Concrete Designs

If you have ever been to Washington State you know it is beautiful.  People might complain about the weather sometimes, but Washingtonians from the west coast usually love where they live.  They have the rugged beauty of dense greenery surrounding them and the exquisite Pacific, including Peugeot Sound and its glory out front as a welcoming mat.  What could make this spectacular area any better?  Creating a home or office that enhances the beauty that surrounds you.

Enter Maverick Specialty Contracting.  This unique company has found some creative and stunning ways to use decorative concrete to reflect your personality, your desires for your home or office and create and artistic ambiance that you – and your guests “will want to talk about.” 

Whether using various decorative concrete ideas as the foundation or focal point of your design or using them in an artistic way to enhance your home or office and “bring it all together” Maverick Specialty Contracting will work with you to create the results you want.  They work closely with you, discussing your ideas and advising you from long before the actual work is started in an effort to ensure that the finished project will be just what you imagined.

Some of the ways that Maverick Specialty Contracting uses concrete to create or enhance a project is staining – which creates color, covers old impurities and stains and adds durability and easy cleaning.  They also use wall finishes which bring out beauty of natural stone at a fraction of the cost and bring out the look and feel of the artisans of old.  The company also specializes in vertical stains and other processes, all explained on their website, complete with photos.

David Cates, owner of Maverick Specialty Contracting, has been in the decorative concrete field for over sixteen years, and has become an expert in his field, even working on Seahawks Stadium, some photos of which can be seen on the Maverick Specialty Contracting website.

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My family and I live in a small town in the western United States.  It’s one of those proverbial one-horse towns.  Main Street is five miles long at best.  Traffic stops at our main intersection several times per year when, in the middle of the day, ranchers move their sheep from the highlands to the lowlands and vice-versa, so they can be in the right place as the seasons change.  Because there is no exact time that this is done, we often find ourselves sitting at a stoplight or top sign on Main Street while waiting for the sheep to get where they’re going.  We don’t have a mall, a Costco or a Target, and we just got a Starbucks a few months ago!

Even in a pretty small town like mine, where horses live next door, or down the street and cows graze in the fields around the corner from us, there are modern and beautiful methods of decorative concrete used in a lot of areas.  I hadn’t really noticed before starting to research for articles, but as I became more aware of decorative concrete hot shots free download

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I have been to the library numerous times on quests for a particular book my son needed for an assignment.  It’s a nice looking library, but I didn’t realize until lately, that the entryway and foyer are done in beautiful jade green color concrete overlay. The walls are a pale grayish-green stamped concrete that are textured to look like oversized bricks.  The general décor is finished off with oak shelves, oak beams from floor to ceiling and areas of carpet.  Without the use of decorative concrete, the library would be nice, but would not be enticing and creative in the way that it does.  It would simply be a large room with bookshelves and carpet. 

Then there is the main bank in town.  The polished concrete used in the entryway and near the teller area, creates an interesting and elegant area that meshes with the carpet quite seamlessly.  The textured concrete

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walls – inside and out in rich buttery colors – draws people in by the warmth the walls project due to the combination of color and texture.

These are just a couple of examples of the use of decorative concrete in a tiny western town.  As I explored town, stopping by places I visit regularly, I found other stunning examples at two hotels I stopped at, the Visitors Center, my doctor’s office and the building he and other doctors practice in, and more.

If you are thinking of building or renovating, think about decorative concrete, and look into the ideas of how it can be used in beautiful and affordable ways. free lost city the

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In Nebraska City, Nebraska, the city council just had a very important vote. In addition to a number of improvement items for the area including walking and bike trails and other issues, approval was granted to construct concrete overlaid crosswalks.

Lately, the use of various forms of decorative concrete, such a stamped and polished concrete, have come to the fore and are being used more and more Nebraska City is no exception. Their vote to create the concrete overlaid crosswalks was based on aesthetics and beauty, practicality and durability.
In trying to beautify the area in a creative way, using decorative concrete overlay on top of the old crosswalks.

