Staining & Coloring Concrete

Everything about the Brawl in the Fall at the 2016 Concrete Decor Show in San Diego was hot, hot, hot— from the record-breaking 100+ degree heat to the sizzling entries that shaped up in the outside lot during show time.

Brian Oberman, who has been in the concrete industry for 25 years, merged his company with Life Deck Coating Installations about three and a half years ago. Today, as general manager, he’s had the chance to work on projects such as Coasterra, the Beach Terrace Inn and Westroot Tavern.

Concrete artist Emily McClintick has launched a new website showcasing her work. These images are just a taste of what you'll find on the Concrete Portfolio page of the website.

Throughout the nation's gambling capital, signs of rejuvenation are unfolding as tourists with a bit more spending money check in, investors' interest returns and locals get back to work.

The remodel of Miami Carol City High School in Florida a couple of years ago included the installation of an outside amphitheater, topped with a stencil design of the team’s logo, a giant “Chiefs” head.

Today's trend has less to do with any certain product and more to do with a weak economy and saving money. Just like people are finding ways to make their cars go another year to save money, so too are they are looking for ways to make their existing concrete work another year.

If you want an all-encompassing guide to staining concrete floors, check out “Bob Harris’ Guide to Stained Concrete Interior Floors,” written by Bob Harris, founder and president of the Decorative Concrete Institute in Temple, Georgia.

In his 68 years, Jim Vermillion has mastered many skills: military officer, airline pilot, inventor, seagoing kayak adventurer, business owner.

But he hasn’t been able to get the hang of retirement.

Steve VandeWater, 51, was a Fine Arts major at Indiana University Bloomington, studying sculpture, drawing and printmaking. This artistic background informs his approach to concrete and also gives him skill and success with different styles and techniques.

A super-simple application technique that achieves a classic old-world finish, inspired by the multihued patina found in the palaces and cathedrals of Europe

Applying stains and sealers with spray equipment may strike the decorative concrete contractor as a convenient, speedy solution, not terribly complicated.

In March of 2012 my company received a call from an outfit that was working on a project at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. They wanted to discuss the issues that they were having with the application of an acid stain on almost 50,000 square feet of floor.

At the 2012 Concrete Decor Show, three companies went head-to-head to compete for the bragging rights of being the winner in this year's Demonstration Pavillion. The contest was designed to show off the polishing products of the three competitors: WerkMaster, AmeriPolish and Xtreme Polishing.

There are many regions where the weather does not seem winterlike but is cold enough to affect concrete placement. This is where cold-weather placement practices become very important. Not following the rules because it does not seem that cold potentially leads to concrete that is weak and substandard.

Something has to give when pigments interact with pozzolans, plasticizers and other additives in your mix.

Question: The last two times I have acid stained existing, untreated, basement concrete floors, I’ve unintentionally created footprints in the acid stain finish. I didn’t create them by walking across the wet stain, as I always use spiked sandals when I apply stain.

Southern Color, recently bought by Rockwood Pigments, continues its tradition of customer service while it expands nationwide.

A concrete contractor diversifies his portfolio by adding numerous medallion designs, including fleur-de-lis, by learning the basics of patterns.

The sixth annual Decorative Concrete Awards were announced recently by sponsor L. M. Scofield Co. The contest honors contractors and designers who use Scofield decorative concrete materials.

This year, for the first time, the contest was divided into six categories.

Discovering the right tools and techniques can make pictures in concrete very fun and rewarding.

Control joints are cuts placed into the concrete at the time of pouring, or shortly after, to control random cracking in concrete. This works by creating a weakened area in the slab — concrete cracks follow the path of least resistance.

When EnnisArt was contacted to install a map of the Connecticut River Watershed for the Hitchcock Center for the Environment in Amherst, Massachusetts, it was up for the challenge — specifically the Living Building Challenge. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, EnnisArt specializes in custom concrete flooring and concrete innovation, with a penchant toward artistic projects that maintain a green focus.