EExpressions
A Portfolio of Concrete Design Possibilities
C ONC RE T E
2
Published by The Concrete Network www.concretenetwork.com Editor Khara Betz
To say there has been an explosion in decorative concrete is quite the understatement! Homeowners are hiring decorative concrete specialists to color, stain, score, stamp, overlay, or otherwise decorate their floors, countertops, pool decks, entries, driveways, and walkways around their homes. Explore the options available with concrete! Within these pages, you’ll find a variety of design ideas and beautiful photographs of concrete both indoors and outdoors.
Graphic Design & Layout Christina Wilkinson Sabre Design & Publishing To order additional copies of this magazine, visit www.shopconcretenetwork.com On the Cover: SUPER STONE, INC.
Gather ideas and utilize the Concrete Network as your number one source for residential concrete information! Visit www.concretenetwork.com and download free online catalogs filled with photos and information and use the design tool to select colors and patterns for driveways, patios, pool decks, and entries. You can also read about featured contractors and artisans and view their latest projects. The future of concrete is bright! Read on about the many uses of concrete and then call the contractor nearest you to get started on creating your own concrete project!
Khara Betz Concrete Network
Concrete Expressions is published by Concrete Network Inc. Copyright © 2004. Any photographs, artwork or copy prepared by Concrete Expressions may not be reproduced by any means including electronic and duplication is strictly prohibited without prior written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
BRICKFORM RAFCO PRODUCTS PORTLAND CEMENT ASSOCIATION
PHOTOS ON PAGE 3 TOP LEFT INSET PHOTO OF EXPOSED AGGREGATEJS FRAZER CONSTRUCTION CENTER RIGHT INSET PHOTO- BRICKFORM RAFCO PRODUCTS BOTTOM INSET PHOTO- CONCRETE IMPRESSIONS
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BRICKFORM RAFCO PRODUCTS
DE SK O F T H E E D I T O R
Dear Reader,
SUPER-KRETE PRODUCTS
Contents 4 INTERIOR FLOORS It’s Not Just a Cold, Gray Slab Anymore!
8 CONCRETE COUNTERTOPS Concrete in the Kitchen—A Recipe for a Great Investment
12 PATIOS Today’s Backyard Patio—An Outdoor Living Room
15 POOL DECKS Pool Trends—One Piece of the Backyard Puzzle
18 THE CONCRETE NETWORK The Ideas, Information and Inspiration
20 DRIVEWAYS No More Plain, Gray Driveways
23 RESOURCES
3 TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
E
4 I N T E R I O R FL O O R S
It’s Not Just a
Cold, Gray Slab
ANYMORE!
CONCRETE FLOORS — in stained, colored, painted, and personalized glory — are popping up in retail stores, trendy restaurants, offices, and homes everywhere. One of the most common places you’ll see decorative concrete these days is under your feet. Whether it’s acid-stained, painted, overlays, microtoppings, radiant floors, or a unique personal floor, concrete offers a range unlike any other material.
Benefits of Concrete Interior Floors • Ability to Customize – Each concrete floor is unique, with no predetermined color palette to limit designs. • Cost-Effective – Concrete floors are cost effective, comparing favorably in price to wood flooring and ceramic or quarry tile. • Low Maintenance – Regular maintenance generally involves periodic dusting or damp mopping. • Great with Passive Solar Designs – Concrete flooring is often a central component of passive solar home designs. The concrete slab absorbs the heat of the sun during the day and releases the stored heat as needed at night.
DECORATIVE CONCRETE INSTITUTE
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5 I N T E R I O R FLO O R S
www.wirsbo.com
RADIANT FLOOR HEATING – Comfort You Can Feel! Concrete doesn’t have to be cold anymore! You can create a warm, comfortable atmosphere in your home with a radiant floor heating system. Wirsbo Radiant Floors circulate warm water through PEX tubing embedded in the floor of your home. The heat radiates up through the floor, warming the people, furnishings and air in the room. The warmth stays down around where the people are, not up at the ceiling or lost to the outdoors every time a door or window is opened. It’s a comfortable, even heat where cold spots and drafts are eliminated. The Benefits of Wirsbo Radiant Floor Heating • Provides your family with warm flooring and more comfort for less money. • Reduce energy costs by 10-40% • Enjoy an even, quiet warmth without the hum and visibility of a forced air system. • A healthier home – radiant heat does not spread dust, pollen or germs as forced air systems do and is less likely to dry out your breathing passages and skin. • Radiant systems can keep your family cozy and comfortable and often increase the resale value of your home.
