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A Color
Revolution
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| Creative opportunities in decorative work are turning naked concrete into an artist's canvas. |
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by
Jamie Montague Callister |
The next time you visit Campbell's Harley-Davidson, check out the concrete floor. You can't miss the Harley-Davidson logo reproduced by Vince Schrementi, Everlast Concrete, Steger, IL, using a micro topping over existing concrete. Projects like this one have made business boom for decorative contractors. "There is so much concrete out there in need of color and repair," says Schrementi.
Concrete stamping and other decorative techniques first appeared in Southern California, Las Vegas, and south Florida; eventually the trend started to pick up across the whole southern belt. Now that it has the public's attention, the industry is exploding.
The Beauty of Concrete
Consumers and contractors alike are discovering that concretealways an economical and durable choice-is also an attractive alternative to wood, stone, or brick.
Schrementi says the beauty of concrete is that it can be shaped, colored and textured into a very personal creation. "Granite is beautiful, but it's stone. There's only so much you can do with it," he says. The possibilities of concrete are endless.
With such variety, decorative concrete contractors inevitably become color and pattern consultants. "Instead of just pouring concrete, you have to help customers make decisions about the finished product," says Schrementi. He ruefully remembers an unsightly job at a hotel chain. "They had me stamping field stones in this awful eggplant color to match a purple stripe on their building," he laughs. Although he strongly suggested a more neutral tone, the client was adamant. "I thought it was a hideous driveway, but it matched their corporate graphic!"
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ARTISTS' MEDIUM: Consumers have chosen concrete to build everything from water features to artsy flooring to custom countertops. |
Most people have better sense of aesthetic appeal. Larry Ross, Richard Smith Custom Concrete, West Hills, CA, says many of his residential customers want the "loft" or industrial look in their homes: hard floors, neutral colors, and dean lines. In the 40s and 50s, nearly all homes were built with hardwood floors, vinyl tile or sheet flooring; during the 60s and 70s, rugs and carpets covered them all up. These days, homeowners are ripping up carpet and vinyl to make use of the existing hardwood or concrete underneath. "With all the allergies, dust, and cleaning costs, the carpet is coming out," says Mike Verlennich of Verlennich Masonry and Concrete in Staples, MN. "People are looking for ways to save money; if the concrete is already there, you can use it as a canvas rather than cover it up." Brother and partner Dave Verlennich points out that you can have handsome and detailed patterns using concrete stains and saw cut lines for about
$7-10 per square foot. That's a huge savings over stone or imported ceramic tiles but still yields -a spectacular floor.
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