Decorative Concrete Design Tips & How-Tos - Page 15 of 25

Tips & How-Tos

Industry veterans, entrepreneurs and decorative concrete artisans reveal findings, divulge lessons learned and outline methods used to help advance the industry as a whole.

A Pictorial Guide to Acid Stained Concrete

Tips & How-Tos Vol. 4 No. 2 - April/May 2004 Staining & Coloring Concrete by Concrete Decor Staff Comments are Disabled

If you want an all-encompassing guide to staining concrete floors, check out “Bob Harris’ Guide to Stained Concrete Interior Floors,” written by Bob Harris, founder and president of the Decorative Concrete Institute in Temple, Georgia.

Decorative Concrete Tips: Getting Rust Out of Concrete

Concrete Repair & Restoration Tips & How-Tos Vol. 4 No. 5 - October/November 2004 by Concrete Decor Staff Comments are Disabled

At a recent Flattoo workshop conducted by Surface Gel Tek, Tamryn Doolan discussed many decorative uses for the company’s products. But I also learned another surprising benefit of Tek Gel for Profiling besides its etching and stenciling capabilities.

How to Remove Paint, Rust Stains, Adhesives & Oil from Concrete

Concrete Coatings Tips & How-Tos Vol. 5 No. 4 - August/September 2005 by John Strieder Comments are Disabled

Many decorative jobs require cleaning up an existing slab. Here’s a look at products that remove paint, rust, adhesives or grease.

Effects with Reactive Stains on Concrete

Tips & How-Tos Staining & Coloring Concrete Vol. 7 No. 8 - December 2006/January 2007 by Shellie Rigsby Cordell Comments are Disabled

There are unlimited opportunities to create fabulous effects with reactive acid stains. Acid stains are most mutable from the time they are sprayed onto the concrete until the reactive color change develops.

One of the Best GFRC Mix Designs

Tips & How-Tos Recipes Concrete Countertops Vol. 8 No. 4 - June/July 2008 by Brandon Gore Comments are Disabled

Let’s start at the beginning: What is GFRC, what are its benefits and what are its downsides? GFRC stands for glass-fiber reinforced concrete. The GFRC I use is a composite of portland cement, silica sand, Forton VF-774 , Liquefaction Compound, Vitro Minerals VCAS-micronHS, water, and alkali-resistant chopped glass-fiber strands.

How to Install Faux Rock Panels

Tips & How-Tos Vertical & Carved Concrete Vol. 8 No. 6 - September/October 2008 by Concrete Decor Staff Comments are Disabled

Rock panels are a popular feature in many homes and businesses across the country. With so many companies specializing in this niche, it is natural that there are a variety of methods for installing the panels. Concrete Decor asked three companies how they told their customers to install faux rock panels.

High-Performance Mix Design — Understanding GFRC Mixes

Tips & How-Tos Recipes Concrete Countertops Vol. 10 No. 7 - October 2010 by Mark Celebuski Comments are Disabled

GFRC is a combination of fine aggregate, cement, water, polymer, chemical admixtures and glass fiber. The key to GFRC is the glass-fiber reinforcement. The fibers take the place of steel in a wet-cast mix. They allow GFRC to develop much higher flexural strengths than typical wet-cast concrete, allowing you to cast thinner, lighter sections and pieces.

Three Tips When Using Tape with Decorative Concrete Overlays

Tips & How-Tos Concrete Overlays & Toppings Vol. 11 No. 7 - October 2011 by Brian Anderson Comments are Disabled

After painstakingly laying out a grout pattern for your acrylic overlay, meticulously masking and re-masking surrounding areas, and then spraying or troweling in just the right color and texture scheme, you stand back and admire your handiwork, and the job looks great.

Preparing Your Concrete Countertops for Topical Sealers

Tips & How-Tos Concrete Sealers Concrete Countertops Vol. 11 No. 2 - February/March 2011 by Mark Celebuski Comments are Disabled

The steps you take with your wet-cast or GFRC countertops prior to sealing them will affect sealer success more than the actual application of the sealer. It’s important to gain an understanding of what your concrete is doing, or more importantly, what you are doing with your concrete.

How to Free-Form Concrete Fabric Forming

Tips & How-Tos Concrete Countertops Vol. 13 No. 1 - January/February 2013 by Tommy Cook Comments are Disabled

The process for “free-forming” a fabric mold — for all kinds of creative, ripply results — is a little different but will include many of the same steps as basic fabric forming. The biggest difference is that you will be working on the outside of the mold first.