Concrete Decor's Current Articles

Being in the construction industry his whole life, Dion Battles made the unsurprising leap to decorative concrete, specifically the vertical carving and theming part of the industry, after the nationwide recession hit the residential building industry hard in 2007. 

Jason Geiser, owner of Deco-Crete Supply in Orrville, Ohio, thought a broad, sloping hill at his three children’s new school needed something to transform it from a virtually unusable space to an inviting outdoor classroom. He and the school officials came up with a project that revolved around Geiser building an amphitheater. 

As metallic coatings grow in popularity, the competition is heating up. Bear in mind that the key to a mesmerizing metallic floor is the artist behind it.

When stamping, California contractor Lee Levig likes to use more than one color as the base color, usually different shades of the same color.

Just about any coloring material or tool can potentially be useful on a restoration job. However, some manufacturers have targeted this growing niche with specially marketed materials. Here are a few of those products, with some descriptions from their suppliers.

Acrylic stains for concrete often replace acids — but even more intriguingly, the two can work together.

This former Intel employee traded semiconductors for stains and stencils — and now he's making his mark at churches, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Cafes, and everywhere in between.

Part of the problem has to do with standards for slip resistance: Who has guidelines and which ones do you use for decorative concrete? Then there is the testing aspect: Which testing methods are appropriate and reliable, and in what testing conditions?

Use this decorative technique to transfer art to a concrete patio using a grid method is an effiecient and foolproof way to get the perfect look you and your customer are after.

The most important thing about a microtopping is what lies underneath.

Airspeed Skateparks’ work was featured on the cover of last year’s World of Concrete issue. Since that time they have started incorporating both color and texture into their work, and decorative concrete has become a valuable extension of their skate park design services.

Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it. My dad said we would be willing to do trial services for them in some stores to show them what we could do.

The minute you add integral color to concrete, people look at it differently than they do gray concrete — their expectations are higher. Educating your client about integral color is important. Be sure to explain its limitations. But, also, be sure to use good techniques. These contractor-recommended tips can help ensure excellent results.

“Cookie Cutters”  stamps offer unique characteristics and advantages not found among other stamping systems. In talking to various contractors who use aluminum stamps regularly, Concrete Decor found several valid reasons today’s concrete contractors should consider the aluminum stamps as a valuable tool for decorative concrete applications.

Spice 6, a fast-casual restaurant in Hyattsville, Md., serves up a zesty visual feast that complements its Chipotle-like “modern Indian” bill of fare.

Fabien Mené, a French native and art collector, never thought he’d find himself working in decorative concrete. It all started after studying art at the Charles de Gaulle University — Lille III. The idea of creating stenciled tables came to him after making bar counters in a class and wondering if he could add a stencil to the bottom of a casing.

Chris McMahon’s high-quality work and bold marketing plan help him stand out from the pack.

A Nashville youth center gets a  decorative concrete makeover as part of  the 2011 Concrete Decor Show & Spring Training

Concrete rivals or surpasses many common architectural materials when it comes to versatility of design and application. Its customizability is well-known, and more fabricators are starting to realize how they can capitalize on its versatility in expanding their market.

Honoring the beauty and grace of a Latter-day Saints church and making the work site respectable for a wedding was just another job well done for a Florida contractor.