Commercial Concrete Finishers/Crew Leaders

Commercial Concrete Finishers/Crew Leaders

Love concrete and the fast paced, challenging commercial work but tired of traveling all over the state and country? We are looking for positive, motivated concrete professionals to join our team. We are a growing family owned business who values our employees.

Skills & Experience we are seeking:

·        Experience with commercial concrete flatwork, foundations and walls.

·        Experience in construction of retail, housing, offices and industrial facilities

·        Ability to understand and interpret drawings and specs

·        Ability to layout foundations, slabs, anchor bolts, walls, bollards, etc.

·        Experience in all aspects of commercial forming and finishing

·        Ability to operate skid steer, buggy, riding power trowel, walk behind power trowel, various screeds, bull floats, hand tools, etc.

·        Ability to interface in a respectful and professional manner with GCs, customers and other employees

We can offer you:

·        Paid time off

·        Simple IRA retirement with company match

·        Profit sharing

·        AFLAC supplemental benefits

·        Ongoing training

·        Other perks including employee of the month, work boot reimbursement, service awards, paid lunch & learns, opportunities for concrete conferences & travel

Must have:

·        Valid driver’s license & reliable transportation

·        Ability to pass a drug test

·        Positive attitude

·        Desire to learn

·        Team player

·        Hustle

      Does this sound like a good fit for you or someone you know? Call or stop by our office south of West Liberty for an application. We'd love to talk to you. Our office number is 937-465-1500 or email robertayoder@yoderconcrete.com. Have a blessed day!

So You Want a Decorative Concrete Driveway?

So I hear that you have been dreaming of replacing that old, crumbling driveway of yours. Of course, concrete is the only way to go - you want to do it right, if you are going to spend the money, right? Concrete would be great, but plain elephant concrete just doesn't appeal to you. You want your place to stand out in the crowd. Make it part of the curb appeal. One up your neighbor, maybe? What are the options that can still fit into the budget, you wonder... I am so glad you asked!  The excellent staff at Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC in West Liberty, Ohio are here to help!

A welcoming entrance to your home

Let's talk concrete...Do you want to start fancy or plain? Plain? Ok, let's begin at the beginning with plain old concrete. Regular concrete, delivered by the ready mix plant, will generally be a gray to white color placed with a broom finish and often edged along the sides to give it a smooth finished look.  Control joints, most often placed as saw cuts, are strategically placed where the contractor believes cracking could occur. (Their purpose is to guide the crack to follow that cut. Then you never even know your concrete cracked.  It is hidden in the cut! Cracks don't always obey, so don't be angry with your contractor if a crack decides to take a different route.)

Ok, how can we dress up this plain Jane concrete?  What if we add a few extra saw cuts to give some pattern to your concrete.  Who said you only have to have two or three cuts?  What if you add a diamond pattern to your driveway?  Or maybe a curved pattern like this homeowner wanted.  

Regular concrete with decorative saw cuts

 One step up would be to add integral color to the concrete. The color is added at the ready mix plant and mixed in the large drum while traveling from the plant to your home or business. Color options include grays, tans, browns, terra cotta, reds, and even green. You can keep the broom finish for a less expensive finish (less labor) but still add an upscale touch. Add some decorative saw cuts and you really having something going!

Regular concrete with a keystone stenciled border and apron

Integral color, stenciled border and diamond saw cuts

Another option would be to add a decorative border or ribbons. The less expensive option would be to stamp a brick, slate or stone border around the outside edges of the driveway without adding color or adding just a highlighting release color. My preference would be to add a contrasting color to the border to make it really stand out.  A stenciled brick border is a great option, offered in four different styles (herringbone being my favorite) or there are bushrock, keystone (another favorite) or an 18" flagstone border which is great for that wider driveway.  Color hardener and a release color are added on the stencil to give a great vibrant color contrast to your regular concrete driveway.  "Ribbons" are the same as borders only they are placed horizontally across the driveway, often placed where a control joint would be cut.

Stamped patio with a stenciled border and Compass inlay

Shown next is an inlay that can spice up an otherwise basic look. Decorative inlays are stencils and come in a variety of sizes and can be round or diamond shaped.  The "Compass" is a great addition to the middle of your driveway or patio and makes a great conversation piece.  Just make sure your contractor knows which way is north before they lay the stencil down!  (That is a mistake a contractor will only make once and never forget - yes, we're talking from experience.)


