Stamping & Texturing Concrete

There is something that could be said about the connection between wine and the invention of a great idea.

This certainly holds true for Bob Harris, president of the Decorative Concrete Institute.

What began as the customer’s modest plan for a concrete slab to go under a jumbo-sized hot tub morphed into a three-tier, 2,700-square-foot stamped concrete patio that integrates a spa with two other focal points: an eating area with wood pergola to house an outdoor kitchen, and a recessed fire-pit area with sitting wall.

Texture-Crete, manufactured by Life Deck, is a polymer-modified cementitious coating that can be applied to existing concrete surfaces as well as plywood decks. The coating creates a decorative and safe textured finish with numerous color and texture options.

Plastic stencils are generally designed for renovation work, such as overlay or spray applications and they are difficult to float in new concrete applications, This is why paper stencils are often the choice for fresh concrete pours.

If Florida’s Turnpike were a rail line, the Fort Drum service plaza in the south central part of the state would be the equivalent of New York’s Grand Central Station, with glitzy interior treatments that include terrazzo floors and decorative exterior treatments and landscaping that evoke Florida’s unique natural environs.

Experts share some secrets for honing your concrete stamping skills.

Imagine you own a company that supplies concrete contractors with the tools for their trade. You offer a product that has been the industry standard for decades and is essential to most contractors in your industry. Your company sells a lot of them and they are a good source of income. Your company is a recognized industry leader as a provider of the product.

Stamping mats from Concrete Artwork won't give you the look of brick, tile or slate. Instead, they'll allow you to offer your customers eye-catching art stamped into their patio, driveway, vertical wall or walkway.

Inside or out, the new stampable topping from L.M. Scofield Company offers exciting new opportunities for contractors.

Everything about the Brawl in the Fall at the 2016 Concrete Decor Show in San Diego was hot, hot, hot— from the record-breaking 100+ degree heat to the sizzling entries that shaped up in the outside lot during show time.

Mike Riggs is a guy who can say that he really did grow up in the concrete business. His first job was for Progressive Concrete Works, a concrete company his father started in 1954 in Phoenix, Arizona.

I have identified six steps that all successful hunks of stamped concrete have in common. Bypassing one of the six steps will leave a stamping professional a rung short of a true level of potential. Perfection starts well before any color broadcasts across a wet concrete’s surface, and even well before a ready-mix truck arrives.

SurfEtch from Butterfield Color is a water-based mild surface retarder that, when used with fresh concrete, exposes the sands in the concrete for a unique decorative finish. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, it can add slip resistance and is solvent-free. Best of all, it’s easy to apply for even the beginning contractor.

A new stamp pattern from L.M. Scofield Co. offers serious stampers a taste of old America.

A total of 42 awards were presented at the 2017 Sundek Awards Banquet during the company’s 33rd annual convention in Hilton Fort Worth earlier this year.

Why would anyone spend thousands of dollars on Parisian cobblestone stamps? A flight to Paris and a hotel for the weekend, for both concrete contractor and client to share mutual experiences and gather ideas, would’ve been cheaper and the real deal!

A stamped concrete floor with a solvent-based acrylic that was applied one year ago. The applicator wanted to see what the floor would look like with Armor Blush Repair and Armor AR350 sealer before doing the entire floor.

Radial stamps, multipiece tools that create circular and curved patterns, have earned stamp manufacturers a round of applause.

Robert Salinas, 58, jokes that he has 50 years of concrete experience. That’s not too far off from the truth, because as a youngster he recalls helping to place concrete for the pool company his uncle and father worked at in San Antonio, Texas.

Three unique looks achieved by seasoned veterans with stamping and texturing tools - an authentic travertine tile look, a cobblestone finish and a patio with hand-tooled brick.

Large parts of the United States recently experienced a brutal winter of cold temperatures and record snow and ice accumulations.

After 15 years of heavy tourist traffic along Las Vegas Boulevard, one of the first seamless texture projects in Las Vegas was ready for a facelift.