Thomas Martinez

There’s geometry involved in rebar sizing. There is also unit conversion. There is also scheduling. If you know size of a bar, then you know … Read more

Thick concrete walls is warm, RIGHT? Who would think otherwise? It’s thick; it has mass. Surely it’ll retain warmth, right? Wrong. Here’s what many don’t … Read more

In any masonry project, there comes a moment when you stop doing math for the sake of math and begin paying for it. That’s the … Read more

When people think about constructing a concrete block column they tend to think of it as just stacking some hefty, grey bricks until your column … Read more

How much does a concrete column weigh? It’s required for safety. You can calculate it at design stage to determine size before building. Since concrete … Read more

You’ve done the framing and poured the foundation. But now there’s a hole in the ground that needs to hold up a porch. How much … Read more

Don’t think of building a block shed as just putting together a box over a weekend. A wooden framed structure is fine but concrete masonry … Read more

When you start to plan a garage, you reach a certain point: A mental picture of the completed structure collides with physical presence of a … Read more

A concrete pier is a block of cement. Wrong. A concrete pier is a compromise between a block of cement and the weight resting on … Read more

Now you begin digging out the hole for a deck post and something feel wrong with the dirt. No longer is it solid sand or … Read more

A good set of lumber can build a nice house. But if foundation isn’t strong, that house won’t stand. Soil type are the foundation for … Read more

The first error is thinking that a footing is nothing more than a hole in ground. Dig out, pour concrete and pray to St. Frost … Read more

Think of the post hole as an empty cylinder? Grab a shovel, dig till it’s “deep enough.” Pour some concrete, stop when it starts to … Read more

What is a concrete column? Is it just a block of concrete sitting still until it falls down? Nope. A concrete column is a complex … Read more