Concrete Designs

Have you heard of the term, “spalled concrete” but had no clue what it meant? Well, spalled concrete refers to a concrete surface that is flaking, peeling, or crumbing. In other words, you don’t want it!

What Causes Spalling?

Concrete spalling can be caused by a wide variety of factors including chemical reactions, a poorly-made concrete mix, oil or de-icing agents penetrating the surface, or extreme temperature changes.  It is important to repair the damaged concrete as soon as possible.

What to Do When You Have Spalled Concrete

If you want to fix your damaged concrete yourself, the first step is getting the proper supplies. A decorative concrete supply company based out of Dade City, Florida, SureCrete, offers a complete concrete restoration system specifically designed to repair and restore damaged concrete. This SureCrete system is also environmentally friendly, and the products used in the system will not harm any existing plant life around the concrete surface.

Why You Need to Fix Spalled Concrete

Spalled concrete surfaces can detract from the value and appeal of a home or business, and might give people a bad first impression. With the SureCrete concrete restoration system, the old, peeling, flaking, cracking concrete can be transformed into a smooth, repaired, and renewed concrete surface quickly and economically.

For more information, please visit SureCrete’s professional profile on Concrete Ideas.

Concrete countertops have taken the interior design world by storm. For the most part, they are easy to install, extremely durable, amazingly versatile and budget-friendly! Concrete countertops give consumers a unique and customizable surface that can be designed to complement any aesthetic or home decor.

When it comes to installing the perfect concrete countertop, it’s important to use the proper concrete countertop mix. EnCOUNTER is a factory-blended concrete mix system suitable for a variety of applications. Factory blending ensures consistency across the product line.

The enCOUNTER mix comes in convenient 50- pound containers and is available in both Gray and White Portland concrete. This mix can be applied with pre-cast or cast-in-place methods, and reaches a strength of 8,870 psi; that’s nearly three times the strength of average concrete!

The enCOUNTER system also includes a micro topping which can be applied prior to sealing to create additional depth or correct finishing flaws. This concrete micro topping, called enMAGIC, can also be integrally colored, stained and sanded.

EnCOLOR is the concrete countertop coloring component of the enCOUNTER system. It is available in a variety of colors. The enCOLOR system comes conveniently pre-packaged in small tubs. These tubs of concentrated liquid color are added to the concrete mix at specific levels, depending on the color desired. This ensures uniform color across multiple batches. The enCOUNTER system can also be customized using traditional water-borne stains, acid stains and dye stains, in addition to enCOLOR.

The versatility and convenience of the entire enCOUNTER system makes it easy to install flawless custom concrete countertops each and every time.

Do you have kitchen countertops that you’re embarrassed of? Do you cringe at the thought of having guests over to your home because you hate the décor of your kitchen? If your countertops could use a makeover, but you can’t afford brand new tops, look into a concrete countertop resurfacing system. One of the best countertop resurfacing systems on the market today is called EZTop and it truly lives up to its name.  This product was created specifically so you can get the look of concrete countertops in your kitchen at a fraction of what it would cost to buy and install new countertops. Basically, a thin layer of concrete goes directly on top of your existing countertop. Easy as that!

Who doesn’t love the look of concrete? It’s sleek, modern, and can make your outdated kitchen the talk of the entire neighborhood! The EZTop resurfacing system can be found online or at The Stamp Store in Oklahoma City.

Check out more from the nation’s best decorative concrete supply company!

 The Central Texas area is booming. People from all over the nation are moving to areas such as San Marcos, Austin, San Antonio, and New Braunfels. In fact, more people have moved to this area this year than any other place in the nation! So what does this population influx mean? Growth and more building. It also means a lot of concrete repairs will be needed. If you own a business in the San Marcos area, you might want to look into decorative concrete coatings instead of just basic cement repairs.

With decorative concrete, you can rejuvenate boring surfaces, such as parking lots, entryways, sidewalks, and more into designer works of art! And here’s the best part: Experienced concrete coating companies are able to offer these services at a price that rivals basic repairs. How? With coatings, there’s not need to replace concrete. The contractor will simply fix the cracks and then apply a durable, long-lasting top coat. Decorative techniques, such as stamping and staining, can go on top of this layer, adding beauty and value to your commercial concrete surface.

 Ready to learn more? Check out this amazing San Marcos concrete coating company!

The market demands it, and Greenville’s best concrete contractor offers it. For the consumer who has the environment in mind, eco-friendly concrete stains are a great flooring option. And just because these stains are water-based as opposed to acid-based, you might think the color options are limited. Well, eco-stains offer just as much variety when it comes to hues and color saturation. Furthermore, McHugh’s concrete artisians have been creating decorative concrete flooring since 1993, and they specialize in techniques that will make a stained concrete floor look like marble.

