Vol. 11 No. 8 - November/December 2011

Yes, it’s that time of year again. The days are growing shorter and the leaves are off the trees, being blown around — and into your concrete work — by the forthcoming winds of winter.

Glen Roman would rather walk away from a project opportunity than put his name on a risky installation. “Sometimes the best money you ever make is from the job you didn’t do,” he says.

When you are finished pouring a set of half-round steps using these techniques, take a picture and hold it next to a set of regular steps on your next estimate.

I’ve talked to experts on everything from LEED terminology and concrete polishing to sustainable coatings and organic materials. In this process, I’ve noticed that just when you think you know what green means, something changes.

As more competition fights for fewer pieces of the pie, it will become increasingly tempting to lower your prices in order to stay competitive. I understand this completely, because I operate a decorative concrete company in one of the most competitive and hard-hit housing economies in our nation.

The U.S. Highway 80 Corridor in southwest Jackson, Miss., is one of those aging main drags that could use some aesthetic improvements. To the relief of many locals, much-needed changes are being made.

Proper reinforcing and good mix design go hand in hand to prevent problems with concrete countertops. The materials you use for reinforcing are just as important as those you select for your mix. To understand which materials are best for reinforcing your concrete countertop, you first need to understand how reinforcing works.

Originally designed for a shower bench installation, this striking river-themed countertop application features a dazzling blue-colored mix with glass aggregate and gorgeous river stone detailing.

When Concord Aviation Property LLC wanted a polished aggregate surface for president Jack Roush’s private hangar at the Concord Regional Airport in Concord, N.C., they ultimately called upon the services of Eric Wayne Inc., a full- service commercial and residential concrete contractor with offices located in Davidson, N.C.

D&B Industrial Floor Coatings Inc. is a company that knows a thing or two about retail and commercial floor systems, having polished and sealed floors for some of the largest retail companies in the United States. Three- or four-man crews have the process down almost to a science, capable of delivering projects in a four- to five-week time frame that exceed 500,000 square feet.

Lately, polished concrete floor care with the use of nonwoven diamond floor-pad technology (instead of bonded abrasives) has been promoted at conventions, conferences, and in concrete polishing articles everywhere we turn. Just how important are these pads to our polishing industry?

When Ray Anger, owner of Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Decorative Concrete Staining & Scoring Inc., came on board as the decorative concrete contractor for the Scottsdale location of Diane’s Beachwear, he took plans for the store’s floor from simple to spectacular.

A versatile staining technique that creates a rich mottled finish that can be used on either newly poured, ultra-lightweight concrete or preexisting standard-weight slabs — or on a project that includes both.

Ideal for patios, driveways or other expansive exteriors, this stamping technique is all about subtle variations in color and texture, resulting in a realistic stony finish.

A bluestone-stamped field trimmed with richly stained faux beams, this technique is perfectly suited for any room with an upscale rustic theme.

About four decades ago, the Watergate Complex in Washington, D.C., was the site of one of the most talked-about political scandals in American history. The hotel is also home to a newly resurfaced decorative concrete pool deck that is reportedly sometimes mistaken for real stone.