The
topping was then worked in with wood and metal floats.
All surfaces were hard-troweled as well
In certain areas, stainless steel gridwork helped provide
customized, structured appearance to the floors
Decorative concreted
walls first placed partially to random elevations contain
replicated sedimentary layering on completion. Finished
concrete stairs with stainless steel railing and tread
fronts can also be seen
In one particular
area of the house, straight stainless steel tubing
for the railing had been installed on the concrete
stairs. The step treads were bordered in front
with stainless steel as well. All the stainless
steel, contrasted against the stained and glass
seeded concrete, resulted in a particularly dramatic
effect.
The success of the project
lay in its blending of good ideas with good materials
and workmanship. But a prime factor that must
be mentioned was the good fortune of our work
not being micromanaged by the owner, designer,
or general contractor. Instead, they added inspiration
and encouragement to our work- important contributions
that must not be overlooked.
Selected for reader
interest by the editors.
Tom Ralston
is president of Tom Ralston Concrete. The company founded
by his grandfather is based in Santa Cruz, Calif. He
is a frequent speaker and trainer of decorative concrete
techniques at industry conferences and seminars, including
CONEXPO and the Decorative Concrete Council.
