Flooring Insurance

I ran into this company in Vegas at the World of Concrete. Ram Board. It seems that this product is always needed when it’s needed. No one seems to think about ordering a product like this ahead of time.

It doesn’t matter what kind of flooring is put down in a construction project there will always be contractors doing finish work after a floor is put in. Lighting, painting, signs whatever. Contractors want to do their job and if you don’t protect yours too bad.

If a floor is not protected it will get damaged. It’s going to cost someone and I’ve never seen the client eat a contractors mistake.

Whether you’re the client, general Contractor or sub bookmark this company. Ramboard

This is a case study about the functional and aesthetic benefits of Decorative Concrete.

The project is a 5 story Mill style industrial brick building converted to residential Boston Lofts. The building in Bostons South end is like many industrial and older buildings found in many cities in the United States like Brooklyn NY, Baltimore Md. or Chicago Ill.

The floors were wood frame subfloor with a couple inches of concrete. The concrete had hairline cracks and in a few places had a hollow sound. Cracks were opened up and filled with an epoxy injection system (see Emecole crack repair videos at www.metrocrete.tv ).

In areas with hollow sound holes were drilled in the concrete then filled with an epoxy injection system. Once the concrete floor was remediated there were new issues to be dealt with before these Boston Lofts could be put on the market for sale.

Signature Surfaces of Barrington Rhode Island run by Tom Zilian was brought in to take a look and evaluate the options. As is the case with many building conversions floor height is a critical factor. The solution can make or break a real estate redevelopment.

This building had 50 units in the $600,000 – $800,000 range. Thats a $30 million -$40 million project. The solution had to be thin,durable, cost effective and aesthecially in harmony with the historical brick and heavy wood beams in each unit.

Tom Zilian of Signature Surfaces provided the solution utilizing Colormaker Floors Sgraffino Concrete Overlay with a color called Charcoal Suede. This was an ideal match with the historical feel of the building while conforming to code regulations regarding height at the doorways.

For many of the buildings worldwide Decorative Concrete overlays make it possible to convert a building into a higher and better use. There are many neighborhoods with old beat up buildings that cannot be converted economically without knowing the solutions.

Hence these neighborhoods wallow in disrepair. This case of remediating Boston Lofts should serve as example of how Decorative Concrete can help ailing downtowns everywhere. Not only does Decorative Concrete provide unlimited solutions to investors but a substantial business opportunity for those seeking an opportunity in the inner cities.

This solution applies to inner city and main street buildings world wide not just Boston lofts. The toughest construction projects are rehabs. Flooring is frequently the most challenging aspect of a rehab because of door jam heights and stairs. The cost of remediation can be excessive. Concrete overlays and self leveling concrete is frequently the only solution.

If you want to know more about Tom Zilian check out his website at www.signaturesurfaces.net

Tom has been involved with many Boston Lofts over the past 5 years.

The liquid is sprayed or brushed on and attacks the portland in cement dissolving hardened cement and power washed off with cold water.

This stuff really works.

I’ve used it many times to clean trowels, buckets, wheellbarrows, shovels and areas where concrete has splashed onto walls, stairs and wood decks.

It also works great removing rust stains on concrete on floors and walls. It’s excellent for removing rust stains on exterior walls of buildings when screws rust from signs, railings and gutters.

I’ve received reports from contractors who have used Speedy Clean to clean cement mixers and redi-mix trucks.

Many contractors keep a case of the spray bottles in their trucks and use it frequently.

Check out www.creativerockforming.com if you want to transform a space to a new world.

This business was started 8 years ago in Chicago by entrepreneur Nathan Giffin. Nathan learned the business by a chance encounter with a concrete carver who was visiting from South Africa.

Nathan started the craft one rock at a time and evolved into creating custom rocks for residential basements & wine cellars, baths, kitchens, restaurants, retail stores, pool decking, water features, foundations, columns and archways, the list goes on.

When Nathan started he knew little if anything about concrete. That got him thinking. His thought – “if I can learn how to do this I can teach others”.

Next on the list – Online education. Creative Rock Forming is developing state of the art online education. The business will have videos that educate the novice thru advanced artisan with step by step processes. The videos will reveal the secrets Nathan has developed over the years for creating unique custom rock formations for residential homes and commercial properties.

In time new videos will be developed featuring new techniques and ideas. Nathan is approaching custom concrete rock forming the way Harvard would. Specialized education that can be turned into a profitable business.

Students will learn a valuable skill enabling them to provide a value added service to their clients.

We will keep you posted with new developments at CreativeRockForming.com

Rock On!

One site that I like as a great library of information is www.concreteideas.com . They do an excellent job showcasing professional images with informative content.

If you are planning a remodel of your home or business they provide a lot of interesting value added ideas and feature new products, techniques and the professionals who create them.

When you look at the site, look closely, not just at the images of the floors but at the entire space in the image. One thing I like about the photos on the concrete ideas site is that the photos are of finished projects. Many sites I see on the net have photos of finished floors but the rest of the room is still under construction.

It’s misleading to see an unfinished project. Concrete Ideas has made it part of their strategy to deliver solid useful content that their visitors can gain value from.

