The Beauty of Troweled Overlays - Concrete Decor Magazine

VOL. 4 NO. 4 • AUG/SEPT 2004 • $6.95

The Beauty ofTroweled OverlaysCast-in-place CountertopsPortable MixersPlanning for Cold Days Ahead

National Building Museum — Celebrating Concrete

The Beauty ofTroweled OverlaysCast-in-place CountertopsPortable MixersPlanning for Cold Days Ahead

VOL. 4 NO. 4 • AUG/SEPT 2004 • $6.95

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2 • www.ConcreteDecor.net • Aug/Sept 2004

August/September 2004 • Vol. 4 No. 4Issue No. 17 • $6.95

Publisher: Bent O. Mikkelsen

Co-publisher: Ernst H. Mikkelsen

Editor: Rosemary Camozzi

Circulation: Sheri Mikkelsen

Design and Production: Stephen Stanley

Web Design: Mark Dixon

National Sales Manager: Kathleen Goodman(314) 367-1121

Western Regional Sales: Troy Ahmann(702) 869-4342

Writers:Susan Brimo-Cox

Bruce HackettStacey Enesey Klemenc

John StriederDavid Thompson

Jeff Woodard

Contributing Writers:John Vastyan

Editorial:Professional Trade Publications, Inc.

3410 West 11th AvenueEugene, OR 97402Tel: 541-341-3390Fax: 541-341-6443

Email: [email protected]

Circulation and Administration:Professional Trade Publications, Inc.

P.O. Box 25210Eugene, OR 97402Tel: 541-341-3390Fax: 541-341-6443

Email: [email protected]

Concrete Decor The Journal of DecorativeConcrete is published six times a year by

Professional Trade Publications, Inc. Bulk ratepostage paid at Lebanon Junction, KY and

additional mailing offices.ISSN 1542-1597

Subscriptions:One year: USA $21.95; Canada $29.95;

Other countries $49.95. All funds in U.S.dollars.

For Subscriber Services:Call 866-341-3703 Toll Free

For Advertiser Services:Call 877-935-8906 Toll Free

© 2004 Professional Trade Publications, Inc.

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ONTHE COVER: Workers install tubing for an exterior hydronic radiant heatsystem.Photograph courtesy of Watts Radiant.

Dear Readers,

Talk about being busy! At the present, we havesold our home and need to be out of it by Sept. 3.My wife is due Sept. 1 with our third child. And

to cap it off, we’re six weeks away from completion on anewly constructed home — cross your fingers! In the lifeof a publisher, deadlines are bittersweet. Oh, did Imention that I’m doing the painting and concrete workmyself, along with some good friends?

All these activities, along with keeping up to speedwith the daily operations of Concrete Decor, are the chaos we’ve endured ever since thebeginning of this magazine. The point I’m trying to make is this: In spite of all theseprojects, I’ve made it a point to take the time to participate in learning opportunities, and Ijust completed two back-to-back seminars at the Institute for American Craftsmanship(IAC), here in Eugene, Oregon.

Last week, Concrafter (a third-generation concrete company from Arizona owned by theHunsaker family) conducted an informative and insightful seminar for contractors. Aside

from the fact that the Hunsakers are outstandingly good people, what Ienjoyed most in this learning experience was the demonstration thatbeautiful concrete finishes can be achieved with relatively little addedcost to customers. Concrafter’s tools and techniques equip contractorsfor offering customers cost-effective decorative solutions with concreteinstallations and stampable overlayments.

Coming right behind this class was a “Flattoo” workshop withTamryn Doolan of Surface Gel Tek. If you’re still wondering how such aword can be synonymous with concrete, give it a try. You’ll undoubtedlywalk away from the class with a whole new perspective and set of toolsfor decorative concrete applications. With Surface Gel Tek’s patentedtechnologies, the design possibilities are endless. Also, their productsare backed by excellent customer support. Did I mention that Tamryn

was an air traffic controller during the Vietnam War? OR the fact that she wrote the ASTM -D4260 standard for Concrete Surface Preparation? Such a background gives me theconfidence that you won’t get steered in the wrong direction. Indeed, many of the nation’sleading artisans in concrete are using Flattoos and reporting excellent success.

Let me make one suggestion in light of everyone’s busy schedules. Take everyopportunity to involve yourself in educational opportunities. They are personally rewarding,oftentimes relaxing for our body and soul, you meet great people, and you return to yourhectic life a better person. And with more to offer! Education and training are undeniablemeans for achieving your personal and professional goals.

Make time to seek out similar opportunities in yourarea or ask your local supplier to investigate thepossibilities for these kinds of classes in your area.

At Concrete Decor, we remain focused on your success.

Sincerely,

Bent Mikkelsen, Publisher

http://www.ConcreteDecor.net

mailto:[email protected]


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FEATURES16 Cast-in-place Countertops

Casting on-site: part one of a two-part countertop series coveringforms, mixes, tools and finishes.by Susan Brimo-Cox

22 Troweled OverlaysFor creating decorative floors with a handcrafted feel, the trowelis hard to beat.by David Thompson

26 Celebrating ConcreteA new exhibit at the National Building Museum celebrates theversatility and beauty of this enduring building material.by Stacey Enesey Klemenc

29 Wave of the FutureConcrete you can see through? You bet!by Stacey Enesey Klemenc

32 Portable MixersOwning your own mixer allows you to pour when you want,where you want.by Jeff Woodard

40 Landscape CurbingWith the right equipment, you can offer this increasinglypopular decorative concrete application.by John Strieder

44 Radiant Heat for Decorative ApplicationsWhat could be better than a concrete floor? One that stays warmin winter.by John Vastyan

DEPARTMENTS12 CONTRACTOR PROFILE: Carlton Concrete

From national TV to a new 5,000-square-foot showroom, thisdecorative concrete company’s work will be getting plenty ofexposure.by Stacey Enesey Klemenc

36 MANUFACTURER PROFILE: Rafco ProductsA pioneer in creating products for decorative concreteapplications, Rafco Products continues to grow and innovate.by Bruce Hackett

56 FOCUS ON EDUCATION: Cheng Design now offers five-day designworkshops that will help you build a high-end countertop business.

64 FINAL POUR: Concrete floats my boat!

54 Classifieds49 Concrete Marketplace04 Decorative Concrete Tips06 Industry News10 Industry Spotlight — Association News60 Product News52 Product Profiles02 Publisher’s Letter

www.ConcreteDecor.net • Aug/Sept 2004 • 3

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USING A GRID TO TRANSFER ART TO CONCRETECave paintings come to life again in Santa Cruz

Ireceived a call asking if I’d do a concrete patio, so I set up anappointment and went to meet the client at his home in SantaCruz, Calif.

His home borders a greenbelt on the back of the yacht harbor.While I was there, I heard all the waterfowl and felt how primitivethe sight of the greenbelt was. I thought it must have looked the samefor thousands of years.

That night I had an idea. I looked up “cave drawings” on theInternet, and found a cave in France with the most beautiful cave artdone 20,000 years ago. I printed several of the drawings and made a1⁄4" scale of the patio, which I presented to the owner the next day.

He loved the concept, asking, “You can do this on concrete?”I joked: “Well, I am a concrete contractor and we haven’t evolved

all that much from the caveman... and I do have a better stain.”I went to work laying out a 2-foot square grid on the concrete,

using the 1⁄4" plan I had made.The grid is one of the oldest methods known for copying artwork.

I can copy whatever I want on the concrete. I can reproduce any size,shape, or pattern. The more intricate the pattern, the closer I makethe grid.

I first draw lines on my plan, using the 1⁄4"-per-foot scale. I like touse 1⁄4" because most of the buildings’ plans are done to 1⁄4 scale.

I then transfer the lines to the concrete and connect the dots.When working with a set of building plans, I use a sheet of velum

paper to copy the rooms I intend to stain. I then design and coloreach room. You can find marker pens at any art supply store that willgive you the feel of stain.

I find this very helpful in presenting the design. Most people feelmore comfortable if you show them what you have in mind. It’s somuch easier to change the design on paper …

If you’re just starting out in the biz, have fun with it. Trust yourpassion and inspiration. Try to always be clear with your customer, andremember one thing … we all see color in different shades.

Dave Pettigrew, ownerDiamond D Concrete

Capitola, Calif.www.diamonddcompany.com

DECORATIVECONCRETE TIPS

Decorative Concrete Tips is a forum for readers to exchange

information about methods,tools,and tricks they’ve devised.

Send details to CD Tips,CCoonnccrreettee DDeeccoorr,, P.O.Box 25210,

Eugene,OR 97402.We look forward to hearing from you!


http://www.diamonddcompany.com

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Stamping guide due out infallBob Harris’ Guide to Stamped Concrete,the second book in the Bob HarrisDecorative Concrete Collection, willbe released in October, 2004. The full-color, fully illustrated guide providesconcrete contractors with detailedinformation and practical tips forstamping concrete.

The book shows contractors whereto find good stamped concrete designs;the five methods of imparting color tostamped concrete work; placing theconcrete to facilitate stamping; and acomplete, illustrated description of theentire stamping process from A-Z.

The guide also covers topics of vitalimportance for anyone planning tostamp concrete, including: maximizingyour profits by knowing what to chargefor stamped concrete; concrete mixconsiderations; site conditionsaffecting stamped concrete work andhow to prepare or avoid them;important issues to avoid whenstamping; fixing minor flaws instamped concrete work; and effectivetechniques for the application ofsealers. With more than 25 yearsexperience in the constructionindustry, Harris has conducted hands-on training seminars in architecturalconcrete in locations around the world,and has personally placed and/orsupervised the placement of over threemillion square feet of decorativeconcrete, including work for some ofthe major Disney theme parks inOrlando, Florida. As president of TheDecorative Concrete Institute, heoffers hands-on training and workshopsin the latest decorative products andtechniques. For more information, visitwww.bobharrisguides.com or contactLee Ann Stape at (877) 324-8080.

Colorado Hardscapes fillstwo key positionsAfter 32 years with concretecontractor Colorado Hardscapes and10 years in charge of production, JohnButeyn has moved to a new position

Cement Shortage Takes a Bite out of Businessby John StriederGot cement? As of July, contractors are still saying, “No!”

Strong demand and international demand for space on cargo shipshave combined to create a concrete shortage in regions throughoutthe United States. And the crisis shows no signs of abating soon.

The Associated General Contractors of America is forecastinghuge price increases, citing a report from the Precast ConsultingServices Management Bulletin that predicts cement prices will jumpby as much as 15 percent to 20 percent over the next few months.“Cement shortages and unexpected higher prices have the effect ofdelaying construction projects and adding to the cost of thoseprojects,” says AGC president James D. Waltze.

Robust residential construction is driving the cement shortage,according to a report issued in June by the Portland CementAssociation. Shortfalls have cropped up in 23 states in the Southeast,Southwest, New England and Northern Plains. The shortage was firstreported in Florida, and California and New York are also affected.

Ed Sullivan, chief economist for the Portland Cement Association,says the crisis may well extend into the fourth quarter of 2004. “I don’tthink anyone knows how long it’s going to take,” he says.

Several factors could bring relief as the year wears on, Sullivan says.For one, rising interest rates could ease demand for cement from theresidential sector. “I think residential demand is going to cool off inthe second half of this year,” he says, “but a lot of people don’t agreewith me.”

Also, China’s net export rate may slow, freeing up ship space forcement orders to the States. Chinese officials are scrambling to curbtheir country’s economic growth to keep its economy fromoverheating, Sullivan says. “They are really concerned about inflation.”

