The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
Once upon a time, there was a polished concrete job that was easy. It started out with a new, flawless install, a clean, even slab ready to grind. The client closed the building for a few days, providing ample, uninterrupted time to do the job. There were no hurdles. There were no surprises. Everything went according to plan.
Perched on a hilltop amidst the tropical rain forests of the “Big Island” of Hawaii, the Hi’ilani EcoHouse commands a view out across the Pacific Ocean that you have to see to believe. It’s your typical island paradise home. But when it comes to cutting-edge carbon neutral design and ecofriendly concrete construction, it is anything but typical.
This luxe look is achieved by overlaying several super-thin coats of microtopping and dye, resulting in a finish with subtle depth and a sexy sheen.
Any time you’re dealing with integral color, the key to success is getting a nice, even distribution of pigment. The key to that, in turn, is managing the water-to-cement ratio in your mix.
Intended to mimic the look of travertine, this microexposure finish leaves the surface with a subtle texture that complements integrally colored exteriors beautifully.
This recipe is for those clients who call you complaining about a stamped or textured patio that’s become lifeless and dull. With just a few steps and a freshly mixed batch of tinted liquid release agent, you can bring color and depth to those sad surfaces.
You might think that rappelling from cliffs, learning about orangutan habitats and studying the prehistoric skeleton of a triceratops are activities without much relevance to decorative concrete.
Starting a business is a challenging process no matter what the circumstances, but starting a business at 19 years old, while holding down two other jobs and working on a degree? Now that’s a challenge.
The first decade of the 21st century has been pretty huge for integral color. For one thing, decorative concrete as a whole has taken huge strides in terms of market share, and more decorative concrete means more integral color.
The finish on this water feature was achieved using a handful of soy-based products. It’s a great way to get a more earth-friendly surface that boasts deep, rich colors to boot. As an additional plus, the concrete is profiled with garnet abrasives, which not only ensure a low-dust blasting experience, but also give the finished surface a reliably nonslip surface.
