FAQs

Intermountain Concrete Specialties (ICS) is a concrete supply and equipment company serving contractors and homeowners across Utah and Idaho. We’ve been in business since 1950 and carry the products, tools and equipment you need to get concrete work done right—from foundations and flatwork to decorative finishes.

We’re concrete specialists, not generalists. Every product we carry, every person on our staff and every piece of equipment we rent is focused on one thing: concrete. That specialization means you get better product recommendations, faster answers and fewer wasted trips.

We have seven locations across Utah and Idaho to serve your needs, no matter where your job site is located.

Hours vary by location:

• Orem – Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Draper – Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Idaho Falls – Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• George – Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Ogden – Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Logan – Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Salt Lake City – Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.

If you’re not sure which location is closest to your job site, give us a call and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Yes. We rent concrete equipment for both contractors and DIYers. And that’s not all. We also rent forms and stamps so you don’t have to store these bulky items. Call your nearest location to check availability.

Yes, we do offer contractor pricing. Get in touch with the location nearest to you to learn more and start saving today.

Our locations accept cash, credit and debit cards and Apple Pay. We are unable to accept checks.

Yes. Call the location nearest your job site and ask for a quote. Have your material list ready and we’ll turn it around quickly.

Yes. Call ahead, tell us what you need and we’ll have it ready when you pull up.

Yes, currently all locations accept orders over the phone. Online ordering is not something we currently offer, but are in the process of setting up for our customers.

Yes, we deliver to job sites during our usual business hours. Let us know where you need it and when, and we’ll handle the rest.

Yes. We carry a range of concrete equipment available for rent by the day or longer. Call your nearest location to check current availability and reserve what you need.

Both. We supply everything from standard residential mixes and tools to commercial-grade forming systems, rebar, admixtures and specialty products. If you’re not sure whether we carry what you need for a specific job, call us.

In many cases, yes. If you need something we don’t have on the shelf, talk to our team and we’ll do what we can to track it down. Call the location nearest you to discuss your specific needs.

Yes, ICS offers custom rebar fabrication services. Call your nearest location with your specs and we’ll get you taken care of.

Every ICS location is staffed with people who know concrete. Call the location nearest your job site and you’ll be connected directly with our team. If the first person you speak with doesn’t have the answer, they’ll connect you to someone who does.

We have seven locations across Utah and Idaho, so there’s a good chance one is close to wherever your job takes you:

• Orem – 487 South 1325 West, Orem, Utah 84058
• Draper – 441 W 12300 S A600, Draper, UT 84020
• Idaho Falls – 3710 Bombardier Street, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402
• George – 1280 East 700 North, St. George, Utah 84770
• Ogden – 2660 Pennsylvania Ave., Ogden, Utah 84401
• Logan – 2005 North 600 West Suite H, Sandy, UT 84092
• Salt Lake City – 425 West 1700 South, SLC, Utah 84115

Curing and drying are often used interchangeably, but, in fact, they are different. Curing is the process of controlling the rate and extent of moisture loss from concrete during cement hydration, to achieve the desired properties for its intended use. Hydration refers to the chemical reaction that occurs between cement and water that contributes to setting and hardening. This requires maintaining enough relative humidity (greater than 80%) and a temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 to 14 days—depending on the mixture. Techniques to achieve these proper curing requirements range from spraying the concrete surface with water in warm conditions to using heating coils and insulating blankets in freezing conditions. After the appropriate curing period, the cement will be adequately hydrated, and the concrete will be ready for full use.

Normal concrete will set in 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the humidity and temperature. However, you should ensure the concrete is properly cured before moving anything large onto it or exposing the surface to heavy foot traffic. Curing can take between 7 to 14 days.

The minimum curing recommendation is seven days, provided that the temperature is more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. However, compressive strengths of concrete mixtures vary, and each requires a different curing period. So, a good rule of thumb is to wait between 7 to 14 days before full use.

Start with a properly excavated and leveled area. For most projects, you’ll want at least four inches of compacted gravel as a base. Make sure your forms are built solidly and staked securely—if they shift during the pour, you’ll know it. Getting the prep right is the part most DIYers rush, and it’s also the part that determines how well everything else goes.

You can typically walk on concrete within 24 to 48 hours, but this can vary depending on the mix and weather conditions. You should wait at least 7 days before driving or placing heavy objects on it to allow the concrete to reach sufficient strength. The concrete will continue to gain strength for weeks after that.

The strength of concrete is measured in pounds per square inch (PSI) and is a measurement of the concrete’s ability to carry loads or handle compression. The higher the number, the stronger the concrete. Below are the most common concrete ratings every homeowner should know for general residential uses.

• 2,500 PSI:Useful for driveways and walkways. However, some may choose a stronger concrete to avoid excessive cracking.
• 3,000 PSI:A good choice for most residential applications. Can be used for driveways, patios and sidewalks. Its durability helps defend against freeze-thaw cycles of harsh winters.
• 3,500 PSI:A good choice whenever heavy loads are expected to be moved or stored on, such as RV pads.
• 4,000 PSI: Typically used in large warehouse and factories. For the homeowner, 4,000 PSI concrete can be a good option for backyard workshops or sheds, due to its surface durability.

