This is an excerpt from the Book called “Design Ideas For Decorative Concrete & Stone “. Continue reading to learn more about Concrete Design Ideas, thanks to the author.
Is the concrete?
Commercially, it not only frames buildings, but as precast modular blocks it often adorns building facades. Until recently, homeowners knew concreter as poured foundations, driveways, and basement floors. But advanced technology has made this viable and once barely visible product part of a variety of decorative home situations. Why? Because it’s not only easy to mold and shape but, if skillfully worked, can mutate any natural product. And once thought of as dull to look at, being mainly gray, and rough to touch, it is now produced in a range of colors and finishes. Where’s the concrete? Today, it’s everywhere.
Shapely stunners
Whether it surrounds a sunken tub or frames a fireplace, concrete has a chameleon-like capability. It can assume many forms and be colored integrally, painted, stained, or accented to match or blend with other decorating elements. Moreover, it can be adapted to take on any mood or style, from sleek and shiny to rough and rustic, from convincingly traditional to unmistakably contemporary.
Because concrete really is molded, it can be made to assume shapes that would be impossible to achieve with almost any other material. Moreover, it has the potential for being not only water-resistant but truly stain-resistant as well.
Worked like clay
Because it shapes easily by hand, concrete has become a favorite of many sculptors. It’s medium that can be manipulated when wet, turning mundane objects like the sink at left into personalized works of handcrafted and colorful art.
Versatility Plus
Molded concrete is widely used in creating mantels, hearths, and fireplace surrounds. It can be used to line fireboxes as well, but only if a concrete specifically formulated for fiery heat is specified—or if the fireboxes are heat-insulated or lined with hardy firebrick. Everyday concrete is likely to crack and disintegrate if exposed to ultra-high temperatures over time. In a fire, concrete may lose some of its integrity, but as it cannot be ignited easily, it is considered a fire-safe product. Also, it presents a virtually impenetrable barrier to water, which is why it is now being used so often in crafting sinks. Square, spherical, sloping, straight, scooped, or flat—there is no sink shape that is beyond concrete’s capacity.
Concrete is amazingly versatile in appearance. You can achieve a look that’s smooth and seamless or opt for concrete tiles for a different effect. In its raw state, concrete is porous and vulnerable. With a proper sealer and careful application, so every surface is coated, concrete becomes capable of resisting water and stains.
Right Random-shaped concrete, tinted in three different tones, was polished to create the gleaming floor in a California home. The floor sweeps dramatically toward the kitchen.
Possibilities under foot
There was a time when a concrete floor was something you covered with another flooring material, such as wall-to wall carpeting. Concrete was only left bare in the basement where it may or may not have been painted. That was then, of course. Now the possibilities are limitless. With new acid stains, stamps, and special-formula water-based paints, an ugly-duckling concrete floor can be easily turned into a decorating swan. Cut into tiles, thin layers of concrete can be applied, like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, to create intricate and geometric patterns. Curves and swirls, too, are possible, because of the more sophisticated than ever cutting, polishing, and honing machinery, which is the key to concrete’s vaunted versatility.
Cool, sleek, utterly modern
Because it can assume such extraordinary shapes and present such attractive surfaces, concrete has become a favorite of architects and designers who prefer the purity of contemporary style. Straight lines, angles, curves—all are possible with a product so malleable. The most striking of these brilliantly cast products looks as if it was just produced from freshly carved stone. Concrete can also be turned into claylike objects by professionals skilled at working with the medium. Using basic tools it can also be carved.
One-piece sinks and countertops are easily attainable and can be created without the telltale seams that often distinguish other materials. Countertops are today’s most popular use of concrete in the home—mainly because they can be cast in place and because each can be made special. An integral drain board can be carved into countertop areas beside the sink; similarly, narrow metal bars can be implanted near a range or cooktop for use as a trivet when hot pots are removed from the burners, oven or broiler; and decorative particles—colorful pebbles, odd-shaped stones, bits of glass, marble chips, chunks of tile, even leaves—can be embedded in concrete as richly effective decorative accents.