Freight rates have recently dropped, he notes, which may be a goodsign. But will the drop be sustained? He doesn’t know. And he knowsof no plans to put more ships in the water to ease the crunch.

Meanwhile, contractors have to face wait times, Sullivan says. Bigorders, such as for public works projects, are prioritized whileresidential contractors get pushed aside, he says. He’s heard stories ofjobs put on hold for days or even weeks.

Janine Flynn, COO of SuperStone Inc., a Florida-basedmanufacturer of concrete products, says her company is stockpilingcement. “A lot of local companies use the same concrete company,”she says. “So what they’re doing is giving the concrete company aschedule a month in advance, and they’re not having any problems.”

Companies who do small-volume business with concrete suppliersare hurting, she says. “Concrete companies are not going to supplyanybody new, while regular customers are being taken care of,” she says.

A big contractor can coordinate an order far ahead of time with itsready-mix supplier, agrees Sullivan. “But for small guys working withsmall volumes, I really don’t know what they can do.”

Well, actually, he does have one idea. “Make sure you have a goodrelationship with your ready-mix supplier,” he says. “I know someready-mix people who say, ‘If we pull teeth to get the bill, you’ve got towait in line.’ Another guy — ordering the same volume, but pays thebill on time — moves to the front of the line.”


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within thecompany: seniortechnicalmanager. John’spast experienceas productionmanagerincluded suchhighly visible

jobs as The Aurora Justice Center, TheBroadmoor Hotel, Aspen GroveLifestyle Center, and most recentlyStapleton City Center and Belmar. Hisresponsibilities include productdevelopment, quality control andtechnical liaison between productsuppliers and installers.

The position of chief operatingofficer will now be filled by AndrewFox, former vicepresident ofTruGreenCompanies.Andrew has 20years of greenindustrymanagementexperience.Besidesoverseeing production, Andrew isspearheading new software implemen-tation for Colorado Hardscapes. JohnButeyn and Andrew Fox can bereached at (303) 750-8200 [email protected].

Lafarge names newpresident for Northeastcement regionLafarge North America has namedClaude Bastien as president of theNortheast Region for the CementDivision. He previously served aspresident of Lafarge ConstructionMaterials for the Eastern U.S. Region.Bastien will be based in the regionalheadquarters in Montréal, Québec,where he will oversee the produc-tion, sale and distribution ofcement, slag and fly ash in theNortheast Region. It includes theCanadian provinces of Québec, NewBrunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince

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Edward Island, and Newfoundlandand Labrador, as well as eleven U.S.states, including New England andMid-Atlantic States as far south asVirginia. He will also be responsible

for the region’sfour cementplants, locatedin St-Constant,Québec;Ravena, N.Y.;Whitehall, Pa.;and Brookfield,Nova Scotia; aswell as Lafarge’s

slag cement manufacturing facility atSparrows Point, Md.He began his career at Lafarge in1991 in Montréal as the vice presi-dent and controller for theNortheast Cement Region. Beforejoining Lafarge, Bastien worked inthe railway, automotive andtelecommunications industries inCanada and overseas.






PORTLAND CEMENT ASSOCIATIONReference guide now available in SpanishThe Portland Cement Association has introduced Diseñoy Control de Mezclas de Concreto, the Spanish edition ofits premier publication, Design and Control of ConcreteMixtures.

The Spanish edition includes information onconstruction practices and standards used in Latin America.This manual covers numerous topics on the most widelyused construction material in the world, including materials,mixing, placing, testing, and new developments.

A version of the manual is also available on CD andincludes links to cement and concrete resources on the Weband metric conversion. The entire book is indexed and canbe searched using keywords or phrases. The publication isavailable online at www.cement.org/bookstore or by phoneat (800) 868-6733. Cost is $50.

AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTEBook celebrates concrete structuresworldwideConcrete: A Pictorial Celebration, a new book from ACI,commemorates milestone achievements in the concreteindustry and celebrates the utility and beauty of concrete forall applications, whether serving the needs of earth’sinhabitants or inspiring awe as an architect’s medium forexpression. This hard-cover, coffee-table book is a tribute toarchitects, engineers, concrete producers, constructors andartisans who bring concepts to life. The photos showconcrete structures ranging from residential foundations toedifices recognized around the world, and illustrate theAmerican Concrete Institute’s purpose of “advancingconcrete knowledge.” It is packed with over 250 pages offull-color photos of structures that benefit from the strength,durability, and economy of concrete, and instills a sense ofpride in all who are part of the concrete industry. For moreinformation, visit the American Concrete Institute’s onlinebookstore at www.concrete.org or call (248) 848-3800.

Centennial Convention coming up inOctoberThe American Concrete Institute will hold its upcomingconvention in San Francisco, October 24-28, with thetheme: “Concrete — A Century of Innovation.”

The convention will feature special events to continuethe year-long celebration of the Institute’s Centennial

anniversary, including a bay cruise aboard the 292-foot SanFrancisco Belle. Over 250 meetings are planned, 35technical sessions are being offered, nearly 100 students arecoming to participate in the concrete cube competition andhundreds of exhibitors and attendees are expected to fill theexhibit hall each day.

To learn details about the upcoming convention in SanFrancisco or to register, call (248) 848-3800 or visitwww.concrete.org.

NATIONAL READY MIXED CONCRETEASSOCIATIONConcrete promotion team beefed upThe NRMCA has reinforced its concrete promotion teamwith two additional national resource directors. This bringsthe total field promotion staff to five, with each promoterresponsible for national accounts and regional promotionactivities in a specific section of the U.S.

Industry veteran Vance Pool brings his more than 20years experience in the building materials industry to thesouth-central region. He has worked for SI-ConcreteSystems, Grace Construction Products and Lafarge NorthAmerica. John Colby, based in Worcester, Ma., will beresponsible for New England as well as New York, NewJersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. He has almost 20 yearsof experience in the industry as a district manager andengineering group representative for Grace ConstructionProducts.

Brad Burke, based in Minneapolis, Dan Huffman inPortland, Ore., and Mike Zaldo in Atlanta round out thestaff of field promoters.

Course certifies plant managersResponding to industry demand, the NRMCA has created aplant manager’s certification course. The course is the onlyone that is specifically designed for plant managers of readymixed concrete production facilities. A certification examwill validate the specific skill levels needed in these areas.Course instruction will cover plant safety, operations,product knowledge, environmental and business concepts.Course participants who successfully pass the productknowledge portion of the exam will be certified as plantoperators; those passing all sections of the certification examwill be certified as ready mixed concrete plant managers.

Industry SpotlightAssociation News

http://www.cement.org/bookstore

http://www.concrete.org


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INTERNATIONAL CONCRETE REPAIR INSTITUTEFall convention will be held in San FranciscoThe ICRI will hold its 2004 Fall Convention at the HiltonSan Francisco, in San Francisco, Calif., October 20-22. Theconvention theme is Structural Enhancements and will consistof technical presentations, committee meetings, tabletopexhibits, networking opportunities and special events.

ICRI will open the convention with a luncheon andgeneral session titled “Invest in the Best —What it Takes tobe Number 1,” which will feature a documentary on the lifeof undefeated heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano,hosted by his brother, Lou Marciano. Marciano will also beon hand to award one lucky winner a pair of boxing glovesautographed by boxing great Muhammad Ali, raffled by theICRI Marketing Committee.

The convention will also play host to the 12th AnnualICRI Awards Banquet, which will celebrate the ICRI RepairProject Awards and 2003 Chapter Awards, and close with asunset cocktail cruise on San Francisco Bay hosted by theNorthern California Chapter.

For more information on these and other ICRI events, visitwww.icri.org or contact Chris Jorgensen, marketing/chapterrelations coordinator, at (847) 827-0830.

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CarltonConcrete,Visalia,Californiaby Stacey Enesey Klemenc

Doug Carlton says he tried his darnedestto stay out of the decorative concretemarket. With both his father and

grandfather traditional concrete contractors, hewas quite content to maintain the status quowhen he started his own company back in 1987.But so many clients kept asking for colored and“printed” concrete that in 1992 he “took a leap offaith” and entered the decorative realm. “It wasthe right move at the right time,” he says.

Today, in addition to the basics, CarltonConcrete offers three core services — concretestamping, staining and overlay.

ContractorProfile

ContractorProfile



When he started flirting with the prospect ofoffering stamped concrete, he cut his first eight to10 customers great deals. “If I had a patio that wasgoing to be a broom job, I’d offer to stamp it at thesame price,” he says. “This allowed me and thecrew to learn on the job, to gain experiencewithout a huge weight on our shoulders. It reallytook the pressure off.”

If there was one thing he learned then that stillrings true today, it is that you’ve got to realize youaren’t going to produce a flawless creation. “It’simpossible to do perfect work day in and day out,”he says. “This line of work is meant to haveimperfections. It’s not about going out and tryingto do a perfect job. It’s about fulfilling theexpectations of the client.”

He urges newcomers to the business to start offwith a small project and take good pictures of theperfect areas and the imperfect areas. “Show themto everybody you can,” he says. “People relate tovisuals.”

That’s the reasoning behind his latest businessventure, a 5,000-square-foot design center thatshould be completed next spring. “People need tosee decorative concrete, to feel it under their feet.They need to be able to visualize a mocked-uproom and to see how it will fit into their home oroffice,” Carlton says.

Plans for the center include outfitting fouroffices with different treatments that will illustratestamping, staining and overlay possibilities.Outside, there will be a fully landscaped area withdifferent forms of stamped concrete so people cansee what concrete will look like as it weathers andwears. Showing clients only newly placed concreteis like showing a bride only on her wedding day,Carlton says. “It’s just not a realistic picture.”

The showroom will also feature two finishedfloors that have one major difference: One isproperly maintained and one is neglected. Thatway, customers can see the difference between thetwo and understand why some surfaces need to beperiodically resealed.

Along with examples of decorative concrete,Carlton says, he will take advantage of today’scomputer software. Customers will be able tomeet with a designer who will input details intothe computer to generate a sketch or blueprint oftheir project. “This way they’ll get a feel for whatthey like by seeing an overlay of different colorsand patterns. They’ll leave with a little sketch totake home.”

And whereas variety is nice, Carlton notes,you don’t have to go overboard. “Most people will



pick from what they see and will buy from whatyou show them. We have maybe one client a yearthat will ask for something they’ve seen that wedon’t have.”

Of his stamping tools, he says, “we only usenine different styles and we tend to use the samethree patterns weekly,” textured stone, ashlar slateand random stone. “There’s such a learning curvewith stamping, and it’s best not to try to master toomany things. My decorative crew becomingcomfortable with different styles of stamp mat andapplication has been the key to multiple successfuljobs. They’re the reason for our success.”

Education, too, is important. “There are a lot ofpeople who want to get into business, but there’s ahuge deficit in training and education,” Carltonsays. “There’s a big difference between knowinghow to do decorative work and doing the actualjob.”

Carlton certainly doesn’t regret taking the leapinto decorative concrete.

“Even at the end of a long, hard day, when itseems like we’re shoving 40 hours of work into aneight-hour day, I find myself turning around andtaking a second peek at what we’ve done. I getsatisfaction knowing we created somethingworking together as a team, each doing their partto create a form of art, and that’s pretty cool. I loveit. A lot of people can’t say that about their work.”

Media attention benefits entire tradeLast spring, Carlton Concrete’s work was featuredin an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Editionthat involved refurbishing a home for eight kidswhose parents had both recently died. The hardestpart of the project, Carlton says, was doing a two-to three-day job in five to six hours — with theTV cameras rolling all the while.

Their work was such a hit that the show’sproducers invited them back to participate in fourmore shows this season.