The new crosswalks, because of the concrete overlay, will be durable, since it will be overlaid, colored and sealed in such a way that it will be easy to maintained. Plus, if need be, it can be easily re-colored or textured if the wear and tear begins to show after a few years.

The fact that a city feels that the beauty and durability of decorative concrete overlay will withstand the elements and the daily wear and tear of people, bicycles and cars, shows that this same treatment or a similar one in your backyard around flowerbeds, a pool or a Jacuzzi, and it will stand up to he elements and wear and tear at your home.

In addition, there are so many versatile ways to use decorative concrete, and versatile colors and textures to enhance your home inside or out. Entryway walls textured with colored concrete and enhanced by polished concrete floors can be both exquisite and welcoming. Stamped concrete surrounding a fireplace creates an elegant yet earthy feel. We could go on and on from herre.

Instead, take a look at information and photos showing what decorative concrete is, how versatile it is, how it can be used to enhance your home, both inside and out.

St. Louis, Missouri has found many diamonds in the rough.  When you think of music – especially Jazz and the Blues – you can’t think of those genres without including St. Louis and its importance in their birth and growth. 

Currently, St. Louis hosts another diamond in the rough, as well.  Applied Diamond Tools may not be a name that you are familiar with, but you will be.

Applied Diamond Tools is a leader in Diamond Tools for polishing concrete and stone floors and countertops, as well as floor restoration.  The tools they carry can do many types of specialty jobs with concrete, including grinding granite, marble, engineered stone and concrete. 

Applied Diamond Tools carries the largest supply of the top quality Diamond Tools available.  Some of the tools that are available through Applied Diamond Tools are Diamond Polishing Pads, Diamond Core Drill Bits, Diamond Router Bits, Diamond Cup Wheels, Diamond Hand Profilers, Polishers, Grinders and a huge variety of more tools.  Another exciting service that Applied Diamond Tools provides is their online “catalogue” of tools.  You can visit their site at www.ToolOCity.com.  Check out the entire line of Diamond Tools and other products and services they offer.

Applied Diamond Tools offers specialty concrete countertop products tools at the most competitive prices anywhere.  Whether you are dealing with a countertop or floor, Applied Diamond Tools has the tools and pads to create or refinish your project.  Because their discs are impregnated with diamond, they provide the most superior polish and shine available.  Their routers help you create perfect edges, and their variety of grinders – wet, dry, air, electric, variable speed, angle and anything else you need – will get the job done perfectly every time.

For unmatched superior quality, take a look at what Applied Diamond Tools has to offer and what they can do to help you take your concrete jobs to the next level.  St. Louis and Applied Diamond Tools: another diamond in the rough comes to light.

If you live in or around Carmel, Indiana and are looking for a company that can help you with your decorative concrete needs, look no further than one of our member companies, Concrete Protection and Design LLC.

Concrete Protection and Design provides expert design, products and services.  They will work with you from any point in your concrete process including concept design to construction and all the way through to the finished project.

Concrete Protection and Design is well known for offering a wide range of concrete resurfacing contracting services.  They can work with you very step of the way whether you are building a new home, remodeling or adding hardscape or other decorative concrete surfaces to your existing concrete.  They will work with you through the entire process to ensure you get the exact results that you imagined from the start, while at the same time working to address and meet your budget needs.

Concrete Protection and Design does just what their name implies.  For example, one of their specialties is protecting the concrete around your home, and they are experts at this process.  To do so, they use a process which involves CPD high tech polymer and materials that protect your existing concrete from damage such as oil stains, scratching, salt corrosion and freeze/thaw cycle of Indiana weather.  The CPD polymer is three times stronger than the strength of the concrete itself, so when it is applied over your concrete it is extremely resistant to all types of damage we have discussed and more.  It will keep your expensive concrete looking new, beautiful and well-maintained.  It is also easy to keep clean, and because of its qualities, allows you to rinse away dirt and any weekly messes easily.