Your next option would be to add a pattern and color to the entire concrete surface.  This could be stamped or stenciled with your base color (either integral or using color hardener) and using a release agent with color creating a contrasting and more realistic look to the pattern.  A variety of patterns and colors are available. Our friends at Deco-Crete Supply  in Columbus and Orville, Ohio have a great website to view photos of decorative concrete, and you can even find their catalog of stamps available. We, at Yoder Concrete Construction, have many of these patterns as well, and all of Deco-Crete's are available for us to use.  

Stamped patio with brick stenciled border

Use your creativity and imagination to add any of these elements to your design. Thrown in a border and inlay to a stamped patio. I would encourage you to browse online for ideas and then call your contractor to get a detailed proposal of how he or she can create your dream project. If you are in the Urbana/Bellefontaine area, be sure to visit our outdoor showroom of decorative concrete samples. We have over 100 options for you to see and touch. What better way to make a "concrete" decision for your project! (Pun intended.) 

8874 N US Hwy 68, West Liberty, OH

If we can be of assistance, let us know! We'd be glad to help in the planning and placement of your next concrete project.

NOW ACCEPTING EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS

Two people asked me this morning, "Is Yoder Concrete Construction still hiring?"  My response was, "Yes, we are still accepting applications." The amount of bids we are cranking out is crazy, and the number of people saying that we will be doing work for them this year is amazing.  We are going to need some skilled concrete workers to be able to meet the need of the amount of work. We are so excited about the prospect for this year since the weather has finally gotten warmer. Do you know someone who is looking for work in the Urbana /Bellefontaine, Ohio area?  Do they have some concrete or general construction experience? Maybe you know someone who has their own concrete construction company and is tired of dealing with all of the paperwork and estimating and just wants to do what they love: pour and finish concrete.  At Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC, we focus on providing great training for our employees and giving them a great place to work, making them a part of a team creating something in which they can be proud. A lot of companies boast that they have a family oriented environment, and I guess we can do the same thing. Ask any of the employees here. We have each other's backs. 

Want to work in a positive work environment where you can see the results of that hard work at the end of the day? Concrete construction is a great field of work with job satisfaction, and Yoder Concrete Construction is a great employer. Stop in today for an application at 8874 N. US Hwy 68 just south of West Liberty, OH.

Piqua Skate Park update

I hear you are asking for an update on the Piqua Skate Park and want to see some photos.  Here you go!

The Piqua Skate Park project, for Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC, dates all the way back to October of 2009. The City of Piqua Parks and Recreational Department submitted a request for bid "Skate Park - Design and Build of Plaza-Style Skate Park." In coordination with Karen Beasley from Beasley Architecture in Bellefontaine, OH, we submitted a proposal to design and complete this project. We had just completed the Urbana Skate Park in June of 2009, and the community and skaters were very pleased with the outcome. Being local, as opposed to bidders from as far away as California, we felt very capable to complete the project for Piqua using local companies and employees. However, the project was tabled due in part to funding issues.
 
The project resurfaced the spring of 2012 when a local benefactor chose to help the community fulfill their dream of a having local, quality concrete skate park for their youth. The chosen site was at Pitzenbarger Park on South Street next to the city pool and behind BK Root Beer. After several discussions, contract reviews and meetings, a plan of action was chosen, and we finally broke ground on Monday, July 9, 2012.

Pumping the stairs

The design that was chosen was very similar to the skate park built at Melvin Miller Park in Urbana, OH. Since we were familiar with that design, it would be easy to recreate it again in Piqua...or so we thought. The park in Urbana was built into an existing hill making the slope for the ramps and stairs a natural flow into the land. The site in Piqua, however, was FLAT. Over 2000 ton of stone has been hauled in and placed. Twelve foot retaining walls were built to hold in all of that stone and dirt. An extra set of stairs on the outside of the skate park was built to make access from the parking lot easier. The layout of the land added an element of challenge to the project that we did not have in Urbana. We, of course, are succeeding in accomplishing a three dimensional work of art using concrete on a flat surface.

