A 21st-Century Concrete Supply House

Concrete is incredibly versatile and durable. It’s the most widely used man-made material in the world. Sure, we’re a concrete supply house, and we have a vested interest in supplying it. We wanted to explain some of the benefits and the role of concrete in 2017.

Concrete is inexpensive.

Can we really call anything cheap these days? And doesn’t inexpensive mean lower-quality? No, we can’t necessarily call anything cheap, though that’s beside the point. But more importantly: price is not a factor in quality. Just compare it to steel or aluminum: you’ve got an excellent, cost-effective foundation for your project.

Concrete is durable, strong, and meant to last.

As it ages, it only grows stronger. That’s why it’s so common for major infrastructure like bridges, sewer systems, and dams. It holds up against water — being non-porous — and can tough out almost any serious weather. Did you know that the Colosseum was constructed, in part, with concrete? (The Romans also used sand, but that was their prerogative.) We’ll explore some more older and lasting uses of concrete in another blog post.

Concrete is a smart material to use today.

With lower carbon emissions than most other building materials, concrete could be called “green.” While buildings’ emissions come primarily from their use of electricity and not the actual materials, LEED-certified projects and LEED-credited products are still paving the way toward a more sustainable future. We provide many recycled and LEED-credited products at Elston. As the consequences of climate change continue to develop and buildings still need to be built, it only helps that concrete is meant to last.

Furthermore, concrete possesses semi-reflective qualities. This lets it maintain building temperatures internally and externally, far more efficiently. It reflects light and absorbs less heat. It’s a win-win situation. (Maybe even a win-win-win?)

Adapting to modern needs isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary. As a concrete supply house, we need to keep moving forward.

We want to provide the materials that will safely take our structures, buildings, and communities into many more decades. These values are important to us and to our customers. Just take a look at our wide range of concrete materials here.