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Outdoor Problems of the Householder: Concrete

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION The growing scarcity of timber in many localities and its constantly increasing cost, have led to a widespread revival of interest in concrete construction. This material was anciently used very much more than in modern times, notably among the Romans. Many of the most famous buildings and public works in ancient Rome were thus built. The materials for making concrete-Portland cement, sand, gravel and water-are so cheap and readily available in most localities, and the process is so simple, that this material promises to come into well-nigh universal application . It is suitable for walks and drives; fence posts and garden benches; cellar walls and floors; walls and floors for all sorts of outbuildings; partition walls for cisterns and store rooms in cellars; privy vaults and bins for the accumulation of stable manure to prevent access of flies; watering troughs, and countless other uses too numerous to mention.

The two chief problems in the use of concrete are mixing the materials and the construction of the necessary forms or retaining walls.

To mix concrete properly requires ordinary utensils. The construction a suitable mixing board and a few of forms calls merely for a small quantity of cheap lumber, the most ordinary skill in carpentry. Excelcommon carpenters' tools and very lent results can be secured by any good common sense with ordinary householder by the application of care and sagacity. Concrete is far superior to lumber, brick or other building stone on account of its durability, economy and safety from fire loss . It is also the best possible material for rat-proof construction.

Concrete is simply a manufactured stone formed by mixing cement, sand and crushed stone or gravel (i. e., pebbles) together with water.