Progress as of September 7, 2012

Building a Volcano

Above is a photo of work being done at our shop just yesterday to build the frame for the volcano. This is just one of the features yet to be built. The guys took it to the jobsite today for construction. We have this and a few more features to build, and then we can begin placing the flatwork around the features. Our portion of the project will soon be coming to a close. I am told that the city and the benefactor are very happy with our work and excited about the progress. They are very anxious to take possession of the park and schedule a grand opening, especially since fall is here and winter will soon be upon us. Our plan is to have the project completed by the end of October.

Check our Facebook page for updates on this and other projects by Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC!

Now EDGE Certified

After months of researching, making copies, meetings, making copies, completing forms, making copies, and more meetings, Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC is now EDGE Certified.  For some of you, this may mean nothing. For others, it may be a benefit. For us, it is an opportunity for company growth and for furthering our business into new and larger sectors.

EDGE stands for Encouraging Diversity, Growth and Equity Program. In the words of the State of Ohio:  "As its name suggests, the State of Ohio’s EDGE program provides an EDGE to small businesses by Encouraging Diversity, Growth and Equity in public contracting. EDGE is an assistance program for economically and socially disadvantaged business enterprises. The State of Ohio developed the program  because it is committed to making all state contracts, services, benefits and opportunities available  without discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or  ancestry.The state recognizes the need to encourage, nurture and support the growth of economically  and socially underutilized businesses to foster their development and increase the number of qualified competitors in the marketplace." 

For Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC, it is opening doors for us with businesses and markets that we have only begun to visit. We are excited about the opportunities it may bring to us. Being a small, rural business that is woman owned and operated in the construction field, it can be challenging and intimidating at times. (I would love to tell you a story from just last night, but it will take me a little off topic, so I'll stay focused.)

What does it mean for you? If you are a general contractor or public/state funded entity that has a goal to utilize state of Ohio suppliers who qualify under the EDGE program, we may be of benefit to you. We not only help you meet your goals, but more importantly, we offer quality concrete construction and service that will assist you in completing your construction project. 

In either case, we would love to assist you in your next construction project where concrete is needed. Visit our website at yoderconcrete.com or you are welcome to email me at robertayoder@yoderconcrete.com.  How may we help you?

ACI Certification Finisher Training

To continue our commitment to training and excellence in the concrete construction industry, our crews and office staff spent an entire day last week in the conference room learning about the standards set forth by the American Concrete Institute for a Concrete Flatwork Finisher. 

Jeff Yoder, ACI Certified Flatwork Finisher (#00151548) and President of Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC, conducted the training. By using ACI Certification craftsman workbooks and real life examples, Jeff discussed each chapter and reviewed sample exam questions with the attendees. They discussed planning and preparing the site for placing a concrete slab on ground, concrete materials, mixes and admixtures, floor flatness and levelness, concrete equipment and tools, finishing, jointing, curing and the protection of the concrete, and finally concrete finishing problems and possible solutions to ensure a quality project. Everyone was very receptive to the training, and there was much discussion and learning.

On Friday, February 3rd, two of our guys traveled to Columbus for the exam. The test was held at the Ohio Ready Mixed Concrete Association headquarters. The exam consisted of 50 multiple choice and true/false questions and lasted approximately two hours. 

Achieving certification from the American Concrete Institute as a Concrete Flatwork Finisher involves meeting the following requirements: One year (1500 hours) of work experience in finishing concrete flatwork, a passing grade on the written examination, and successful completion of a performance evaluation consisting of either a performance exam or an alternative evaluation based on signed affidavits verifying abilities and additional work experience. If you have enough experience, you may qualify to have the performance exam requirement waived. This alternative evaluation involves proving that you have an additional two years of applicable work experience (a total of 4500+ hours) and are able to correctly perform all procedures covered by the performance exam.  I am happy to report that both of our guys satisfied the experience requirement, and the performance exam was waived. Now we will wait on the results of the written examinations.

Why did we spend the time and money for this training and certification process? As stated by ACI in the workbook, "Being certified by ACI means being recognized by an independent organization of experts in the concrete field. ACI standards for design and construction are recognized and followed around the world..." We, at Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC, want to be the premier provider of concrete construction and be considered experts in our field of construction. Continued training is a must to ensure that our employees are following these standards so we may provide our customers with the best possible results on their projects.

I will report back when we have the results of the exam, although I am sure that both of the guys passed. Next year we plan to send another group for the exam to continue our quest for excellence.

Are you certified in your field? You should be. You should always strive to be the best you can be and learn something new every day. You may consider yourself an expert, but there is ALWAYS something new and exciting to learn.
Best wishes to you!

