The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
From self-cleaning and self-repairing to bendable and glowing, concrete is constantly evolving, regularly bringing technologically improved products to market.
When I’m wearing my teaching/training hat, I’m known to say, “when you go back for rework, you just forfeited your profit.” But recently, an owner required one of my polisher/clients to do some rework on a polishing job. Consequently, during our conversation, I saw another angle. I had thought of […]
A year after the pandemic really started to bite, we’ve all gotten used to Zoom meetings and conference calls. In the past, many saw trade shows as a necessary evil. They were costly, took time away from projects and required both planning and follow-up. What we’ve forgotten is that shows […]
As contractors, we like to look at finished floors and be judgmental and critical of one’s work and styles. However, lots of contractors overlook another side of doing business. So, I’d like to address pricing of metallic epoxy installation and how to best cover yourself from any possible legal issues. […]
Many small companies have floundered when the owners don’t stay the course. As a result, they hop on the next new thing that catches their attention. As a rule, you should devise a strategic planning process to decide a business’s direction and priorities. And then you should stick to it. […]
In Part 1, we discussed why you should enter decorative concrete award competitions. Now that we’ve established a “why,” let’s look at how we should go about it. First, identify your top awards programs you want to enter. Who is your audience and what types of projects are eligible? Once […]
The decorative concrete industry continues to evolve. Subsequently, it’s exciting to see where it started and imagine where it’s headed. However, contractors often overlook one of our industry’s under-utilized evolutions — an array of gainful awards available when entering decorative concrete competitions. Many decorative concrete manufacturers have specific industry awards […]
Although often said, it always surprises me when contractors say they can’t find good laborers — people who want to work. Or, put another way, people who want to learn a trade, especially one like decorative concrete. I find every aspect of this trade fascinating. On any given construction project, […]
In our day-to-day work, a lot of what we do is very tactical. We work up a proposal, order new materials or have equipment maintained. Although important to survive and grow in the long term, sometimes we must step back and think more strategically. An easy way to take a […]
Rather than demolishing and replacing existing concrete floors, many decorative concrete contractors turn to overlays for solutions. However, says business developer Alexander Lorenz, there’s a better way to remedy the situation and achieve longer-lasting results. Namely, transform and restore the integrity of the concrete that already exists. The founder and […]
Concrete contractor Kimberley Robles credits Concrete Decor back in the early 2000s for developing her interests in decorative concrete. Back then, she was a journeyman cement mason and the magazine was just getting its legs. “That’s how I found out about all these cool products and how people used them,” […]