At last it can be told
- Concrete’s big secret is that there is no secret. A skilled craftsman is needed if concrete is to be used to achieve a particularly special design, but the material itself can be produced successfully in any workshop or garage. Note that concrete and cement are not synonymous terms, although people often refer to one when they mean the other. Cement is a powder like material that acts as a bonding agent. Concrete is what is obtained when mixing cement, sand, and aggregate (crushed stone or gravel) with water. The result dries quickly without being fired, and even though it contains water it can, with appropriate additives, be made water-resistant.
- Color choices continue to grow. In addition, endlessly individual edge treatments are possible with concrete, and many a concrete contractor has built a reputation on being able to produce unique treatments for demanding clients. Similarly, concrete specialists are able to create veined looks.
Color it concrete
The best and most reliable way to apply color to concrete is through a process known as acid staining, although no acid is actually used. To create permanent concrete colors, chemical stains are what are actually applied. These are mainly metallic salts in an acidic, water-based solution that react with free lime deposits that are buried in the concrete compound.
In the coloring process, the acid contained in the stain penetrates the upper surface of the concrete mixture, allowing the salts to reach the lime deposits (which are technically calcium hydroxide). The color change is the result of a slow and gradual chemical reaction. Concrete with a cement content that is high in lime tends to yield richer color.
Routine care and cleaning
- Do use cutting boards when chopping and slicing as you prepare foods to cook. You can’t mar the concrete surface, but you can damage the sealer. The element that’s applied to resist water and stains.
- Don’t place hot pans on concrete surfaces. The heat won’t affect the material, but it can damage or discolor the sealer.
- Do apply wax once a week during the first month you own your concrete counter or sink, then twice a year thereafter. Buff regularly with a soft cloth to enhance the shine on the surface and increase sealer durability.
- Don’t use abrasive soaps, pads or cleansers to clean up spills. Mixed with warm water, mild soaps and non-ammoniated detergents work best.
- Do use concrete products with confidence. They can easily be repaired, colored, sealed, and finished again.
Notable Caveats
Although concrete’s possible applications are seemingly limitless, there is wisdom in using the material only where it works best.
- Smooth finishes, ideal for sinks, countertops, and tabletops, should be avoided on floors or paved areas that can become slippery when wet.
- Rough-textured and surface-colored finishes are best for fireplace surrounds, wall panels, or backsplashes—surfaces that are unlikely to become clogged with dirt or show wear with hard, repeated use over time.
- Concrete sinks may be less practical than other products in a sink that gets heavy use or must be scrubbed often. Bathroom placement may be smarter.
Sink Shape
- Sculpting large sinks or any complex shapes requires skill and judgment. There is a limit to how much concrete can be stretched and bent without cracking, confirming that professional experience is needed before tackling large-scale projects involving concrete.
- Cast concrete is produced industrially on a large scale, but it’s possible for anyone with good potting skills to craft special-shaped sinks or any small-scale concrete objects.
- You can also create a special or unusual shape by making your own flexible mold. Apply liquid latex or urethane rubber onto the shape you’ve chosen; pour, spray, or brush on the liquid; let it harden; then mold concrete to the surface.
Color cues
- Add liquid or powdered pigment while the concrete is being mixed. But remember: liquid pigment is more likely to yield solid, even color, all the way through the concrete.
- Achieve bright and vivid colors by starting with white cement.
- Acid stains on concrete are long lasting and fade-resistant, although their color power is only surface-deep.
- Water-based paints are brushed or sprayed on soon after concrete hardens, but it should dry for a month before any oil-based paint is applied.
Super surfaces
- Add shells, bits of stone, scrap metal, or glass shards to a concrete mix to achieve a variegated look, as pictured.
- Inlays, which can be any object or motif, will put a special stamp on a concrete installation.
- Grinding a dry, hardened concrete surface will make elements you’ve added more apparent and, at the same time, create a flat, smooth surface.
- Polishing, which can produce either a glossy or satin finish, is done with diamond pads on a machine polisher or by carefully using wet-dry sandpaper.