What is a QR code anyway?

I excitedly posted this on our Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC Facebook fan page and waited for responses of how cool it was. I got nothing. Well, not exactly nothing. My husband suggested that I explain what it is and what to do with it because he really wasn't sure how to get whatever it was. I thought he was the only non-techy one looking at the post. However, after reading Why the QR code is failing, it made me realize that maybe only a small percentage of the population know what to do with this. And when you consider our target audience, many being the construction type, that percentage might drop even more. Or even if you know what it is, you may not have the technology to do anything with it. With it being posted on Facebook, you might want to click on it to see what happens. (Nothing. You need a smart phone.) I can see where this could be confusing.

For those of you who don't know, this is a QR code, or quick response code. If you have a smart phone, you can download an app that will read this code like a scanner reads a bar code. The first one I created takes your smart phone right to our website. (How cool is that!) My initial intent was to place the code on all of the work trucks and any new promotional literature. But I have struggled with this for the same reason as the writer of the blog stated. Why would you have it go to your website when you most likely have the URL spelled out in the same place anyway. Then I received a catalog of one of our suppliers, and on the back of the catalog was a QR code. It said to scan the code to download their contact information. (Way more cool!) So now, easy at that, I have that company's contact information in my Droid. That is much handier than sending me to a website that I don't have time to look at anyway. 

So now I am trying to decide if the QR code would be useful to our business. Am I too far ahead of my target audience? Or is the QR code even going to catch on as a good marketing tool? When it comes to concrete construction, what is a good use for the QR code?  If I owned a bed and breakfast, I could use it  to download my recipe for blueberry crunch muffins. If I had a restaurant, it could be a coupon for a free appetizer. Concrete? not so sure. 

Do you have any suggestions for me? I want to be on the cutting edge of marketing technology, but maybe that doesn't make sense in the construction industry. (I am looking for some encouragement here.) What do you think?

Concrete Finishing is a Craft

Are you a craftsman or crafter? Someone who takes various materials and makes them into a beautiful finished product? If you are, you realize that the quality of the products supplied by others and the skill of the craftsman are very important for the outcome of the final product. 

A concrete finisher is a craftsman. We start with a somewhat runny, slumpy mixture of water, cement, and stone, most often supplied and mixed by a ready mix plant using their special recipe for the type of project that is being done.  Chemical or mineral admixtures may be added to the concrete  to change the properties of the concrete as deemed appropriate for the conditions. Color may be added to the concrete mixture, either a powder or a liquid, often added by the ready mix plant. Synthetic fibers may be added to the mix to reduce plastic shrinkage cracks and provide shatter resistance.

An experienced craftsman has come across many things during his or her time doing their craft and have learned how to pre-plan or react to get the end result desired. However, there are times when it is beyond the control of the craftsman, and the end results are not as perfect as desired.

I want to share a specific project that we completed a few years ago that, although beautiful, did not turn out exactly as we desired. The project was a driveway with integral color and a stenciled brick border and a matching stenciled sidewalk. Heat was installed under the sidewalk to avoid shoveling and icing during the winter. It took two ready mix truck loads of concrete to place the driveway, so we placed the left half first, and then the right half with the second truck. The result was that one side was a little lighter in color than the other.


We struggled with what to do to make it right for the customer. In cases like this, we are at the mercy of the concrete ready mix plant to make sure that, in multiple loads of concrete, the color is exactly the same for the entire project. Our solution was to use a colored sealer to blend the colors over the entire project. Because the difference was subtle, and over time the color of concrete changes as it cures, the result was satisfactory.



Fast forward to 2011. We received a call from the homeowner who stated that a small area of the concrete had popped out. He was not complaining but wanted it patched so it wouldn't get worse. I explained to the homeowner that any patching would not match in color. The materials used to patch are different than the original materials, and as I mentioned earlier, the color of concrete changes over time. The homeowner understood and wanted the work done.  One of our craftsman went to the jobsite to do the repair and, in cleaning out the area, found a lump of integral color that had not mixed with the concrete. He continued to make the repair, but saved the color to show the customer.

Often times, we never get the answers to the difficulties we face each day. We have to realize that God is in control and learn from the challenges He throws our way. Funny how, in this case, seven years later, we find out why the color didn't match. Could we have prevented it? Maybe the drum needed to cycle around a few more times, or maybe the color clumped and wouldn't have dissolved anyway. We don't know. We will just continue to do our craft, learn from our mistakes and attend training opportunities when possible. We share a love of concrete and will continue to serve our customers the best we can.

