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I recently worked on a project I wanted to share with visitors here on MichiganStoneMason.com which was actually a stamped concrete project. Also known as decorative concrete, stamped concrete is achieved by applying a heavy rubber like stamp with an imprint molded into the rubber. It leaves a variety of appearances from a real wood timber look to a random stone pattern like the ones we used in this project. This was a stamped concrete job in Clare Michgan and was just completed recently.
There are several different ways you can go about getting a stamped concrete project done and costs vary widely depending on the process you choose. I offer a low cost stamping method where we dont dye the actual redi mix concrete that is delivered. The coloring of concrete comes close to doubling the cost of the material depending on what color you choose, but if your budget doesn’t allow for $14 per square foot concrete, there are several options that still leave a cool looking piece of concrete.
Prices for Stamped Concrete in Michigan
Prices vary mostly by the process you choose. When you dye the material being delivered the cost goes up dramatically. The top end process for stamping concrete in Michigan starts with dyed concrete then comes another hardener which adds a second color and more depth to the look. Then a colored release which is another colored powder. The concrete is stamped then the excess release agent is cleaned off and a special UV protective sealer is applied. The colored release tends to gather in the deepest crevases in the pattern and it is sealed in place giving the concrete the most natural appearance with the depth of a real stone job. The price for decorative stamped concrete in Michigan using this process anywhere between $8.00 and $14.oo per square foot. Which isn’t bad if you are doing a 10’x10′ patio, but it can really add up on larger areas like driveways and such. I have stamping methods I’ve used successfully that start at around $4.00 a square foot and go up from there.
Stamped Dog Kennel
Decorative Concrete And Stamped Concrete Uses
It seems most of the decorative concrete projects I’ve done have been patios and sidewalks. We’ve also done a few driveways and commercial storefront entryways over the years. Over the years I’d say the most popular uses for stamped concrete is for patio’s and outside entertaining areas. They really change the look and feel of the area and can certainly increase the value and curb appeal of any home.
Stamped Concrete Contractors In Michigan
There are several stamped concrete companies in Michigan that only do decorative type stamped concrete but a lot of contractors in Michgian who do stamped concrete also do other types of concrete work as well. I’d recommend using a stamped concrete conctractor to do your decorative concrete job and definately would call stamped concrete a do it yourself type project. If you are already familiar with pouring concrete then you might try stamping your own project, it’s really just a timing thing and making sure you know the process. There is a good company over in Saginaw Michigan that handles stamped concrete supplies including stamps that you can rent. Renting some stamps seems like a better idea to me than trying to own each different set and they have just about any type of stamp you could want. I plan on building a barn this fall and plan to do the stamped hardwood planking look. I’ve seen it in another barn and it’s a really neat look.
Notice the Interior Tile for Drainage
A damp crawl space wouldn’t be much of a problem is it weren’t for the smell and the possible growth of mold that often occurs with a wet or damp crawl space. Getting a wet crawl space problem fixed really isn’t too big of a deal and it doesn’t take long at all. Wet basements can be a different story but often times fixing a wet basement is a simple fix as well. The first step to addressing the problem is to figure out where the water is coming from and this pretty much dictates the how extensive the repairs will be. Many of the wet crawl space foundations I’ve fixed were more of a seasonal problem than anything and were usually only wet in the spring time here in Michigan or during periods of heavy rain.
Why is My Crawl Space Wet?
This is the first question to answer. If there has been some building in your area in the last few years this can affect ground water and how it moves. Many times a wet crawl space is a surface water problem and these can be some of the easiest to fix. One of the most common ways we’ve dealt with surface water causing a wet crawl space is to simply install a perimeter tile around the interior of the footer inside the crawlspace. We then route that into a sump crock where the water is pumped out below the grade elevatio wetn in your crawl space. We also like to spray a water mixed with bleach solution to kill any mold that might be growing within your floor joists beneath the floor of your home. Another reason some crawl spaces can become is a change in the water table. This is a ground water issue and sometimes the volume of water may be more but the same technique can often times fix the problem.
Fixing a Wet Basement
I’ve worked on several wet basements in Michigan and the perimeter tile is usually at least part of the solution to fixing a damp basement. Obviously most basements have a concrete floor and this presents a more complicated approach to repairing the problem as a strip of the floor is usually removed in order to install the tile. Using a waterproof or damp proof coating on the inside of the basement wall can also be done quite easily especially if the basement is unfinished. A sump crock can be installed and the perimeter tile ran into the crock. In a basement the sump crock may be able to be connected to the exterior tile if a pumping or drainage system is already in place.
Other Ways to Fix a Wet Crawl Space or Basement
Often times installing gutters on your roof line can help to reduce the water that goes into your crawl space or basement. This is an inexpensive way to alleviate many wet foundations. Another common problem is the grade of the dirt or lawn around the building. The exterior grade around your foundation should have slope away from the building, this may seem like common sense but it is often a problem. In some instances the foundation may need to be excavated and a foundation waterproof-er applied. Foundation waterproofing can consist of a tar like coating or an actual membrane, sometimes both.
If you have a wet crawl space or basement and want to know your options, get in touch and maybe I can help.
Drawing of A Crawl Space Foundation
If you plan on building a house or garage in Michigan you’ll need a foundation that protects your building from frost that occurs here during the winter. Most areas around the nation don’t require frost free foundations or crawl space foundations but build with what is called a slab on grade foundation. Besides the fact that it’s a requirement for Mid Michigan foundations a crawl space under your home is handy for several reasons, one of the main one being an area to install and maintain your plumbing and electrical system. It’s also a lot easier to do a remodel when you can access the foundation area of a house. Most foundations in the mid Michigan area are constructed with either cement blocks or poured concrete, though some people use treated wood as their choice for foundation material. Many older home have a stone foundations, we are also a company that repairs stone foundations here in the central Michigan area.
Crawl Space Foundations in Michigan
A crawl space foundation contractor in Michiganwill first install a footing, also called footer, which is 16 inches wide and 8″ thick around the perimeter of the house, garage or other structure that requires a crawl space foundation. Cement blocks, which are 8″ wide, are then layed accurately with the outside dimensions of the foundation correlating with the exact dimensions of you build. Most crawl space foundations are 5 or 6 courses of blocks high
Completed Crawl Space Foundation
with also measures around 48 inches depending on the number of courses. The depth of the bottom of footing in the mid Michigan area is 42″. Crawl space foundations are typically lined with 2″ Styrofoam as a frost barrier and for insulation. Vents are also installed to prevent dampness in your crawl space. The final step when we build a crawl space foundation is to install the sill plate which is a treated 2×8 that lays flat along the top of your foundation wall. The is the board that your floor joists will be fastened to.
Crawl Space Foundations for Modular Homes in Michigan
Crawl space foundations for modular homes in Michigan are constructed much the same way as they are with a stick built structure. Modular home foundation contractors will also be the ones who install the steel beams that extend across the crawl space. The construction of a modular home crawl space will usually take 2-5 days depending on the size of the foundation. Modular home foundation companies in mid Michigan will want a good copy of the foundation drawing for proper size in beam placement.
I recently worked on a project I wanted to share with visitors here on MichiganStoneMason.com which was actually a stamped concrete project. Also known as decorative concrete, stamped concrete is achieved by applying a heavy rubber like stamp with an imprint molded into the rubber. It leaves a variety of appearances from a real wood timber look to a random stone pattern like the ones we used in this project. This was a stamped concrete job in Clare Michgan and was just completed recently.