Concrete Decor's Current Articles

Integral colors are calculated by loadings based on total cementitious materials used per yard of concrete. Common loadings are 1 percent, 2 percent, 3 percent and 4 percent.

Scott Cohen, owner of Green Scene Landscaping & Pools in the Los Angeles area, has been designing and building concrete countertops for more than 20 years.

Greg Hurst still recalls the first time he used integral color for a concrete installation project. It was 2010 and the founder/owner of Alabama Decorative Concrete in Birmingham had been hired to install a 12,000-square-foot driveway that would be stamped throughout.

At just 34 years old, Perez is the owner and manager of Custom Concrete Designs Florida, in West Palm Beach, Florida. The relatively new business is making its mark in South Florida and beyond.

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.

Beautiful, durable and nonslip … what more could you want from a concrete surface that dazzles its beholders?

As an old technology finds new applications, walls take on shape and texture.

There’s a grinder/polisher model available for just about every task, whether it’s prepping the floor of a big-box store or finishing a basement or small office. Finding the right tool for the job can make a big difference in speed and efficiency, so know what you want before you go shopping.

In the early days of social media marketing, you could post virtually any piece of content and, realistically, expect to see engagement from about 15 to 20 percent of your followers, fans or friends — depending on the day and just how many were online at that time.

As adults we learn to communicate using our words when we want and need something. The use of certain words can change the entire intention of what someone is trying to say. For those who sell and install decorative concrete, when was the last time you thought about how words influence your client's thought process regarding their decision to buy your products or services?

There’s a lot riding on your price. It’s a reflection of your brand value and the perceived quality of your work. Customers will even use heuristics to determine if your price per square foot is consistent with what they would expect to gain from hiring you. 

A carbon-fiber-reinforced, epoxy-resin-based grid design. It can be used in place of, or along with, steel wire mesh and light rebar. Unlike steel, carbon grid can be placed just below the finished surface.

Near Lake Tahoe, a 24-foot tall mountain gushing numerous waterfalls, pools, and a meandering stream winding through the grounds. On the side of the mountain you can see an old, abandoned mineshaft with a rusted railcar on the siding. Birds fly from tree branch to streamside as water gently splashes over rocks. It certainly looks and sounds real, but it's not.

You've seen concrete interior floors in such bad shape that your first thought was to rip them out and start over. But there’s an easier approach. Self-leveling toppings or overlayments can be poured over concrete surfaces you didn’t think were salvageable, saving time and money.

A solid-color concrete stain might be described as a cross between a coating and a stain, with the opaque solid color reminding one of a coating and the penetrating properties being more like a stain.

The decorative industry grew up on the “one size fits all” high-gloss sealer which was the go-to coating for decades. While high gloss is still widely used, low-gloss and natural finishes in the decorative concrete industry have been gaining momentum as homeowners, architects and designers seek more ecofriendly, green and natural-looking sealing options.

Cheng Concrete announced the winners of its fourth annual Members’ Circle of Distinction Design Challenge at the 2008 World of Concrete show in Las Vegas last January. More than 100 entries were received for the contest from 25 states as well as Canada, Mexico, and England.

Green was a hot topic at this year's World of Concrete show. It seemed that every exhibitor had some mention of green in their displays. In some cases this seemed to be little more than lip service, but in other cases, some very real steps are being taken towards greener concrete.