The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
In August 2010, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy in Winnipeg contacted Randall Klassen to get a quote for the demolition and removal of the Assiniboine Park Zoo’s Tropical House. The house had fallen into disrepair and the conservancy wanted to replace it with a rocky tropical oasis for animals, birds and plants.
Penicillin, popsicles and the pacemaker are all great inventions that were created by accident. Now it’s time to add another one to that list: Glo-Kote from Super-Krete International Inc.
Often, in the process of selling a client on the advantages of concrete, contractors or designers essentially break out a laundry list: It’s durable. It’s versatile. It’s green, design-friendly, affordable, and on and on. Thanks to this house, we can now add “zombie-proof” to the list of concrete’s marketable features.
Neither Scott Cohen, who owns The Green Scene in Northridge, Calif., nor Allen Miller, CEO and president of Concrete Revolution in Denver, Colo., have ever had a problem with alkali-silica reaction in their glass and concrete countertops.
Concrete rivals or surpasses many common architectural materials when it comes to versatility of design and application. Its customizability is well-known, and more fabricators are starting to realize how they can capitalize on its versatility in expanding their market.
The project was a lot simpler than the one Baltz ended up with. “I was first approached to do some hardscape and subbase for a network of brick or paver stone terraces,” he recalls. “The connecting walkways were going to be asphalt.” He can’t hide the disdain in his voice when he makes that last statement.
When Brian Graham opened Hard Rock Developments Inc. in Calgary in 2000, he wanted the concrete tool and supply shop to be different from your standard concrete store. “My Dad was a concrete contractor, so when I was growing up, I went with him to concrete supply stores pretty often,” […]
Designed as an easier-to-use, more controllable color system, Construcolor B01 integral pigment is a liquid gel that has been winning over skeptics for the last decade.
The owner, an old concrete contractor, wanted to replace the two bars with concrete. The goal was to add ambience and character to the bar with a material that could be hosed down along with the floors. The owner also wanted seamless tops, making this a good candidate for pouring in place.
Just a few short years ago, saying that concrete was a green building material was sufficient. It was taken for granted that concrete, being locally produced, durable and nontoxic, was a sound, sustainable choice.
