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Concrete 101: How to finish concrete flatwork

Concrete 101: How to finish concrete flatwork

You have your concrete form built, and you’ve placed the proper size of rebar in the bottom to strengthen the concrete. You’re ready to begin pouring concrete. Read more: All about rebar Before you get started with that step, however, you’ll want to make sure you have...

Project feature: A concrete patio befitting a gorgeous view

Project feature: A concrete patio befitting a gorgeous view

Whatcom County homeowners in the Semiahmoo area reached out to us recently with a desire: Their property has gorgeous views of the water, and they wanted a concrete patio that would expand their outdoor living space and enable them to take advantage of that incredible...

Custom Concrete helps create signature fountain in Bellingham

Custom Concrete helps create signature fountain in Bellingham

According to the City of Bellingham, Fountain Plaza once served as a watering hole for animals and livestock traveling through the area. Later, when streetcar lines were built, the plaza became the focal point of a new commercial area just north of downtown. Today,...

How to keep your driveway ice-free this winter

How to keep your driveway ice-free this winter

As we have reported in the past, deicers can damage concrete. They work by dissolving into a brine under the ice that loosens the ice’s hold on the concrete, and while the method is effective, the brine contains chemical compounds that can harm concrete surfaces....

How to rainscape with pervious concrete

How to rainscape with pervious concrete

What is rainscaping? “Landscaping” is a term we’re familiar with: It’s the use of plants, rocks, soil and other materials to beautify a yard or parking lot and increase its usability and value. Rainscaping takes landscaping a step further, making use of landscaping...

Tools of the trade: concrete finishers

Tools of the trade: concrete finishers

If you have any familiarity with concrete, the steps might seem pretty simple: dump some concrete mix into a bucket, splash in the right amount of water, stir it up and pour it into the hole or mold. It might sound simple, but properly laying concrete is much more...

Cast concrete vs. stacked stone retaining walls

Cast concrete vs. stacked stone retaining walls

This concrete retaining wall in Bellingham uses exposed aggregate concrete for a different look. Do you live on a hilly or sloped property? Undulating lots certainly are common in Whatcom County. One way to regain yard space for playing, relaxing, parking or many...

Where can pervious concrete be used?

Where can pervious concrete be used?

Pervious concrete is an excellent surface for parking lots, driveways, roads and alleys throughout Bellingham and Whatcom and Skagit counties. What’s more, the usefulness of pervious concrete extends to a great many additional uses. Many situations that could benefit...

Project features: A variety of recent concrete work

Project features: A variety of recent concrete work

With the multitalented concrete technicians and finishers on the crew at Custom Concrete Contracting, our team gets called on to do a variety of work throughout the Pacific Northwest: roundabouts for local governments, pervious concrete driveways for residential...

How to create concrete steps

How to create concrete steps

Ever wonder how concrete steps are created? Custom Concrete Contracting crews recently completed a large set of concrete stairs here in Whatcom County, and the project is instructive for sharing the process. Here are the basics of how to build concrete stairs: Prepare...

Project feature: Help with widening of College Way in Mount Vernon

Project feature: Help with widening of College Way in Mount Vernon

Down in Mount Vernon, Custom Concrete Contracting has been busy installing sidewalks and curbs for an ongoing project to improve College Way beneath Interstate 5. The project is to widen College Way to add lanes and ease congestion at that oft-crowded intersection. If...

How to avoid stormwater drainage problems on your property

How to avoid stormwater drainage problems on your property

If you’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest for any length of time, you know how wet things can get during the winter — well, to be honest, for most of the year. All that rain, of course, can lead to many potential drainage problems. Heavy rains, melting snow, pockets of...

Deicers can wreak havoc on concrete

Deicers can wreak havoc on concrete

Most deicers are terrible for concrete. With winter weather approaching here in Whatcom County, homeowners should be careful to limit, as much as possible, the use of deicing chemicals on concrete. This is especially true of new concrete, but all concrete is...

Is pervious concrete more expensive?

Is pervious concrete more expensive?

Over its lifetime, pervious concrete can be a much more inexpensive option than traditional concrete, even though the installation cost of pervious is typically higher than that of traditional concrete. The money savings are because pervious concrete can lower the...

Project feature: Whidbey roundabout project in the books

Project feature: Whidbey roundabout project in the books

This photo and the photo above show Custom Concrete crews installing a different roundabout in 2016. This summer, drivers on Whidbey Island in Island County began using a new roundabout at the intersection of State Route 20, Banta Road and Northgate Drive. Custom...