Concrete Decor's Current Articles

Using recycled and natural material, artisan Cindee Lundin worked her magic once again during Decorative Concrete LIVE! at the 2019 World of Concrete.

Shawn Halverson, CEO of Surfacing Solutions Inc.in Temecula, California, talks about the time some years ago when he took a break from construction after working in the structural concrete industry for about 21 years, beginning in the mid-1970s. Then, this phenomenon called decorative concrete emerged as a major player in the trade, and Halverson became intrigued.

The 2019 World of Concrete has been held, and it topped the charts as the largest show in more than a decade. The annual extravaganza for the concrete and masonry industries attracted 60,511 attendees and more than 1,500 exhibiting companies spanning 776,800 square feet of space in the Las Vegas Convention Center in January 2019.

Westcoat Specialty Coating Systems has sent us some photos and information of a striking dye installation in the classrooms, hallways and main entrance of the United States University building in Chula Vista, Calif.

The Chomisteks call this piece the “Harmony Table.” The concrete table depicts harmony between earth, fire and water. At the same time, it maintains the harmony within their clients’ household.

Contests that showcase handsome decorative concrete projects are helpful twofold — they promote quality craftspeople and they provide bona fide examples for companies that make or distribute the products. Either way, they’re good for business.

There’s no way around the fact that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are nasty stuff. They smell bad, they are highly flammable, they damage the atmosphere, and they can be acutely toxic to human and other living beings.

Contractors who restore concrete floors give new meaning to the phrase "green thumb."

A concrete floor is a renewable resource.

When you've just created art on 256 square feet of concrete entryway, you do not want to have it described as a "horse with a rash" two days before the opening of your client's new retail establishment. But that's what Tony Victor and partner Ben Washburn were up against in October 2007.

I got into acid staining as an extension of my former life as a painter on canvas. In fact my earliest works were not on canvas, but on hardboard panels mounted on stretcher bars and coated with plaster of Paris.

A California company has created a clever disguise — a concrete product that looks like quarried limestone block.

Here’s a great garden sprayer that Marvin Dodson at Rare Earth Labs was recently using while demonstrating the use of his acid etch stain products.

A shot blaster is the tool of choice for concrete contractors when prepping a surface. Shot blasting gives the surface a rough profile so coatings and sealers will bond snugly with a floor.

Smart Chairs were designed by contractors for contractors. Constructed with recycled high-strength polypropylene plastic, the chairs are designed to support steel, eliminate wire ties and stop steel displacement.

The owner, an old concrete contractor, wanted to replace the two bars with concrete. The goal was to add ambience and character to the bar with a material that could be hosed down along with the floors. The owner also wanted seamless tops, making this a good candidate for pouring in place.

How strong do concrete countertops have to be? The answer is not a simple one. It depends upon how you define strength, what your intended use is and your sealer choice.

These days, making a living in any trade associated with building is tough. Companies new and old have been forced to close up shop because of lack of business and dwindling capital. But some have found ways to hold their own, while others are even prospering.

The first decade of the 21st century has been pretty huge for integral color. For one thing, decorative concrete as a whole has taken huge strides in terms of market share, and more decorative concrete means more integral color.