General Construction Articles
November 12, 2026 | Matt
Building a Commercial Parking Lot
A commercial parking lot is a drainage system with pavement on top, and the numbers that decide whether it lasts are set long before the asphalt arrives.
November 10, 2026 | Matt
Concrete Pavement Construction
A field guide to building jointed plain concrete pavement: slab thickness and joint spacing, subgrade support, dowel and tie bars, saw-cut timing, and curing.
November 09, 2026 | Matt
Compacting Asphalt Pavement
The paver sets the shape, but in-place density decides how long an asphalt pavement lasts, so compaction is a sequence of temperature, roller pattern, and joint discipline rather than a number of passes.
October 28, 2026 | Matt
When Is an Excavation a Confined Space?
A field-level guide to classifying excavations as confined spaces and permit spaces, the difference between Subpart AA and Subpart P, and the permit, attendant, and rescue duties that apply before anyone enters.
October 26, 2026 | Matt
Section 404 Permits for Excavation Work
A practical guide to Clean Water Act Section 404 for earthwork: what counts as regulated water, when a stream, wetland, or ditch triggers a Corps permit, how nationwide permits work, and how to keep a dig legal.
October 22, 2026 | Matt
Installing Storm Drain Pipe
A field guide to storm drain pipe installation: trench width and bedding classes, invert grade and minimum slope, jointing, haunch compaction, backfill, and deflection testing.
October 21, 2026 | Matt
Removing an Underground Storage Tank
A step-by-step guide to underground storage tank removal: closure rules, notification, emptying and purging, excavation and lifting, soil sampling, and the closure file that protects the property.
October 20, 2026 | Matt
Concrete Washout on a Construction Site
Concrete washout is a regulated discharge, not housekeeping: how to size, site, line and maintain a washout that holds up through a pour day.
October 19, 2026 | Matt
Traffic Control for Excavation Work
Roadway excavation needs a work zone built from the MUTCD: advance warning, calculated tapers, buffer space, flaggers, plates, and a documented closeout.
October 18, 2026 | Matt
Demolition Debris Disposal
A practical guide to demolition debris: why weight beats volume, how to sort C&D waste for recycling, roll-off sizing, asbestos and hazardous-material rules, and what drives disposal cost.
October 17, 2026 | Matt
Why Compaction Tests Fail
A practical troubleshooting guide to failed compaction tests: what the density number really compares, the six common causes, and the rework steps that get a lift to pass.
October 15, 2026 | Matt
Sediment Basins and Sediment Traps
How sediment basins and sediment traps are sized, shaped, and built, plus the outlet and dewatering choices, spillway requirements, and cleanout rules that keep muddy water on site.
