Make Your Concrete Patio a Welcoming Place

Having a backyard patio is such a great thing for your home. A patio allows you to create a backyard space for you to host gatherings, relax after a day of work, or spend time with your family with dinners. Many homeowners don’t know what materials to create a sustainable patio. Well, we have the answer for you. A concrete patio is the best material you can use if you’re looking to spend a good amount of time on your patio. 

Concrete patio in the backyard

Concrete Patios

Concrete patios can be created with a variety of colors and designs to make your patio unique. The proper way to build a concrete patio is to get your concrete delivered and poured by a professional like Bergen Mobile Concrete. If you have a patio company coming to build a beautiful design, you can get the concrete delivered for them. This helps move the build along rather smoothly and quickly. 

The Benefits: 

  • Low Maintenance
  • Easy to Install 
  • Can withstand the heat and the cold
  • Affordable
  • Durable and long lasting

A concrete patio is also very versatile in design options. There are stamped concrete designs and different colors you can choose from to enhance the design and look of your patio. 

Add Your Design Touch

After you design the patio and have it poured, now you can add your touch to make your patio the place to be this summer. From cooking out with a grill to adding a swing loveseat on the patio, you’re adding your own touch. If you want to be using your patio as much as you can during the summer months, why not go all out with the space you have. 

Contact Bergen Mobile Concrete at 201-797-7550 today to learn more about our concrete delivery services. 

The Benefits of a Concrete Driveway

Many homeowners debate on what kind of driveway is best to have regarding the material you put down. Different types of driveways like concrete or asphalt have pros and cons, but we’re here to tell you the benefits of pouring a concrete driveway. 

With a concrete driveway, you are able to increase the value of your home and possibly give a 30-year lifespan for the driveway. When or if you decide to sell the home at some point, the concrete driveway will be a benefit for the new homeowners. 

Why Choose Concrete for Your Driveway? 

  • Concrete driveways last longer than other driveways including asphalt. 
  • With concrete, you’ll be able to get creative with designs and curb appeal.
  • Concrete driveways absorb less UV radiation making them cooler in the hot sun.
  • Durable material to last long and reduce maintenance costs.

When choosing to get a concrete driveway or an asphalt driveway, many homeowners will choose to get an asphalt driveway because of its lower upfront cost, but in reality, the investment of a concrete driveway is worth it for the benefits. 

Pouring the Concrete 

Pouring a concrete driveway can be difficult, especially when it comes to measuring the amount you need. With a concrete delivery system from Bergen Mobile Concrete, you’ll be able to have the perfect, measured amount of concrete poured for your driveway. Once you determine how much you need for your driveway, we can mix the concrete and deliver it to you. When using a Mobile Concrete Mixer, you only have to pay for the material that is used, so you save money. 

Whether you’re building a concrete patio, sidewalk, or driveway, Bergen Mobile Concrete can help you get the right amount of concrete poured for your project. Contact Bergen Mobile Concrete at 201-797-7550 today! 

Concrete Patio Ideas for the Summer

The summer is coming soon, and it seems like we may be doing more backyard patio activities this summer than most. Creating a concrete backyard patio may help you get outside and relax in your backyard much more. 

With concrete being the material to use on your patio build, you’ll have plenty of benefits to enjoy. 

Concrete Patio Ideas

Going Concrete 

Concrete has been used in architecture and construction for thousands of years. There is a reason why it’s being used so much for creating durable and long-lasting patios of people’s backyards. 

Here are the benefits of a concrete patio: 

  • Low Maintenance – you will appreciate the low maintenance that comes with a concrete patio. Besides power washing the patio every other year to maintain the fresh look, you’ll only have to apply a good sealant every couple of years. You won’t have to deal with any weeds or grass growing in between spaces like pavers. 
  • Getting Creative – with concrete as a material, it provides opportunity to customize your backyard patio look. You can choose different colors and stamping to make the patio look like natural stone or wood grain if you’d like. 
  • Durable – concrete is extremely durable against a plethora of weather conditions. For a long—lasting patio, concrete is the way to go. 