If you are anywhere in Indiana – especially around Carmel – and are thinking of doing anything with concrete from creating new walks or driveways, resurfacing old ones or anything in between – Concrete Protection and Design is the place to call.  They are experts who deliver professional qualities from concept to construction to completion, and will work with your budget as well.

If you live in south Florida or the Keys, there is a special company that is one of the best and most experienced decorative concrete contractors.

With over ten years experience, Faracon Concrete Technologies specializes in concrete staining, sealing, resealing and resurfacing.  In addition, Faracon specializes in stamped and plain concrete, as well as any other form of concrete you can think of.

They are committed to taking concrete to the next level and creating the highest quality artistic work.  Their concrete polishing division is so experienced and expert that they have created their own line of chemicals to work with hard or soft concrete.  Because they have created their chemicals and know them fully, they know exactly which one will work on which type of concrete.  Though they do wonderful work on small jobs, they are excellent at handling big jobs – the bigger the better.

Faracon Concrete Technologies is expanding the concrete polishing and construction arena by their unique and artistic work and finishes.  Their specialties include acid stain, polished concrete, stamped concrete and decorative concrete. Some of the techniques they are best known for include commercial, residential and industrial surface preparation, floor grinding, diamond polishing, acid staining and concrete dyes.

With decorative concrete becoming both the foundation and the artistic focal point of many projects, Faracon Concrete Technologies has become South Florida’s premier concrete experts.  Whether you are trying to re-do your current look or build from the ground up – inside or outside, landscape, waterfalls or stunning floors or walkways – contact Faracon Concrete Technologies to get the best information, service, products and craftsmanship in South Florida. 

When most of us think of Hawaii we think of lush landscapes, beautiful beaches and stunning waterfalls.  So, what do you do when you are trying to landscape a home or office building?  You blend.  People try to enhance their home or other structures by using the landscape to blend into the canvas that nature has provided to envelop the structure.

Lokahi Stone located in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a master of decorative concrete, specializing in stained cement, fireplace surrounds, and custom countertops. Lokahi means “coming together in harmony.”  Lokahi Stone employs a unique method of blending the elements of geology, water and stone to bring this atmosphere into your home or business and designs a gathering place for you and your guests.

Because of the advancement of concrete materials they are not only beautiful but also offer competitive prices, ease of use, durability and stunning results.  Lokahi Stone uses these applications and more.  They shape the materials and make them individual and unique to your environment and taste.  Individualized designs can include inlays and semi-precious stone aggregates, not to mention an amazing array of colors and textures. 

Keeping true to their name, Lokahi Stone will create an atmosphere that brings the outside in and the inside out, developing a seamless flow of elements and energy and creating the look, feel and space that is individual and unique to your ideas and taste.  Lokahi will create artistic yet functional and stylish countertops, fountains, architectural design elements or anything and everything you can imagine.

You can contact them at Lokahi Stone.

Decorative concrete is in the news everywhere these days. Varieties of decorative concrete are used everywhere from private homes to public squares. Its use involves many types and styles including overlays, stamped concrete, polished concrete and the use of a variety of colors and textures.

One quaint town along the famous and well-traveled scenic Route 30 along the Gulf coast of Florida, Rosemary Beach, has literally been built around the idea of a Caribbean village with a town square. The atmosphere in this town that reflects and is inspired by the qualities of the town of St. Augustine, the West Indies and other classic Pan-Caribbean areas.

If you have never traveled to the Caribbean or to Rosemary Beach, they are both inspiring. The streets in both places are actually mainly for pedestrians. In Rosemary Beach, they are composed of bricks, cobblestone and stamped concrete, surrounded by the walls of homes and businesses that reflect the hues and the textures of the Caribbean. Each street/pedestrian path leads to the beach at one end and the public square at the other end.
The interior that surrounds the public square, frames it with concrete finished to resemble the stucco textures and colors of the Caribbean. The pillars that help create the atmosphere of an easygoing Caribbean beach town rise up and melt into graceful arches which give one an easygoing, calm feeling.

