The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
Columnists who contribute to Concrete Decor comprise men and women who volunteer their time to share their knowledge and expertise on topics pertinent to the continued success of the decorative concrete industry.
In design driven construction, there is always a moment when imagination meets reality. Sketches, renderings, and narratives must eventually transform into materials, methods, and installation sequences that can be built in the field. In decorative concrete and resinous flooring systems, that transition can be especially complex. Modern architectural surfaces are […]
Resin Is No Longer a Coating. It Is a Medium In our previous article “Demystifying Sealers and Resinous Coatings”, as the name entails, we clarified what resinous systems are and how to select them properly. Here, in this edition, we expand that conversation further into where they are going and […]
A Practical Guide to Coating System Selection In concrete design and construction, few topics generate more confusion than sealers and resinous coatings. These systems are often treated as interchangeable, reduced to brand names or gloss levels, or applied as a last-minute decision once the concrete is already in place. In […]
Why Repair Is Sustainability Concrete, masonry, lime based mortars, and cementitious plasters are some of the oldest building materials known to civilization. Their lineage stretches back to the Roman Empire and even earlier, to the ancient island of Crete, where the earliest forms of concrete were first documented. Since then, […]
Why Change Is Finally Accelerating in Concrete Science For decades, concrete evolved slowly. A new admixture here, a better sealer there, but little that truly disrupted the way we built. Today, that has changed. The concrete industry is moving faster than ever before, powered by new technologies, sustainability goals, and […]
Why Bonding is the Invisible Force Behind Every Repair In decorative and architectural concrete, what stands out is the surface. People see the finish, they see the color, the sheen, or the texture. However, what they often miss is the invisible force that lies beneath, holding everything together. That force […]
Why the Smallest Choices Shape the Biggest Results At first glance, aggregates seem like background players in a concrete mix, just sand, stone, and gravel filling space. But to those who’ve spent their careers in decorative and architectural concrete, the truth is clear: aggregates are not filler. They are the […]
It’s Just Color… Right? To many clients—and even some specifiers—coloring concrete seems simple. Choose a swatch, pour the mix, and get the color you ordered. But those who work with decorative concrete know better. Achieving consistent, predictable, and lasting color isn’t just a matter of adding pigment. It’s a delicate […]
Part 1 Recap: A New Era of Concrete, New Risks Beneath the Surface In Part 1, we uncovered the hidden vulnerabilities of modern concrete — from mix designs and chemical admixtures to moisture movement and shrinkage. We explored how the quest for speed, sustainability, and strength often introduces risks that […]
The Illusion of Strength Concrete has long been the symbol of durability — an unyielding surface beneath our feet, our buildings, and our infrastructure. To most, its strength seems obvious and dependable, but in reality the concrete we build with today is not the same as the concrete of a […]
