Please follow the guidelines below for the care of your concrete landscape curbing.
1. The concrete curb does not need to be sprayed or misted with water.
2. Keep pets, children and objects away from the curb for at least 24 hours. It will be "hard" to the touch at this point, but will still need a few days to get completely hard.
3. Sod laying, sprinkler work and landscape work can be started 24 hours after installation; however, caution must be taken as shovels, picks and wheelbarrows can damage the curb for several days while it is fully curing.
4. If you have a landscape contractor working for you, caution him/her about protecting the curb from damage. If wheelbarrows are used for hauling rock over the curb, put a mound of dirt over it (6" deep) or build a ramp over the curb to keep the weight from cracking it. Never allow a tractor or truck to run over the curb.
5. If it begins to rain within six hours afer we leave the job, try to cover the curb with plastic. Make sure sprinkler systems do not come on for at least 24 hours. Irrigation, back wash from pools, drain spout runoff, condensation lines or rain can damage the curb during the first 24 hours.
6. Efflorescence (white powder substance) can appear on occasion and does not look good on curbing. It is generated from sprinkler systems and can also appear after a rainstorm. The intensity of the efflorescence varies, depending upon the type (hardness) of water and volume of water that gets on the curb. Check your sprinkler heads while the system is on and try to adjust them to minimize the amount of water spraying directly on the curb. If you have just planted sod and are watering frequently, efflorescence may appear more readily. Be patient, wait for your lawn to get established and clean the curb after it dries. A solution of 50/50 vinegar and water with light brushing will remove the efflorescence. You may have to do this a few times; eventually, the efflorescence should go away.
7. Once in a while curbing with color in it may look "splotchy' for a few days while it is curing. This will go away as it cures and is not to be confused with efflorescence.
8. If curbing is damaged we will come back and make necessary repairs; however, there is a minimum charge for this service.
9. Cracking - Concrete curbing, like any other type of concrete, can and will crack. Although we attempt to control the cracking with additives and inserting expansion joints every couple of feet, occasionally a hairline crack will occur on the curb surface away from the control joint. A small number of hairline cracks are within tolerance and do not warrant replacement. We experience very little cracking in our products; however, if the curb should heave or buckle in a hairline crack, we will replace the affected segmented joint at no charge under the warranty period. A warning however is important to note: Repairs can be difficult to make in standard gray or colored concrete. It is impossible to get a perfect color match due to components in different concrete and color batches. Sometimes the "cure is worse than the ill". A hairline crack is much less noticeable than a patch or discoloration in the curbing. Replacement is limited to one occurance.
10. When curbing is installed as a retrofit (grass already in place) there will be small amount of concrete on the ground between the new curb and grass. It is very difficult to remove this concrete while it is still wet. After a 24 hour curing period it can be picked up in small pieces and thrown away. Since we have not included a return trip in the price, we ask that you take a few minutes to remove the excess concrete. This will allow your grass to grow back against the curb. You may want to place sand and/or dirt in this area as well, if there are voids between the curb and grass.
11. Your curbing has a one-year, one time replacement warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. It will be replaced at no charge if the defect is caused by the materials we use or the way it was installed by our workmen. We do not warranty against cracking for tree rings due to tree roots. Please refer to "Cracking" above.
