Overlays & Toppings

Work by: Volunteers, various cities

In preparation for the 2012 Concrete Decor Show in San Antonio, Texas, show coordinators and trainers met at SAY Sí, an award-winning nonprofit youth arts organization, last September to brainstorm ideas for hands-on workshop possibilities. They saw potential for overhauling the building’s front entrance.

There are two common polymer types used by most decorative overlay manufacturers: ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and acrylic.

Construction of the National September 11 Memorial was progressing on schedule to meet its target Sept. 11, 2011, grand opening date, when a big problem emerged concerning the twin fountains and reflecting pools built within the footprints where the North and South towers once stood.

Cutting-edge decorative concrete takes center stage at the newest resort complexes in Las Vegas

There are four different overlay systems used in creating decorative concrete floors: microtoppings, stampable overlays, multipurpose overlays and self-leveling overlays. All have different characters and makeups with which to achieve decorative looks.

Let me start by being blunt. Almost anyone can squeegee down a couple of coats of topping. But overlays and microtoppings are handcrafted, not generic flooring you buy on a roll. How do you go from doing what anyone can do to creating your own distinctive look and giving customers exceptional projects?

The historical structure that now houses the Nashville Dinner Theatre has always attracted attention. During Prohibition times, people slyly used a tunnel in the building to transport alcohol to area nightclubs. Today, it attracts crowds for its dinner shows and performances by local vocalists.

Thin coatings that can be polished work wonders on new and old floors, but applying them requires knowledge and skill.

Whether you use self-leveling material as your primary pour or over existing concrete, it's an efficient way to get going on a job.