The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
Colorado Hardscapes of Denver has made it its business to come up with concrete solutions for a wide variety of customers, both commercial and residential.
Multi Surface Urethane #275, from The Goodstuff Products, is a water-based, low-odor, low-VOC, clear urethane finish. Easy to apply and fast-drying, this high-quality finish works well on concrete countertops, floors, ceramic tile, vertical surfaces and other interior and exterior surfaces, including wood and some natural stone.
Trouble can arise when working beside a filled pool, in all sorts of ways. BBs from a shot blaster, for instance, can get into the water and leave rust stains. To protect pools, some contractors fashion floating drop cloths. Bubble Wrap taped to the tiles can do the trick. Other contractors prefer working on emptied swimming pools.
To make your concrete more distinctive, learn to think out of the box. The trick is to make your work unique and true to you. Put a signature on it.
Stenciling gives a more detailed and realistic finish to fresh concrete than stamping. And there are other advantages to stenciling, as well.
Experts share some “whys” and “hows” for using stencils on fresh concrete.
Stamping concrete in hot weather requires advanced planning and close attention. Here, industry pro George Lee shares his secrets for a successful outcome.
Not any pigment can be used in concrete. The chemistry of portland cement plus exposure to sunlight and weather can cause most integral concrete colors to fade.
Understanding pigments is the foundation for successful decorative concrete.
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 you are stenciling fresh-poured concrete there may be vertical surfaces you also want to stencil, such as step fronts or the lips around the edge of a patio where you may want the pattern to roll over the edge. Various contractors use different techniques to tackle these challenging surfaces.
The Concrete Color Maintenance System, from Newlook Coatings and Stains, is a solid-color, water-based stain that penetrates the surface of porous concrete to stain it to almost any color desired. “It’s like integralcolored concrete, only more perfectly colored,” says Sonny Baird, a partner in Newlook.
