Concrete Decor's Current Articles

Installing an overlay over existing concrete is a cost-effective way to update concrete surfaces by eliminating tear-out costs, minimizing product expense and reducing the manpower needed to overhaul the look and integrity of the existing surface.

Transforming tired and dated backyard retreats into personal and welcoming family havens just so happens to be Scott Cohen’s specialty.

When it comes to forming the edges of countertops, pool coping and steps, a good form liner or mold is an indispensable tool that can help you get the job done quicker and easier — no more hand chiseling or finagling a texture mat to give you a detailed edge.

After painstakingly laying out a grout pattern for your acrylic overlay, meticulously masking and re-masking surrounding areas, and then spraying or troweling in just the right color and texture scheme, you stand back and admire your handiwork, and the job looks great.

The Crack-Chaser Blade from Pearl Abrasive Company was designed for more efficient cleaning, routing and repairing of cracks in concrete. The diamond segments are sintered to the core in a V-shaped pattern, leaving a clean groove for filling.

The finish of the hood needs to coincide with the complexity of this application. The expectation of the final outcome, and how you will accommodate errors in the finish, holes, sags, and other blemishes especially considering the mold is assembled as you spray, make it difficult to make a perfect crème finish.

The Sparkle Grain System is an eye-catching, black sparkle concrete finish that can be applied with color hardeners or by itself.It aids with slip resistance and is designed for sidewalks, driveways, ramps, public buildings, wineries, schools, etc., to name a few.

Photo Courtesy of Ralston Concrete

From commercial kitchens, fire stations, spas and salons to basements, garages, veterinarian clinics and airport hangars, epoxy materials are being applied to concrete floor surfaces.

Imagine an overlay product that contains beautiful flecks of marble and at the same time can be easily matched to any color and is low-maintenance. That’s exactly what the folks at MarbleCrete Mix Inc. had in mind when they produced their signature product nearly two years ago.

Passion, precision, artistry and creativity were all on display at the L. M. Scofield Co. ninth annual Decorative Concrete Awards ceremony. Scofield enlists professionals from the concrete industry to judge submissions based on skill of installation, artistic expression and integration with the overall design intent.

Like any commercial building, the Charlotte Convention Center has a set of emergency exits that lead to the outside. However, the Convention Center had a unique problem in that its doors led towards the tracks for the Charlotte Light Rail.

If you install stamped concrete, you should be maintaining stamped concrete. You already have all the equipment you need, and you have the experience and training you need as well. Offering an annual maintenance program on your work, or any stamped concrete work for that matter, is a good source of revenue that does not require much in the way of equipment or mental gymnastics.

In management or leadership training classes worldwide, you can learn about the five Ps for success: “Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” I think these Ps can apply to polished concrete projects as well. There are several specific planning items that can be addressed that will help any polish project be successful.

Concrete artisans and contractors are always searching for the ideal coating, but end-users and equipment manufacturers are behind the latest push for one specific coating formulation — UV-cure.

Some people are good at doing, while others are better at teaching others how. When you find you have a natural talent in both directions, it generally pays to run with it.

Sealers are made from a variety of materials, each with different application and performance characteristics.Learn some if the distinquishing differences and similarities.

As a consultant who works with contractors and manufacturers alike, I sometimes see things that aren’t typically discussed that I feel are important to share. So I’m going to attempt to tie together the various strings of thought on tax updates and how these will affect our industry specifically.

Shotcrete is not a physical product. It cannot be touched or held in your hand. Shotcrete is a process or verb. It is the action of placing concrete to achieve high strengths and low permeability.