Not Just Gray Concrete Anymore

Koi fish pond & fountain

Not your typical concrete: I was privileged to join a group of ladies to Hocking Hills, OH last weekend for a Weekend Retweat. No, I didn't stutter...we "tweet" about our retreat through various social media outlets.  Our stay was at The Glass House, one of the 4 Seasons Hideways in the beautiful Hocking Hills. This house was built in 2010 and was a 2010 award winner for Best of the Best Green Home Design by the Builders Industry Association. It is beautiful and energy efficient, but of course what caught my eye was their use of concrete countertops throughout the house. In the photo above, you'll see concrete seating around a Koi fish pond and fountain right in the middle of the house. This same concrete countertop was used throughout the house in the kitchen, bathrooms and in the laundry room.  I loved the polished finish that exposed the aggregate in the concrete. The concrete vessel sinks were great to see as well. 

While we were there, we visited many of God's wonders including Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls and Ash Cave. Due to all of the rain we have had this spring, the falls were amazing. I heard people exclaim that they had never seen so much water coming over the falls! Again, the use of concrete caught my eye (I am trained well!) I was expecting dirt or mulch trails at a state park, but at Old Man's Cave, the trails were very well made with both natural and man made elements that gave the look and feel of having been there for years. Beware of those who are not in shape because if you want to see Old Man's Cave, you will need to traverse many steps. But it is well worth the effort! 


Ash Cave is ADA accessible with their concrete walkways back to the cave and waterfall. When making the walkways, they used colored concrete to match the natural dirt color of the area, and they did not use typical straight forms to form up the sides of the sidewalk. The result was a more natural flow blending in to the beauty of the area. 

I would encourage anyone looking for a getaway to go to Hocking Hills in southern Ohio.  You can have the ultra modern conveniences offered by 4 Seasons Hideaways, stay in one of the many cabins, or camp at a local campground. You can walk through the parks or zip line from above with Hocking Hills Canopy Tours.  I can't wait to take my family back to Hocking Hills.

Contractor Alert: First impressions count

Want a professional image for your business? What you say and do can make a huge difference in how potential customers perceive you.

I had lunch with a business colleague last week, and she shared about an experience she had with her neighbor's concrete contractor. She was in her house with her young children minding her own business. The neighbor was having some concrete work done in his backyard (not by Yoder Concrete Construction, by the way,) and the workers were loud with very colorful language in this quiet residential neighborhood. There was only so much this lady could take. She went out and confronted the person in charge asking them to watch their language because there were young children within earshot, and it was not appreciated.

If that wasn't bad enough, not long after, she heard water running from her outside spigot.  She went out, and sure enough, this contractor had hooked up his hose to her house, without permission, because they needed to wash their tools. For some reason, they were unable to reach the customer's water source. She was livid, but being a business owner herself and wanting to maintain relationships, she allowed them to use her water. However, she suggested they ask in advance next time.

Needless to say, she said she would never hire this contractor regardless of their quality or price because of the way they handled themselves on this one project. You could be the best contractor on the planet, but your image may tell consumers something different. There is a simple lesson to be learned here: think about what you say and who might overhear it, and ask permission before trespassing on someone else's property. Be professional at all times. You just never know who is watching. It could be your next customer (or not.)

Satisfied business in Union County

A recent industrial customer in Union County sent this note via email. "I wanted to pass along my thoughts on the recent work Yoder Concrete performed (for us.) I am very pleased with the outcome of the concrete work, it looks nice and was done in a timely fashion, given the tight work environment of the small building they had to work in. We will definitely contact you for future concrete considerations." Thank you to Bud for the good words and for the business. We look forward to working with them in the future. 

Control joints control cracking - most of the time

Cracks in concrete are a sore subject for any concrete contractor. No one likes to see in cracks in their concrete. Sometimes customers want a guarantee that their concrete won't crack.  So what can we do about it?

First of all there is a good chance that your concrete will crack. With the settling and movement of the earth and the freezing & thawing here in Ohio, there is a much better chance of cracking than not. We would be more likely to guarantee that you will get a crack than not. Does that make us a bad concrete contractor and that we don't know what we are doing? Absolutely not. Please keep reading.

