Henry Ford said “The customer can have any colour he wants, so long as it is black.”. Today, however, we not only have a pallet of colors to pick for a car, but can enhance it with a variety of options including pinstripes, spoilers and chrome trim. And, consumers expect and demand that variety.

The same is true for concrete. The plain grey slab that was once definitely ‘function over form’, has transformed into architectural art. It is splashed with acid stain, stamped with natural stone patterns, sprayed with texture, and more. And the marriage is great! Concrete is strong and functional, and that dependable solid base, allows designers and installers to let their imagination run with confidence. Plus, every decorative technique provides its unique artistic addition to the ‘plain grey’.

The Most Popular Techniques
Stamping a pattern is perhaps the most popular decorative technique. The design is pressed into the surface using mats of various patterns. Stamping mats can be used on fresh concrete at the time it is poured, or on overlay material when reviving existing concrete. Overlay material, a cementitious mix of Portland cement and polymers, produces a great canvas for a design.

Both of these mediums for stamping a design provide a long lasting decorative addition that raises property value. It is usually more economical, and faster, to install than natural stone or masonry paving pieces. The various patterns provide flexibility to blend with buildings and landscapes, while also being able to customize a project to match surrounding architecture or geography. And, functionally, it strengthens the concrete surface to a greater PSI.

As a quite different decorative approach, Acid Stain, is actually an older technique than stamping and has had a recent surge in popularity. This technique uses a combination of metallic salts in an acidic, water based solution that reacts with the hydrated lime in a concrete substrate, or cementitious overlay, to yield colored compounds that become permanent color. The acid opens the top surface of the concrete, or overlay, and allows the mixture to reach the limestone deposits. A reaction is fueled and a change in color of the material results in a marble effect. The reaction can be unique on every surface. One of the features of acid stain is that you never know exactly what the result will be, but it is always artfully beautiful.

Another decorative concrete technique uses Spray Coat or Spray Texture. This process is one of the most inexpensive ways to add texture, color and design to any concrete surface. It is most often applied with a hopper gun either to be ‘knocked down’ with a trowel, or to be left thicker in an ‘orange peel’ style. Even though the primary objective is to add texture, stencils and free hand designs can also be used. Spray Coat Texture adds protection and durability to a surface, plus added traction.

Beyond these most popular techniques, there are other interesting options. For example, water based stains produce a nice, marble effect that is similar to acid stain, but with fewer steps required in the process. Decorative concrete continues to expand with this, and other innovative options.

Any, or all, of these techniques can be used in combination with each other to really maximize creativity.

Decorative Concrete Contribution
For the concrete professional, expanding business from plain concrete to include decorative, adds a profitable sector of business. And, the decorative techniques can help to justify costs for projects by showing benefit to a client, while adding profit for the professional.

All of these decorative concrete techniques and processes provide the consumer with a variety of options to beautify a new or existing property. Even with our current economic downturns for housing, a recent report published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc states that home improvement products are marked to reach $828 billion by 2010. People are still interested in enhancing existing properties. The decorative concrete segment of the concrete industry has an unusual position of thriving in opposite poles. In a strong economy when there is new building, there are obvious opportunities for contractors, architects and installers all to flourish. In a soft economy when building is suppressed, property owners (both commercial and residential) often turn to renovation of existing properties where decorative concrete can play an important role.

On the important ‘green’ side of concrete and its role in our environment, renovating with decorative concrete overlays and spray coat texture are sustainable alternatives that can reduce the debris from reconstruction that might otherwise require disposal of existing or old concrete.

Keys to Success
Some keys to being successful at Decorative Concrete include using good quality materials and tools, having a trained crew or help, and having a good base of knowledge of the techniques. Materials and tools vary by manufacturer. Testimonials from others are useful to help find a good source of these, along with using products that have a tested history in the market.

To train a crew and acquire knowledge, an on the job experience with an experienced professional is a great method. And, many good manufacturers of materials and tools have seminars available to get the basics.

The videos and DVDs on the market that provide instructional direction for different techniques are very valuable tools. These are especially valuable since they can be watched again and again to get important tips and practices; and can be shared with crew and helpers to have them better understand their tasks. Another terrific use of instructional videos is to use them as a tool to inform the client or consumer about the process so they have a better understanding of the finished product and the steps to achieve it. Often this creates great justification for the cost of a project.

And, if you are thinking of adding Decorative Concrete services to your current business, instructional videos can help to evaluate the investment and the potential payback.

Prediction
The Decorative Concrete segment of our industry will continue to grow. It is profitable and exciting. There is no need to settle for ‘plain grey’ for projects that can support this artistic addition, and where creativity can thrive.


LunaCrete and it founder, Juan Romero, specialize in producing bilingual (English/Spanish) instructional videos for the Decorative Concrete Industry. DVDs currently available feature one of each of these techniques: Stamping Fresh Concrete, Stamped Concrete Overlay, Acid Stain and Spray Coat Texture. Each DVD can be viewed in chapters and shows 5 to 6 different projects that are on the job experiences. Plus, with nearly 500 million speaking Spanish in the world today, and 50 million of them in the US alone, this opens the door to provide knowledge of this fascinating industry to a greater number of people.
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For information visit the website lunacrete.com, or call 386.252.4243 for more information and LEARN, PROFIT and HAVE FUN DECORATING CONCRETE!