The exposure is not just good for his company,Carlton points out. It’s good for the wholeindustry. “People can turn on their TVs onSundays and see stamped concrete and how it fitsinto a beautiful home setting. And a certainnumber of them will choose decorative concretefor their own project. I mean, there’s a guy inMinnesota who will benefit from me stamping aproject in Northern California. It’s opening themarket for everybody in the business.”



Concrete CountertopsA two-part series covering forms,mixes, tools and finishesPPaarrtt OOnnee:: CCaasstt--iinn--ppllaaccee by Susan Brimo-Cox

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Concrete CountertopsA two-part series covering forms,mixes, tools and finishesPPaarrtt OOnnee:: CCaasstt--iinn--ppllaaccee by Susan Brimo-Cox



As demand for concrete countertops has swelled acrossthe country, concrete contractors and artists havebeen honing their techniques to craft functional art

at its finest. Producing concrete countertops falls into twogeneral categories: cast-in-place and precast. There are ardent

proponents of both methods, and many concretecountertop contractor-artists use both methods,depending on a specific project’s application.

Here we’ll explore the cast-in-place method.Part Two, in the next issue of Concrete Decor, willfocus on the precast method.

Cast-in-place advantages“Less complicated” and “seamless” are the mostfrequent comments used to describe cast-in-placeconcrete countertops. What’s more, they aretypically less expensive than the precast method.

As Tom Ralston, president and chief executiveofficer of Tom Ralston Concrete in Santa Cruz, Calif.,observes, “You don’t have to be a master form-setter.[This method is] more forgiving than molds. Also, it

has more of a handcrafted look and feel.”Richard Smith, owner of Richard Smith Custom

Concrete in West Hills, Calif., expresses similarsentiments. “With cast-in-place you’ll see tool andtrowel marks and finishing marks. Some people findthis desirable. … It’s like building a violin. Youwatch the creation — a working piece of artwork inthe house.”

Other advantages include greater flexibility inmaking monolithic units, fewer — if any — seamsand no worries about moving heavy, fragileconcrete countertops to a job site.

What you do need for cast-in-place countertops,however, is time: time to set the forms, time to pourthe concrete, time to strip away the forms and timefor the concrete to cure. If you don’t have that kind of timeon site, precasting may be the required method.

Besides site time requirements, there are some otherdrawbacks to the cast-in-place method. Primarily, you can’tpour as precisely as with the precast method. You won’t getthe same crisp lines and you are more limited in the finishesyou can achieve. Also, as Rhodes points out, if somethinggoes wrong “the client is looking over your shoulder.”

With that in mind, cast-in-place has obvious advantagesfor a contractor already working on site, says Buddy Rhodes,president of Buddy Rhodes Studio Inc. in San Francisco. “It isa great way for a contractor that is already working in thehouse to make [countertops]. The forms are built around thecabinets and such. What you see is what you get. The projectis dependent on the preparation in making the edge formsand sink knock-outs. If you are already working in the houseyou can monitor it on a daily basis and make sure it curesslowly and evenly.”

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staple for the concrete contractor. Theystrip the outer edge of the edge formafter the cement sets up a little andfinish the edge along with the top for aseamless edge,” explains Rhodes.

For Smith, there are no limits towhat you can form. “You don’t have tobe just square.” But, he adds, “Thenumber one thing is accuracy.” Smith

support. The weight of a concretecountertop two inches thick is about 25pounds per square foot; 11⁄2 inches thickis about 18 pounds,” reports Ralston.

For the typical concrete contractor,preparation for the cast-in-place methodwill sound very familiar. “The cast-in-place method is set up with plywood and2 x 4s like a ‘curb and gutter’ that is a


Building forms andreinforcementKeep the words “level” and “flat” inmind and you will be off on the right footfor cast-in-place countertops. What youuse to create your forms is not as critical.

“We use anything, from melamine to2 x 4s to 1 x 4s to plywood. We’re notthat fussy. … But you have to have solid

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CIRCLE #07 ON READER SERVICE CARDCIRCLE #15 ON READER SERVICE CARD



also uses some of the tricks andmaterials used in pouring steps andswimming pool coping — particularlythe use of plastic foam for formingedges. Not restricted to bull-nose orstraight cantilever, there’s no limit tothe type of edging he can get, he says.Smith says he uses low-stick tape withdouble-stick tape on top to attach thefoam to the form.

Most cast-in-place contractors usereinforcement.

Smith uses expanded metal lathattached to the substrate with screwsleft raised about 1⁄2-inch. He also usespencil rod and No. 3 rebar along edges.

Rhodes says what he uses depends onhow thick the slab will be. He uses rebarfor slabs more than 21⁄2 inches thick, andgalvanized wire mesh in his 11⁄2-inchslabs. “Welded-wire mesh also works,even chicken wire for some projects.We also use thin threaded rod toreinforce around sink openings.”

Ralston also makes hisreinforcement choices based on theproject. But he has words of caution as

Fu-Tung Cheng, principal and chiefexecutive officer of Cheng Design inBerkeley, Calif., has also designed aprepared mix that contractors can useto eliminate the guesswork. “You justadd water and Quickcrete. It has theadditives, plasticizers and [additionalingredients] included,” he says.

Ralston also points out that “you canorder a nice structural mix from theready-mix company — with 1⁄2-inchangular rock, not pea gravel.”

Smith prefers a standard gray, genericmix design for his concrete, but “we’llcut the portland cement and add high-early cement” for faster drying and lessshrinkage. He’s not as concerned withslump either, but rather with the sand-cement ratio. “I’m only reallyconcerned with shrinkage,” he says.

Ralston, on the other hand, likes a stiff3-inch slump, which he usually thenvibrates. “It’ll turn into about a 4-inchslump as the water and cream rises.”

Cheng says, “We’re looking for a 6-inch slump” that you can adjust withwater. When pouring countertops in

well. For thinner countertops hedoesn’t use rebar because it “canshadow on the surface.” And it isimportant to anchor wire meshsecurely. “There is nothing worse thanpouring a countertop and have the wiremesh poke through the face.”

Depending on the application, fiberreinforcement is frequently used in theconcrete mix when cast in place. Smithuses it if there is a particularly longstretch of countertop, but lessens theamount he uses if the countertoprequires more detail.

The mix designSome of the pioneers in the concretecountertop arena have developed mixdesigns that are available forcontractors to purchase and use. Whenhe’s not using his own mix, Ralston usesone developed by Buddy Rhodes. “Webag our own mix using white portlandcement, sand, marble dust, metakaolinand other ingredients. We use liquidcolors in the mix water to color theslabs all the way through,” Rhodes says.




fiberglass. Ralston reports, “I have toolsfor all occasions,” including Sheetrocktools he’s cut up, palm sanders, hacksaws,whatever looks like it would work.

When it comes to vibrating theconcrete, Ralston recommends ahand-held vibrator, not only becausethey are light, but also because theyare user-friendly. He recalls oneproject where “they brought in a bigvibrator that nearly vibrated the formsloose. It was crazy!”

Smith, because he uses plastic foamin his forms, doesn’t want to createexcess cream, so he doesn’t usually use avibrator when he casts in place. “Wepour a thin coat first. Then we pour ontop of that — in lifts — seconds behindeach other so we eliminate bubbles.”But if the countertop has cornices orcontinues down to the floor he will usea vibrator.


Like with all concrete applications,cure time is very important. Rhodesexplains, “Cast-in-place should betented to allow for a slow and evencuring. Keep the slab moist and do notlet it dry out too fast. If the plastic layson the surface it might leave ashadow.”

Controlling the curing process isone way cast-in-place contractorseliminate the cracks that otherwisemight require control joints. If controljoints are used in a cast-in-placeapplication, you will likely find them inweak areas, such as corners of notches.

Shaping and finishingtechniquesThe cast-in-place method offersvarious creative opportunities, perhapsjust not as refined in nature as with theprecast method.

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place, “at the most you’re doing 9 cubicfeet. You have more control thanpouring a patio.”

Of course, from one region of thecountry to another, a mix design canchange depending on the materialsavailable and the climate conditions.

Many contractors who cast in placeuse integral color. Liquid pigment seemsto be the preference. Ralston advises,“Order at least one yard to get aconsistent batch.”

Tools,vibrating and curetimeTools used for cast-in-place countertopsare pretty much the standard tools for anypoured-in-place concrete work: standardmortar mixers, wood floats, standardtrowels, etc. But you’ll find a variety ofcustom-made tools as well. Smith hassome in stainless and some made of



Want to shape the surface? It can bedone, but Cheng says it’s not easy. “Youcan put some curbs and restrict theconcrete for some shaping, like adriveway.” And you can inlay items.“But you can never get as flat as in amold,” he adds.

Rhodes observes, “You have to becreative. Drain boards can be screededinto the counter. …”

Ralston uses foam pieces to block outwhere a sink will go and embeds metaltrivets through the thickness of a cast-in-place countertop. He also notes thatcast-in-place concrete countertops canbe stamped. On occasion he has usedtexture mats to imprint a texture.

Finishing techniques vary fromcontractor to contractor and depend onthe desired results. Some customers willwant the surface to look handcrafted;others want a more polished look.

What you can achieve spans from“polished to expose the aggregate, alight sanding to leave the cream ortrowel marks for a hard trowel,” Rhodesexplains.

“A lot of times we’ll spray water andtrowel for a burnished look,” Ralston says.

Smith points out, “It’s all in thehoning. We lightly sand or diamondhone [the surface] after a few days. Theharder [the surface] gets, the easier it isto hone.”

To retain the natural look of theconcrete, a matte finish generally workswell. A highly polished finish on a cast-in-place countertop is difficult and quitemessy to achieve on site.

As Cheng points out, the majordifficulty in grinding and polishing acast-in-place surface has to do with howlevel the surface is. Even slight dips canbe very problematic.

Final thoughtsWith cast-in-place countertops you needto expect to be on site for at least severaldays. Reminiscing about a 165-square-foot countertop job he completed inAtlanta, Ralston explains they started at6 A.M. and finished setting the forms thefirst day at 10:30 P.M. The next day thecrew was on site from 8:30 A.M. to 8:30

P.M. pouring the concrete. Four hours thefollowing day were spent stripping forms.

If your preparation work is donewell — particularly the support andleveling —casting in place can be lesscomplicated and more straightforwarda process, especially for contractorsgood with form work. If you only haveone day for installation, need tocontrol the environment or

incorporate intricate detailing orembedded objects into the countertop,the precast technique may be the wayfor you to go.

Cast-in-place concrete countertopsmay not be for everyone, but as Smithobserves, “There is something to be saidabout seeing the craftsmanship” in acast-in-place countertop.



http://www.glaze-n-seal.com

brush strokes), but they will causestains and tinted sealers to react withthe coating unevenly, resulting inmarbled or mottled looks.

“You can kind of screw up afinishing job that you’re going to stainand seal, and people will adore you todeath,” says Julio Hallack, president

and owner of ConcreteInnovations in Turlock, Calif.“Many interior designers arevery fond of these kinds offinishes and they want you tohave innovations in yourthinking.”

Indeed, in the right hands,a trowel can produce a far-ranging variety of finishes.

“The possibilities arevirtually endless,” says Chris

Sullivan, national technical directorfor QC Construction Products, aCalifornia-based cement productsmanufacturer. “You can do everythingfrom creating a solid, monotone surfacethat looks just like gray concrete, allthe way up to creating the effect ofmarble or stone or seamless linoleum

Sometimes there’s nobetter way to finish acementitious topping

than to get down on yourhands and kneeboards and goto town with a trowel.