Owner Tom McHugh offers a couple other benefits to interior stained flooring: “Most of the interior stain we carry is water-based so it is not harmful to the customer when it’s applied. Stained basement floors are a great idea for in Wisconsin because when your basement floods you won’t have to replace anything like you would with carpet.”

If you are in the Appleton or Greenville areas of Wisconsin and need an eco-friendly flooring option, look into water-based stains by Greenville’s best concrete contractor.

Concrete overlays. Decorative cement coatings.  Concrete rejuvenation. Whatever you call it, it’s a way to fix damaged concrete and make it look more appealing, because no one likes cracked concrete. There have been major advances in the concrete coating industry and you need to be aware of them. For example: Sundek of San Antonio, Central Texas’s name to know in the concrete overlay business, knows the precise way to — not only fix concrete cracks in driveways, sidewalks, pool decks, and patios — but also add a layer of beautification.

Did you know that you can take an ugly concrete surface, and add a thin layer of a concrete-based coating, then apply a designer technique? If you want the look of expensive natural stone, but don’t want to pay for it, ask San Antonio’s best concrete coating company for stamped concrete. You’ll not only love the look, you’ll appreciate the price.

Check out more from the area’s most trusted concrete coating company.

Plenty of residents in Central Texas utilize their garages as extra rooms, storage, or home offices. This area of the country is nice enough to keep vehicles outside year-round, so converting your garage into a usable space is a great idea. If you are considering a home renovation that includes a garage conversion, make sure you protect your garage surface with a  concrete coating system.

There are plenty of options regarding color, textures, and shine level – so when you are ready to hire a San Antonio concrete coating company, be sure to ask for pictures and suggestions. Every garage conversion is different and serves a unique purpose, so be clear when you are discussing options with your garage flooring expert. Some garage floor coating companies will also offer extensive decorative options, such as having an image of a team mascot or a business logo stained onto the surface. Whatever direction you go in, be sure to hire a qualified, recommended, and experienced concrete coating professional. Getting references is a must!

Check out this great Central Texas garage flooring company!

If you live in Malibu and need your custom swimming pool repaired or renovated, Min Yoshida offers top quality, full service pool repairs and renovations to LA, Beverly Hills, and Malibu area residents.  When your pool is not functioning properly, or is simply outdated, the experts at Min Yoshida are eager to help. Their years of experience in the swimming pool industry have made them the top choice for local pool repairs and concrete deck renovations.

Malibu’s best pool designer, Min Yoshida Custom Pools, offers custom pool renovations that can transform your outdoor space dramatically, while increasing the value of your home. From simple repairs to total redesigns, there is no job too big or too small for Min Yoshida.

Their dedication to customer service is evident in each project they complete, and they will guide you through every step of the process in renovating your pool. They can also help you recreate your entire outdoor space. In addition to pools, Min Yoshida’s talented designers work with landscaping, patios, spas and more.

Learn more about this great Malibu pool company.

New innovations and technology in the field of decorative concrete have now made it possible to create vertical decorative concrete applications. Designs and stamping methods typically seen on concrete floors, driveways, and patios are now available for walls, columns, fences, and other vertical surfaces. These new advances have sparked a huge interest in the design world, allowing for the creation of totally customizable vertical surfaces.

What Concrete Supplies are Needed for Vertical Applications?

The concrete used in these applications can be purchased through The Stamp Store — it is a unique, lightweight mix combined with colorants and specially designed concrete stamping tools. These new tools have made it possible to stamp concrete on corners and to stamp single rows of concrete, while still maintaining the deep texture seen in decorative concrete flooring.

Benefits of Vertical Concrete

The concrete mix offered by The Stamp Store is water resistant and bonds to virtually any surface; including plaster, dry wall, brick, paneling, and existing concrete.  This vertical concrete application is suitable for both interior and exterior use, and can be colored and stamped to create a myriad of unique designs.

With high-quality vertical concrete tools and supplies, it’s possible to mimic the appearance of much more expensive materials like brick, stone or wood.  Imagine your home flanked with beautiful stone columns or cobblestone walls. These designs and so many more are easily and economically attainable with the new innovations in vertical decorative concrete.

Uniquely colored driveways, brightly patterned cement floors, and dyed concrete countertops are huge design trends, world-wide. Well, did you know this trend is considered environmentally friendly? Now, there’s no excuse not to implement stained concrete! A decorative concrete product by SureCrete Design, called Eco-Stain gives you the look of acid-stained concrete, but won’t cause harm to Mother Earth. This product is perfect for contractors looking to utilize green building materials.

Eco-Stain is an easy-to-use decorative product that provides the same deep, multi-tonal results as a traditional concrete stain. To date, there are 29 UV stable color choices. These color pigments can then be brushed on, applied with a mopped, or sponged on to create vibrant patterns. Eco-Stain can also be sealed right after drying, so you won’t need to wait for.

Find out more about eco-friendly concrete products by SureCrete Design.