Nailing this balance project after project takes great effort, but the reward is far more than monetary. Concrete hardscapes last decades, and so do the reputation of the concrete artisans who successfully pave their way into decorative history.
Tips & How-Tos
Industry veterans, entrepreneurs and decorative concrete artisans reveal findings, divulge lessons learned and outline methods used to help advance the industry as a whole.
Metallic Epoxy Tips and Techniques
Metallic floor coatings are a very exotic-looking flooring option. Unlike with solid-color pigment or chips, no two metallic floors are alike.
Building the Perfect Pool Deck Starting with the Subgrade
Unstable subgrade is the primary culprit in cracking, shifting and settling in concrete around pools. We can all agree that concrete is only as good as what you put it on top of.
How to Build a Concrete Fire Pit Safely
As a contractor with extensive experience with all types of outdoor fire features, and as an expert witness in situations where something’s gone terribly wrong, I’d like to share some of the basic guidelines I use to maximize both safety and enjoyment of buidling concrete fire pits.
PVC Pipe, Leftover Diamonds, Paint and Chalk Put to Work on Decorative Concrete Jobs
Make line cuts with a Dremel rotary tool Using a Dremel hand-held rotary tool for freehand line cuts in decorative concrete greatly decreases the time it takes and increases the accuracy of the cut. It is a small rotary tool with high rpm, and it’s relatively easy on the budget. […]
Nine Novice Concrete Stamping Mistakes to Avoid
Novice stampers are prone to making a few common mistakes. Some have to do with planning the job. Others have to do with misunderstanding the materials, while still others are simply a lack of familiarity with manipulating stamps and skins. Here’s an opportunity to learn the easy way.
Debunking Common Decorative Concrete Myths
“Just apply a decorative overlay and it will hide everything.” Or, “Use acid to strip that sealer.” These are just a couple of the myths or just plain wrong recommendations concrete contractors may have come across recently.
Decorative Concrete Techniques: Coloring Tips
Tips and techniques for a successfully adding color to concrete.
Concrete Overlays are Limited Only by the Boundaries We Create
A step by step process of an overlay concrete floor with an acid etch stain process.
Stenciling Fresh Concrete
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.
