Advantages and Disadvantages of Concrete

Advantages and Disadvantages of Concrete

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Every year, billions of tons of concrete are poured. If you look around you right now, the chances that you will see something made of concrete are very high. But what are the advantages and disadvantages of using this material?

Concrete is an extremely useful material that fulfills a lot of different functions. However, there are some situations where it’s better to use it than others.

9 Advantages of Concrete

Concrete is an extremely useful material, with some incredible qualities. In this section, we’ll discuss all of the advantages of using concrete in your work.

1. Strength and Durability

In comparison to other common materials, such as wood, concrete is very strong and durable. Natural materials often have innate weaknesses within them. For example, wood can have knots, splits, and shakes. Stone also frequently has cracks and lines within it. If concrete is poured correctly, it doesn’t have any of these natural defects.

Concrete can have a hardness of between 3 and 7 on the Mohs scale. Alongside this, concrete continues to get stronger over the course of its life.

2. Cost

Concrete is a cheap material. The basic ingredients for concrete are water, sand, and cement. There are additional costs, such as building formwork and transportation, however, the cost of the material itself is low, especially when compared to wood and metal.

3. Stability

Some materials such as wood will warp, twist and bow. Concrete is more stable than wood and some metals, meaning it will retain its shape well throughout changing environmental conditions.

4. Fire Resistance

It’s not possible to burn or set concrete alight. Alongside this, it doesn’t give off toxic gasses when heated by fire as well. This is extremely useful when constructing large buildings, where fire may pose a risk to many people’s lives.

5. Longevity

In the right conditions, concrete lasts a very long time. Concrete doesn’t rust or easily rot like metal or wood. In fact, this material can last well over 100 years if properly cared for. Alongside this, concrete can get repaired easily which helps the material last longer.

6. Pest Resistant

Concrete has no natural pests. Bugs and pests don’t seek out concrete as a food source or a home. A lot of bugs aren’t able to chew through the material as well. In comparison termites, ants, and a number of other animals and bugs will attack wood.

7. Adaptable

Concrete is a liquid before it dries, giving it a unique advantage. The material will take the shape of whatever container it is put in. This means that you can shape concrete into almost anything, as long as you can create a mold or form for it.

It’s also possible to put prints and impressions into concrete with relative ease, whilst it dries. For example, you can lay boards of wood over timber briefly to give impressions of grain on the surface. Concrete can also be mixed into colors, with different pigments added to the mixture.

8. Maintenance

All materials need some form of maintenance and upkeep to make sure they last as long as possible and look optimal. In comparison to wood and other materials, concrete requires much less maintenance. Depending on the use of the concrete, sometimes it can be left unsealed but often it should have a sealant placed on it.

9. Accessibility

Concrete is one of the most easily accessible materials on the planet. People use the material all around the world. Working with this building material can be as easy as walking into a hardware store, buying a premixed bag, and adding water.

5 Disadvantages of Concrete

Despite all the amazing positives that concrete has, there are also some negative aspects to the material. In this section, we’ll discuss the disadvantages of using this material for projects.

1. Carbon Footprint

The carbon footprint of the concrete industry is massive. Creating cement is the most carbon-heavy part of the material’s impact. Fossil fuels are burnt to mix limestone and clay, creating approximately 1322 lbs of carbon dioxide per ton of cement.

The construction industry is working hard to reduce the amount of carbon their practices release into the air, however, there is still a long way to go.

2. Changing Temperature Resistance

If the environment you are in goes through cycles of rapidly changing temperatures, then concrete is known to crack. The problem is that heat causes concrete to expand, and cold can make it shrink. If this is done repeatedly, cracks can begin to appear.

An added issue with this is if water gets into the cracks and then freezes. When water freezes it expands, this can cause concrete cracks to get bigger and even for pieces to break off.

3. Curing Time

You can’t rush concrete. It must be allowed to cure for an appropriate length of time, otherwise, it won’t be strong enough. The length of time you need to cure the concrete will depend on what the concrete is used for. For example, sections of structural concrete need longer to cure.

This is because concrete gets stronger over time. When the water within concrete evaporates, the other materials are bonded in a chemical reaction. If concrete is not allowed to cure properly, it can be extremely dangerous and fragile.

4. Formwork or a Mold Is Needed

Formwork or a mold is necessary to create concrete structures. This can sometimes be intricate work, and on large-scale projects, must be completed by an experienced team. Alongside this, the mold can actually be more expensive than the cost of the concrete itself.

5. Weight

Concrete can be a very heavy material. In some situations, the weight is an advantage but it must be factored into the work. For example, if a large slab is poured for foundations, it can sink into the ground if it’s not properly prepared. Similarly, cabinets must be built sturdy enough to support concrete countertops that are significantly heavier than wooden ones.

When Should You Use Concrete?

Concrete is an extremely versatile material that has been used for hundreds of years in different forms. In this section, we’ll outline some of the best applications for this material.

This material is regularly used for structural building work, in particular when it is paired with metal rebars for additional strength. Patios, columns, foundations, beams, arches, driveways, and roads are all constructed out of concrete.

Additionally, it is also a very popular choice for flooring. In recent years, polished concrete has been used more and more in residential builds, where it creates a clean, hardwearing, industrial look. Alongside flooring, worktops and furniture have also been created out of concrete with great effect.

Because of the fire-resistant properties that concrete possesses, it is a great material for work involved with fire. For example, fire escape stairwells and stairs are often made from concrete. Similarly, fire pits, fireplaces, and barbecues can be made from the material.

When Should You Avoid Using Concrete?

Despite how useful and versatile concrete is, there are times when it shouldn’t be used. For example, if you are on a tight deadline and can’t wait for the concrete to properly cure before use, then you should find another material.

If the concrete will be in a harsh environment with big temperature changes, you should be very careful about how it’s used and consult with a professional to make sure it’s suitable.

If weight is a consideration in your build, then make sure to carefully consider how much concrete can be used, because it is significantly heavier than some alternative materials.

How Does Concrete Compare with Other Materials?

Read our detailed articles below to see how concrete compares with:

Summary

There is a reason that concrete is such a widely used material – it’s fantastic at many things. It’s strong, easy to find, cheap and it is incredibly hard.

With time, concrete can deteriorate, but in comparison to alternative materials, it performs extremely well. On larger-scale projects, it’s extremely important to check designs with an engineer and get the work conducted by experienced professionals.