Archive for the ‘decorative concrete’ Category
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Concrete Finishing For All Aspects Of Your Home
Monday, November 2nd, 2009Concrete is a durable and versatile element that works equally as well for a patio or porch flooring as it does for a garage floor or driveway. If you think that a concrete application in some area of your home might be too boring, then you need to consider concrete finishing for added flair and pizazz.
Concrete finishing refers to any of several processes that are applied to concrete to help increase its durability, or create a change in its texture or appearance. Using special tools, concrete surfaces can be leveled, troweled, edged or textured to resemble materials other than concrete. Concrete on a driveway, for instance, can be finished to give it the appearance of more expensive stone construction.
There are three methods of concrete finishing fast gaining in popularity with homeowners today. The first of these is concrete stamping, a finishing technique that creates a new texture on the surface of the concrete designed to have it look like other material, such as stone, tile or brick. Stamping can also create the texture of leather when used on concrete walls and counter tops. Concrete stamping is best applied for new concrete applications.
Another concrete finishing technique making concrete more versatile than ever is concrete staining.
This technique provides a new refreshed look for concrete applications that are free from discoloration and signs of aging and offers a less expensive option to achieve that new concrete appearance without actually ripping out the old installation and pouring new concrete.
The third aspect of concrete finishing is concrete painting. This is the least expensive concrete finishing technique, but the results achieved are endless, left only to the imagination. Applying a quality grade epoxy concrete paint on garage or porch flooring, for example, can help to make the flooring waterproof, add new color to the concrete, improve the safety of the area by providing a non-slip surface when wet, and extending the lifespan of the concrete surfaces which are painted. Although this method of concrete finishing wears the least well of the three, it is still a viable way to upgrade the concrete’s appearance and durability without spending a great deal of money.
Concrete finishing allows concrete, a versatile and durable yet relatively inexpensive substance, to masquerade as many more high quality materials in a variety of applications, ranging from flooring and driveways to walkways, counter tops and fences. For any concrete surface that needs a make-over, concrete finishing transforms the old and boring into the new and exciting.
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Methods And Types Of Decorative Concrete
Thursday, October 29th, 2009Looking for a new style for your walkway? Maybe for your house or just in general? Well concrete has come a long way from its natural intended use. Many have perfected the art of decorative concrete. There are varying forms of decoration for concrete. In order to perfect this art it takes a lot of patience and an eye for the design.
Integral colorants are fairly easy to achieve, as it’s just a color material that is combined with the actual concrete. What it does is it mixes the color, cement and the sand all together and produces a color other than the usual gray. You can pretty much make any color you want but the most popular colors would be black, yellow, red, and even green. With Integral colorants you want to make sure you add the correct amount of the color, if you do your concrete is going to come out a different color altogether be it darker or even a lighter shade than what you’re trying to achieve.
Stamping in concrete is another popular form of decorative concrete. Basically all you need for this type of decoration is a rubber stamp and wet concrete. Make sure you don’t press your stamp too deep into the concrete that you end up with deep grooves. You will want to push with even pressure and to a depth that will leave your concrete looking like it was professionally done. You can create simple stone or brick textures, or if you want you can even create a quaint forest scene onto a stamp and apply that to your concrete. The possibilities are endless.
Installing the above decorative concrete is pretty self-explanatory, however a concrete dye is a different installation process. Concrete dyes can be used on pretty much any surface. To get a simple concrete dye you’ll want to have your color base mixed in with the concrete and if your using your concrete outside you’ll want to use a base of acetone or thinner. This will keep your color from becoming faded over the years. If you’re using your concrete indoors it will be all right to use a solution of alcohol. Don’t use the alcohol base outside, as over time it will diminish your color significantly.
The last decorative concrete may very well be water based staining for your concrete. With water based stain you can pretty much achieve a see through look or an opaque color. With a water based stain it is more of a coating than anything else, but it will bond with your concrete better than say an acid based stain. The best water based stains in the market today are acrylic and epoxy. These will not change your concrete at all it will be able to keep the whole physical make up.
Last you will want to make sure that your concrete is well placed, and that you have everything out and ready to go before you even begin mixing your concrete. Make sure you take your time and you achieve what you want the first time out rather than having to do the project over and over. Getting it done right the first time will save you a lot of money later down the line.
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Garage Floor Paint – How To Choose The Best
Monday, October 12th, 2009Garage floor paint selections are vast. Some are easier to work with than others. Some last longer than others. Some are more dangerous than others. There are different grades to choose from. Many variables are presented that need to be considered once you’ve decided to apply paint and protect your garage floor for the first time.
Garage floors are often overlooked when homeowners start to jot down their list of decorating and home improvement projects. But there are two important reasons to paint the garage floor, especially if it is made of porous concrete. Painting the garage floor seals the concrete to prevent unsightly cracking at the same time it eliminates the problem of dust by giving the floor a nice polished finish.
What is the best garage floor paint to accomplish this? Epoxy paints and latex paints both have decided advantages. And having a painted garage floor makes oil and grease spill clean-ups much easier because they can’t soak directly into the concrete and make a permanent stain.
