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When I was a kid, “Step on a crack, break your mama’s back” was echoed throughout the schoolyard, often the recitation as girls were jumping rope. Just to escalate everyone’s anxiety, some kid added a second idiom, “Step on a line, break your father’s spine.” These playground superstitions had us kids on high alert. Our otherwise carefree lives were disrupted by those horizontal sidewalk cracks. Until now, I never knew those sidewalk cracks had a name: concrete expansion joints. They also go by the name “control joints.” What’s the Point of a Concrete Expansion Joint? If concrete were elastic, contractors…
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Expansion Joints
How to choose the right KEYWAY PVC tongue and groove joint form
KEYWAY is a lightweight, flexible, tongue and groove joint made from PVC. Easily mold a keyed tongue and groove construction joint with KEYWAY. KEYWAY is resistant to impact and warping. Simply nail or staple KEYWAY to the form or header prior to pouring the concrete. After the concrete sets, KEYWAY can be stripped easily to be reused, or it can be safely left in place. KEYWAY comes in two sizes, small and large. A KEYWAY size information technical bulletin is available to help make sure the proper size is selected. This informational document shows nominal measurements to the closest 1/8th…
Joint sealants are now as attractive as they are functional
W. R. MEADOWS not only offers non-sag and self-leveling versions of their dependable POURTHANE joint sealant line, but both products are now available in a variety of colors to add an aesthetically-pleasing element to this necessary concrete construction component. No longer compromise quality for appearance, with POURTHANE NS and POURTHANE SL, you can feel confident in the longevity of the product and be proud of the finished look. POURTHANE NS elastic, low-modulus, one-component, moisture-curing, non-sag, polyurethane sealant maintains flexibility while providing outstanding durability in horizontal and vertical applications. POURTHANE NS comes in 11 color choices to better match a variety…
How to Minimize Concrete Cracking due to Expansion and Contraction
Concrete cracks for a variety of reasons. Increased volume, temperature, and or/moisture all lead to concrete expansion and contraction which causes unsightly and destructive cracking in concrete. With the use of expansion joints, the damage caused by concrete movement can be lessened by allocating predetermined space for the expansion and contraction to occur. W. R. MEADOWS offers several concrete expansion joint options, including fibre expansion joints, specialty expansion joints, and plastic joint materials. Our Fibre Expansion Joint is proudly made in the U.S.A. A printed brochure is available by request or a digital PDF version can be downloaded that offers…
Strong Yet Simple Joint Sealing
When you need a premium-grade polyurethane joint sealant that is easy to apply, turn to one-component, self-leveling POURTHANE SL. Developed to seal multi-purpose horizontal joints, POURTHANE SL also offers a high chemical resistance to fuels, oils, and hydrocarbons. Benefit from the excellent adhesion properties of POURTHANE SL and its resistance to aging and weathering. POURTHANE SL’s elastic qualities offer a movement capacity of +/-25%. Learn more about POURTHANE SL to confirm it’s the perfect solutions for your horizontal joint sealing needs by requesting a complimentary product sample or a reference flyer listing the features and benefits it offers. For your…
DECK-O-SEAL Color Chart Now Available
DECK-O-SEAL two-part, premium-grade, polysulfide-based joint sealant is used for caulking and sealing joints subject to concrete movement to provide a firm, flexible, weather-tight seal. It is ideal for interior and exterior joints that are subject to swimming pool chemical exposure. DECK-O-SEAL is resistant against varying weather conditions, aging, and shrinkage. DECK-O-SEAL has excellent recovery characteristics after extended periods of compression or elongation. DECK-O-SEAL is pourable and will self-level to provide a uniform, watertight seal. Now available is a digital DECK-O-SEAL color chart to view different color options. A printable PDF is also available to download. The color of the actual…
Check out our updated expansion joints brochure!
Did you know that the first product W. R. MEADOWS introduced, way back in 1926, was ASPHALT EXPANSION JOINT? Our founders pioneered expansion joint technology, knowing that concrete expands and contracts with temperature and moisture changes. As the temperature rises or the moisture content of the concrete increases, expansion takes place. As the temperature drops, the concrete will contract. The provision to accommodate movement at predetermined locations with proper joint applications prevents the development of stresses that could rupture the concrete. Our company was founded on the principle of protecting concrete from damage – that’s why we’re known as the Guardian…
PMPC Stands the Test of Time
When a demolition team went to tear down a gymnasium containing W. R. MEADOWS PMPC at Ursilane College on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio, they found something remarkable. While demolishing the building, the workers found that the PMPC, placed below the building’s concrete foundation in 1973, was still intact–looking as if it had been placed this year: solid, no cracks, with its plastic release sheet still intact. PMPC or, PREMOULDED MEMBRANE VAPOR SEAL WITH PLASMATIC CORE, is a patented (#US 7,179,761) seven-ply, weather-coated, permanently bonded, semi-flexible vaporproofing/waterproofing membrane. It is composed of an exclusive plasmatic core suspended mid-point between two…
A Joint Filler That Really Thrives Under Pressure
Imagine, a multi-purpose expansion-contraction joint filler with the ability to recover to a minimum of 70% of its original thickness after being compressed to half of its original thickness—a joint filler that will not deform, twist, or break with normal on-the-job handling. Did we mention that it can also leap tall buildings in a single bound? Well, it can’t quite do that… But you get the idea. It’s a bird, it’s a plane…no no, it’s Fibre Expansion Joint! This joint filling superhero was created to save concrete from the breakage, waste, and functional failure that can often result from the…