Vol. 14 No. 3 - April 2014

Vol. 14 No. 3 – April 2014

How One Contractor Profited from Safety Surfacing

Concrete Coatings Outdoor Spaces Safety Vol. 14 No. 3 - April 2014 by Concrete Decor Staff Comments are Disabled

When asked if concrete contractors should add safety surfacing to their roster of services, George Coon’s answer was a question that was succinct and to the point: “Do they want to make money?”

The Ultimate Backyard Hacienda Resort Adds a Concrete Pool

Outdoor Spaces Staining & Coloring Concrete Vol. 14 No. 3 - April 2014 by Stacey Enesey Klemenc Comments are Disabled

Looking at it today, it’s hard to imagine that the focal point of the Weiner family’s backyard used to be a $300 aboveground swimming pool from Walmart. Now, the award-winning residential resort is more in line with the likes of Neiman Marcus with its outdoor kitchen, water slide, conversation area with fire pit, and concrete swimming pool and spa with a Baja shelf, two in-pool tables and a shaded pavilion.

A Colorful Transformation of a Transit Stop Using LithoMosaic Designs

Concrete Overlays & Toppings Vol. 14 No. 3 - April 2014 by Gail Elber Comments are Disabled

“The imagery was kind of inspired by the playfulness of the site,” Lucking says. “It’s like psychedelic cactuses, which is what Fourth Avenue is like.” They decided Lucking would execute the design in a mosaic on the pavement, and Goldlust would render it as cutouts in the station’s steel benches and partitions.

How Can You Minimize Sealer Slipperiness on Concrete?

Concrete Coatings Concrete Sealers Safety Vol. 14 No. 3 - April 2014 by Chris Sullivan Comments are Disabled

Using grit additives has become the most common method for reducing slipperiness when sealing decorative concrete flatwork on exterior walking surfaces. The grit additives are mixed into the sealer, then the gritty sealer is applied to the concrete. However, in this situation the weather was too cold to reseal the concrete. So another method needs to be used until springtime arrives and temperatures rise.

A Guide to Removing Built-Up Residue from Polishing Concrete

Tips & How-Tos Concrete Polishing Vol. 14 No. 3 - April 2014 by Wendy Runyon-Ricker Comments are Disabled

Surface preparation is the crucial beginning stage of any concrete polishing process. It is especially important in old office buildings, warehouses or department stores where tile or carpeting once covered the flooring, leaving behind residue that must be removed before applying an overlay or polishing. Photo courtesy of Stoops Freightliner

The Playful Vibe of Crafted Tide Concrete Pool Stones

Outdoor Spaces Stamping & Texturing Concrete Concrete Art Vol. 14 No. 3 - April 2014 by John Strieder Comments are Disabled

Decorative concrete wizard Tom Ralston is a familiar name to Concrete Decor readers for his elaborate, multifaceted homes and backyards. But there’s another side to Ralston’s work: the wildly creative stuff that’s almost pure fun.

Series of Turnpike Stops Get Decked Out with Decorative Concrete

Stamping & Texturing Concrete Concrete Placing Vol. 14 No. 3 - April 2014 by Joe Maty Comments are Disabled

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.

Concrete Polishing Tips: Slow Grind Speeds, Cool Tools and Sweeping Compound Pitfalls

Tips & How-Tos Concrete Polishing Vol. 14 No. 3 - April 2014 by Bryon "Bru" Bruington Comments are Disabled

This is very similar to the story told in the old children’s tale, “The Tortoise and the Hare.” If you remember, the slow-footed tortoise won a race against the faster hare by keeping a slow, steady pace while his faster counterpart sprinted, tired and lost concentration.

Should You Overlay or Replace That Cracked Concrete Surface?

Concrete Maintenance Concrete Overlays & Toppings Vol. 14 No. 3 - April 2014 by Doug Carlton Comments are Disabled

First Federal Savings Bank, Sheridan, Wyo., asked Doug Carlton if there was an overlay that could improve their cracked, uneven parking lot. He told them no. The crack pattern shows a problem beyond random cracking. He guessed that the concrete is too thin or not properly reinforced, or that the subgrade had failed.

How Polymer Additives Became a Part of GFRC

Concrete Countertops Vol. 14 No. 3 - April 2014 by Jeffrey Girard, P.E. Comments are Disabled

Glass-fiber reinforced concrete became a commercially viable material in the early 1970s. But it would take another decade or two before it became an economically attractive and faster alternative to the heavy and expensive materials traditionally used in commercial buildings.