The public square is the hub of all activity for the town. With its interactive fountain, grassy areas and Dutch West Indian architecture, it is filled with shops and businesses. The square draws you into its ambience and atmosphere with its cool decorative concrete turned cool earth toned stucco shop fronts.

The design and artful West Indian atmosphere of Rosemary Beach could not have been achieved without the use of decorative concrete. By using concrete creatively, the seaside town – especially its public square – is a work of art that is both stunning and durable. What is even better about the way that the concrete was used is that when it is time to spruce things up over the years, there are many finishes that will do the job without having to destroy and rebuild or re-pour.

Rosemary Beach is a tiny, seaside town centered around a public square and built artistically to resemble the Caribbean by using various methods and forms of decorative concrete. Your project might be much larger, such as a hotel/conference center or smaller, such as a private home. Regardless of size and scope, decorative concrete can be poured, shaped, stamped, polished and molded to turn your finished project into whatever your vision is. The ideas are virtually limitless. They can be created as far as your imagination can travel.

For years, many hotels and convention centers were immersed in thick, overly bright too glitzy patterned carpeting reminiscent of Las Vegas. During the past decade, especially most recently, things have begun to change to a more subtle, minimalist, yet elegant, trend.

This is where many of the new types and styles of flooring come into play. There are numerous types of decorative concrete available both for commercial projects such as hotels, restaurants and office buildings, and they are also available for homes.

One of the most stunning floor treatments is the use of polished concrete. Not only is it beautiful, it is also durable and enhances and envelopes an atmosphere by creating a seamless connection between floor and décor.

One example of polished concrete being used commercially is at the remodeled Hotel San Jose in Austin, TX. The Hotel San Jose is a landmark in Austin. It was bought and remodeled by an ex-attorney turned hotelier, who wanted the look to represent Austin and at the same time be minimalist. She was trying to create a calm atmosphere for guests to soak in by combining unique metals and metal work, vintage furniture and bright splashes of color, exquisitely framed by the polished concrete floors. The custom hand-made furniture created out of reclaimed Texas pine creates a spectacular impact against the polished concrete floors. As a result, each room looks unique, personal and welcoming.

There are increasing numbers and types of venues using decorative concrete flooring – especially polished concrete – to create an ambience and finished look to their décor. The art of creating a specific look with polished concrete is growing. It has become affordable and versatile. With different types of colors, patterns and even wall décor, polished concrete is fast becoming a decorative touch that is in demand.

Lately there have been several new schools built in my neighborhood and a couple of older schools remodeled.  I must say, they are not like schools in the old days with either faded linoleum and pale green or gray walls or with stained carpeting and the same faded, pale green or gray walls.

Schools are being built better, smarter, more eco-friendly and more durable.  I visited the newer schools and the remodeled schools to see what they looked like and get an idea of how well the jobs were done.

I was absolutely stunned.  Some of these schools look like Marriott hotels!  One of the things that jumped out at me immediately was the liberal use of decorative concrete on walls in hallways, on floors – especially in the auditorium and lunch room, and on the exterior of the buildings.  Not only did this look state of the art and very attractive, it was obviously easy to maintain and very durable.

In browsing through various special rooms, such as the art rooms and computer rooms, it was as if I was walking through a university.  It certainly was not anything like what I used to call school.

That gave me an idea.  I went to look at the local university which had expanded and been renovated recently.  I was struck by the ingenious use of decorative concrete and polished concrete on floors, walls, stairs and pillars.  This was truly a university whose décor and structure had been well thought out and planned.  The use of stamped concrete on many of the interior and exterior walls, as well as the rotunda in the student center created an atmosphere that was conducive to learning.  The polished concrete floors added a sturdy yet artistic framework to the design and played well off the buttery-yellow walls.

Schools have come a long way and so has concrete.  Schools are no longer plain wood, brick and linoleum buildings with pale walls.  Concrete is no longer dull gray cement poured into a framework.  Both have stepped forward into the 21st century with bright colors, patterns, creativity and durability.