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 Concrete - Concreted.com is about architectural concrete blocks, concrete resurfacing, decorative concrete, concrete stain, concrete sealer's, stamped concrete, concrete pumps & various other concrete related topics.
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Decorative concrete techniques like stamped concrete, acid stain and concrete overlays add texture, colour and interest to dull expanses of plain concrete.
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Decorative Concrete
For many years, concrete has been used as a simple, effective and low cost surface for all sorts of areas ranging from large commercial car parks to residential driveways. However, for all its plus points, you can't get away from the fact that large expanses of plain concrete look drab boring.
Techniques to improve the aesthetic appeal of concrete surfaces have been around for many years. Decorative concrete techniques like concrete stamping, acid staining and concrete overlays are all excellent ways to add texture, colour and interest to concrete's hard wearing properties.
Stamped concrete is the process of adding texture and color to concrete to make it resemble natural stone, brick, slate, and other natural products found in nature including wood, fossils, shells and many more. The limitless array of possibilities of this decorative concrete solution combined with great durability and lower cost than natural products makes stamped concrete an easy choice for new construction and renovation projects.
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Stamped concrete driveway
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The installation of stamped concrete consists of pressing rubber molds into the concrete while the concrete is still in it's plastic state. Color is achieved by using Dry Shakes or Color Hardeners, Release Powders, Integral Colors and Acid Stain. All these products may be combined to create even more intricate decorative concrete designs.
Acid stain is not a paint or coating agent, rather, it's a coloring process involving a chemical reaction on a cementitious material. A solution made with water, acid and inorganic salts reacts with minerals already present in the concrete, the result of this reaction is color. Acid stain is a very durable product if properly protected with sealer or wax, and it can be applied to both interiors and exteriors.
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Acid Stain interior floor
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Acid stains can be applied to new or old, plain or colored concrete surfaces. Several companies manufacture chemical stains that are variations of three basic color groups: black, brown, and blue-green. In general, cements that produce larger amounts of calcium hydroxide during hydration will show more stain color, and higher cement contents pro-duce more intense colors.
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The most relevant links we could find, placed here free
 Big Sky Decorative Concrete Flooring
- More information about concrete decorative finishes can be found on this website. www.decorativeconcretefinishes.com
ToolBase
- Lots of information about decorative concrete like concrete floor finishes. www.toolbase.org
Like paint, overlays for concrete are designed to add a new and re-freshing look to the substrate they are applied to. They cover dull, drab concrete surfaces,or even wood substrates,that are otherwise poor candidates for decorative concrete staining and coloring.
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Concrete overlay
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Applying an overlay atop an existing surface provides a new look or a fresh, smooth surface that will deliver clean, consistent color and appeal. But aside from creating a new look or different finish, overlays can also make it unnecessary to tear out an existing slab, saving costs and headaches.
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Site written by Richard Wedge