Concrete Designs

Concrete stencils are a fantastic way to customize any concrete surface. They can be used on concrete floors, walls, patios, countertops and more. These stencils come in traditional patterns like brick, stone or tile, but can also be completely custom-made, allowing you to create one-of-a-kind looks for your home or business.

A concrete stencil is essentially a water-resistant piece of thick paper. The stencil is placed over freshly-poured or overlaid concrete, and a variety of methods are utilized to decorate the concrete visible through the stencil. The result is a beautifully unique concrete surface, which is suitable for any application, indoors or out.

A customized stencil for concrete can be easily created from virtually any logo, crest, picture, monogram or design. These custom stencils can be used with several different decoration techniques, including cast-in-place, overlay, vertical application, acid stain, concrete dye or sandblasting.

Imagine your company’s logo imprinted into your concrete floor, or your family crest stained onto a concrete pillar in your home.  All of these ideas are possible, and more. Let your creative vision run free, the versatility of concrete stencils ensure you will be able to create just what you envisioned for your space.

There have been advances in the concrete industry that have many concrete installers and repair experts making the switch from functional concrete to decorative. A career in the designer concrete arena can be not only rewarding, but very financially beneficial. In order to jump start your new career, make sure you start with the right tools: product knowledge and the proper decorative concrete training.

Product Knowledge Equals Higher Profits

To get the most out of your decorative concrete training, it is vital that you learn everything about the products and supplies you will be using. You need to know not only how concrete products will interact with each other, but also how to describe the products you use to potential clients. The better you can describe in detail, the more valuable you will be as a contractor. There are so many things you can do with concrete, such as cement stamping, acid-staining, or concrete polishing for example. When you can talk to a future client about how exciting these techniques are, the more excited they will be to hire you!

Decorative Concrete Training

The first question you are probably asking yourself is, “Can I afford decorative concrete training?” That depends on plenty of factors, such as location, time, and available funds. If you’re lucky, you will be able to find decorative concrete training courses in your area; otherwise, you might have to book a flight and make hotel arrangements in order to meet your needs. Without travel, count on spending $250 to $1,000 per weekend on decorative concrete training. Most courses will last 2 – 3 full days with a break for lunch in the afternoon. Classes will usually be held at a decorative concrete supply company, and will include hands-on demonstrations as well as discounts on concrete products and tools.

Start a Portfolio ASAP

Being able to talk about your craftsmanship is one thing. Showing a potential customer photos of your work is another. Take before and after photos of every single job you get. You can even start your portfolio during your initial training. A pre- and post-portfolio of your concrete work is especially important with it comes to decorative concrete repairs or resurfacing.

Make sure you don’t get a head of yourself when it comes to starting a decorative concrete career. Without the proper amount of training, you could jump into a job without knowing what you’re doing, screw it up, and then ruin your reputation. Do your research regarding training courses, take your time learning the concrete products and tools, and practice until you’re ready for your first job.

Adding stained concrete to your Baltimore area business gives it unique visual appeal, while providing a durable, easy to maintain surface.  An existing concrete slab can easily be stained to suit your preferences or a new concrete slab can be installed and stained.  The process is relatively simple and will give your business a fresh look without breaking the bank.

Acid-stained concrete is attained by applying hydrochloric acid mixed with color pigments to the concrete surface.  The hydrochloric acid etches the surface, allowing the pigments to penetrate the concrete and stain it from the inside.  Once the mixture dries, the stain is completely permanent, and won’t chip, crack, or flake.

The concrete design options are virtually endless when it comes to staining. There are thousands of color combinations available on the market today, giving you the flexibility to choose the perfect color for your business.  Also, because of the unique process of staining concrete, no two applications will ever look exactly the same.  The concrete absorbs differing amounts of color stain, giving it beautiful tonal variations throughout.

Stained concrete also offers ease of maintenance.  Since concrete is one of the most durable surfaces in the world, it’s easy to keep it looking like new, even in high traffic areas. Cleaning concrete is a simple process as well.

It’s easy to see why so many businesses have chosen to incorporate acid-stained concrete floors into their spaces. Let the concrete experts at Sundek of Washington help you create a unique, cost-effective concrete flooring system for your business today.