Building with Concrete

As sustainable as it is durable, concrete offers an endless array of cost-effective possibilities and versatile results for residential and commercial buildings

Concrete Home Built to Withstand the Winds of “Hurricane Alley”

Fu-Tung Cheng designed this concrete home currently under construction on the island of Culebra off the coast of Puerto Rico, smack dab in an area known as Hurricane Alley. Because of its location on a wind-swept mountainside, the house has to be built to withstand hurricane forces and concrete was the logical choice.

Seasoned Santa Cruz contractor claims three firsts in ASCC competition

Tom Ralston of Tom Ralston Concrete in Santa Cruz, California, returned home as the winningest recipient of the eighth annual Decorative Concrete Awards competition sponsored by the Decorative Concrete Council, a specialty council of the American Society of Concrete Contractors.

Decorative Contractors and LEED Standards: Why You Should Take Notice

Green building has been making a lot of headlines lately — it seems as if you can’t turn on the TV, read a magazine or attend a conference without hearing about it. You have probably heard the buzz about LEED and wondered how this building rating system applies to you. Green building is the next step for the decorative contractor industry, and LEED will help you and your business take that step

Choices in Fiber Reinforcement for Concrete

Fiber reinforcement protects concrete in two ways. Mainly, it minimizes cracking from plastic shrinkage that occurs as the concrete dries during the first 24 hours after placement. Also, it helps hold the concrete together if cracks develop after the concrete has hardened. Several types of fibers are available for decorative concrete applications.