In the concrete re-surfacing and decorative surface industry the best way to prep a concrete surface is by Shotblasting the exisiting concrete so that the new product has a clean surface to bond to.

Shot blasting is more or less dust free.

Did you know it is possible to level concrete slabs?

Ardex has a self leveling  product to apply min. 1/4″ and thicker.

The slab will need to be prepped right, but the results are awesome.

We can either level the floor to be covered with a flooring material or just use a SDT material and stain it, or leave it clear coated. We call that a designer floor.

Warehouse floors can also be leveled and the product is fork lift approved. As a new addition to the product line we can level exterior concrete surfaces like, parking lots, parking garages, any concrete surface that is collecting water. We add a self leveler to adjust the draining issues.

Garage floors or porches that slant one direction can be leveled in case you are planning on enclosing the area and making it part of the living area now.

As with all overlays prep work is very important!!!!!

Acid staining concrete is becomming more and more popular, and  has become more affordable too. It is important to prep the surface intended for acid stain and to use the right materials. On many occasions we have seen projects that have gone wrong and in the end cost the customer more to fix. Acid staining concrete is not an exact science and will never yield a one tone perfected surface. The variations in acid stain are what make it and your floor unique.

There are  many ways and methods to stain floors. We just recently finished a beautiful job for a Dallas university, which was scored, stained with multiple colors, and then sealed with a Sherwin Williams sealer. Patterns, logos, and special designs can be cut into the surface prior to staining. Other methods include blasting, acid etching, or burning designs into the concrete surface.

Acid staining is always advertised as a do it yourself project, but not recommended. A lot of experience and know how is required to avoid costly mistakes which can ruin a floor. Not only does it require the right tools. Materials are sometimes hard to find and expensive to buy. Achieving the right color can be tricky, and sometimes a different kind of stain is required to achieve the desired look.

Acid staining is just one way to stain your floors. Other stains that are water or alcohol based are also available and some times are a better fit. Some older floors are often too dirty or stained from years of use and need to be overlayed first to re-create a good foundation for the new beautiful floor. In general all  types of concrete floors can be stained and sealed, depending on location and the shape that they are in i.e:

Patios, driveways, walkways, sidewalks, garages, walls and balconys are all good contenders for acid staining.

Please give us a call next time you decide to stain your concrete floors or patios and we’ll gladly come by to write up a proposal for you.

We went to Pittsburgh and got certified. We decided to get involved with another German company- ARDEX.

Ardex has to be one of the oldest modified and specialty concrete  manufacturers.

We took part in the moisture barrier training ( MC ) and all other surfaces. It was a lot of fun and we are looking forward to a great business relations with Ardex.

It is necessary to wait 7 - 20 days before installing an overlay over new concrete. This is due to the fact that if the moisture content is too high at the time of overlay installation, the moisture will simply push off the overlay( hydraulic effect).  A good way to make sure the concrete is ready is to use a digital moisture meter.

A decorative concrete overlay is a very thin layer of highly modified concrete that gets applied on top of a carrier material. In this case over top existing concrete slaps, walk ways, drive ways or Hardie board. Overlays are not structural and solely rely on the structural integrity of the carrier material.

There are different manufacturors of overlay materials on the market at the moment, with different techniques and results.

We are working on getting all information on the site.

Please feel free to take a look around.