(ARA) - Maintaining the value and physical appearance
of a home is a challenge faced by homeowners around the country on a
daily basis. With the average median sales price of nearly $160,000
for existing single-family homes in 2002, according to the National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB), no homeowner wants to witness the
depreciation of their home to standard wear and tear. Homeowners can
now successfully tackle fractures and cracks to a variety of surfaces
with several new user-friendly repair tubes eliminating potentially
larger maintenance demands in the future.
The hand-squeezed repair tubes allow homeowners
to quickly and inexpensively seal cracks in driveways, sidewalks, steps,
patios, stucco and brickwork. Utilizing established capabilities and
characteristics of existing QUIKRETE products, the repair tubes combine
quality repair results with ease-of-use. So, rather than requiring a
professional mason or commercial contractor for concrete driveway repair
or fireplace brickwork, the repair tubes empower homeowners with limited
do-it-yourself expertise to address a problem before it becomes a more
significant and permanent issue.
Small cracks and fractures in concrete driveways,
patios and steps are inevitable with standard use. The same is true
for mortar used in brickwork and blacktop surfaces around the home.
Addressing these repairs early is critical to avoiding more costly and
significant damage. In addition to providing sound horizontal and vertical
repairs in surface cracks and fractures, homeowners maximize the aesthetics
and appearance of their homes by correcting problems before they have
a more serious impact.
Changes in the weather often cause surface cracks,
and this is especially true during significant changes in temperatures.
When small fractures are left unattended over time, the expansion and
contraction in a surface created by temperature changes will enlarge
the cracks. The resulting damage is not only unsightly; it minimizes
the use and enjoyment of a particular home feature, such as a fireplace
or patio.
The product family of QUIKRETE 5.5-ounce repair
tubes require minimal surface preparation, and application consists
of shaking the tube well, cutting the tip at an angle and hand-squeezing
a bead no thicker than 3/8 inch deep into the crack. On horizontal surfaces,
deep cracks can be partially filled with fine sand prior to application.
After final application, the area can be tooled to even out surfaces,
and excess can be wiped off with a damp cloth. One repair tube has an
application capacity of 14 feet at 1/4 inch depth.
There were more than 1.7 million new homes under
construction in the United States in 2002 according, to NAHB. As the
number of homeowners continues to grow, the demand for easy, fast and
affordable do-it-yourself home improvement resources also increases.
Homeowners have the answer to many of their home improvement needs with
the new repair tubes. To learn more about do-it-yourself concrete repair
products and projects, visit www.quikrete.com or call (800) 282-5828.
Courtesy of ARA Content