Sure, self-levelers cancover large areas with aminimum of mess andmanpower, they can renderglass-smooth finishes withrelative ease, and they canhandle the traffic of even the mostmonstrous forklifts. But for creatingdecorative floors with a handcraftedfeel, the trowel is hard to beat.

Not only do the imperfections of ahand-troweled floor have artistic meritin their own right (a concrete artisan’strowel marks are as unique as an artist’s


Consider the Humble TrowelLLiikkee aann aarrttiisstt’’ss ppaaiinnttbbrruusshh oonn ccaannvvaass,, tthhee ttrroowweell ccaann ccrreeaattee aa wwiiddee vvaarriieettyy ooff eeffffeeccttss oonn oovveerrllaayyss..

by David Thompson

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Consider the Humble TrowelLLiikkee aann aarrttiisstt’’ss ppaaiinnttbbrruusshh oonn ccaannvvaass,, tthhee ttrroowweell ccaann ccrreeaattee aa wwiiddee vvaarriieettyy ooff eeffffeeccttss oonn oovveerrllaayyss..

by David Thompson


tile where you’ve got multiple colorsblended together in a random pattern.”

For marbled or cloud-like coloreffects, color hardeners can bebroadcast onto a topping and troweledin. Similarly, pigmented water can besprayed or dashed upon the surface,then hit with a trowel. Anotherapproach is to mix two or three batchesof an overlay or microtopping withdifferent integral colors or differentloadings of the same color. That’s atechnique used by Colormaker Floors,a skimcoat manufacturer in Vancouver,Canada.

A marbled Colormaker floor mightstart off with a smooth-troweled basecoat loaded with one cup of an integralcolor. A second batch, loaded with 11⁄2or two cups of the same color, wouldthen be broadcast randomly on thebase layer and troweled in. “It minglesand gels and creates those highs andlows of the color that give themarbleized effect,” says Victor Pachade,Colormaker’s sales manager. “That’swhat is possible with the second pass ofthe trowel.”

The textures you can get throughtroweling range from smooth, densehard-troweled surfaces, to the lopped-off peaks and rough lows of knockdownfinishes, to the oddball variations suchas scallop finishes. Each cementitiousoverlay or microtopping on the marketis designed to render certain finishesand not others, and ignoring themanufacturer’s recommendations issimply asking for trouble. So is ignoringrecommendations for primers.

“There are a lot of contractors outthere who believe primers aren’tnecessary,” says contractor WesVollmer, head of Alternative Finishesin Texas. “The manufacturers havedone tests with and without primers,and the ones with primers stay downfar longer than the ones withoutprimer.”

A wide variety of finishesFor a rough-textured effect that cancover a multitude of substrate sins, slop




becomes avoiding burnish marks onfloors where the look isn’t wanted.Some manufacturers, such as WagmanMetal Products in Pennsylvania, havedeveloped plastic blades for powertrowels to eliminate unwantedburnishing.

Most conventional power trowelsweigh too much to use on overlays, andthis has created a niche for the handfulof lightweight power trowel manufac-turers, such as HoverTrowel. Its 40-pound trowel was originally designedfor finishing polymer floor coverings,but it has proven to work equally wellon overlays and microtoppings.

While the heftier machines tend tocompact concrete to a point where itwon’t accept stains, the lightweightpower trowels don’t. “You can burnishan overlay or microtopping and still goback and stain it,” says Drew Fagley,president of HoverTrowel.

Many microtoppings can’twithstand more than a couple passes ofeven a hand trowel. In these cases, afeather coating — a microtopping thatcontains micro-aggregates —can beapplied on top of the microtopping fora burnished look.

To achieve a sweated finish, alsoknown as a swirled finish, the trowel is

grab the additional material from thetrowel. Skip troweling, as well asknockdown finishes, work nicely withstencils.

For a hard-troweled finish, a toppingis spread using a steel-bladed trowel heldat a slight angle. Microtoppings tend tolend themselves best to hard troweling,as many thicker overlays are subject todensity blisters resulting from differentcuring times between the cement andthe polymers in the coating.

“A quarter inch of material that ishighly polymer-modified, like astamped overlay, is where you start tohave issues with density blisters,” saysCarpenter. “Microtoppings are too thinfor that to happen.”

Burnishing is a popular option on ahard-troweled surface. For a burnishedlook, the coating is repeatedly andvigorously troweled until fine particlesof steel are actually imparted into thefloor, creating a sort of burned sheen.

“When you’re burnishing, you’retroweling so much and so hard that thetrowel actually starts to sing,” sayscontractor Tom Ralston, of TomRalston Concrete in California. “Itgoes ‘wing, wing.’”

Power trowels make burnishing easy— so easy, in fact, that the tricky part

troweling is often chosen. Toslop trowel, a coating isworked with the full surface— rather than just the edge— of a steel trowel, which islifted after each pass.

“If the substrate is toowavy, or there are too manypatches, or the customerdoesn’t want to pay to smooththe floor, slop troweling wouldbe a good way to go,” saysBrandon Carpenter, of theCalifornia-based concreteproducts manufacturer FloricPolytech. “It doesn’tnecessarily give you the bestaesthetic, but it’s easy, it’scheap and you still end upwith a rejuvenated canvasthat you can go in and saw cutand acid stain.”

Slop troweling lends itself tocreative effects such as faux stone.Individual rocks can be slop troweledin place with joints left in betweenthat can later be mortared. Grout linesbetween stones can also be made withstencils, strapping tape or by handcarving.

Faux wooden planking is anotherpossibility with slop troweling;simulated wood grain can be achievedby dragging the trowel in a line whilelifting slightly to create suction.

Knockdown finishes are a populareffect with good anti-slip qualities wellsuited to outdoor surfaces. Knock-downs are achieved by spraying down alumpy coating material with a hoppergun, then using a steel trowel todecapitate and smooth the high pointsof the lumps.

Skip troweling produces anexaggerated version of the knockdowntexture. After a smooth base coat istroweled in place, the trowel is loadedwith a small amount of additionaltopping material and “skipped” acrossthe first layer, leaving raised patties ofmaterial with flat, smooth surfaces.Extra silica is sometimes added to thecoating to encourage the base coat to

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held flat on the surface and worked in arotary motion, which draws up the fineparticles and liquid to the surface.Unlike slop troweling, the trowel iskept in constant contact with thesurface during troweling. A magnesiumtrowel, which is flatter and more rigidthan a steel trowel, is ideal for sweattroweling.

The worm finish is similar to thesweat finish, except a neoprene trowelis employed and larger silica might beused in the topping. The neoprenegrabs and “rolls” the silica particles,creating tiny “wormholes” in thesurface.

Another fanciful effect you canachieve with a trowel is the scallopfinish, where a v-notch trowel is usedto create a pattern of small, repeatingfan shapes. This highly-textured finishis usually found on walls, but if floodedwith a clear epoxy it can make for aperfectly smooth, unusual floor.

Other whimsical effects can be hadby troweling metal, glass and otherobjects into a surface, to either embedor imprint them.

Dana Boyer, an Arizona artistturned concrete contractor, likesimprinting fish into her hand-troweledfloors. She lays them on the toppingafter the first troweling, presses theminto the surface on the secondtroweling, then removes them after theconcrete has cured.

“It’s tedious picking fish out of there,but that’s part of the job,” Boyer says.

Boyer views her trowels as artistictools not unlike a painter’s paletteknife. “I’m a contractor and I use thetools of the trade as they’re meant tobe used,” she says. “But I’m also anartist, and therefore nothing applies tome. If I want to use a heavy trowelmade to finish off concrete in amanner that it wasn’t designed for, Ireally don’t care. Everything that’savailable is my tool. I find what worksand do the job.”



Celebrating Concrete!Liquid Stone exhibit, carnival and canoes

leave lasting impressionby Stacey Enesey Klemenc

Concrete is bothextraordinary andcommonplace. Its

chameleon-like attributesallow it to become so manythings, from ordinarysidewalks and toweringskyscrapers to patios thatresemble slate and countertopsthat rival the finest stone.Both decorative and practical,concrete comes in any colorimaginable, with a texturesmooth, rough or in-between.

Contractors haveappreciated these qualities formany years. And, thanks to arecent concrete extravaganzathat featured a ConcreteCarnival family festival, anexhibition and a concretecanoe competition, many notassociated with the trade havelearned to appreciate itssurprising and fascinatingproperties, too.

The events, held in June,were primarily sponsored bythe National BuildingMuseum in Washington,D.C., and the AmericanSociety of Civil Engineers,Lafarge, and Degussa Admixtures Inc./Master Builders.

“Many people never give concrete a second thought —and fewer still understand how versatile and interesting itcan be,” says Degussa Admixtures President and CEO MikeShydlowski, whose company has sponsored the NationalConcrete Canoe Competition since 1988. This series ofevents in the nation’s capital was designed to change thatline of thinking.

Fun for the whole familyTo kick off the opening of the exhibition Liquid Stone: NewArchitecture in Concrete, the museum hosted a free Concrete

Carnival, held June 19, thatfeatured a variety of hands-onactivities and demonstrationsthroughout the day.Participants had theopportunity to make anddecorate a variety of concreteobjects, mix themselves an“edible” concrete snack, seehow concrete canoes float andexplore many otherremarkable aspects ofconcrete.

Lafarge’s mascot, Rocky,and a ready-mix truck greetedyoungsters and parents as theyarrived.

A Concrete Petting Zoo,sponsored in part by ConcreteDecor, let visitors get up closeand personal with a healthysampling of various concretespecies, including colorfulspecimens, plain-Janevarieties and even concreteblocks that float.

There was a concretefinishing booth for those whowanted to give the trowel atry. And for budding scientistsand future contractors alike,several activity stations were

designed to let people see firsthand that when certainsubstances are mixed together they cause a chemicalreaction and create a new material.

“These simple experiments are designed to make peopleconsider how extraordinary the ordinary can be,” says ASCEpresident Patricia D. Galloway, P.E. “When visitors walkoutside after the festival, they’ll have a new appreciation forthe substance below their feet.”

Concrete canoes in the capitalFestival-goers also had a chance to marvel at the ingenuityof scores of students from across North America who took



mortar or grout mixtures canbe used.

These new rules havecaused teams to modify their“formulas for success” andhave yielded heavier canoes,bucking the 15-year trendtoward lighter, sleeker canoes.The average weight forcanoes this year was 190pounds. In 2003, it was 167pounds and in 2001 it was amere 117.

After nearly a year ofpreparation and an 800-milejourney to the nation’scapital, students fromUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison captured theirsecond national title withtheir solid black, 180-pound,21-foot 8-inch ‘Rock Solid’canoe. It surpassed entriesfrom 21 other schools notonly in speed, but moreimportantly, in design,

construction and overall performance.Canada’s Université Laval paddled its way to secondplace with the Iceberg, a 117-pound grey-and-white rac-ing machine. The University of Alabama in Huntsvillecame in third with the 148-pound white, blue, red andorange ConQuest.

“We have seen amazing technical advancements in theconcrete canoe designs and construction over the past 17years,” says Shydlowski. “Every year we challenge students to

develop new ways to utilize concrete, and everyyear they produce boats that rival Olympic racingcanoes in speed and maneuverability.”

The celebration continuesAlthough the festival and the canoe competitionhave come and gone, Liquid Stone: New Architecturein Concrete, the exhibit which features nearly 30very recent or current projects that use concrete inexciting ways, remains on view through Jan. 23,2005.

