Concrete Decor's Current Articles

While hand-mudding vertical concrete projects is the preferred method for getting a working surface ready to be shaped and carved, for bigger jobs it’s not necessarily efficient.

Enter a spray system.

Not getting paid is every contractor’s worst nightmare and there are plenty of reasons why some clients fail to pay. Whatever the reasons may be, it’s important that you take the right steps to exercise your right to get paid. Here are some ways you can ensure that you get paid on time and in full.

As polished concrete has increased in popularity, there has been a tremendous number of innovative products brought to the market to help meet customer expectations. One very important product is polyurea. It’s a two-part liquid-applied product that sets up quickly, gets hard enough to polish, and comes in a wide variety of colors and viscosity levels.

The maintenance for polished concrete is simple. Basically, you sweep it regularly, scrub it on a schedule with appropriate cleaners and burnish it a few times a year. This sounds simple, right? In some cases, this works out perfectly. In others, not so much.

The philosophy behind purchasing industrial vacuums for controlling airborne dust is changing in the concrete industry, especially with new federal rules now in place concerning worker exposure to these particles.

A couple of homeowners in West Milford, N.J., were looking to enhance the curb appeal of their house by enhancing the front entryway. They initially contacted us about the possibility of resurfacing concrete steps leading to the front door and pouring a new sidewalk from the driveway to the steps.

Principal artisan Tommy Cook’s use of color, stain, gleanings from nature and even customers’ souvenirs takes this full-service firm to a different plane

“It was back-breaking work,” says the owner of Brailsford Public Art in San Diego about placing colored aggregate piece by piece into wet concrete on a job site. She was working with Shaw & Sons’ Lithocrete system which incorporates a means to create a scattered aggregate pattern on a concrete surface.

Concrete Decor publisher goes on a whirlwind trip to Italy and finds that European contractors are eager to learn more about how Italian concrete contractors do decorative concrete.

Borders can be used in many ways, not just to frame a room and make our engraving easier than cutting all the way to a wall. Usually 6-10 inches wide around the edge of a space, they can also be used as their own design element.

The simple yet powerful design of this memorial included the piece of wreckage from the World Trade Center and a map of the Northeast coastline of the United States on concrete pavement that approaches the tattered beam. The map identifies the coastline and the three crash sites of that dreadful date.

People have enjoyed sitting outside around a fire since, well, since they discovered fire. Besides the practicalities of fire for warmth, light and cooking, the comfort and romance of fire make us want to pull our chairs up to the hearth and turn our backs on the daily grind.

You don't have to stain in vain — restoration and maintenance can fight age and wear on just about any colored concrete slab.

Thicker pads will last longer, but are stiffer and commonly prone to cupping when they dry out. Cupped pads don’t wear evenly, and often the outer area doesn’t actually make contact with the concrete. Photos courtesy of The Concrete Countertop Institute

Like an artist's paintbrush on canvas, the trowel can create a wide variety of effects on overlays.

Sometimes there's no better way to finish a cementitious topping than to get down on your hands and kneeboards and go to town with a trowel.

We asked everyone the same set of questions. It wasn’t easy to approach this, given our friends’ varied experiences and applications. Perhaps the first challenge to looking ahead this way is defining the industry in general.

LAVINA by Superabrasive has become a leading name in the concrete grinding and polishing industry. It is well recognized for its reliable and efficient floor machines and high-quality diamond tools. Here is what concrete contractors shared about their experience with LAVINA products and the company that makes them -- Superabrasive.

L. M. Scofield is pleased to announce the winners of its Fifth Annual Decorative Concrete Awards contest. The contest is open to any contractor, architect or designer who uses or specifies Scofield Systems. Projects are judged on skill of installation, creativity, artistic expression, and integration with the overall design intent.