Cracks followed he tooled control joints

The first thing a good contractor like Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC will do is to make sure the concrete is placed on a mechanically compacted based. We typically use a gravel or limestone mixed with dust that compacts very well.

The next thing to do is not preventing cracks, but controlling them with control joints.

Control joints are strategically placed cuts, expansion strips or lines tooled into the concrete with the intent that any cracking that might occur in the slab will follow these weakened joints. They are placed at predetermined locations based upon the thickness and width of the slab or often at corner or posts. In the picture above, you might be able to see that a crack followed the joint that the contractor placed in the concrete sidewalk. The crack is hidden in the joint and not greatly visible to the eye. In the absence of the control joint, the crack would have been very random and visibly distracting.

Does the crack always follow the control joint?  Unfortunately no. See the picture above. I had to take this picture. I was amazed. There are three control joints at the corner of this sidewalk, and the crack chose to randomly take its own path. Was this the fault of the contractor? Not at all. Cracks will do their own thing. We can only do our best to control them.

Occasionally we will have a customer that does not want control joints in their concrete. That is an acceptable decision, but they need to remember that there is always a chance of cracking, and it will occur randomly. The sidewalk shown above is stamped in a random stone pattern with a solid border. Because of the random pattern, the customer chose not to put a straight line in the walk. A control joint would not have prevented the crack, but would have hidden the crack in a straight line. 

I hope this post clarifies concrete cracking and what we do about it. Do you still have questions? Please let me know. I'd love to hear your opinion on this!

Concrete pavement placed in Marion, OH

Job complete! Our guys did a great job up in Marion, OH at the Bunge NA plant replacing existing asphalt and concrete pavement that had seen its better days. Eight inches of concrete was placed over a steel reinforced and compacted stone base for a run of about 422 feet long. They placed 217 cubic yards of concrete in three days. I hear the semi truck drivers think they are on a runway now!

I want to thank our primary suppliers for this project: Hensel Ready Mix for supplying the concrete, White Cap Construction Supply for supplying and delivering the steel, cure and other materials, Concrete Coring Company and Smith Materials for assisting with the removal process of the existing pavement. A thank you, also, to Mark Pardi at Ohio Concrete for the prospectus on the job as shown above. Go Concrete!

Great job to our employees and all of those involved. They worked their tails off in the 90 degree heat and high humidity, and then went right into another similar job at Midwest Express near Marysville. Kudos to all!

Pole barn floors, stenciled porch, & more

Hi! I thought I should at least jump on here and let you know we still exist! I wanted to post every week, but I had a little gap there, didn't I? Sorry!

Well, we have been busy. We have placed concrete for a decorative porch in Urbana, OH. I need to stop in and get pictures now that it is completely done. Jeff put the bottom row of siding back on the house last Friday. It is beautiful. We used a ...well, I'll wait and tell you more about it when I get the pictures up. The guys are pouring a barn floor today - I think total the floor used about 44 cy of concrete. We also have repaired a barn silo foundation outside of Urbana, replaced a garage floor in Quincy, and repaired and filled in a trench in a manufacturing facility in Sidney.

We are still bidding concrete jobs as well. A few bids that have recently gone out include another skate park, a set of barn floors for a beef operation, a decorative sidewalk, and a couple of driveway replacements.

Although we are not as busy as we have been in past years, we are still working strong with what we have, and we will be here for your business in the future. We appreciate each customer because without you, we wouldn't have a business. Let me know if we can be of service to you.

A note from a customer

This is a note I received from a customer when she mailed in her final payment. She said, "You are very fortunate to have capable workers to work with your projects. They know the concrete business and did a good job with my patio. I know I will enjoy it and it will be safe for me. I bought a patio set and hope I have time to sit out there." Signed Dorothy

Dorothy had recently fallen on her previous patio of uneven flagstone pavers and had to have stitches in her head. We are very happy that the customer was not only pleased with her new patio, but that it also created a safer environment for her. And we thank our employees for the good work that they did. Kudos to all.