Additional sponsors for June’s events included ClarkConstruction LLC, Colormaker Floors Ltd.,Concrete Decor magazine, National Ready MixedConcrete Association, Quikrete, L.M. Scofield Co.,Baker Concrete Construction, CEMEX USA andU.S. Silica Co.

part in the 17th annualASCE/Master BuildersNational Concrete CanoeCompetition. This yearmarked the first time in nearlya decade that the competitionwas held in the Washington,D.C., area.

The competition isdesigned to challengestudents from top civilengineering schools to makethe improbable a reality:design, build and race canoesmade of concrete. The overallscoring is equally based onfour components: a writtenreport, an oral presentation,the canoe itself and fivedifferent racing events, whichwere held at Lake Fairfax inVirginia.

Creating a canoe that canactually float is only half thebattle. To be competitive,students also have to design acanoe with the right balance of characteristics for optimumspeed, maneuverability, strength and stability.

In the process, they must follow certain rules, whichchange from year to year. This year, students were requiredto use a certain amount of ordinary sand as part of theaggregate mixture and either recycled coal fly ash or groundgranulated blast furnace slag as the binding material.(Additional binding materials such as resins or polymerswere also permitted.) No premixed or prepackaged concrete,

Prior to the race,canoes must pass a“swamp test,” a situation where they

must prove they can float horizontallywhen submerged in water.



The model posed next to asolid stack of seeminglyordinary concrete blocks. In

a typical “now you see her, now youdon’t” fashion, she stepped behindthe wall. To the audience’samazement, she didn’t disappear fromsight. Was this a case where the sand(cement, water and aggregate) wasquicker than the eye?

Hardly. It was but one example ofthe remarkable types of concrete ondisplay at an exhibit organized by theNational Building Museum indowntown Washington, D.C. CalledLiquid Stone: New Architecture inConcrete, the exhibit featuresinnovations that range fromtranslucent blocks and photoen-graved building fronts to revolu-tionary materials that promise tochange the rules of construction as weknow them today.

Oh,I seeWe all know that concrete can beconcocted to look like many things, butwho would have thought that the rock-solid substance could be a substitute fora window? As it turns out, a handful ofacademic and commercial researchersare not just dreaming of this, they’rebusy making it happen.

The product that seems to havecaptured the most attention is LiTraCon,an acronym for “light transmittingconcrete.” Invented in 2001 byHungarian architect Áron Losonczi, thetranslucent concrete block is beingmanufactured by the German companyLiTraCon and should be on the marketby the end of this year.

“Besides the aesthetic appeal, there arepractical uses,” says G. Martin Moeller Jr.,senior vice president of special projectsfor the National Building Museum.LiTraCon has structural capabilities and

Wave of theFuture

21st Century Concrete on Displayby Stacey Enesey Klemenc

could be used in an area of a buildingwhere you want natural light to comethrough, such as a fire escape stairwell. Inan emergency situation where power islost, the blocks would allow light to passthrough and you could find your waydown the staircase.

LiTraCon consists of randomlyembedded glass fibers in a proprietaryconcrete mixture. Because of theinherent characteristic of fiber optics,light doesn’t diminish over the thicknessof the material. “You could have a wallthat’s 20-foot thick and light would stillpass through,” Moeller says.

Another product on display featuresplastic fibers arranged in a perfect grid.Pixel Panels, developed by Bill Price ofthe University of Houston, alsotransmit light from one face of a wall toanother, but in more of a pattern. Lightthat shines through the panelsresembles thousands of tiny stars in anight sky. The self-supporting panels,which were largely designed fornonstructural walls, are currentlyavailable through special arrangements.

Will Wittig of the University ofDetroit-Mercy also developed a processto produce translucent panels. Made ofPortland cement and sand, andreinforced with a small amount ofchopped fiberglass, his panels are 1⁄10-inch



thick at their centers — thin enough tobe translucent under direct light.

“It’s a true concrete,” Moeller says,“made without using additives or resin.Will developed a formula for concretethat would still maintain its strengthbut could be made very thin. You cansee light through these panels in muchthe same way you can see light throughthinly sliced stone.” The experimentalmaterial, which is designed to be used asa decorative element, is not yetavailable commercially.

Etched in stoneBesides concrete you can see through,there’s concrete that can capture thatKodak moment and immortalize it.“Photoengraved concrete is made by aprocess similar to silk screening,”Moeller explains, adding that thetechnique was developed in France.

A placard at the exhibit explains itbest: “A photograph is screen-printed asa layer of tiny dots onto a polystyrenesheet, but instead of paint or ink, theimage is printed with a cure retarder —

a chemical that slows the cure rate ofconcrete. The photosensitive sheet isthen placed into a concrete mold andthe concrete is poured on top of it.After the concrete sets, it is removedfrom the mold and pressure-washed,revealing a half-tone-like image.”

“This system of photo engraving,called serilith, has been around for some10 years or so,” Moeller says, “but ithasn’t really caught on.”

Incredibly strong, incrediblythin,self-reinforcedThat’s not the case with Ductal, aproduct that its maker, Lafarge, predictswill catch on like wildfire. Described asan ultra-high-performance concrete, itcontains extremely strong fibers that, ineffect, make the material self-reinforcing.

“Because of the strength of the fibersin the concrete mix, it hardens to forma strong and durable material while atthe same time maintaining its ductility(flexibility). It has a little bit more of agive and is less brittle than typicalconcrete,” says Moeller.

“Its surface is very dense, whichmakes it more resistant to weatheringand staining. And it’s so incrediblystrong that it can be used in long-spanstructures without requiring steelreinforcement.”

Furthermore, the revolutionary newmaterial also can be used to create verythin structural members. For instance,



http://www.skimstone.com


the concrete in the arches at theShawnessy Light Rail Transit station inCalgary, Canada, each of which spansabout 20 feet, is only 3⁄4-inch thick.

What’ll they think of next?Ductal isn’t the only thing going on atLafarge. Agilia, also shown at theexhibit, is touted to be a self-consoli-dating concrete comprised of a specialformula that includes a “superplas-ticizer.” This additive keeps the mixexceptionally fluid during the pouringprocess without compromising thematerial’s strength. It requires novibration and can be used for difficult orconstrained pours. Its makeup also

allows for unusuallyfine surface texture.

To help keepsurfaces pristine,there is aninteresting productrecently used byRichard Meier, anarchitect famous forhis gleamingly

white buildings. Commissioned by theVatican to celebrate the 2,000thanniversary of Christianity, he recentlycompleted the Jubilee Church in Rome.To ensure that the church would notbecome discolored, he worked with acompany in Italy called Italcementi,which developed a brilliantly whitecement incorporating photocatalyticparticles.

“This product is designed toneutralize the acid in the air, to eat thepollution and still remain white,”Moeller says. “The material has beenaround awhile but the companyreworked it. It’ll be interesting to seehow well it holds up.”

Another environmentally friendlyproduct on display is Syndecrete, aprecast, lightweight concrete free ofresins and other toxic substances.Developed by architect David Hertzand available in a wide range of colorsand specific mixes, it contains naturalminerals and a wide variety of recycledmaterials, ranging from metal shavingsto scrap wood chips.

And for the fashion-minded, there’snot only concrete that uses fabric as theformwork, but concrete that uses fabricas its reinforcement. One Washingtonarchitect and artist believes that incontrast to steel bars, fabric can bereadily shaped to create moreuninhibited architectural forms.

So far, Moeller says, the Liquid Stoneexhibition has enjoyed a good turnoutand the comments have been extremelypositive. “Most people are saying thatthey didn’t know concrete could be sobeautiful, that they didn’t know it couldbe this interesting.”




Reliable. Multifaceted.Maintainable. Portableconcrete mixers are all that

and more, says Warren Faler, mixerproduct manager for Multiquip inCarson, Calif. “They can be productivein a wide variety of applications.”

Generally available in sizes rangingfrom 3 to 12 cubic feet, the smallermodels will fit in the trunk of most carswhile the larger capacity units can betowed easily. The versatility of a mixermakes it a cost-effective purchase,notes Faler. “Particularly with propermaintenance, these units will last formany years.”

Independence and flexibility areclear advantages for contractorsowning their own mixer, says SteveLouk, president of Cleform Tool andGilson Mixers in St. Joseph, Mo.“Many ready-mix companies have a 3-yard minimum before they willdeliver,” he says. “You also have to beable to pour during their workinghours. With a portable mixer, you canmix as little or as much as you want,when you want. You control when andwhere you pour without depending onan outside vendor.”

Faler says the biggest advantage inowning a portable mixer is realizedwhen working on sidewalks,

Tight Spot?

Portable Mixersto the Rescueby Jeff Woodard



foundations and binding block, andwhen preparing mortar bases. Manydecorative concrete contractors useportable mixers, too. He cited themonument works industry as anexample in which many companieshave mixers mounted on their owntruck. “When they go to set aheadstone,” says Louk, “they haveeverything they need with them. Thesame holds true for many of thelandscape and fence builders.”

Louk says one of Gilson’s mostpopular models is a wheelbarrow-stylemixer that will fit through a 30-inch-wide opening. “This allows the user tomix and pour right where the productis needed. With the interchangeablepatented poly drums, there is no crosscontamination of colors when usingthe Gilson Mixer,” Louk says.

When to call on ready-mixdeliveryFaler says many factors — includingjob scope, location, staff size anddeadline — should be weighed whenchoosing between a portable mixer andready-mix delivery. “For instance, it iscounterproductive for two contractorsto use a portable concrete mixer whenthey need to pour a slab of 50 squarefeet. They are much better served usingready-mix. Similarly, if a job needs tobe completed in an hour so contractorscan move on to the next job, ready-mix is a smarter choice.”

On the other hand, says Faler,contractors working in a back yard orspace-restricted area where accessi-




gears, causing major damage to theunit, Faler says.

Gilson’s patented poly-drum mixersmake it easy to maintain a clean mixingdrum while reducing the need for drumreplacement and repair, according toLouk. “Simple cleaning and lubricationwill keep your mixer running trouble-free for years to come.”

Per manufacturer recommen-dations, contractors should check theoil levels and filters of portable mixersdaily, “Also, ensure that the mixer V-belts and pulleys are tight whilenecessary parts are greased regularly,”Faler says. Gears on a concrete mixer,however, should never be greased.Debris, sand, sediment or othermaterial can become trapped in the

bility is a problemwill find a portablemixer much moreeffective. Falerstronglyrecommendssmaller mixers formixing concrete toanchor fence posts;for patching; forsmall concrete

slabs on grade; and for mixing non-stick grout. Larger-capacity models arebetter suited to high-production jobssuch as concrete slabs, sidewalks andblock walls. Adds Louk, “There aremany styles and sizes to choose from,from a 2-cubic-foot pedestal style to a31⁄2-cubic-foot wheelbarrow style to a 9-cubic-foot towable unit. The utilitymixers start at 11⁄2 cubic feet and can bemounted to be made stationary; or anoptional low- or high-speed tow kit canbe added.”

Mixers are manufactured witheither electric- or gasoline-poweredsources, says Faler. “Single-phaseelectric motors are available in the 1⁄2-to 11⁄2-horsepower range while gasengines span from 3 to 13 horsepower.Mixers have speed controls that can beadjusted to fit the requirements of thespecific job.”

Barrel design can vary — alittleThe design of mixing barrels can vary,notes Louk. “Each Gilson mixerfeatures the Quad-Mixing System, adesign exclusive to Gilson mixers. Thissystem utilizes a four-piece, replaceablepaddle-and-blade combination thatcreates four independent mixingpatterns.” This design enhances overallbatch quality and mixing efficiency.