Easy Ways to Produce a Concrete Patio

While staying away from people and trying to find time to kill during the quarantine, consider reaching out to Bergen Mobile Concrete. With Bergen Mobile Concretewe can provide you with proper mixed concrete delivery with one of our concrete buggies or metered mobile mixers. With the proper amount of measurement of concrete mix, you won’t have to worry about overpaying and overordering. 

Contact Bergen Mobile Concrete at 201-797-7550 today to learn more about how we can help you get that concrete backyard patio built for the summer months. 

A Concrete Wonder: The Roman Pantheon

Concrete has played a major role in architecture for thousands of years. Some of the Roman concrete structures have lasted over 2,000 years, but they have survived the years with a little help from preservation techniques. There is one building that has lasted without any preservation. The Pantheon in the city of Rome has been standing for 1,900 years. Of course, this 1,900-year old concrete structure went through rebuilds due to fire destruction, but this is the last standing version of it. 

Roman Pantheon concrete structure

Why is it a Mystery to Experts? 

The Roman Pantheon is a dome-shaped concrete structure. The mystery of it all is that many are still wrestling with the construction of the building. How has it held up for all these years? How did the Romans reinforce the dome structure to withstand the years? 

The Pantheon is still to this day the largest unsupported dome in the world. The dome measures 142-feet in diameter with an opening of 27-feet at the top. The question this day still consists of how long it may have taken to construct this beautiful structure. 

Concrete Structures Today

Concrete is used in many ways today. From living spaces to concrete patios and driveways, concrete has been very important to the architectural industry. One company that has been working with concrete for years is Bergen Mobile ConcreteWe understand the importance of a structure to last a long time. 

With our mobile concrete delivery service, your next concrete project will run smoothly. 

What we have to offer: 

It’s stressful when you’re working on a project and you order the wrong amount of materials. This can happen often without knowing it. With us, you’ll be relieved to know that we use metered mixers that allow us to calculate the correct amount of concrete mix you’ll need for the sidewalk, patio, driveway, etc. 

Bergen Mobile Concrete 

If you’re looking for quick and accurate delivery of concrete for your next project, contact Bergen Mobile Concrete at 201-797-7550 today to learn more about how we can help! 

Some of the Coolest Concrete Structures in the World

Concrete has been used in architecture and buildings for centuries. Around the world, there are incredible structures that were made with concrete that are still standing to this day. The fact that these structures are standing tall after going through years of wear and tear is a testament to the concrete that they were made with.

Roman Colosseum concrete structure

Concrete Throughout History

Some ancient structures made of concrete are still standing to this day. These amazing structures are known throughout the world as historical places.

The Colosseum – The Roman Colosseum in Rome, Italy was built in 80 A.D. and is one of the biggest attractions of tourism in the world. Over the years, it has gone through some damages, but it still stands from the concrete architecture.

Pantheon – The Pantheon in Rome is a dome shaped structure made of concrete. They didn’t have reinforced concrete back then that was strengthened with steel, but they still had concrete.

Christ the Redeemer – This famous statue located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was made from reinforced concrete in 1931. It stands 98 feet tall on top of the Corcovado Mountain.

Modern Day Concrete

Burj Khalifa – This skyscraper in Dubai was built in 2009, and it stands 2,722 feet tall. It consists of 110,000 tons of concrete and includes a hotel, restaurant, businesses, and residents.

Villa Saitan – This structure is a housing complex located in Japan. It was completed in 2006 and stands as a concrete shell with cutouts that mimic the features of a tree,

Ardmore Residence – This residential building is located in Singapore and stands over 135 meters tall. It was built in 2013, and it consists of an indoor and outdoor living space with a gym, spa room, jacuzzi, sundecks, and swimming pool shared with 58 units.

Bergen Mobile Concrete

Bergen Mobile Concrete specializes in concrete mixing and delivery in Northern New Jersey. Whatever your project is, we can deliver the perfect amount of mixed concrete to get the job done. Concrete is an amazing material for sidewalks, walkways, and patios.