For Architectural Specifications www.wirsbo.com Click on Architects & Engineers link DIAMOND D CONCRETE
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6 I N T E R I O R FL O O R S
SUPER-KRETE PRODUCTS
QC CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS
For more information, go to the interior concrete floors section at www.concretenetwork.com/ concrete/interiorfloors. You can view online or print a free interior concrete floors catalog at www.concretenetwork.com/catalogs. Review patterns, styles and colors, and then find a contractor in your area to get the job done.
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7 I N T E R I O R FLO O R S
Design Ideas:
Patterns, Styles and Colors Old World Beauty – Modern Day Luxury
www.kemiko.com Kemiko Concrete Products transform ordinary concrete slabs into luxurious floors, creating stunning, multi-hued color variations and an uneven surface that looks perfectly aged. Whether working with a neo-classic, southwestern, eclectic, or strictly traditional decor, Kemiko adapts to enhance any setting.
Kemiko Color Chart
Black Stain
English Red Stain
Bob Harris’ Guide to Stained Concrete Interior Floors is a 100 page, full-color resource with valuable, detailed information, including tips and tricks from Bob Harris, for contractors doing stained concrete interior floors. This unique and comprehensive guide is the first in a series of guides on popular decorative concrete topics. Price $35
Purchase Bob Harris’ Guide to Stained Concrete Interior Floors
at www.shopconcretenetwork.com
Golden Wheat Stain
Malay Tan
Cola Stain
Aqua Blue Stain
Green Lawn Stain
Vintage Umber Stain
DIAMOND D CONCRETE
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8 CONCRETE COUNTERTOPS
Concrete
In the Kitchen —
A RECIPE FOR A GREAT INVESTMENT When it comes to remodeling the kitchen, one of the major considerations is the countertop. Although there are a variety of countertop materials available, many homeowners feel confined by the harsh limitations of materials like granite, or they want a more natural, customized look that laminates and other products don’t provide. Concrete countertops are the answer!
Benefits of Concrete Countertops • Concrete can be molded into any shape, colored to match virtually any hue and can be finished with a smooth or rough surface. • Concrete countertops can be left looking natural to complement materials like wood, stone, and brick. Or, concrete can be treated with chemical stains, coloring pigments, aggregates, and epoxy coatings to achieve a variety of custom looks. • Concrete countertops can be custom-tinted to match an existing color scheme, and they can be personalized with embellishments such as stone, seashells, artifacts, personal mementos, trivets and stainless steel heat racks.
KALDARI
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9 CONCRETE COUNTERTOPS
LUCIONI ARTS
Design Ideas:
Patterns, Styles and Colors
If you’re undergoing a total kitchen remodel, then it’s a perfect time to work in concrete, whether it’s a countertop for your primary work space, a top for a new or existing island, or a concrete sink. You can select concrete colors and textures that will blend well with new appliances, new flooring, and can be the inspiration for new wall colors and lighting fixtures. Surface finishes range from high gloss, smooth as glass or with various texturing or veining. Many homeowners are taking advantage of concrete’s flexibility and its ability to incorporate other functional features such as integral sinks, drainboards, and butcher blocks. Various types of surfaces can be created in a concrete countertop. A veined surface is gently textured, revealing marble-like veining in the countertop that is still smooth enough to roll a piecrust or write a letter. A steel trowel surface is a smooth, mostly monochromatic surface notable for its obvious trowel marks and subtle variations of light and dark (think of an Italian plastered wall). A terrazzo surface has glass or marble chips worked into the background to create a two-toned mottled effect, adding textural interest under the smooth surface.
EYCON SURFACING
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CONCRETE COUNTERTOPS
10
THE ULTIMATE EDGE, INC.
