Who would have thought to use a sidewalk as a kitchen countertop? Clearly, someone did, seeing that the when drab, gray concrete is now an artistic upscale pattern in home style and design.
Immediately, contractors can transform this frequently utilitarian developing material into whichever you can consider. They can make concrete any shade you want and make it resemble any pattern you want -- from stone to slate to wood.
Relocating from driveways, walkways and pool decks, this chic trend has found its way inside -- as a result of the entryway and into friends and family and dining rooms, bathrooms and kitchen and utility areas, not to point out fireplaces, countertops and backsplashes.
A person interior trend is to extend the exterior walkway into the foyer or entry of the family home, forming a smooth and seamless transition from exterior to inside. When made use of in a transition from an interior space to a back patio, ornamental concrete ties the two spaces together and complements outdoors living spaces.
A person of the most very common ornamental concrete strategies is stamped concrete. Stamped concrete is a procedure applied to new concrete wherever rubber molds are pressed into the surface of the concrete previously it sets up. Concrete can also be colored by incorporating pigment when the cement, sand and drinking water are mixed. Seeing that this is not an exact science, it is greatest to make guaranteed the overall area is poured at the same time to be sure the color is constant.
In phrases of remodeling, changing current floors with concrete is frequently not an selection simply because of the bodyweight and depth of a new concrete slab. Concrete can be implemented in a new addition (wherever the floor is a new concrete slab on grade or ground degree) or when a concrete basement floor is removed so it can be decreased and replaced. Alternatives to use concrete as countertops or in other restricted decorative apps in a remodel are a whole lot broader.
As taking away an current concrete slab is a messy and labor- intensive proposition, somewhat than getting rid of the slab and starting up over, it is likely to remodel present concrete by applying an overlay. This overlay is a cement content put in excess of the existing concrete about 1/eight to one/four of an inch thick. The overlay can then be stamped, etched and/or stained to generate the look you want.
Every time you perform with concrete you have to understand that it is going to crack. That is why management joints are placed in a slab, which stimulate floors to crack we want them to crack. Even with the handle joints, but nevertheless, the floor may well crack. You have to be willing to take the cracks as they arrive and see it as element of concrete's character.
With exterior ornamental concrete apps, specially in Utah, you have to believe about snow elimination. When a driveway is colored and stamped to appear like stone, it is tougher to retain. Considerably more treatment must be taken when shoveling to dodge chipping the edges of the designs. It aids if the coloration is continuous within the slab, somewhat than an overlay, which will expose a various surface beneath if it separates.
Although by using ornamental concrete within a residence might probably consequence in the inside glimpse you look for, it has some disadvantages you ought to contemplate: A place with concrete floors can be noisy. Concrete counters are unforgiving when you drop a thing, and concrete floors can be unpleasant if you are standing for a extended time.
Also, concrete is porous, so if you decide on a concrete countertop or floor, make certain you have the most suitable sealant to discourage stains. Concrete floors can also be cold and will have to be insulated so as not to transfer the cold from the ground into the slab. An excellent resolution is to set up radiant heat, the place you bury pipes or cables (based on no matter if it is an electric or hydronic method) in the floor to warmth it.
Decorative concrete is a pattern that started off far more than a decade ago in California and has distribute in acceptance across the country. While it has been close to for a whereas now, it is however highly-priced and viewed as a substantial-conclude method. Charges are determined by the size of the career and the creative technique requested, but expenses can assortment anywhere from $one to $20 a square foot. Polishing and acid-staining the existing concrete is typically on the minimal conclude whilst stamping overlays and other decorative resurfacing is on the higher-end.
Most concrete countertops are custom made produced and can price tag everywhere from $45 to $225 per square foot. Even though it is additional more costly than other opportunities, these types of as granite or tile, ornamental concrete can be a attractive method for your household whether utilized inside of or out.
Architects Ann Robinson and Annie Vernon are the founding principals of Renovation Style Group, www.renovationdesigngroup.com, a local architectural firm specializing in residential remodels.
Author: Ann Robinson
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