Most manufacturers offer steel andpolyethylene drums to fit individualuser preferences. “Steel drums are moredurable, but cleaning can often betedious,” says Faler, “and denting andother damage to the drum is apossibility. Poly drums, which resistrust, can be cleaned in minutes bysimply tapping with a rubber mallet.”



In 1971, Robert Freis was working as a buyer fora California building supply company when acustomer asked to buy a set of aluminum

stamps for a concrete design application. “Theonly ones on the market at that time,” Freisrecalls, “were made by companies that requiredthe buyer to enter into franchise and licensingagreements and undergo training. I saw no reasonwhy an individual shouldn’t be able to buy thiskind of product over the counter.”

Freis began manufacturing and marketing a lineof stamping tools under the brand nameBrickform. “I was criticized by some people whofelt it was wrong to sell this kind of product tothose who were not formally trained,” he says.“There were people who failed, but there weremany more who mastered the use of thesestamping tools and did very well. I likened it toselling hammers to people who aren’t professionalcarpenters.”

For the first 20 years of the company’sexistence, Rafco-Brickform concentrated onstamping tools and mats, color hardeners and

Rafco Products,Rancho Cucamonga,Californiaby Bruce Hackett

Robert Freis



release agents, sealers, and acid stains. Then,beginning in the late ’90s, the company broadenedits product offerings to include sandblast stencils.

Rafco Products has solidified its position as oneof the leading manufacturers of products for thedecorative concrete industry.

In 1997, technical representative Glen Romanwas recruited by Freis to bring his graphic designexpertise to Rafco. “At that time,” reflects Roman,“the company had been working with people inLas Vegas who did much of the stenciling in thecasinos, but they were doing it by hand, using lighttemplates. Bob, having the ingenuity, wanted tomanufacture that type of product — computer-generated graphic templates ñ to market to theindustry. Sandblast design had been used in theglass industry for years, but he saw how we couldincorporate the design features of that kind ofsoftware into a material that would work forconcrete. It’s kind of a specialty product, so it’s notsomething we sell every day, but when it’s calledfor, it’s typically a big, impressive job. It’s anexciting, dramatic application.”



Another crucial element of Rafco-Brickform’ssuccess story is its firm commitment to training andeducation. Roman heads up that effort, teachingmany of the classes himself at the company’sdistributor locations across the country andoverseas. “We feel as a company that it is ourresponsibility to properly train contractors in theuse of our products,” says Roman. “As a rule, we tryto encourage contractors to try new products andnew applications. By offering our ‘deminars’ andhands-on training programs, we get them past thepoint of uneasiness.”

Training classes are also a great way to get ideasand feedback from Rafco customers, says TomJeffery, director of marketing. “We learn from ourcustomers,” he says. “They teach us new ways andnew ideas for using our products in efficient andcreative ways.” The deminars are attended byconcrete contractors, residential developers,general contractors, landscape contractors andarchitects.

Just as the decorative industry itself has beengrowing exponentially, Rafco-Brickform hascontinued to enjoy significant growth each year.“We’ve grown substantially over the past fiveyears,” says Jeffery, adding that the growth hasnecessitated continued expansion of the company’sfacilities. “We believe our success is due to ourcustomers’ satisfaction with our products’performance and our technical support.” Rafcoemploys more than 100 people at four manufac-turing and distribution points nationwide,including Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; Chicago,Ill.; Milton-Freewater, Ore.; and Houston, Texas.Soon Rafco will be opening a fifth manufacturingand distribution center on the East Coast.

While most of the company’s business is in theU.S., significant success has been found in Europeand, more recently, Asia. Roman says that opportu-nities for decorative concrete are numerous andlucrative in China and Vietnam. “They’re buildingwhole new cities and gigantic resorts, and they’reusing miles and miles of stamped concrete.”

The future looks bright, Jeffery says. “Our productline continues to grow to meet industry needs. Wehave introduced Brickform Color Hardener,Antique Release, Cem-Coat, Blush-Tone AcidStain, Sealers, Liquid Color, maintenance productsand Sandblast Stencils. New products are on thehorizon, and, in fact, we introduced a line of micro-toppings and stampable overlayments at this year’sWorld of Concrete trade show.”

“We’re always looking for ways to improveproductivity, systems and communication while



continuing to show industry support,” Freis says.“In fact, on the back of all our business cards, you’llfind our business mission statement: ‘Our customerschoose Rafco Products because Rafco consistentlyprovides quality products and services atcompetitive prices. Top quality materials andresponsive personal service are the standards bywhich Rafco operates. All of our employeesunderstand and believe in our mission.’”



http://www.concrete-texturing.com


Get an Edge on YourCompetitors

Decorative curbing can be a lucrative niche,with the right equipment.By John Strieder

handful of sand and toss it gently in thepalm, he says. If it stays together, it’s gotabout the right amount of moisture. Toowet, and water will seep out as it’ssqueezed; too dry and it crumbles.

Some experts recommend spiking themix with glass-fiber mesh for crackresistance and structural support. Afingertip’s worth of half-inch mesh willadd all the extra strength a curb batchneeds, Roach says. “You don’t need a lotof it in there.”

But others say glass fiber is not necessary. “I used it for yearsand I no longer use it,” Rose says. If the concrete has theproper amount of moisture, it will hold its own without fiber,he says. “It doesn’t hurt it. It’s just that in my opinion itdoesn’t do any good.”

Duane Patterson, sales and marketing manager for TEAMInc., which manufactures Curb King machines, says there is adelicate balance to achieve with glass fibers. A handful ofhalf-inch fibers in a batch will work great, he says. But theconcrete will be weaker in places where fiber clumps. “Usetoo much and you have a hairy curb, and you have to goback with a blowtorch and melt it,” he says.

Another popular additive is 3⁄8 inch pea gravel, whichraises the strength of the curb from 2,000 psi to more than3,000 psi, Roach says.

Finally, control joints are cut in the curb to controlcracking. “If you know how to run the machine you shouldn’thave cracking,” Roach asserts.

Tools and trenchesWhere can you lay curbing? Anywhere, say the experts. Butpreparation is part of the job. “Every step you do makes yourcurb one step better,” Patterson says. “You need to get it to bewhere there’s not much adjustment needed when operatingthe machine.”

Prep work for curbing is simple, according to JimmieRojas, research and development manager for The ConcreteEdge Co., manufacturers of Lil’ Bubba curb machines. Cut atrench that measures 2 inches by 9 inches, with a depth of 1inch to 2 inches. “It should be wide enough so the curbingmachine fits and runs with ease,” he says.

The installer packs the dirt and prepares subgrade asneeded. “The trench doesn’t need to be level to the horizon,”

When it comes to edging thatpleases the eye, decorativeconcrete curbs have no

competition.Railroad ties rot, bender board breaks

and brick mortar crumbles. Butdecorative curbing is permanent.

“It’s something homeowners knowthey need in most cases for maintenancereasons,” says Larry Rose, president andCEO of manufacturer Curbmate Corp.“It costs slightly more than bender boardbut not much more, and it’s a one-time cost. We’re price-competitive with anything else.”

What’s more, the common curb can be gussied up with amultitude of decorative options, from angling and stampingto embedded lights and electric dog fencing. And that’s goodnews for contractors. Decorative flourishes can add dollarsper square foot to what a customer will pay for curbing.

The biggest problem with decorative curbing is that, withits form setups and takedowns, the process consumes a lot oftime, labor and equipment.

Enter the curbing machine. All the operator needs to do iskeep the machine filled with fresh concrete and steer it, andit squeezes out perfectly formed curb ready to stamp and cure.

Curbing machines execute a curbing job twice or eventhree times as fast as traditional methods. They save in laborand trips — and, last but not least, the cost of forms.

Recipe for successAny concrete job starts with the mix, and when mixing for curbmachines, the experts recommend a sand to cement ratio of 3:1or 4:1. Patrick Roach, owner of Borderline Stamp Inc.,elaborates: One 47-pound bag of Type 1 or 2 portland cement,four five-gallon buckets of washed concrete sand, and two and ahalf to three gallons of water. At the end of the mix, he adds anAustralian product that eliminates efflorescence. His recipeproduces 17 to 19 feet of curb per bag of cement.

The goal is a “zero slump” mix that holds its shape. “Itextrudes out the back of the machine like licorice,” Roachsays. “As soon as it comes out of the machine, it actuallystarts to look dry.”

The water needed in the mix varies depending on themoisture in the sand, says Rose. He trains contractors tomeasure moisture by hand with a “snowball pack.” Wad a

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says Rose of Curbmate. “The machinewill follow it. But you don’t want it to goup and down a lot.”

There are two kinds of tools used toprepare a trench for a curb machine: asod-cutter or square shovel, which cuts the grass mat, and atrencher, which breaks up rocks, mulches root systems andstirs up the dirt.

Roach, of Borderline Stamp, recommends the former.“You simply cut through and level as best you can,” he says.“You generally follow the lay of the land.”

Bob Leighton, consultant with Kwik Kerb USA Inc., saysa trencher may not leave the dirt compact enough forsuccessful curbing. Rocks can be kicked out and rootschopped, but settling dirt will weaken the curb, he says.

But Patterson of TEAM Inc. prefers the trencher. “It givesyou a nice solid base,” he says.

There are also two kinds of curbing machines: acompaction ram machine, which pounds out the concrete,and an auger machine. The augur design is preferred formachines on big commercial jobs, Rose says, but on aresidential job, a compaction ram will fill in smaller divotsand is easier to keep level.

Patterson, for his part, favors a twin augur system whendealing with divots. “Rams just don’t have the climbingability,” he says. “The ram will only put pressure on a forwardstroke.”

The machine comes with levels. A string line to one sidewill help the operator steer it in a straight line. “You can followa string line with the machine but the grade of the landscapereally depicts how straight the line will be,” Rojas says.

The operator has time to adjust the freshly laid curb afterit’s placed but before it sets, Leighton notes.

Curbing machines are usually capable of performingradiuses as tight as 14 inches, but the tighter the radius, theweaker the curb. Most advisors recommend a minimum of 30inches to 35 inches.

Shapes and patternsNot surprisingly, today’s curbing contractor has a wealth ofcolors, angles, profiles and stamping patterns to choose from.

There’s mower strip curb, car parkcurb and slant edge curb. The mostpopular, Roach says, is angled curb,which gives passersby a nice view of thecurb and is easy on lawnmowers. “The

big movement in landscape curbing is going to stampedcurbs and lighted curbs,” he says. “You’re able to do bothwith angled curbing.”

There are patterns that simulate brick, slate, cobblestoneand flagstone. Borderline Stamp offers “Cactus, “Driftwood,”“Outback Textured,” “Texas Star,” “Basket Weave” and“Native Dancer,” among others.

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climes, giving the curbs some flexibility when the groundshifts below them.

“You can pretty much match up to any existing building,driveway, whatever,” Leighton says.

The national appetite for landscape curbingbegan to grow after the 2000 Winter Olympics inUtah, says Patterson of TEAM Inc., but theapplication had been commonplace in Utah for adecade and a half before that. “Nobody here thinksof doing anything else.”

Curbing machines first caught on in the West,Roach says. Now they’re big in Texas, and they’restarting to get big on the East Coast. “Slowly butsurely they’re sweeping across the country,” he says. “Incertain sections of the country people haven’t even heard of[landscape] curbing yet. All we do is go in and introduce itand that’s all it takes.”

With cross-regional appeal comes region-specificproblems. In Utah, for example, the ground freezesand thaws regularly, causing cracks. Patterson says thesimplest and cheapest solution is to add a teaspoon ofdish soap to the mix to promote air entrainment. InCalifornia, contractors tend to cut joints four feetapart, but in colder climes, contractors may carveevery two and a half feet, he says.

