Over her 22-year career, Victoria Simpson Collins’ talent for acid staining has created a niche she hopes to occupy for a long time to come.
“It’s hard for people to understand why a ‘girl’ would be interested in concrete work,” she says.
Staining & Coloring Concrete
Concrete’s natural color can be altered with powder or liquid stains, dyes and colored hardeners, as well as aggregates such as ground glass and stone.
Compatibility Issues Between Stained Concrete and Salt Chlorinated Swimming Pools
Scott Cohen, artisan and construction defect expert witness, whose company The Green Scene makes decorative backyards and pools in Southern California, has observed problems around salt-chlorinated pools too, but he is far from certain that all salt pools are problematic.
Maintaining Color Consistency in Large Decorative Pours
Have you ever gotten that early-morning or late-night call from an unhappy owner telling you that the color is lighter than they wanted … or darker … or does not match from one pour to the next? If you haven’t been on the receiving end of one of those calls, good for you! If you have, then you know what we are talking about.
ACI Releases Long-Awaited Decorative Concrete Standards Guide
Many years in the making and rigorously reviewed by dozens of experts in the field, the much-anticipated 310R-13 Guide to Decorative Concrete was officially published by the American Concrete Institute in December 2013.
Concrete “Stone” and Sand Finishes in a Beach-themed Backyard
A backyard is dominated by a swimming pool with waterfalls, a rocky cliff look, and lots of concrete from the 1980s — far too much to remove the existing concrete and redo everything and is ready to be transformed.
Seven Tips for Installing Consistent Integral Color for Concrete
Maintaining consistent color in integrally colored concrete is crucial during a project using multiple truckloads.
Historical Museum Enhanced by Three Unique Concrete Floor Treatments
Putting down a beautiful concrete museum floor that doesn’t distract from the artwork is, well, creating a work of art in its own right.
Water-based Stain Acid Stain Alternative from Increte Systems Inc.
Developed as an ecofriendly alternative to acid stain, Increte Systems’ Stone Essence is a water-based stain that offers contractors a wide variety of options in regards to both location and aesthetics.
New Coatings and Sealers Created With Nanotechnology
Inspired by a desire to develop and utilize responsible chemistry for the environment, a group of scientists and chemists teamed up to create Evolution Surface Solutions. Now, after seven years of product testing, Evolution Surface Solutions has released their line of TruNano Sealers & Coatings, which is made up of five sealers, six coatings and two additives.
Secrets to Maintaining Concrete Color Consistency in Large Integral Installations
There are some unspoken secrets to maintaining color consistency in large integrally colored jobs and we are sharing those with you.
Recent
CIM Program Celebrates 30 Years of Developing Future Leaders
SESCO Cement Announces Rick Van Eyk as the CEO
PROSOCO breaks new ground with ICC‑ES listing for Blok‑Guard and anti‑graffiti products
American Concrete Institute Spring 2026 ACI Concrete Convention breaks attendance record in Rosemont, Ill.
Expanding Product Capabilities Following Strategic Acquisitions of Artcrete and Haivala
