Joints May Be Hidden From View But That Does Not Mean You Can Skip Concrete Joints

There are many persons who think that concrete joint is unnecessary if a layer of cement is going to be added on top and if tiles or other such additions are going to be made. For example, basketball court can be made of just plain concrete or you can add wooden tiles on top to make it easier on the feet.

Does this mean that you should skip joints completely? Well, you should understand that cement, water, gravel and sand-this combination is always going to expand in event of thermal changes. The expansion may also work negatively and the concrete may contract in case of reduction in temperature.

What happens when you rub your hands against a stagnant metal object for a very long time? You will realize that your hands and its movements heat up the metal object. In the same way, when there are numerous persons on top of the concrete running on it, it is obviously going to have an impact on its thermal structure.

In such a scenario, you cannot conclude that the concrete does not need joints just because you have opted for tiles or other such materials on top. So, how should you proceed? Remember, joints are necessary not because it is going to look good but because it is necessary to prevent the concrete from cracking.

In such a scenario, you obviously have to go in for these joints irrespective of whether you are placing something on top or not. If you do not do so, you can be rest assured that the cracking of the base will result in cracking of the tiles fitted above as well.

This is only going to increase the expenditure because not only will you have to remove the tiles to repair the crack, you will also have to spend more money on relaying the tiles as well.

The best option is to make the necessary changes to the structure of the concrete when you are laying the same. There are numerous tools that will make your task easier. There are some tools that will help you make the right division to the right size and to the right depth without any difficulty.

On the other hand, there are saws that will cut through the concrete without damaging the slab and help you create a joint at a later date. Once the crack occurs and once the entire slab is cut into half, you will have to spend a lot of money and put in a lot of effort to overcome the problem.

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