Epoxy paints are proven winners in providing excellent and durable garage floor coverage. Because epoxy paints are water-resistant, there will no trouble having them adhere to the concrete, enabling the paint to do an good job of completely sealing the surface. Epoxy paints have a smooth finish with an attractive luster to them that also allows for easy clean-up either using a broom or a damp mop. Covering the garage floor with an epoxy paint can also stand up to the punishment of kids playing ball or the normal wear and tear of heavy work boots. Even oil stains are a quick fix using an anti-grease based detergent cleanser.
The second best garage floor paint option, latex paint, is less expensive than epoxy paint. Some people like the fact that it can easily be made to resemble a more expensive stone floor finish. Unlike epoxy paint, however, you need a protective coating over the paint to provide a permanent finish. An application of latex paint requires up to three full days of drying time before your move your car and storage boxes back into place.
If your garage has a skylight or gets a fair share of direct sunlight, latex paint will tend to fade quickly due to sunlight exposure. After an application of latex paint, it’s important to run a brush or broom over the drying paint to texture the surface so that it is not slippery when fully dry.
Whether you opt for latex or epoxy garage floor paint, be sure you start with a clean, dry floor as your canvas. Having a painted garage floor will provide a more pleasant environment whether you use your garage as a workshop , play area or strictly for storage.
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Concrete Stain – Top 10 Tips To Consider When Selecting
Monday, October 12th, 2009Applying a concrete stain to garage floors and other concrete surfaces achieves a more attractive appearance is a rapidly growing design trend. Concrete stains are an affordable way to give your concrete floor or wall a decorative appearance using a procedure that isn’t all that complicated. But there are ten things you should consider beforehand when shopping for a concrete stain.
(1) Evaluate whether you want to work with an acid-based concrete stain or an acrylic stain. Acid-based concrete stains require more safeguards because they contain chemical compounds that can cause irritations along with strong smells and results can be more unpredictable. Acrylic stains, on the other hand, are more like water-based latex paints, with less corrosive elements and a much lower threshold of detectable odors. Acrylic stains are better if you want better coverage of existing flaws because acrylic seeps down into the concrete’s pours.
(2) Since concrete stain is usually applied with a sprayer, be sure you can cover and protect nearby areas and landscaping from inadvertently being stained.
(3) Realize that any stain you apply will magnify the concrete’s existing variations as well as blemishes, rather than hide it the way an application of paint would.
(4) Explore the full range of colors available in concrete stains.
(5) Recognize that you must test a patch of concrete once you select your color, especially is choosing an acid-based stain. Every stain application varies in color depending upon the stain’s reaction to the concrete surface, so test first and don’t expect an exact match to the samples you saw while exploring.
(6) It’s a good idea to practice the staining procedure in a small test area before tackling a very large job. Consider hiring a professional with staining experience because too little stain will leave the area devoid of color and too much stain will cause uneven colorations.
(7) Be sure that the concrete surface to be stained has been neutralized with all traces of residue removed.
(8) Expect to apply a sealant after the concrete stain application, and this, too, must be applied evenly and properly to eliminate any telltale application marks.
(9) Your results can only be as good as the canvas you start with, so don’t expect to transform extremely old or blemished concrete into a beautiful masterpiece of staining.
(10) Hiring a professional staining applicator just may prove to be the best investment of your money if you don’t have the patience to practice staining prior to undertaking a large project.
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Concrete Acid Stain – What Is It?
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009Concrete acid stain has been around for long time, but has recently been gaining momentum as the most popular way to decorate concrete floors. Whether you want to improve the look of a basement, bathroom, driveway, or patio this type of concrete staining will give beautiful results.
What Is Concrete Acid Stain?
This type of stain is quite different than what you normally think about when you think “stain”. It is actually a combination of water, hydrochloric acid, and metallic salts. Since concrete is such a porous material, the solution works by penetrating the surface and changing the composition of the floor with a chemical reaction. Since you are actually changing the floor, and not just painting something on the surface, the color will not chip, peel, or fade. The colors you will get with an acid concrete stain are usually earth-toned, and the results should mimic marble, wood, or expensive stone. So, after you have selected your stain, application comes next…
Is Concrete Acid Stain Easy To Apply?
YES! While there are a few precautions you must make (since you are going to be working with a mild acid) this is a DIY project that most people should be able to handle. If you want a incredibly intricate design it is best to go with a professional concrete stain contractor, but you can save a ton of money by doing it yourself. In fact, you should be able to complete the project for $.5-$1 per square foot doing it yourself, and a contractor will probably charge you $4+ per square foot. This number includes all materials on other concrete stain costs.
Even though the process is not too complicated, you will want to make sure you know exactly what you are doing before you get started. Our step-by-step guide on how to stain concrete floors is a good place to start. It will give you the basic outline of everything you need to do in order to get the beautiful acid stain concrete look. You can also go to your local home improvement store and ask for some tips on your unique concrete staining project.