DEX STUDIOS
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DIAMOND D CONCRETE
CONCRETE COUNTERTOPS DISTINCTIVE CONCRETE
For more information, go to the concrete countertop section at www.concretenetwork.com/ concrete/countertops. You can also view online or print a free concrete countertop catalog at www.concretenetwork.com/catalogs. Review patterns, styles and colors, and then find a contractor in your area to get the job done.
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12 PAT I O S
Today’s
Backyard Patio —
AN OUTDOOR LIVING ROOM
Backyards are being transformed into luxurious extensions of the house. They’re the new favorite room to relax, entertain, and cook. And the heart and soul of the backyard resort area is the concrete patio. • Backyards are quickly becoming outdoor living rooms. An increasing number of homeowners are going all out with outdoor kitchens, furnished seating areas, fireplaces, decorative concrete patios, pizza ovens, elaborate water features, and more. • While many concrete patios are designed to complement the outdoor landscape and native greenery, patios are now becoming an extension of the house. Oftentimes, the indoor décor flows right into the outdoor patio. Concrete can be shaped to enhance the look and feel of the transformation from the indoors to the outdoors. • Concrete patios are durable and can stand up to a range of weather conditions found across the country. Whereas traditional pavers and cobblestone settle unevenly during the freeze/thaw cycle of winter, concrete can be reinforced with steel, giving it the necessary tensile strength to resist the constant heaving produced by the freezing and thawing of the ground.
SUPER STONE, INC.
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13 PAT I O S
Design Ideas:
Patterns, Styles and Colors
CONCRETE IMPRESSIONS
Stamped concrete imparts texture and pattern to concrete, giving it the look and feel of stone, brick, slate and other textured materials. Colors and patterns for stamped concrete are often chosen to blend with other stone or tile elements at the residence. Complex designs incorporating steps, courtyards, and fountains can be achieved. Stamped concrete can also be blended with other decorative concrete elements such as exposed aggregate finishes and acid-etch staining. Combining concrete with other materials, like brick, tile, or flagstone, is also popular. And wood, steel, or copper dividers can be used as control joints to help prevent cracking.
Some of the more common stamped patterns include the patterns to the right >
COURTESY OF CONCRETE IMPRESSIONS
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14 PAT I O S
COLORADO HARDSCAPES
For more information, go to the concrete patio section at http://www.concretenetwork.com/ concrete/concrete_patio/ www.heatnglo-lifestyle.com Transform your backyard into an outdoor living room! One of the easiest and affordable ways to create your backyard retreat is with an outdoor wood burning fireplace. Heat-N-Glo速 offers an innovative collection of outdoor stainless steel fireplaces that create a fun and functional outdoor space, plus add value to your home.
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You can also view online or print a free concrete patio catalog at www.concretenetwork.com/catalogs. Review patterns, styles and colors, and then find a contractor in your area to get the job done.
One Piece of the
BACKYARD PUZZLE
It used to be that if you had a pool, it consumed most of the back yard. But today, that trend is shifting. Many people want to vacation in their own back yards and pools are just part of the big picture. Nowadays, the pool isn’t the focal point of the back yard, but just one part of an extended living area. Pools are becoming more specialized with a strong focus on aesthetics, transforming the pool and backyard area into a mini-resort with lighting and sound, spas, waterfalls, fountains, and decorative decks. Deck areas surrounding a pool can run the gamut from poured in place concrete, broom finish concrete, exposed aggregate, tile, to brick pavers or natural stone masonry. Different materials have their own strengths and weaknesses, and varying costs. For example, flagstone, sometimes known as “bluestone,” offers a sleek and traditional look. However, very sunny regions will often heat flagstone to uncomfortable levels, particularly for young children. While many different colors and patterns are available with brick decks, brick, too, can be a hot, sometimes slippery surface. Decorative concrete pool decks are an ideal answer!
