IIJA and IRA Bills

Recently, two pieces of legislation were passed regarding federal funding for certain construction projects. Mainly impacting the amount of funding, these bills can change the future of the construction industry. These bills are the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Read on to learn a little bit more about the impacts of the IIJA and IRA bills.

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How to Prepare for a Recession

Recessions happen in the economy and are bound to happen. The important part for any business is how to stay strong during a recession and then bounce back better. With recent events like Covid and other foreign affairs, experts are actually suggesting to prepare for a recession right now. This post is mainly directed towards construction companies, but any business looking to prepare for a recession can apply some of these tips to their industry. Read on to learn a few ways to prepare for a recession.

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Masonry

You might know Elston Materials as Chicago’s #1 Source for Masonry Construction Supplies. However, what exactly is masonry? Let’s investigate a little bit more about one of the oldest construction techniques in the world.

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Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality

Last blog, we talked about carbon neutral concrete and how it relates to the overall path to carbon neutrality. Today, we will explore a little bit about the official Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality, coined by the Portland Cement Association. This Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality outlines actions to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Since the concrete industry accounts for over 8% of worldwide emissions, the supply chain in the US wants to be the catalyst for change. Read more to learn more about their goals!

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The Rise of Carbon Neutral Concrete

Climate change is impacting millions of people around the world. And with gas prices getting higher in the US everyday, there is a lot of concern about the state of our environment. Here in the US, cement manufacturers have committed to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. One of the ways to achieve that goal is with carbon neutral concrete. Let’s jump in and find out more about this exciting development!

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How to Clean Your Concrete Patio for Summer

Summertime in Chicago is officially here! This means sunshine, beach time, and even hosting barbecues with family and friends. However, the winter and spring seasons allow for concrete patios to accumulate stains, moss, and imperfections. Unfortunately, the grimy patio can take away from an otherwise perfect celebration. Concrete patios should also be cleaned at least once a year to keep them in shape. Luckily, right before the summer season is a perfect time to do it. Read on to learn how to clean your concrete patio and make it look pristine for summer gatherings!

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Volumetric Mixer Tips and Tricks

Volumetric Mixers are an important part of creating a budget-friendly, strong, and environmentally-friendly build. We have some key volumetric mixer tips and tricks to help your new build go smoothly.

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Summer Construction Tips: How to Prepare

Summer is on its way and with it comes the most popular construction season in Chicago! With so many people looking to start new construction projects as the weather warms up, you’ll want to avoid mistakes when starting your project. These summer construction tips will help ensure your construction project runs smoothly from start to finish.

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Our Top Concrete Pouring Tips

Concrete pours are a critical part of any project. Any problems with the concrete pour can have a ripple effect and cause many serious problems down the line. Here are some concrete pouring tips to ensure your job goes smoothly.

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Why Should You Trust Ready-Mix Concrete

When you need concrete, there are a few different routes you can take to pour the concrete. You can go the traditional route with a traditional concrete mixer, or you can go the new route: ready-mix. But should you trust ready-mix concrete? Here are a few of the reasons why you should.

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