The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
Concrete and real wood don’t usually mix well when used together in a design because of wood’s inherent shrinking characteristics. However, wood-look concrete designs can be a winning combination in a variety of ways. Park perks Contractor and regular Concrete Decor contributor Karen Keyes recently wrote about how more and […]
Edgework for polished concrete can be difficult to perform. Even with best practices, the edges many times won’t look like the rest of the floor. There are many variables in concrete construction you can’t control. Variables such as whether the walls are built before or after the pour, whether the […]
What comes to mind if I asked you to define decorative concrete? Pretty patterns, color, texture, vibrant designs? The medium of decorative concrete is vast and exciting, which is why so many of us are drawn to it. But when we think about it, most of us usually think of […]
There are many benefits of doing polished concrete mockups prior to starting a polished concrete job. These include: Seeing the job site firsthand. Learn locations of things like the power, parking, loading and unloading, water, wastewater disposal, dumpster, elevators and lighting, among other things. Learning how hard the concrete. By […]
Ever wonder where 21 square feet per bag or 300 square feet per gallon comes from? Coverage or application spread rates aren’t just a made-up number or educated guess. Determining coverage rates is always based on a mathematical constant known as the Theoretical Coverage Rate of a Coating. This in […]
How come there are so many different types of joints in a concrete slab? First let’s establish what the purpose of a “joint” is in concrete construction. They: Allow a concrete piece to move separately from other pieces or parts of the building. Let concrete shrink as it dries relieving […]
As Benjamin Franklin once said, “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” This is very insightful and still holds true today, maybe more than ever. A relentless search for lower cost is par for the course among owners and general contractors, and […]
Concrete is one of the most durable building materials on the market. However, there are many factors that come into play when maximizing concrete’s strength and longevity. In fact, the steps taken after pouring the concrete have just as much impact on its durability as the concrete mix design and […]
From the last three tips, you’ve learned there are three types of polished concrete with specific differences. For this tip, I’m consolidating the items into an easy-to-read summary. This can be something you can give to your sales team or use as a reference with clients. You can also share […]
Work on Globe Life Field — the Texas Rangers’ brand-new retractable-roof baseball ballpark in Arlington, Texas — was nearing completion when BEAM Concrete Construction, the decorative concrete subcontractor, hit a snag, color-matching concrete. Try as it might, the company couldn’t produce integrally colored concrete that would match the expanse placed […]