Contact Bergen Mobile Concrete at 201-797-7550 today!

ISS Astronauts are Studying Concrete in Microgravity

International Space Station“It is no longer a question of if we will need to colonize other planets, but a question of when,” says Alexandra Radlińska, assistant professor of civil engineering at Penn State University.

In order to give future space colonists a “concrete advantage,” Penn State researchers are collaborating with astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) to study concrete in microgravity.

Concrete is strong and durable enough to offer protection from meteorites and cosmic radiation.

What’s more, it may actually be possible to make concrete from materials that are already available on other planets, including Mars.

In order to take advantage of concrete’s potential for use in infrastructure on other planets, the research team is studying how cement, an important ingredient in concrete, solidifies when it’s not subject to gravity.

Once the team has a better understanding of how traditional, Earth-based cement solidifies in microgravity, they’ll begin exploring how to create concrete using materials indigenous to Mars.

Ultimately, the results of these studies could help determine how to create habitable structures on Mars and other planets.

The research has Earthbound implications, too. Studying the solidification of cement could help improve the environmental sustainability of Earth-manufactured concrete. Concrete is the most widely used building material on the planet—with 10 billion tons produced each year—meaning that even small improvements in its manufacturing process can have a major impact.

If you’re looking for high-quality concrete here on Earth, look no further than Bergen Mobile Concrete. We’ve been delivering concrete to customers throughout Northern New Jersey using metered mobile mixers since 1990. Call us today at (201) 797-7550 to learn more.

Dutch Architects Flood Proof Homes With Buoyant Concrete Foundations

Amsterdam HomesFlooding events are expected to become increasingly common in the coming years, according to the UK Climate Projections 2018. Over the next decade, hotter summer temperatures, rising sea levels and more extreme weather events such as flash floods will necessitate creative solutions in housing.

Dutch architects may have found one such solution by using buoyant concrete foundations to flood-proof homes.

The new houses don’t have conventional foundations anchoring them to the ground. Instead, they have air-filled concrete bases that allow them to float.

Some of the houses are designed to float all the time. They can be joined together to form floating communities that sit on top of a lake—an innovative solution to the housing shortages that plague some countries.

Other houses are amphibious. These are designed to sit on solid ground most of the time, but are able to float in the event of flooding. In the event of a flood, this feature could save homeowners thousands of dollars, as they will no longer need to make expensive foundation repairs after the water recedes.

Currently, the technology is expensive. Flood-proof houses cost about 20% more to build than conventional houses. However, they can be built on floodplain land, which tends to be cheaper, offsetting some of the cost. As the technology becomes more prevalent, the price may drop over time.

If you’re looking for high-quality concrete, look no further than Bergen Mobile Concrete. We’re proud to deliver concrete to customers throughout to Northern New Jersey using state-of-the-art mobile concrete mixers. Give us a call at (201) 797-7550 today to learn more!

Australian Engineers Use Polymer Rebar to Reinforce Concrete

RebarDid you know that modern concrete bridges require maintenance about once every five years, and major rehabilitation every 20 years? That’s true now, but a new type of rebar could change that in the future.

A team of engineers at Deakin University in Victoria, Australia has developed an experimental polymer rebar to reinforce concrete and improve its lifespan.

Steel rebar is typically embedded within concrete structures to give them support. However, the rebar rusts over time, and eventually the rust takes up more space than the original rebar. Rusted steel begins to push against the surrounding concrete, leading to an issue called spalling, where the concrete cracks and falls away from the main structure, thereby weakening it.

The Australian team, led by Dr. Mahbube Subhani and Dr. Kazem Ghabraie, developed a non-rusting rebar made of glass fiber-reinforced polymer and carbon. According to the engineers, the new type of rebar is stronger than steel rebar at just one-fifth of its weight.

The new rebar is also more environmentally friendly, since it requires only a quarter as much energy to manufacture.

