Back in 2014, Steven Ochs, chairman of the department of art and design at Southern Arkansas University and a decorative concrete artisan when he can squeeze in some time, did some work for a trucking company owner with the last name of Sindle. The work involved creating an original razorback […]
Tag: Courtyards & Patios
Hard Work is One of My Guilty Pleasures
This is what the yard looked like before the new concrete was placed. Photos courtesy of Bent Mikkelsen. I will have spent the better part of three months this summer helping some friends with a backyard project at their home. When asked to stop by and offer my “concrete” advice […]
Concrete Benches Designed to Look Like a Turtle Shell
Benches these days come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Add the element of decorative concrete to the mix and practically anything is possible. Take the cluster of benches that graces the courtyard of the Stamp Student Union at the University of Maryland – College Park, for instance. They […]
Maintenance Plans Can Potentially Please Both Parties
If done right, polished concrete — and other decorative concrete approaches — offer low-maintenance solutions in interior and exterior settings.
That’s “low-maintenance” as opposed to “no-maintenance” or “maintenance-free.”
Integral Color for Concrete:
The Inside Scoop
Greg Hurst still recalls the first time he used integral color for a concrete installation project. It was 2010 and the founder/owner of Alabama Decorative Concrete in Birmingham had been hired to install a 12,000-square-foot driveway that would be stamped throughout.
Designing Scrolling Art for a Sprawling Concrete Patio
For the first time in this series, I’m basing my article on a current job I just finished. In the last one, I introduced scrollwork as a design element. I was still focused on symmetry and using scrollwork as a larger medallion in a room.
Backyard Amenity
Features Concrete Dock
At first glance, the dock looks like it’s floating just above the water. “It turned out exactly how I wanted it,” says Reuben Keim, co-owner of Keim Concrete in Wooster, Ohio, about his concrete platform. The pier and dock, which sit about a foot above the surface of a 2-acre pond in Keim’s backyard, was fashioned with Proline form liners.
How To Apply Glow-in-the-dark Stone in Concrete
Just when you thought you were going to install another exposed aggregate pool deck, your clients inform you they want the concrete to “glow” with stone accents. Don’t hit the panic button! If you’ve never worked with a glowing medium before, glow-in-the-dark stones in concrete can be a breeze. Glow […]
Are Outdoor Concrete Sealers Really Necessary?
If you have done any research on concrete, you have probably noticed that experts recommend using outdoor concrete sealers.
For Outdoor Rooms, Consumer Tastes Extend Beyond the Basics
Concrete patios and pool decks have long set a standard for basic backyards. But today’s consumers want much more than the basics and the industry is complying. Due to more efficient tools and techniques, complex designs can be installed quicker, easier and at a fraction of the cost.