In Florida, contractors worry more about sinkage thanexpansion, says Bob Leighton of Kwik Kerb. Herecommends cutting joints every three or four feet in warm


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In Pennsylvania, winter arrivedearly last year to deliver a one-twopunch. A blast of frigid cold was

followed swiftly by rain that froze fastto trees, driveways, sidewalks andanything else that didn’t have theability, or sense, to get outta the way.

Thick ice accumulated everywhereas armies of municipal workers andhomeowners toiled away on the frontlines. Their weapons of massdestruction: salt, chemicals, plows andheavy ice blades. Alas, all thosebeautifully crafted, stamped, stainedand sculpted concrete surfaces werechipped, cracked and chemicallyattacked.

But it doesn’t need to be that way.Your craftsmanship can be protectedeasily, and the home and businessowners that you work for have theright to know about it. The answer is atechnique that’s been hard at workindoors for years: radiant heat. It’s also


Indoor-OutdoorRadiant:The Perfect

Companion toDecorative

Concreteby John Vastyan

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a great companion to exteriorconcrete. Why not flick a switch andmelt those blues and backaches away?

Snowmelt technology is, essentially,radiant heat applied to outdoorsurfaces. There are few differencesbetween the two heating techniques,and both can be used to heat low- orhigh-mass concrete surfaces to melt iceand snow, keeping surfaces safe andclear of icy accumulations.

For decorative concrete surfaces —especially those that are stamped witha pattern — snowmelt technologyworks like a champ and preservessurface treatments intact. As you knowall too well, snowmelt chemicals,solutions, salts, blades, scrapers andblowers can quickly take the finish offyour best work.

“The key function of a snowmeltsystem is to keep walkways, driveways,and other areas dry and clear,” saysKolyn Marshall, system designer, WattsRadiant. “For commercial applications,especially those deemed critical areas,such as hospital and senior housingentry areas, helicopter pads anddelivery ramps, radiant heat performs avaluable, perhaps lifesaving function.”

Indoors, radiant floor heating worksby using water-filled tubes or electricheating elements to warm the mass of afloor. The surface of the floor thengently emits energy that movesgracefully to all the objects in theroom, making them — and yourcustomer’s feet — cozy warm.

“Without question, warm floors arethe most comfortable form of heat,” saysJim Lemen, HVAC/R markets manager,Vanguard Piping Systems. “The radiantheat from a floor will warm everythingin a building, giving every surface aninviting sensation that can be felt. Thefloor becomes the warmest surface in aroom, not the coldest.” Surprisingly,those surfaces most uncomfortablewithout radiant heat — concrete, stoneand tile — become the mostcomfortable with radiant because theytransfer the heat so well.

Whether hydronic or electric,radiant floor heat costs less to operate

than any other form of heat. Becauseradiant floors offer more comfort atlower thermostat settings, most peoplefind that they’re comfortable at lowerroom temperatures.

Indoor? Outdoor?The use of decorative concrete ismoving fast both indoors and out. Let’stake a look at the unique compatibilityof radiant heat with those artfullycrafted concrete surfaces that youknow so well.

The most likely uses of decorativeconcrete inside a structure are for on-grade, high-mass slabs and finished

basements, although today, due ingreat part to your selling efforts and theunique aesthetics of decorativeconcrete, there’s growing interest insuspended, thin-slab and lightweightconcrete applications. Radiant heathas perhaps pushed the use of thinslabs faster than any other force.

All this and snowmeltingtoo?While considering, or recommending,a radiant heat system, look at the floorplan carefully to see if there might be adoor, a sidewalk or a garage entrancethat faces north or is exposed to ice



and snow buildup. The home orbuilding owner should be encouragedto ask the radiant designer to add oneor more snowmelting zones onto theheating system.

This entails moving a heatedwater/antifreeze solution from a heatexchanger attached to your spaceheating boiler or dedicated heat sourceunderground to cold surfaces outside.You can activate snowmelting zones

when the weather report calls forfreezing precipitation, or simply waitfor the microprocessor control to dothe job.

For a snowmelt system, the designerspecifies tubing embedded in outdoor orgarage slabs. The designer must considerthe influence of local weather,insulation, pipe spacing, pipe diameterand circuit length. PEX (cross-linkedpolyethylene) or EPDM synthetic


rubber radiant tubing should have atleast two inches of concrete over the topof the tubing. Usually, building codesprovide exact measurements for this.

Snowmelting has several benefits.Icy surfaces are no longer a concern andmaintenance-free. Facility maintenancecosts are reduced because ice-meltingchemicals aren’t required. Thesechemicals kill landscaping, increasebuilding cleanup as they are trackedinside, and can degrade concrete andasphalt. Maintenance costs fall sharply.

And with today’s litigious society,snowmelts don’t cost money; they saveit! The cost of the system is more thanreturned with one avoided lawsuit.

Hydronic systemsHydronic (water-based) radiant floorsystems are used in larger areas or for anentire home or building. Generally, hotwater radiant is best suited for spaces of500 square feet or more, or where hotwater is already used as a heat source.Hydronic tubing can be embedded in




concrete slabs, in thin-slabs over framefloors, stapled up between floor joists,or installed on top of the subfloor.

“Modern hydronic radiant heatingsystems use a closed loop design,” saysTim Doran, technical design manager,Wirsbo. Water is heated by a heatsource — typically a boiler or waterheater — and then circulated through

the tubing to all areas of the building, oroutside. Warmth is then delivered toeach zone as thermostats call for it. “Ina closed loop system, the water ispermanently contained in the tubing sothat it doesn’t blend with domesticwater. Once it’s heated, then circulatedthroughout the radiant system, thesame water returns to the heat source tobe reheated and circulated again.”

Hydronic radiant floor heatingoperates on low pressure (usually below20 psi) with temperatures often in the90 to 150°F range.

PEX tubing is a great product forradiant heat and snowmeltingapplications. Some care must be takento protect it from job-site puncture,crushing or exposure to the sun’s light.Another top candidate is WattsRadiant’s “Onix,” sturdy EPDM tubingthat is more resistant to job-site abuseand UV radiation.

The system is the sum of itspartsSpecial distribution units, calledmanifolds, channel the heated liquidinto multiple radiant floor pipe circuits.Manifolds are usually located close tothe heated area, although they can beinstalled in a mechanical room. Eachmanifold set includes a supply (hot) anda return (cooler) manifold. Manifoldsusually include balancing valves to

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control the flow of heated water to eachcircuit, or loop. Circuits are the loops ofPEX or EPDM tubing that begin at thesupply manifold and end at the return

manifold. The combination ofmanifolds and circuits heat a definedarea that’s called a zone. A zone can beone room or several.

One of the more interesting productsfor hydronic radiant is a high-tech,interlocking underlayment, Bekotec,made by Schluter. Studded polystyrenefoam panels are placed directly overload-bearing substrate to isolate cracksand sound, and for thermal insulation.Radiant heat tubing is placed between ageometric pattern of “studs” that rise inthe lower level.

Electric systems are anotheroptionAn electric system may be the bestchoice for small areas like a masterbathroom. Of course, if electric energyis locally affordable, it could be used toheat, or provide floor warming, to anentire home or business. SunTouch isthe leading supplier of mat systems forinterior uses.

Delta-Therm sells a heavy electriccable product well suited to outdoorduty. For slabs, stairs and ramps, theirsnow melting cables are made frominorganic materials, so they don’tdeteriorate with age. The cableassemblies are laid in a serpentinepattern, attached to reinforcing meshprior to the concrete or asphalt pour.Because the cables are constant-watt,the ability to manipulate heat output


John Vastyan is president of Common Ground, Uncommon Communications, based inManheim, Pa. He specializes in communications for the radiant heat, hydronics,plumbing and mechanical and HVAC industries.



on a square foot basis happens throughcable spacing, usually at distances of 6to 9 inches.

Where to get started?It’s always best to involve the talents ofa professional installer who knows andhas experience with radiant heat,preferably a member of the RadiantPanel Association (www.radiantpan-elassociation.org). You can thenchoose, with confidence, to whatextent you’d be involved in theprocess.

Also, check the sites of themanufacturers listed at the end of thisarticle. Interview a few professionalinstallers: Be sure to ask if they belongto the RPA. Also visit one of the bestsites in the industry:www.heatinghelp.com. In this site,there’s a contractor locator to help youfind a top firm.

Industry ReferencesBurnham Corporation

(hydronic products)717/397-4701www.burnham.com

Detla-Therm (electric products)www.delta-therm.com800/526-7887

Radiant Heat Expert Locatorwww.HeatingHelp.com

Radiant Panel Associationwww.radiantexperts.com800/660-7187

Schluter Systems (hydronic)www.schluter.com800/472-4588

SunTouch (electric systems)www.SunTouch.net888/432-8932

Vanguard Piping Systems Inc.(hydronic products)

www.vanguardpipe.com800/775-5039

Watts Radiant (hydronic & electric products)

www.wattsradiant.com800/276-2419

Wirsbo (hydronic radiant)www.wirsbo.com952/891-2000

http://www.radiantpan-elassociation.org



http://www.heatinghelp.com


http://www.burnham.com

http://www.delta-therm.com

http://www.HeatingHelp.com

http://www.radiantexperts.com

http://www.schluter.com

http://www.SunTouch.net

http://www.vanguardpipe.com

http://www.wattsradiant.com

http://www.wirsbo.com

ConcreteMarketplaceis a paid listing of quality-related products.

If you would like more information about anyof these products, circle the appropriatenumber on the reader service card found

between pages 16 and 17 of this issue.







Advanced Polymer TechnologyArchitectural Toppings and Resinous Flooring

1-(866)-4FLORIC435-6742

Polymer Modified Cementitious CoatingsStainsResinous FlooringWaterproofing Membranes



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Acid Stains (CONCRETE STAINS)Our line of unique colors include: Burgundy, Blue, Green,

Blue-Green, Lemon and Brick.

Triple-S Chemical Products, Inc.Call: 1 (800) 862-5958 • Web: www.concrete-stains.com

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FOCUS ON EDUCATION:

Fu-Tung Cheng NowOffering AdvancedCountertop Design Training

Fu-Tung Cheng, award-winning designerand author of Concrete Countertops, is nowoffering five-day Advanced Countertop

Design Trainings. Held in Berkeley, Calif., thetrainings are limited to 12 participants and includehours of direct instruction by Cheng, demos andvideos of techniques to execute Cheng-likedesigns, extensive question-and-answer sessionsand the hands-on crafting of several Chengcountertop designs.

Cheng says he developed the AdvancedCountertop Design Training because he believesthat many countertop craftsmen could benefit froma crash course in the fundamental principles of gooddesign, which will, in turn, help them to developtheir own creativity. Cheng believes that this type ofdesign training would give them a heads-up oncompeting for upscale countertop projects.

The skill required to build a mold and pour aconcrete countertop is one thing, but developingthe design sensitivity to craft the kind ofcountertop the high-end market is seeking is quiteanother, Cheng says. He is concerned that the useof concrete as a material of choice by designers andarchitects could be undermined by too many well-meaning contractors pouring what looks like “asidewalk on top of a set of cabinets.”

Design focusThe focus of Cheng’s Advanced CountertopDesign Training is design in all its manifestations.The first session, held the week of May 24, beganwith several hours of design instruction. Chengsought to impart to the participants his overallapproach to kitchen design, walking them throughevery step in his consideration of space, layout,lighting, materials and textures, and a myriad ofother design elements. He then shifted fromkitchen design to countertop design and thedecisions he makes on form, edging, color,decorative inlays and special features.

