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March/April 2009 Vol. 9 No. 2
Carlton's Corner What's New In Decorative Concreteby Doug Carlton
If you missed this year's World of Concrete in Las Vegas, let me bring you up to date on what is happening in the decorative concrete industry. The decorative all-stars were out in full force and they certainly delivered. The decorative concrete information highway ran straight through Las Vegas, and rumor is it's headed toward Phoenix, Ariz., in 2010. You are about to read a recap of two WOC seminars that covered what I feel are two of the most talked-about segments of the decorative industry. After we review these two classes I will take a few minutes to pass along how our industry seems to be faring. Before we talk about the nuts and bolts here, let me tell you that these guys have been influential in our business on a global level. Their information is beneficial to all contractors who have segued into the decorative side of concrete. Harris broke down a history of the polishing industry at the start of his presentation that was both informative and fascinating. I had no idea that the polishing we do today originated hundreds of years ago, by hand I might add. We covered what makes polished concrete so special and unique - it provides an extremely low-maintenance floor without coatings or waxes. The installation process has moved from "wet grinding," with all its disposal issues, to "dry grinding" with walk-behind and ride-on machines. The class consisted of an overview of what makes a diamond better in relation to "grit" or the size of a tool. The benefit to the contractor can be thousands of dollars in savings when matching up the correct tools to the job.
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