The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
Polished concrete is a process of progressive mechanical grinding, honing, densifying and polishing a concrete surface. This is done to achieve an aesthetically pleasing, highly durable, light-reflective finish.
For such a simple piece of equipment, Fas-Trak Industries Inc.’s Ultra-Trak offers users a lot of flexibility when it comes to applying densifiers and sealers, says Dan Baird, president of Floor Tech Solutions Inc. The automated application system can apply concrete chemicals at a rate of up to 25,000 square […]
To loosely quote Theodore Roosevelt, nothing in the world is worth doing unless it takes effort. Take for example the Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas in San Diego, California, and its exquisitely stenciled polished concrete lobby. “This hotel was challenging, as are many high-end structures,” says Mona Kharouba, superintendent for […]
Architects, designers, customers, owners and most of your staff use the words dye and stain interchangeably. Is there a difference when it comes to choosing a topical colorant? And if so, why does it matter? Turns out the answer is yes and it matters. Stains are ground, insoluble pigment particles […]
Sometimes two heads are better than four, especially when you’re dealing with concrete polishing jobs under 5,000 square feet. For grinding that involves spaces from residential basements and garages to small commercial offices and bathrooms, the two-headed Terrco Concrete Grinder 701-S is top of the list for many seasoned contractors. […]
When Hutton, a large design-build firm based in Wichita, Kansas, outgrew its headquarters, owner Ben Hutton naturally turned to his own resources. He called on Hutton’s in-house architecture and design team to draw up plans for a new facility. In addition, he knew he needed some commercial protection systems in […]
As we discussed in Concrete 101, concrete is a hard, durable surface made up of cement, aggregate and water. It’s the single, largest, volume-building material used worldwide. All totaled, that equates to about 10 billion tons a year. For the most part, concrete does its job, and we hardly ever […]
Concrete is a hard, durable substance made up of cement, aggregate and water. Together, these ingredients form concrete, the largest volume-building material used worldwide. Cement acts as the binder, the fine medium. Coarse aggregate gives concrete its compressive strength. And water initiates and promotes the reactions that allow concrete to […]
After discovering adhesive, stop for a moment to wisely plan your next steps. Figuring out if the adhesive is hard and not tacky — or somewhat soft and a bit sticky — is crucial! It is imperative to determine this before removing adhesive from concrete. As soon as you discover […]
How much overlap is needed when grinding, honing and polishing? And how do we find a concrete grinder’s sweet spot? These questions refer to the process of making consecutive passes when processing a bonded abrasive polished concrete (BAPC) floor. Truth be told, all concrete will show and tell us the […]
The definition of curing is providing adequate moisture, temperature and time to allow cement to hydrate and concrete to develop internal strength and abrasion resistance. There are a number of methods for curing concrete. We have compiled them here in one place. Here are the methods for curing concrete Wet […]
