Concrete Cutting, Decorative Concrete
With demand fairly evenly split between using decorative techniques on existing and new concrete in both residential and commercial applications, virtually any slab becomes a potential canvas often requiring artistic as well as mechanical skills.
by Jack Klein
are gearing up to meet the explosive demand for decorative concrete, developing new processes, techniques and equipment to take advantage of one of the fastest-growing construction sub-markets in decades. With demand fairly evenly split between using decorative techniques on existing and new concrete in both residential and commercial applications, virtually any slab becomes a potential canvas often requiring artistic as well as mechanical skills.
"I love to draw, I just use concrete as my medium," says Lee Levig, president of Concrete Works in Fairfield, Calif. "And, of course, I use concrete saws and joiners instead of charcoal or brushes.
Levig says he prefers to use concrete saws when doing interior decorative work: "It gives you a cleaner line because you can grout and clean it up. But the circumstances are also a factor because usually someone has already come in and poured the slab, so any decorative work we do ends up using a self-leveling product, and the joiner really isn't made for that type of application. Exterior work lends itself better for joiner work."
"A huge new trend around here right now, and I suppose in other areas of the country, is that architects are going with a really basic look," says Steve VandeWater, managing partner of concrete contracting company ArtistiCrete, LLC, in Noblesville, IN. "This includes exposed ceiling rafters, corrugated tin, exposed ductwork and all that. To go along with this concept they are also looking for a distressed-looking floor—kind of an old warehouse look." |