Cheng assigned a kitchen plan to the partic-ipants, on which they were able to sketch out theirown ideas and exercise their own creativity for acountertop design. He then individually workedwith them to help develop their designs. The designportion of this intensive training was also structuredto give contractors insights into the thought processand vocabulary necessary to effectivelycommunicate with architects, kitchen designers,and homeowners. Cheng emphasized that this is thekey to the high-end market in countertops, a marketwhere they’re not likely to be asked, “How much doyou charge per square foot?”



From design theory to hands-oncraftsmanshipThe training session moved from instruction andQ&A to a day of demos and videos thatillustrated how Cheng creates various forms andfeatures used in his countertops. The participantshad the opportunity to watch Cheng blendingcolors to create subtle effects and then try theirhand at it themselves. He also shared with theparticipants several trade secret processesassociated with achieving the distinctive glass-like finish of the Cheng line of Geocretecountertops.

By the end of Day Two, Cheng was ready toassign the participants, working in groups ofthree, countertop projects he designed for thetraining curriculum. Each project included designfeatures and techniques taught during theAdvanced Countertop Design Training but leftmany of the design decisions respecting color,decorative inlays and other elements up to theparticipants.

On Day Three, the groups constructed theirmolds, built forms for knockouts, positioned and





secured their decorative inlays and poured theircountertops. While countertops cured, the partic-ipants engaged in a Build Your Business forumthat included subjects like Countertop Pricingand Marketing to Design Professionals.

Finally, on Day Five, participants de-moldedand finished their countertop projects. Chengspent several hours critiquing the countertopswith respect to both design and technicalexecution.

In an effort to create an elite group of concretecraftsmen, Cheng is using the AdvancedCountertop Design Training as the first steptoward a certification process that will require thesubmission of several commercial or residentialprojects utilizing design principles and techniquestaught at the training session. Cheng-certifiedconcrete craftsmen will be eligible to work onCheng’s commissioned concrete projectsnationwide.

For information on the Advanced Countertop DesignTraining, call (510) 849-3272 or visit www.concre-teexchange.com.

http://www.concre-teexchange.com

http://www.concre-teexchange.com



Product New

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Estimating software integrates withaccounting programsQuest Solutions has released Quest Estimator 6.5.5, thelatest version of the company’s digitized takeoff andestimating software. The update is designed to enhancethe existing integration between Estimator and Intuit’sline of accounting software. After building an estimatein Estimator, users can export data directly to an Intuitaccounting package to include that data in billing,purchasing or other accounting functions.

For Master Builder, Quest Estimator allows the userto automatically set part-numbers, tasks, phases, costcodes and bid items. This allows the user to avoid“double entry” of data, saving time and reducing errors.

Additionally, Estimator 6.5.5 supports Quickbooks2003 and 2004 editions. This new version of Estimatorwill automatically set Account Codes and build Item listsfor data exported to Quickbooks. For more informationabout Estimator 6.5.5 or Quest Solutions, call (800) 452-2342 or write to [email protected].

Protective coating keeps stains outLiquitite SF, from Liquiguard Technologies, is a clear,non-flammable, water-based protective coating thatwill protect concrete pavers, bricks, stone, marble,metal, wood and similar everyday surfaces from stainingcaused by spills of all non-corrosive household liquidsand other harsh materials such as automotive fluids, oilsand greases.

Liquitite SF is extremely flexible and has very highbond strength. The unique resins and innovativeformulation allow the coating to seep and sink into thesurface, providing inside-out protection.

It has built in fungicides and UV protectors thatinhibit growth of mold and mildew and prevent fadingand breakdown from ultraviolet rays. It is supplied inconcentrate form and should be diluted prior to usewith regular tap water. It can be applied by spraying,brushing or rolling using standard equipment. Cleaningcan be carried out using regular water while the coatingis still wet. For more details, visit www.liquiguard.comor call (954) 566-0996.

Converter box ensures consistentvibrationExpanding its High Cycle concrete vibrator productline, Wyco Tool Company introduces the Select-CycleConverter Box, which consistently delivers the selectedvibration speed. Wyco’s High Cycle products properlyconsolidate difficult performance-based concrete mixdesigns, producing dependable, uniform results.

The new Select-Cycle Converter Box ensuresconsistent vibration, even while under load. It provides

multi-speed capacity, allowing users to select from threevibration speeds, 8,000, 10,800, and 12,000 vibrationsper minute, and holding that speed in the mix with nosurges and no significantdrops. By delivering asustained vibration speed,the Wyco Select-CycleConverter reduces irregu-larities and voids in theplaced concrete.

Two output receptaclesare standard on theconverter box, giving usersthe ability to simultaneously operate and maintain thespeed of two Wyco High Speed vibrators. The Select-Cycle Converter adapts 230 volt single-phase power to230 volt 3-phase and can be powered by any standardgenerator 3 kilowatt or larger. For more information, visitwww.wycotool.com or call (800) 233-9926.

Site offers deals on decorative concretesuppliesSilver Paw Inc. has developed a Web site designed forthe decorative concrete industry. The premise behindthe site was to create a place for individuals to buy andsell their decorative concrete equipment. It has sinceblossomed into a market place for distributors andmanufacturers to sell demo equipment, discontinueditems, stain supplies and stain resources such as books,videos, and stain kits.

The classified ad site is different from an auction sitewhere buyers have to sort through knick-knacks andantiques to find what they are looking for, then bid andwait to purchase an item. On this site buyers candirectly talk with the seller of the item and negotiateterms without everyone else seeing the bid.

Selling an item on the site is simple: Just pick apricing scale and then place the ad. The ad postsautomatically and the seller can make changes to theirad at any time. Check out the Web site atwww.Decorative-Concrete-Classified-Ads.com.

Grinder polishes,removes dirt,adhesivesand moreGeneral Equipment has introduced a new single-headsurface grinder. Designed for smaller-scale surfacepreparation projects, the SG12/E offers highperformance, durability and ease-of-use. Powered by atotally enclosed, fan-cooled 1.5-horsepower electricmotor, the SG12 features a single rotating disc with a12-inch-wide working width. Offering a top discrotation speed of 250 rpm, applications for the SG12include grinding concrete surfaces, removing mastics,


http://www.liquiguard.com


http://www.wycotool.com

http://www.Decorative-Concrete-Classified-Ads.com


adhesives, epoxies and urethanes,breaking up deposits of grease and dirt,removing rubber carpet backing andindustrial residues, and polishing moredelicate terrazzo and marble floorsurfaces.

Built for portability, the SG12includes a folding handle that makes iteasier to transport. Additionally, thecompact frame design and wheelposition allow for simple maneuveringup and down stairwells. The handleheight is also fully adjustable. For moreinformation, call (800) 533-0524 orvisit www.generalequip.com.

Urethane patch kit ideal forconcreteSherwin-Williams ArmorsealExpressPatch Fast Dry Urethane PatchKit is a low-odor, waterbased patchingmaterial that makes quick work ofconcrete repair with one-coatapplication. Ideal for patchingconcrete, epoxy mortar systems andurethane cement flooring systems,Armorseal ExpressPatch may also beapplied over brick. The product isdesigned to protect concrete fromthermal shock, impact corrosion,chemical attack and abrasion whileoffering return to service in as little asfour hours. It offers no out-gassing athigh film thickness, which improvesappearance and eliminates film voids.It may be applied directly to dampconcrete using a flat trowel at aminimum thickness of 3⁄16" to 1⁄4". Noprimer is required. For moreinformation, visit www.sherwin-williams.com.


Admixture blocks water,saltHycrete is an admixture formulated forany concrete that is susceptible tomoisture penetration. Available fromBroadview Technologies, Hycreteblocks penetration of water by forminga waxy residue that fills concrete pores.Hycrete also has a long hydrocarbonchain that repels water and makes theconcrete less moisture permeable.When used with concrete that will be

exposed to de-icing salts, saltpenetration was reduced by over 90percent.

Hycrete also protects steel rebar byforming a monomolecular protectionlayer over the steel reinforcement.Hycrete penetrates the concrete to findand attach itself to the rebar surface.

Hycrete is a water-based, non-toxicmaterial that is easy to use. It addsentrained air of about 7 percent,


http://www.generalequip.com

http://www.sherwin-williams.com




Chart shows integral colorchoicesA new color chart from Scofieldprovides the essential resource forbringing the consistent colors ofChromix Admixtures to any vertical orhorizontal construction project. Thenew color card doubles the number of

thereby improving freeze-thaw cycleresistance. No other air entrainment isneeded. It can also be used as a spray-on application to help improve waterresistance of existing concretestructures. For more information, call(973) 465-0077 or visitwww.Broadview-Tech.com.

chips on the color card and available inhard sample sets. The “modern” paletteoffers expanded choices for integrallycoloring concrete. More than 400custom colors also are available byspecial order. For a copy of Color ChartA-312.11 for Chromix Admixtures forColor-Conditioned Concrete, [email protected] or contact Scofieldcustomer service at (800) 800-9900.

New bronze groovers fromMarshalltownMarshalltown has added 13 new bronzegroovers to its QLT by Marshalltownline of tools. This extensive new line has

a groover for virtually every jobrequirement. They range in size from 51⁄2inches by 3 inches to 8 inches by 41⁄2inches. They are finely finished to cutsharp, clean grooves. All feature a 1⁄4-inchradius with the depth varying from3⁄8 inch to 11⁄2 inch. For more information,visit www.marshalltown.com.

Insulation blankets help cureconcreteThe new Red Wave insulationblankets, from Ground Heaters Inc.,are specifically designed for hydronicground thawing and concrete curingapplications. Constructed of a thin, yethighly effective high-tech polymer/aluminum laminate, Red Waveinsulation blankets are reflective tobetter direct heat downward, while theconductive material effectivelytransmits heat laterally. This results ineven heat distribution that improvesoverall performance by 10 to 20percent over traditional insulationblankets, resulting in a faster thaw or a



http://www.Broadview-Tech.com


http://www.marshalltown.com


more uniform concrete cure.Each 6-foot by 125-foot blanket

weighs only 55 pounds. This allows forsimple one-person setup, reducing laborcosts and fees associated with freight.Additionally, the blankets store in one-third the space required by traditionalblankets. For more information, call(231) 799-9600 or visit www.ground-heaters.com.


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Every issue gives you:●New Product Information●Powerful Selling Ideas●Designer Insights●Technical Expertise●Great Tips

Call today:1-877-935-8906or subscribe on-line atwww.paintpro.net


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The Final Pour

Floating a Concrete Idea

Twenty-two student teams fromcolleges and universities acrossNorth America recently traveled

to Washington, D.C., to compete in the17th annual National Concrete CanoeCompetition, organized by the AmericanSociety of Civil Engineers and largelysponsored by Degussa AdmixturesInc./Master Builders. The competitionfocuses on speed, design, construction andoverall performance.

Ranging from a lithe 105 pounds to ahefty 350, the canoes came in a rainbow of colors created with admixtures orconcrete stain, including baby blue, gunmetal gray and tiger-striped orangeand black. One of the more adventuresome vessels even sported inlaysfashioned from vinyl cutouts. Another was made up to look like a shark.

“Every year, these students apply their classroom knowledge to a practicalproblem — and prove that concrete is a remarkable and versatile buildingmaterial,” says Degussa Admixtures president and CEO Mike Shydlowski.“Their work, during the competition and in the future, will have a tremendousimpact on the building industry. This competition provides a uniqueopportunity for …civil engineering students as they develop the skills to turnan unlikely design into a viable product.”


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The Beauty of Troweled Overlays - Concrete Decor Magazine

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