CONCRETE IMPRESSIONS
CONCRETE IMPRESSIONS
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15 POOL DECKS
POOL TRENDS:
16 POOL DECKS
Design Ideas:
Patterns, Styles and Colors
• Pool Decks can be stamped with a variety of patterns that resemble brick, slate, flagstone, stone, tile, and even wood. • Stenciling can give a deck texture and any pattern imaginable. The finished deck can sport an attractive look of brick or stone with a contrasting grout line. Edges of plain, matching or contrasting patterns can be added and even applied to steps. Decorative features — special designs, company logos, monograms — can also be part of the stenciling. • The coping of the pool deck is the material that caps the pool shell wall. Poured concrete allows the coping to be one unit with the pool deck, incorporating the coping right over the edge of the pool so there is no break in the finish on the horizontal plane. This method can help to make a small area around the pool look much bigger, and give the deck cleaner lines. • Exposed aggregates help convert pool deck surfaces from plain finishes to a component of outdoor landscaping. The concrete-based mix incorporates differently shaped and colored pebbles and stones, which rise to the surface once the concrete is applied. The rock (aggregate) in the concrete mix is exposed by either water pressure, chemical application, or by sandblasting.
TOM RALSTON CONCRETE
For more information, go to the concrete pool decks section at http:// http:/ www.concretenetwork.com/ concrete/pool_decks/ You can also view online or print a free concrete pool decks catalog at www.concretenetwork.com/catalogs. Review patterns, styles and colors, and then find a contractor in your area to get the job done.
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17 PO O L D E C KS BRICKFORM RAFCO PRODUCTS
Building Boulders: Faux Rock Creates a Fancy Water Feature One of the hottest trends in the decorative concrete industry is the use of faux rock—a synthetic product molded from fiber-reinforced concrete, polymer-modified concrete, or other materials—to create durable, realistic landscaping and water features. Rock and stone have long been valued as natural, distinctive landscaping elements. But imagine the equipment, effort, and expense that would be required to haul large boulders weighing at least a ton each into a backyard and then to stack them around an in-ground pool or pond water feature. That’s why more and more landscape and swimming pool designers and contractors are turning to faux rock for water feature construction. Not only can artificial rocks be molded, textured, and colored to exactly replicate the look and feel of real rock formations, they also can be built onsite, eliminating the inconvenience and expense of hauling in material to build a water feature.
DAVIS COLORS
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18 THE CONCRETE NETWORK
The Ideas, Information AND INSPIRATION
The Concrete Network is an information resource on popular
Site visitors can choose a metro area and view the concrete
decorative concrete topics such as concrete countertops, stained concrete interior floors, stamped concrete, pool decks, driveways, patios and more.
construction services and concrete products that are available in the area and obtain full contact information for the listed businesses.
The Concrete Network provides the information, colors,
Extensive Articles and Information – Our web site’s
patterns and styles available and then links buyers with local concrete contractors to get the job done.
extensive articles and directories constitute a repository of information and are a resource about the industry’s products and services, including concrete home construction, stamping and other decorative concrete products, resurfacing products, concrete stains, boom pumps, and literally hundreds of other products.
Find a Contractor – Use our directory to find a contractor in your area for your concrete project. Our nationwide directory lists concrete contractors and other industry suppliers and experts in 58 specialties in 164 metro areas. The directory is organized by area and specialty, such as patios, pool decks, driveways, countertops, acid-stained floors, stamped concrete, and water features, among many others.
Free Online Design Tool – Design a driveway, patio, pool deck or entry using our Free Online Design Tool which allows you to select the colors and patterns of your choice!
BRICKFORM RAFCO PRODUCTS
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SUPER-KRETE PRODUCTS
19 THE CONCRETE NETWORK
Free Online Catalogs – Want to know more about the available options and benefits of decorative concrete for your home project? Download any of our ten online catalogs filled with information and beautiful photographs about interior floors, concrete countertops, driveways, patios, pool decks, and more!
Weekly Article about Featured Contractors – Read professional articles written each week about one of the contractor members of the Concrete Network. These fabulous artisans build outrageous pool decks, patios, interior floors, countertops, and more!
Picture of the Week – View the latest awesome projects completed by contractor members of the Concrete Network. Their unique work is featured each week.
Concrete Artisans – Read about the latest designs by featured artisans, and see how art has become a prominent part of decorative concrete design.
Over 500,000 people visited the Concrete Network online in March 2004.
Industry Trends & Products – Keep up-to-date with the latest developments and advancements happening in the decorative concrete industry. Learn about new products, new techniques and more each week!
