Colorado College Cutler Hall

Recently officials at Colorado College in Colorado Springs were looking for options to replace aging driveways and pathways in front of the oldest building on campus, Cutler Hall. After considering several materials, StoneBilt Concepts Rustic Red Sandstone paving slabs were chosen for the project.

Completed project

Several factors were considered when designing the project. One of the priorities was a natural stone look that would compliment the rhyolite stone that was used in the original construction of the building. Natural sandstone was considered, however StoneBilt Concepts lower material and construction costs were an attractive option. Durability was also a major concern as parts of the project see regular traffic from maintenance vehicles as well as the occasional heavy traffic such as fire trucks. Again StoneBilt Concepts provided a great alternative to natural stone as its 8000+ p.s.i. concrete will hold up to these traffic demands.

Due to the traffic requirements the project required a poured concrete slab and a mortar set installation of the StoneBilt paving slabs. The paving slab installation was performed by Strong Enterprises from Colorado Springs. "The product was easy to install," said contractor Aaron Strong. "It's consistently the same thickness, so it was a lot easier than it would have been using natural sandstone."

Concrete slab poured during construction

After setting the stones in a mortar bed, polymeric sand was used to finish the joints. This sort of hybrid setting method provided the more rugged look of sand set flagstone, but the durability of a mortar installation.

The bulk of StoneBilt Concepts slab installation took place in a 3500 square foot area directly in front of Cutler Hall. In addition, the StoneBilt slabs were used as accents on several walkways in the area. Ribbons of 12" square StoneBilt slabs provide a pleasing aesthetic and help denote ADA compliant pathways in the area around Cutler Hall.

StoneBilt 12'x12" ribbons

The finished project has been received well by the college. "We have submitted budget numbers for additional projects next year," said Strong. "If everything is approved we'll be continuing this project in other parts of the campus."

For more information on StoneBilt Concepts concrete paving slabs please click here.

Product Spotlight: Custom Precast Concrete;
City of Thornton Gateway Entry Sign

StoneBilt Concepts recently had the opportunity to demonstrate their custom precast concrete capabilities on a project for the City of Thornton when a new gateway entry sign was constructed on 128th Ave. on the east side of I-25.

Completed Sign

StoneBilt Concepts manufactured the main sign panel as well as the wall caps. StoneBilt's large casting bed allows them to create various sized custom precast concrete projects. The sign panel is seven feet tall at its highest point, 18 feet wide and weighs over 7700 pounds.

To create the desired finish, the sign was poured with integrated colored concrete and then treated with an acid etch. The same process was used for the wall caps to maintain a consistent look for the entire project.

Urban Farmer performed the sign installation and the surrounding landscaping. A crane was brought to the site to perform the installation, which went off without a hitch.

Crane installing the sign panel

For more information on StoneBilt Concepts custom precast concrete products please click click here.

De-Icing Salts and Concrete

Winter brings with it ice and snow. Many of us enjoy the beauty of the snow capped peaks and the thrill of skiing and snowboarding. However, any paved (or unpaved) surface becomes, to varying degrees, risky to travel by vehicle or by foot. In addition to plows, shovels and sub-surface snow-melting systems, many of us turn to de-icing salts to remove ice and snow.

Within the concrete industry there are various opinions, sometimes conflicting, regarding the use of de-icing salts and its effect on an unsealed concrete surface. There are opinions stating de-icing salts are entirely safe to use on a concrete surface and, conversely, that it might guarantee sizeable areas on concrete's surface to spall and scale. It seems every person asked may provide a conflicting opinion. However, armed with the proper information, it can safely be said that there is potential for damage to any unsealed concrete surface when chemical de-icing products are applied.

All de-icing salts (sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride and calcium magnesium acetate) work the same way in that they lower the temperature at which water freezes. There is a by-product of this process – more water is allowed to absorb into the surface of concrete. If that moisture is allowed to freeze again, the result may be spalled and scaled concrete. Obviously, a number of factors come into play during this process, which is why there are so many conflicting stories in the industry.

Some of the factors that can affect the amount of spalling or scaling are strength, water absorption rate and overall integrity of the concrete. There are a large variety of concrete mix designs, and some mix designs are more susceptible to damage than others. Cast in place (CIP) concrete is often more susceptible to damage because it has a relatively low strength and high water absorption rate.

Spalling in a CIP sidewalk caused by de-icing salts

Concrete pavers and paving slabs are manufactured in a controlled environment with a PSI rate at two to three times that of CIP concrete and have a correspondingly low water absorption rate. StoneBilt Paving Slabs in particular are manufactured with the finished side down. This allows the larger aggregates to settle to the face of the Paving Slab and results in a stronger finished surface than typical CIP concrete. As a result these products tend to exhibit significantly less damage than typical CIP concrete surfaces. However, like any concrete, they can be prone to damaged by the application of chemical de-icing salts.

The best way to protect the beauty of your investment in your concrete products is to avoid the use of de-icing salts. If using these products is necessary, it is best to only apply in moderation and then to remove the residue when their use is no longer necessary. There are also a variety of concrete sealers available that will limit water absorption and help to fight the effects of the damage caused by de-icing salts.

StoneBilt Concepts manufactures concrete paver slabs, some of the most durable in the industry. Our slabs emulate the look of natural stone at savings in material and labor. We offer Slate, Travertine, Sandstone and Limestone with custom molds and colors, too. For more information, please click here.

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