There are only three things certain in life: death, taxes and cracks in concrete, and there are four main reasons concrete cracks:

• Too much water in the mix: A common problem with concrete used in residential work is excess water added to the mix. This could be an attempt to make the mix easier to work with, or just in error. Either way, too much water can dramatically reduce the strength of concrete and lead to cracking.
• Concrete dries too fast: Hydration, the chemical reaction that allows concrete to properly cure and harden, requires water. When concrete dries too fast, the water evaporates rapidly. This means there isn’t enough water present for long enough to cause the chemical reaction needed for a strong finished product.
• Improper strength of concrete used:Strength of concrete is measured in PSI . Using concrete that’s not strong enough for your project will undoubtedly lead to excessive cracking. Read our answer to the question, “What strength of concrete is right for me?” for guidance on what PSI you should use for a given project. Otherwise, consult with your concrete supplier to ensure the concrete is strong enough for the intended application.
• No joints: Possibly the best way to reduce cracking in concrete is by using the proper joints, either expansion or control. Since concrete is bound to crack, control joints are “planned” cracks. Omitting control joints from a concrete surface only encourages the concrete to crack more—and wherever it needs in order to expand or contract. Expansion joints act as a type of “shock absorber” next to an adjacent surface to allow for the concrete’s natural movement. For more about concrete joints, read our Why Use Concrete Joints blog entry.    

Read our How-To: Repair Cracks in Concrete in Three Easy Steps blog for an easy way to repair them.

For minor cracks and chips, yes—there are a variety of repair products available at ICS that make concrete crack repair a manageable DIY project. For more extensive damage or anything that looks structural, it’s worth having a professional take a look before you try to patch it. A bad repair on a serious crack can make things worse down the road.

Concrete is a mixture of three ingredients: cement, water and aggregate. It’s a material that is plastic in one form, but incredibly strong once dried. And it’s one of the most widely-used building materials. In fact, it’s the second most consumed substance in the world, behind water. About 10 billion tons of concrete are produced every year.

Concrete is a mixture of three ingredients: cement, water and aggregate. Cement is simply an ingredient in concrete. It’s the binding agent—the material that ties the three ingredients together to achieve the hard, finished product we all know.

Portland cement is the most common type of cement used in concrete mixtures. It is a fine powder made from limestone and clay that has been superheated, then pulverized.

There are hundreds of different types of concrete typically used for industrial applications: prestressed concrete, precast concrete, shotcrete, lightweight concrete, high-density concrete and so many more. But for the homeowner, there are four main types you should know about:

• Normal strength concrete:  Most typical concrete made from the mixture of cement, water and aggregate that is used in a wide-range of residential (and industrial) applications (too many to list here). The strength of normal concrete can vary from 2,500 PSI to 4,000 PSI, depending on the mixture and intended use.
• Plain concrete: Refers to normal strength concretes with no reinforcement added.
• Reinforced concrete: Refers to normal strength concretes to which reinforcement has been added to improve tensile strength. Reinforcement typically comes in the form of steel bars, rods or mesh.
• Decorative concrete: There are two types of decorative concrete: colored and stamped. Stains and dyesadd color to change the appearance of both interior and exterior concrete surfaces. They can be added either during pouring or even to existing concrete. There‘s a vast selection of hues to choose from to achieve the desired effect. And stamped concrete is an easier and less time-consuming method for creating beautiful, multi-dimensional walkways and patios that look similar to more expensive landscape materials such as stones or pavers.

A few simple habits go a long way. Apply a quality sealer every few years to protect against moisture and stains. During winter, skip the de-icing salts—they’re hard on concrete surfaces and can accelerate wear. And clean up oil, grease or chemical spills as soon as they happen rather than letting them soak in.

The most user-friendly method of removing stains in concrete is to use a premixed concrete stain remover, available at Intermountain Concrete Specialties. The two most common stains in concrete are oil and paint. If you’re looking for a home remedy, there are a couple of options, depending on the stain itself. Removing each requires a slightly different approach.

• Oil: Oil stains won’t scrub away—you’ll need to “pull” the oil out of the concrete. Mix trisodium phosphate (available at most home centers) with water and an absorbent material (we recommend kitty litter crushed into a fine powder) to make a smooth paste. Apply some to the stain and wait until the paste dries, then, sweep it away. If you’re dealing with an older stain, one application likely won’t get rid of it all. Be patient and repeat as needed.
• Paint: You can remove paint from concrete in a similar fashion as removing it from wood. Add a paint stripper to an absorbent material (kitty litter crushed into a fine powder) to form a smooth paste. Note: Paint strippers can be hazardous. Use only in a well-ventilated area and wear a respirator equipped with a vapor cartridge. Apply a thin layer of the mixture on top of the stain and wait 10 to 20 minutes for the paint stripper to work. Then, scrape with a plastic scraper. Next, scrub the area with a nylon or light steel brush and a little bit of water to remove any softened paint particles. Finally, rinse the entire area with plenty of water. As with oil stains, paint can be stubborn. Practice patience and repeat as necessary.

For most slabs like patios and sidewalks, reinforcement isn’t required to prevent cracking, but it does help hold things together if a crack does form. For driveways, rebar or welded wire mesh is worth it—vehicles put a lot of stress on concrete and reinforcement adds meaningful strength and durability over time.

These days, there are more decorative concrete options available than ever. Stamping creates textures that mimic stone, brick or wood. Stains and dyes add color to new or existing surfaces in a wide range of hues. And if you want a polished, modern look, grinding and polishing can transform a basic slab into something that looks high-end. Stop by any ICS location and we can walk you through what makes sense for your project.