The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
Molson Coors needed to repurpose the concrete floor at their Toronto brewing facility. Besides the floor being 20 years old, the company wanted to convert the property from a production facility complete with bottle washer, filler and pasteurizer that drain onto sloped floors into a warehouse. Approximately 35,000 square feet […]
For thousands of years the permanence of concrete has made it an ideal construction and design medium. Architects, engineers and builders have relied on in for centuries. Even the word “concrete” is often used as an adjective to describe the reality, longevity and durability of everything from objects to ideas. […]
Chris Finegan, owner of Green-Tec Services in Orange, California, says the biggest drawback he often faces selling his high-pressure water-blasting services is that contractors are concerned the process will inject water into the slab when they prep the concrete. However, nothing could be further from the truth. By quickly hitting […]
In management or leadership training classes worldwide, you can learn about the five Ps for success: “Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” I think these Ps can apply to polished concrete projects as well. There are several specific planning items that can be addressed that will help any polish project be successful.
As any decorative concrete artisan knows, staining is one of the most nuanced, finicky and unpredictable techniques in the playbook. Yes, stains offer a fantastic variety of design possibilities — just consider the difference between an acid-stained floor and a water-based stain job, for example.
Surface preparation is a commonly used term in the decorative concrete industry. An argument can be made that it might even just be the most used term in the industry. We hear or read about it most often when dealing with overlays and stains. Grind, scarify, acid etch, etc.
The steps you take with your wet-cast or GFRC countertops prior to sealing them will affect sealer success more than the actual application of the sealer. It’s important to gain an understanding of what your concrete is doing, or more importantly, what you are doing with your concrete.
You don’t need me to tell you how tough today’s market is for contractors, and few will disagree that the ball is in our customers’ court. Razor-thin margins allow no room for error in one of the many things we used to pay little attention to.
The decorative overlay industry has grown exponentially over the last 10 years, and so has the number of failures and problems related to overlay installations.
The "first cut" is the foundation for the polished concrete floor that you are going to create. But what is a "first cut"? In speaking with a wide range of concrete polishers, I’ve found that there seems to be three ways this question can be answered.