In the Australian city of Geelong, the polymer rebar will soon be used in the construction of a pedestrian bridge. According to the Deakin University researchers, the bridge will not require any maintenance during its planned century-long lifespan. The bridge will also use eco-friendly concrete that is made using fly ash from coal combustion. Traditional cement production is a significant source of man-made carbon dioxide emissions.

If you need high-quality concrete, look no further than Bergen Mobile Concrete. We deliver concrete to the residents of Northern New Jersey using state-of-the-art mobile concrete mixers. Give us a call today at (201) 797-7550 to learn more.

Hawaii DOT Tests New Carbon-Injected Concrete Mix

Concrete PavingIn an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of road construction, the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) is testing a new carbon-injected concrete mix.

To test the mix, HDOT will pour about 4000 cubic feet of the carbon-injected concrete mix next to the same amount of standard concrete mix. The test will take place on an access road for the second phase of the Kapolei Interchange.

By comparing the two mixes side by side, HDOT will be able to establish specifications for the use of carbon-injected concrete in future road projects.

The carbon-injected concrete mix is made by Island Ready-Mix Concrete. The company mixes waste carbon dioxide from Hawaii Gas into the concrete using CarbonCure technology. This process traps the carbon dioxide in mineral form within the concrete, enhancing the material’s overall strength.

According to HDOT, the quantity of concrete poured in the demonstration will save about 1500 pounds of carbon dioxide. The demonstration alone will offset the carbon dioxide emissions of approximately 1600 miles of highway driving. If the carbon-injected concrete mix is more widely used, the environmental impact will be even greater.

Elemental Excelerator, a Hawaii-based startup accelerator, is supporting the project. Aki Marceau, managing director of Elemental Excelerator, says: “We are proud that Hawaii is looking at sustainable building practices to mitigate the effects of climate change.”

Hawaii Governor David Ige is glad to see his state taking the lead on sustainable road construction as well.

“As the daily baseline measurement for carbon dioxide in our atmosphere reaches the highest level in modern history, it is especially important for all of us to do all we can towards ensuring a sustainable Hawaii for future generations,” said Ige in a recent statement.

Need some high-quality concrete at a price you can afford? Bergen Mobile Concrete specializes in providing top-of-the-line concrete to homes and businesses throughout Northern New Jersey using metered mobile mixers, so you’ll never pay for more than you need. Give us a call at (201) 797-7550 today to learn more.

MIT Designers Create Huge Concrete Blocks That Can Be Assembled by Hand

StonehengeVisit just about any construction site today and you’ll see cranes hoisting large slabs of concrete into place. However, cranes haven’t always been around, and for thousands of years human beings moved large stones by hand.

Matter Design, a Boston-based company directed by MIT professor Brandon Clifford, recently collaborated with the multinational building materials company Cemex to explore ancient methods of moving heavy stones, while developing a brand-new way to move concrete slabs by human hands alone.

Matter Design studied how ancient architecture was built, analyzing Stonehenge and the archeological sites of Easter Island. They then developed a project called Walking Assembly, a set of interlocking concrete puzzle pieces that can be assembled into a solid wall and staircase in just 15 minutes.

Each piece is 5 feet tall and weighs between 926 and 1,543 pounds. The designers also used to different densities of concrete in the blocks. While they’re definitely too heavy for a human being to lift, they can be “walked” into place. Cleverly applying their knowledge of physics, the designers manipulated each block’s center of mass so that the blocks naturally move along their curved bottoms. Assembling the pieces requires very little human energy, since gravity and the pieces’ varying densities do most of the work.

Walking Assembly has real-world applications. Imagine if, instead of having to demolish concrete structures, they could be easily disassembled and reconstructed, with no expensive equipment or landfills required. The project could ultimately help engineers find cheaper, easier ways to build complex structures.

Need some high-quality concrete for your next project? At Bergen Mobile Concrete, we provide top-of-the-line concrete to customers in Northern New Jersey using state-of-the-art mobile concrete mixers. Give us a call today at (201) 797-7550 to learn more.