Warranty & Care Information
1.) Your concrete will begin to harden in the next few hours. Although it may seem to be cured, it is not. Concrete takes 28 days to fully cure and realize 100% of its potential strength. However the next 48 hours are the most critical. Your edging will remain very brittle and can easily crumble or break during this time frame. Keep pets, children, service people, and objects completely off of, and away from the edging for the next 48 hours.
2.) Landscape work, mulch and rock installation can begin as early as 10-14 days. Caution must be taken as picks, shovels, and other garden tools can easily damage the uncured concrete. The front bracket of wheelbarrows can easily scratch or chip the edging if the tire is on the curb while dumping. Drive over the edging then dump inside the bed to avoid damage. Lay a piece of carpet or something similar over the edging to protect it if possible.
3.) If a contractor is working for you, caution them about protecting the curb from damage. If dirt, rock or mulch is wheel barrowed over the edging repeatedly, lay down a piece of carpet to protect the edging from abrasion. For extremely heavy loads build a plywood ramp to distribute the weight. Never allow heavy vehicles or machines to drive over the edging. During snow storms consider flagging ends near the drive to avoid vehicle damage.
4.) You may run the wheels of your lawnmower on the edge once it has cured. Note, however, that if mower decks or other hard objects scrape along the concrete, the concrete may be scratched. Wait at least 2 weeks to weed eat the concrete.
5.) Your edging has been sprayed with 2 coats of commercial grade acrylic concrete sealer. The high-gloss sheen will dull with time and weathering. Once the sealer has dried (typically within an hour) rain will not affect the concrete. Your edging will appear splotchy and discolored over the next few weeks. This is a natural part of the curing process as moisture dries out of the concrete. Ultimately, the color will dry a few shades lighter than today. Due to the use of natural materials and variables beyond our control, your final actual concrete color may differ from color charts, samples or previously installed projects and is not guaranteed.
6.) Do not turn sprinkler systems back on for 48 hours. The concentrated water pressure of a sprinkler head can etch or leave lines in uncured concrete. Hard water from sprinkler systems can produce white spots in the form of calcium deposits. Naturally occurring salts in the earth can produce efflorescence (white powdery appearance) on the concrete. Should mineral deposits or efflorescence appear, mix white vinegar 50/50 with tap water. If a stronger product is required apply Acid Magic® per the instructions and lightly brush the surface to remove.
7.) If Roundup® was sprayed on grass left behind the edging, it is preferable that those areas remain dry for the next 8 hours. It may take 10-14 days for the grass to completely die. Be patient. A 2nd application may be required to touch up areas not dying out and is not included. Mulching can begin after 10-14 days and will help to kill the grass. There is no need to remove the dead grass as it will simply compost into soil underneath the new mulch or landscape fabric.
8.) All gutter downspouts and sump pump piping should be directed over or under the edging and into the yard. High concentrations of water run-off into landscape beds can cause foundation problems, erosion and damming of water inside your edging. Drought can be equally damaging. During drought periods, keep lawns watered to minimize ground shrinkage caused by expansive clay soils found in our region. Your edging can separate or crack under extreme drought conditions and will not be covered under warranty.
9.) Concrete edging can and will crack under certain conditions. We experience minimal cracking in our products due to prevention techniques. However, it is very possible that you will experience some cracking in your concrete edging over time. Cracks are not repairable or warranted and the only remedy is a costly tear out and replacement. It is impossible to get an exact color match and visibly, the “cure is worse than the ill”. The most likely cause of crack will be ground shift or settling, often caused by drainage issues. Tree roots are also know to cause cracks.
10.) Cable reinforcement does not eliminate cracking, however, when installed, cable greatly reduces the effects of cracking by eliminating the ability of the crack to open up or shift. There is a limit to the strength of cable. If enough force is applied, cable can fail resulting in separation.
11.) There will be a void in front of the edging where the sod has been removed. This is normal. Although not mandatory (the grass will grow back naturally) you may want to replace topsoil back into this void and re-seed. Due to the inability to pick up wet concrete some concrete residue will remain in the yard and in front of the edging. Some cleanup may be required by the customer after the concrete has hardened.
12.) The only maintenance your edging requires is periodic re-sealing. We recommend re-sealing once after the first year, then every third year to maintain concrete in the best possible condition and as a condition of your extended warranty. We can provide this service for a very reasonable fee during our annual discount fall reseal program. We track this for you and will let you know by email when you are due for sealant.
Your edging will be undamaged at the time we leave it in your custody. If the edging becomes damaged after we leave, we will return to fix the issue. However, there will be a minimum charge for the first hour, plus materials, to return in the ¾ ton service truck. If the solution requires a full crew and installation truck, a quote will be provided in advance and shall not be less than 50% of our current project minimum + materials, payable in advance. Due to the time and resources required, repairs are ridiculously expensive. PLEASE TAKE PROPER STEPS TO PREVENT PROBLEMS FROM OCCURING!
WARRANTY
TEN (10) YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY (Effective 2009): MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP ARE GUARANTEED FOR TEN (10) YEARS FROM DATE OF INSTALLATION: Defective product will be repaired or replaced at no charge if the defect is caused by the materials we’ve used or the way it was installed by our crew. Although problems are rare, concrete edging can and will crack when subjected to excessive ground movement. The SHARPER EDGE® does not guarantee or imply otherwise. Occasional cracking is expected and will not be replaced under this warranty. This warranty expressly excludes damage due to rust, ice melt, salts, fertilizer or other chemical damage, vandalism, tree roots, excessive ground movement, separation due to drought, neglect or abuse. Warranty will apply to all projects which are inspected and re-sealed by The SHARPER EDGE® one (1) year after install, and at a minimum every third year thereafter. Failure to re-seal on schedule voids warranty. Damage from impact, abrasion, efflorescence, stains or discoloration is specifically not covered under this warranty. At our discretion, concrete which exhibits spalling, flaking, crumbling or other issues due to weathering or material issues will be replaced at no charge within five (5) years of installation and fifty percent (50%) of the current cost in years five (5) thru ten (10). Current project minimums will apply. This warranty shall be fully transferable at no charge during the warranty period in accordance with the the above terms and conditions.
The published version of this document on our website is the most current version and shall supersede all printed materials.
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