Urbana Skate Park Grand Opening

Were you in Urbana, OH, last Sunday afternoon for the Grand Opening ceremony and ribbon cutting for the new skate park? I captured a glimpse of it for you just in case you couldn't make it (see below.) I overheard someone say there were over 100 skateboarders there ready to try out the new facility. Watch through the end of the video to see some of the skaters. You can also catch more in another video on our YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/yoderconcretetv. If you want to fine tune your boarding skills at the park, you can find it on the north end of town at the Melvin Miller Park near the city pool. Let me know when you are going to be there and maybe I can catch you on the flip (video, that is.) You might find yourself on our blog or on our YouTube channel! How cool is that! Or if you see yourself on the videos already posted, send me a comment below. I'd love to know that I caught you on tape and you saw it.

Well, another great project completed by Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC. A few of our upcoming projects include two stenciled sidewalks-one in brick and one in a keystone pattern, a commercial driveway and a stamped patio. Visit here weekly for updates on what Yoder Concrete has going on. We give free estimates, so let me know if you or someone you know needs some concrete work. We can still fit you in to our schedule this summer.

Urbana Skate Park update

Okay, I started this blog last week after a visit to the skate park. But due to Internet connection problems, I got off track and just now got back on here. And in the meantime, we now have a YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/YoderConcreteTV. How exciting is that! I only have two videos posted (again because of my connection problems.) But more will follow soon! And somehow I will figure out how to link my Youtube channel and blog to do this once. I am learning as I go as I am sure many of us are. Any advice? Comment below - I would love to hear from you.

Here is what I had to say last week with a little modification to send you to the video via YouTube...

What a beautiful day to be working outdoors! And I started my day at the Urbana Skate Park project to video the latest work instead of in the office as often happens. And I actually caught the guys "placing" concrete, as my dear twitter friend corrected me. I had a helper with me, and we thought we wouldn't get there in time to see the concrete mixer, but we were in luck. We saw one truck wash out and leave just before the last finish load arrived. Click below to see the video of their pour - make sure you watch to the end to see our little concrete finisher in training!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v01zAq1XpAU&feature=channel_page

Concrete volcano at the skate park

Good Monday morning! It was chilly this morning, but the sun is shining and will be a great day to do concrete work!

I got pictures of the volcano in progress from last week. A slight scare as we thought the camera was missing, but it was in the truck right where it was supposed to be. Much better than buried under a pile of dirt as was suspected.

I went to the Coffee Depot Friday night after the Relay for Life opening ceremonies. There were a lot of kids there; it is a nice hangout. I saw a few skate boarders there just waiting for this skate park to open! It sure will be nice for them to have a place to go instead of trying their tricks in the middle of a busy parking lot. I went again on Sunday afternoon to teach our four year old how to roller blade. It was slow moving on wheels, but a fun time, nonetheless. Our sixteen year old did circles around us on his blades! They got fruit smoothies and I got a frozen vanilla latte, and we enjoyed the sunshine and the afternoon.

Ok, I know it isn't Friday, which is when I usually post an update, but I got these pictures from Kevin from Lost Nation Boardsports and had to share them with you. Plus, between you and me, I am taking a class at Ohio Hi-Point to learn more about social media, and our homework is to work on a blog. I thought this little video might get me extra credit! Just don't tell Mr. Haggerty that my sixteen year old son helped with it (just a little. ) No, I don't typically listen to The Offspring, but I have heard it enough to know it would make great background music for the skate park.

I finally got to see what a Euro gap is. Some of these I could have figured out - pyramid, stairs, ledge... not too difficult to label. There is a volcano, too - you can see it in the first picture of the whole model. And they actually poured the real concrete volcano this week. Jeff took some pictures, so as soon as I get them, I will post them for you to see. Let me know what you think of this project. Tell your friends about it. Plan on visiting this summer to try it out. But stay off of it until we say it is okay. The concrete isn't cured hard yet, so we don't want to mess up the edges or it just won't be the same for everyone to enjoy.

Have a safe week! God bless.

This week's update on the skate park

Welcome back to the Urbana Skate Park progress update. We got a lot done this week compared to last week. You can really see it coming together. There are stairs, rails and a Eurogap - whatever that is - I am not knowledgable in these things! I'll have to come out when it is done and have a skate boarder tell me what the elements are and show me how they are used. I think I'll leave my skate board at home, though!

The spring rains are welcome for the farmers, but they are getting us behind schedule. We can use some help if you know of someone who has experience placing concrete and would like to be a part of creating this exciting and challenging project. They need to have a positive attitude and be proud of a job well done. Have them call the office for an application at 1-866-466-8614.