The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
Polished concrete is a process of progressive mechanical grinding, honing, densifying and polishing a concrete surface. This is done to achieve an aesthetically pleasing, highly durable, light-reflective finish.
Over the last few years, I’ve noticed a shift in the polished concrete market. As the industry has grown, there has always been three sizes of contractors.
A Tuscaloosa, Ala., company landed the contract to polish some 12,000 square feet of concrete poured as part of a major renovation to the US Space & Rocket Center, which serves as home to the internationally known Space Camp for bright and cosmically focused kids.
As a consultant who works with contractors and manufacturers alike, I sometimes see things that aren’t typically discussed that I feel are important to share. So I’m going to attempt to tie together the various strings of thought on tax updates and how these will affect our industry specifically.
Asbestos is a class of minerals valued because of its strength, flexibility and fire resistance. These minerals are made up of thin fibrous crystals that are made of millions of smaller microscopic fibers called fibrils. Asbestos has been mined for about 4,000 years but became common in the late 1800s, […]
Still struggling with how to meet the federal OSHA’s requirements on protecting your employees from silica dust? You certainly aren’t alone. If you’re waiting for your favorite manufacturer to bail you out with new equipment, it may take a while. Many of them have new products in the works that […]
It’s probably not an attitude shared by everyone, but Tom Martin, job site safety director for Diama-Shield LLC in Troy, Michigan, believes OSHA is there to help contractors.
A handcrafted 5,900-square-foot meandering river scene incorporated into the building’s polished concrete floor before the building was constructed. Womack also manufactured and installed three different versions of concrete countertops, and finished the exterior concrete with custom pattern mats and a unique stain.
At the Tampa Museum of Art, all eyes are on the compelling paintings, photographs and sculptures. And the building itself evokes an essence that’s subtle and serene so as not to detract from the art on display.
Possibly one of the most-discussed topics in the concrete polishing industry today is managing the customer’s expectations. Many an instance has occurred in which the floor has been ground, honed and polished within a hair’s thickness of perfection in the contractor’s eyes, only for him to be informed at collection time that it isn’t what the customer had in mind.
We’re good, but we’re not perfect. Once we start thinking that we know everything, or that polished concrete is right for every situation, then we are in trouble. In this economy, we cannot afford a single misstep. Now is the time to focus on running a business correctly, and that includes being aboveboard and ethical in dealings with our customers and vendors.