This week they have a feature on hand carved vertical wall applications using concrete. Very cool! Think about how you could transform a room with a custom interior stone wall application in a basement. Apply concrete overlays with concrete acid stain on the floor. The room becomes another world. A great investment.

This week they have a feature on “How To Create Real Rock Wall Finishes” Awesome info!

All the resources are there. Check it out and bookmark the site.

The company was formed in 1990 and has developed 2 genius core products “Sgraffino” and “Pentimento“. Both are brilliant concrete overlays. Sgraffino which is mixed with a polymer modifier is a fairly simple application. First time users and do it yourselfers can complete nicely finished floors. Advanced users are concrete artisans who use Sgraffino as a canvas for beautiful artistic finishes on high end luxury homes, restaurants and retail stores.

Pentimento is a more technical application with a polished floor result. Pentimento is one of the most beautiful concrete overlays. However only highly skilled applicators use the product.

Sgraffino is one of the most versatile, durable and functional products on the market. It has been used on Whole Food Stores around the country and many high end restaurants and boutiques. It can be sprayed on vertical surfaces like foundation walls and building exteriors. It can create an elegant finish on exterior pool decks and walkways.

Many retail centers, grocery stores and office buildings around the country resurface their drab concrete sidewalks with Sgraffino.

Interior uses are unlimited. The results can be seamless or patterns can be made with sawcuts, stencils or tape. Acid stains and dyes are used to create unique finishes.

Finally the floors are sealed with acrylic or solvent based concrete sealers or in some cases with a urethane for high traffic floors and garages.

I have used both products extensively with excellent results. They are durable, versatile and one of the most natural overlays available on the market.

A great use on decorative concrete floors but the applications are almost unlimited. Anywhere where bacteria can congregate.

Bionix is an encapsulated bacteria which eats and eliminates bad bacteria found in sugar, starch, protein and grease. Eliminates bad bacteria and odors. Works wonders on restroom floors and dissolves food grease on kitchen floors and from grouted tile.

A Highly concentrated product, each gallon makes 20-30 gallons when diluted with water. Important to properly mix and dilute properly with 1 ounce per gallon.

Not only does it work on floors and make healthy and clean but can be used in a spray bottle. Spray on bathroom doors and door handles, faucets, toilets, bar stools, bars.

Some effective uses are in showers, kennels and drip trays from window air conditioners. Use in trash containers to eliminate mold and severe odors.

A superior product that should be part of every cleaning strategy.

The system is available in 12 and 18 inch square tiles. There are 8 colors and various styles for creating unlimted custom patterns.

Installation is quick and a simple do it yourself product. Most 2 car garages which are approximately 22 feet x 22 feet or 500 square feet can be installed in a few hours.

The only tool you may need is a skill or jig saw to cut tile for precise fits around columns, stairs or irregular edges.

Durability is unsurpassed. The custom garage floor tiles will hold up to hot tire issues and chemicals. There’s not much issue about wearing out. They are easy to clean and will retain their original look indefinately.

Pricing is very reasonable at approximately $3.50 per square foot or about $1,750.00 for a 500 square foot 2 car garage for the most popular style. Some tiles are less and there are a few much more expensive used for displaying cars, boats and motorcycles.

RaceDeck interlocking garage floor tiles have been featured on many TV shows like Monster Garage, Two Wheel Tuesday, Extreme Makeover, Dream Car Garage and are regularly seen on Russo and Steele Car Autions on ESPN.

The Flattoo is designed to stick firmly to a concrete surface. Adhereing to concrete is critical. Preventing color from seeping under the Flattoo is why the adhesion is so important.

Flattooing can be simple. Anyone can achieve simple but outstanding results. For the artist there is no limit. The process is a system which includes the Flattoo and “Gelled Acid” patented by Surface Gel Tek and creator of the Flattoo.

Flattoo’s can be designed in any size based off any image. Totally custom. There are 100’s that can be purchased off the company web site.

The Flattooing process is applied to stained concrete and concrete overlays.

Once the floor is stained the Flattoo is applied to floor by removing sticky backing. Using a plastic trowel the Flattoo is burnished onto the floor removing any air and getting flat. Using the Gelled Acid called “Tek Gel for Flattooing” apply over Flattoo using an inexpensive paint brush. Let sit for a few minutes then wipe off with a damp rag. Then proceed.

Once the entire Flattoo has been “gelled” remove the Flattoo from the floor. Voila! An antiqued image. Now the floor can be sealed with concrete sealers.

If the gel is left on for longer, maybe up to 15 minutes the acid stain will be completely removed from the floor. Now you can add color. Color dyes can be mixed with “Stain Mule” an acid free gel. The Mule works as a carrier of color and prevents color from seeping under the Flattoo. Results are truly limited to imagination and skill.

The Flattoo process adds a uniqueness to a concrete floor coating. It is an extremely versatile process. Some artisans have taken the process to a new level and creating art for sale. Using a cement board with a skim coat becomes the canvas.

One company called Caribou Art is creating outdoor art. This is artwork that can be hung on exterior walls. Because the art is protected with concrete sealers it will endure the enviroment. They have been used for outdoor kitchens and even in cold winter areas as signs.