Smith Paint Products’ new concrete cleaner, CT-8 Cleaner and Toughener, does what all cleaners should. But CT-8 doesn’t just remove dirt. It chemically changes concrete to strengthen the adhesion of decorative stains and sealers.
Concrete Maintenance
Although concrete in general requires little upkeep, properly maintaining it will extend its lifetime, preserve its appearance and protect an investment. Different finishes require different maintenance programs.
Decorative Concrete Stands the Test of Time
When this concrete was installed in 1927, the decision makers of this historic hotel wanted the assurance that the building would have the natural look so commonly seen in the High Sierras — and not the look of industrial concrete. And its still delighting guests to this day.
The Concrete Cleaner That Works Like Magic
Have you ever looked at your concrete-covered tools and wished you could just — poof! — make the hardened mess disappear?
Well, that’s the premise behind Poof!, a cleaning agent from Kover Krete Systems Inc. in Orlando, Fla.
Teaching Maintenance to Your Customers is Key
From presale to reseal, educating customers in how to maintain their decorative concrete is a lengthy process.
Maintaining Sealed Stamped Concrete
What do you think of when you hear the term "sealer maintenance"? If you are like most in the industry, the first thing that comes to mind is waxing or buffing a previously sealed interior floor. Well, with spring upon us, it’s a great time to talk about another kind of sealer maintenance – maintaining exterior stamped or textured concrete.
Concrete Maintenance Programs Can Cement Client Relationships
Concrete is a very durable material and some contractors and a lot of their clients believe it’s a maintenance-free product. But the reality is that no product lasts forever, not even concrete, without occasional maintenance.
Meeting the Demand for Crack Control in Stamped Concrete
Stamped concrete is the very foundation of decorative concrete industry. The ability to take concrete and add pattern and color separates you from your competition. This ability also increases a customer’s expectations. Simply put, most customers will not accept a random crack running through patterned concrete, nor should they.
Should You Overlay or Replace That Cracked Concrete Surface?
First Federal Savings Bank, Sheridan, Wyo., asked Doug Carlton if there was an overlay that could improve their cracked, uneven parking lot. He told them no. The crack pattern shows a problem beyond random cracking. He guessed that the concrete is too thin or not properly reinforced, or that the subgrade had failed.
Decorative Concrete Maintenance from a Customer’s Perspective
The maintenance for polished concrete is simple. Basically, you sweep it regularly, scrub it on a schedule with appropriate cleaners and burnish it a few times a year. This sounds simple, right? In some cases, this works out perfectly. In others, not so much.
Dealing with Winter Damaged Colored Concrete
We’re in the middle of another winter season. While it’s not predicted to be as harsh as last year’s “polar vortex” winter, we still need to be thinking about all the possible causes and sources of winter damage and eliminate them.
Recent
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American Concrete Institute Spring 2026 ACI Concrete Convention breaks attendance record in Rosemont, Ill.
Expanding Product Capabilities Following Strategic Acquisitions of Artcrete and Haivala
