usually requires two to three weeks to cure. After this period, it attains its full strength and durability properties.
Curb & Gutter
DeBuck also offers concrete curb and gutter solutions. Concrete curbs are vital for separating roadways and driveways from sidewalks and verges and controlling water flow around buildings. You’ll often notice that curbless asphalt surfaces tend to crumble and fray at the edges as vehicles drive over them, pushing the surrounding material outwards. Our curbs and gutter solutions prevent this by providing a “termination” – a clear boundary that keeps the pavement edges in place.
DeBuck Construction begins by marking the areas that you want to replace. We then saw-cut the existing curbs and gutters and inspect the subgrade material. If it looks a little worse for wear, we remove it and replace it with new aggregate.
We then level the new material with a tamper and set concrete forms in the ground with the correct spacing. The last stage is pouring the concrete and ensuring the correct spacing between each fill. The result is a sturdy curb and gutter system that follows the curve lines of the asphalt.
Foundations And Footings
DeBuck’s foundations and footings provide reliable support for above-ground structures. Footings are an essential part of foundation construction because they contain the rebar reinforcement that gives the concrete its spectacular strength. Concrete foundations are strong enough to support structures in areas where the ground regularly freezes.
While DeBuck Construction builds several varieties of foundations and footings, they all follow a similar format. The first step involves laying out and marking the perimeter and ensuring that no underground utilities are present.
We then dig out the dirt for the footings and slab according to the architectural plans. After that come the forms for the footings and slab, followed by the rebar. From that point, the process is familiar. We pour the concrete into the footings and leave it to cure. Once it sets, the foundations are ready for use.
Parking Lots
Businesses and municipalities want robust, durable parking lots that provide space for people to park their vehicles. Creating parking lots that stand the test of time, however, requires expert preparation and installation.
DeBuck Construction lays parking lots made of concrete. The material lasts for a long time and has a unique ability to withstand heavy traffic, making it a popular choice in commercial districts. And because it is lighter in color, it tends to radiate less heat after exposure to direct sunlight, making conditions more comfortable.
Our parking lot construction process begins with consulting the designs for the parking lot. We ensure that the relief is sufficient to permit draining and that any subgrade is fit for purpose.
We then consult with you about the type of traffic you expect on your parking lot. Four-inch pavement is suitable for cars and small trucks. Delivery trucks will need six or more inches.
As a first step, we prepare the ground to receive the concrete by rolling and leveling it, making it stable and firm. Next, we place forms to contain the freshly-poured concrete while it dries. After that, we add the subbase – a critical layer that supports the concrete on top – compacting it to provide a smooth, level surface.
If the installation is unusually large or you need to support heavy vehicles, we will add rebar to the ground to prevent the pavement from cracking. Following that, we pour the concrete into the forms and then consolidate them with flat tools. The final stage is simply filling in the expansion joints and ensuring that the pavement has a unified look.
Basements
Concrete is the material of choice for basements. Its strength allows it to act as a retaining wall for the surrounding earth and support the rest of the structure above.
DeBuck Construction builds solid concrete basements to protect from the ground, weather, and rodents. In some heavy-duty situations, we may increase the walls’ thickness or add rebar – steel reinforcement – to the concrete to prevent it from cracking or buckling.
Concrete is a compelling choice of material for basements because it doesn’t rust or warp or harbor food sources for mold. Pests can’t eat it either, helping to keep termites and vermin at bay.
Leaking Wall Repairs
Leaking walls put you at risk of mold infiltration and extensive property damage. DeBuck Construction offers a host of concrete-based wall repair services designed to put a stop to the infiltration and keep your interiors dry.
If you have large cracks in your walls, we start by removing all loose material. We then cut around the crack, creating a U-shaped joint. After that, we force new cement into the gap under high pressure to bond to the existing material and prevent further water from getting through. A few minutes later, the cement sets, and the leaking stops.
With wall repairs from us, you can get a sustainable solution for leaking wall problems.
Dock Levelers
Dock levelers need to be strong enough to support trucks while bridging the gap between the dock and the warehouse floor.
DeBuck Construction offers specialist concrete services for dock leveler bases, providing a sturdy platform for loading and unloading. Our specialist concrete and expert pouring provide unrivaled strength for commercial dock levelers, prioritizing safety, and material quality. The stronger the base, the more confident you can be in your leveler.
How we construct your leveler depends on your loading and unloading needs. The vast majority of installations feature steel reinforcement to increase strength and reduce the likelihood of cracking. We first consult with your designs and, then, once you’re happy, begin pouring according to the specifications.
Retaining Walls
Like basement walls, retaining walls need to withstand immense lateral forces from the material pushing against them – usually soil.
Again, DeBuck Construction leverages its expertise. We begin by excavating and leveling the base. We then compact it, add sand and screed it (using a piece of equipment to level the concrete and cut off excess wet concrete) so that the base is as flat as possible. We then add rebar for reinforcement and pour footings and walls, leaving the concrete to cure.
Patios And Driveways
We follow the principles when pouring residential patios and driveways as we do for commercial construction projects. First, we prepare the ground and create a gravel base. Then we build up driveways and patios using forms, pouring each one individually and then leaving it to set. Following that, we level the concrete using a variety of tools and smooth the surface.
In some cases, we will also edge the concrete. This process helps it to resist chipping and prevents annoying toe stubs and trips by smoothing the boundary between the drive or patio and the rest of your property.
DeBuck Construction is careful when laying concrete. Large slabs tend to crack when the weather changes. Thus, we section the concrete with control joints to allow for natural expansion and contraction. The result is a long-lasting concrete driveway construction designed to withstand the test of time.
Ponds
Lastly, DeBuck Construction can help you construct durable, robust ponds. Concrete ponds are more permanent than regular liner ponds. Using concrete to build your pond definitely has advantages. One advantage is that, like with other concrete usage, the pond will last a very long time with proper maintenance.
Concrete Construction Is Our Specialty
DeBuck Construction is committed to concrete construction in all its forms. We offer a tremendous range of services that make the best use possible of this premium construction material.
With more than 30 years of experience, nobody is better placed to help homeowners and businesses in southeast Michigan complete concrete projects. Rely on our expertise and make your next concrete project a success.