Shop Concrete Network Online – Visit www.shopconc retenetwork.com <http://www.shopconcretenetwork.com/> for decorative concrete related products.
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20 DR I V EWAYS
CONCRETE IMPRESSIONS
No More
Plain, Gray DRIVEWAYS
Today’s homeowners take great pride in their home, and are fully aware of the “curb appeal” it exudes. One of the most effective ways to enhance the look of a home is by gracing it with a decorative concrete driveway. • Because concrete can be forged into a range of textures, colors, and patterns, it is a versatile part of an overall landscape design and can increase the value of your home. • Decorative concrete driveways will not sink or buckle like driveways made from other materials that use a paver system or stone that has been grouted. • You won’t have grass, dirt, or weeds growing up through the grout joints, which frequently happens when using natural stone, which has to be “locked” together with mortar.
Design Ideas:
Patterns, Styles and Colors
• Staining – A method for coloring decorative concrete is through chemical stains. They penetrate the concrete surface to create beautiful color tones in concrete. Stains react directly with the concrete’s minerals and produce uneven, mottled, and variegated color effects. • Colored Concrete – One of the biggest draws of decorative concrete driveways is the expansive range of colors available. Because of ever-advancing technology and incredible chemical techniques, concrete can be colored in just about any hue imaginable.
PORTLAND CEMENT ASSOCIATION
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The Concrete Palette™ by Davis Colors is the first computer-visualizing software tool that turns custom concrete colors viewed on a computer monitor into colors cast in concrete. The Concrete PaletteTM has over 17,000 colors to choose from, with 10 different dosage (intensity) rates. With the Concrete Palette™ you can view a “virtual sample tile” and then see what the color looks like in different sample paving or architectural concrete project photos. You can enlarge the photo and see the impact of small color changes using the “color tuner” button. After selecting a color, you can request a sample concrete swatch or order a custom-made concrete tile sample by clicking the “Get Sample” button. The Concrete Palette™ is specifically calibrated to work together with Davis Colors’ Chameleon™ automatic color dosing system and Hydrotint liquid color pigments. The Chameleon™ system is used in Ready Mix plants to automate the addition of color much like a tinting system does in a paint store. These colors are mixed into the concrete for use in stamped concrete, decorative concrete, tilt-up and anywhere else concrete is used. The Concrete Palette™ software is free! The Concrete Palette™ will run on Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, and Windows XP with at least the following hardware: • 128 Megabytes of RAM • At least 15 Megabytes disk space available • True Color monitor or video card (please note that the Concrete Palette will not run if your monitor is not set to True Color)
SUPER-KRETE PRODUCTS
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21 D R I V E WAY S
Choose and Download the Colors of Your Choice The Digital Color Chart for Concrete
22 D R I V E WAY S
CONCRETE IMPRESSIONS
For more information, go to the concrete driveways section at http:// www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/ concrete_driveways/ You can also view online or print a free concrete driveways catalog at www.concretenetwork.com/catalogs. Review patterns, styles and colors, and then find a contractor in your area to get the job done.
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23 R E SO U R C E S
Resources Kemiko Concrete Products P O Box 1109 Leonard, TX 75452 903-587-3708 Phone www.kemiko.com Davis Colors West: 3700 East Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90023 800-356-4848 www.daviscolors.com East: 7101 Muirkirk Road Beltsville, MD 20705 800-638-4444 www.daviscolors.com Wirsbo Uponor Wirsbo Company 5925 148th Street West Apple Valley, Minnesota 55124 952-891-2000 Phone www.wirsbo.com Concrete Network 11375 Oak Hill Lane Yucaipa, CA 92399 (866) 380-7754 www.concretenetwork.com
SUPER STONE, INC.
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C ON C R ETE N ETW OR K 11375 Oak Hill Lane Yucaipa, CA 92399 (866) 380-7754 Phone www.concretenetwork.com
PRSRT STD
PERMIT NO 2822
SAN BERNARDINO CA
PAID
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A Portfolio of Concrete Design Possibilities
“
BRICKFORM RAFCO PRODUCTS
”
EXPLORE the Options Available with Concrete!
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