The men who brought concrete home
- Fu-Tung Cheng was not the first design professional to proclaim the decorative virtues of concrete. But his successes in bringing concrete into the homes of his clients in and around Berkeley, California, and in other parts of the country have made him one of concert’s principal proponents. Buddy Rhodes is another concrete pioneer in the Bay Area who helped launch the entry of concrete into the home. Still, Cheng’s honest evaluation of the product has made him an authority that can be trusted. He believes:
- No other material offers as many opportunities for achieving creative looks for floors.
- The best work is done by professionals experienced in handling concrete in its many applications, shapes, and colors.
- Colors that reflect nature’s palette work best; colors that are too bright have an arterial look and may become dated.
- Trained specialists are able to achieve unique special effects using various acrylic paints and dyes.
- A wet mix of concrete is more likely to shrink and crack after drying than a mix that is stiffer and less moist.
- When adding pebbles or stone fragments, wet them first for a firmer bond.
- Inlays will put a special stamp on any concrete installation. (Cheng likes to apply a small cut, polished fossil inlay to each of his concrete achievements.)
- Commercial rubber stamps can be used to make a concrete surface resemble brick or natural stone. But concrete looks best when it does not imitate other materials.
- Grinding a dry, hardened concrete surface will emphasize added detail and create an absolutely flat, smooth surface.
- Polishing concrete to a glossy or satin finish can be done by machine with diamond pads or by hand with wet-dry sandpaper. A polished floor requires less maintenance than a textured one.
Outdoor possibilities
Many of the same treatments that concrete contactors and design professionals attempt indoors are equally effective outdoors as well. The one big difference is that exterior surfaces are rarely as slick and shiny as those created indoors. Concrete pavers are often cast and set individually, just like natural stone. Or surfaces can be scored or carved to look like individual stones or bricks, set in place. And clever fabricators have learned to stamp on incised patterns and designs, further confirming concrete’s enormous versatility.
Timeless textured looks
For a sophisticated look on paved outdoor surfaces, consider the different textures that can be created in concrete.
- A brushed surface is achieved by dragging or pushing a special broom across poured concrete that has not yet hardened.
- A wash finish can be done when new concrete has hardened just enough to bear weight. Water is applied to wash away a little of the upper layer.
- A stippled surface is created by scattering rock salt or fertilizer pellets onto a slab that’s still wet. When the concrete has hardened completely, the pellets will be washed away, and the finish will have a stippled look.
Concrete has long been used in outdoor applications—planters, flower boxes, birdbaths, and benches—in addition to the usual patios and driveways. Now, it is indoors where the most innovative concrete uses can be found. For even in contemporary homes, some special ornamentation is usually required, not only for decoration but for practical reasons as well. Shelves, benches, pedestals, and fireplace mantels, plus a host of handsome small objects are being made from concrete by artisans challenged to use the product in more and more new and inventive ways. What motivates them? Concrete’s unique warmth, initial malleability, and limitless color possibilities. In these respects, the product is matchless.
Object lessons
- Concrete is no longer what it used to be—far from it. Now this once strictly utilitarian material is red-hot with designers who are using it as often inside the home as they are outside on the patio or driveway. Handsome small objects are being made, too, by artisans challenged to use it creatively because of its unique warmth, malleability and color possibilities. For example, look at the objects pictured below. Can these be concrete? A framed mirror, a long bench with a hollowed-out base, a circular table on an angular base—these are just a sampling of molded decorative objects today. Often they are being made to fool the eye.
- Concrete is widely seen in contemporary homes, where geometric shapes dominate and the texture provides contrast for the slickness. But as eclecticism continues to exercise its unending appeal, more and more concrete products are finding their way into homes where traditional style normally reigns.
- Concrete really is chameleon-like. It can be adapted to any shape or style, and by the way it is toned, textured and finished, it can be made to look like any other available material. No wonder architects, designers, and creative artists are attracted to it! Whether it’s used indoors or out, concrete is king.
