The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
Instead of pouring concrete, concrete installers place concrete where they want it to go. And there are right ways and wrong ways to do this.
Bonding agents are a widely debated family of products. Some concrete contractors will tell you they have a favorite bonding agent, one that they use almost exclusively. Others say they evaluate every job and develop a unique solution, drawing from a wide range of products. And there are some contractors who swear by the oldest bonding agent of them all, simply using a mixture of portland cement and water.
After Tom Ralston Concrete recently finished a handsome concrete wall for the Pacific Gardens Chapel in Santa Cruz, Calif., local skateboarders promptly began to destroy it while practicing their “railing” and jumping techniques. Tom Ralston got to work creating a unique and attractive solution.
From skate parks to highway barriers, concrete walls are taking on a new look. Rather than monstrous monoliths of flat concrete looming on the horizon, extraordinary three-dimensional creations are popping up in cities and suburbs, along highways and beaches, next to mountains and in deserts — as one-of-a-kind works of art.
If you want to impress gullible friends with the glamour and excitement of concrete contracting, tell them you work on a hands-on basis with “release agents.” Only you will know the truth. Release agents are NOT highly trained government operatives who negotiate the exchange of political prisoners. They’re just powders […]
Don’t let moisture problems put a wet blanket on your concrete work. Here are some solutions.
Three easy test that can help monitor the amount of moisture remaining in a slab of concrete.
Radiant heat delivers warmth without ducts and registers; heats evenly, in an energy-efficient manner; and is silent. There are hydronic (hot water) and electric systems.
Ready mix executives from coast to coast agree that the color dispensing machines on the market today are a godsend.
In its standard form, Bayferrox iron oxide pigment is a very fine, particle-sized powder. With Bayferrox C, the standard powder is compacted into an irregularly shaped granule. This is a cost-effective, low-dusting and free-flowing pigment that can be metered easily and accurately.
From trench drains to catch basins and grates, here’s what you need to keep standing water off your outside projects.
