Chris Mayo Concrete Decor

Author: Chris Mayo

An Overview of Concrete Dyes and Their Benefits

Staining & Coloring Concrete Vol. 10 No. 2 - February/March 2010 by Chris Mayo Comments are Disabled

As complements to stains, as colorants on polished concrete jobs or on their own, dyes are earning a more permanent place in the decorative concrete artisan’s tool kit.

How Admixtures Affect Integrally Colored Concrete

Staining & Coloring Concrete Vol. 10 No. 1 - January 2010 by Chris Mayo Comments are Disabled

Something has to give when pigments interact with pozzolans, plasticizers and other additives in your mix.

Using Surface Retarders on Vertical Concrete

Building with Concrete Vertical & Carved Concrete Vol. 9 No. 7 - November/December 2009 by Chris Mayo Comments are Disabled

Exposed aggregate finishes are in demand on concrete walls. How do you get that rock to pop? One way is to use a surface retarder.

Stain and Sealer in One by HP Spartacote

Staining & Coloring Concrete Vol. 9 No. 6 - September/October 2009 by Chris Mayo Comments are Disabled

Many companies might have been satisfied with creating a successful coating system that has steadily gained in popularity. Wilmer Rowe, chief chemist of HP Spartacote LLC, is cut from a different cloth. Taking inspiration from some of the staining exhibits at World of Concrete, he began working toward creating stains that would integrate with HP Spartacote’s polyaspartics.

The Case for CSA Cements for Concrete Countertops

Building with Concrete Concrete Countertops Counter Culture - Fall 2009 by Chris Mayo Comments are Disabled

According to Jeffrey Girard, P.E., founder of The Concrete Countertop Institute, concrete with calcium sulphoaluminate (CSA) is the way to go for countertops.

"When I first used CSA instead of portland cement, I recognized that it offers a technological advantage," he says.

Using Concrete to Restore A Hotel To All Its Former Glory

Concrete Repair & Restoration Concrete Maintenance Vol. 9 No. 2 - March/April 2009 by Chris Mayo Comments are Disabled

A high-strength cementitious material gave contractors exactly what they needed to restore this venerable and historic building.

Restoring Color in Previously Installed Concrete

Concrete Repair & Restoration Staining & Coloring Concrete Vol. 8 No. 5 - August 2008 by Chris Mayo Comments are Disabled

Integral colors don’t fade, but over time, integrally colored surfaces can start to look dingy. Understanding why, and what to do about it, is just the beginning of getting a handle on color maintenance.