FCI0108 Dec Concrete Reprint

8/14/2019 FCI0108 Dec Concrete Reprint

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Contractor Responsibility p.18

Decorative Concrete Engraving p.2

Rectifed Tile andNarrow Grout Joints p.50

www.fcimag.comPRSRT STDU.S. Postage

PAIDBNP Media

loor Covering Installer,

P.O. Box 2149, Skokie, Il 60076

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

1-800-884-2

www.Engrave-A-Crete.

anuary/fEBruary 2008


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F

Paul J. DelFino is a principal o the consulting frm Opportunity Inc. For nearly 15 years,he has assisted entrepreneurs within service and contracting businesses to increase theirreturn on investment. Visit www.opportunity-inc.com to contact them or learn more abouttheir services.

About the Author

Finishing concrete oor suraces, in-side and outside, has dramatically grownin popularity and acceptance in recentyears. More staining and sealing productsare available and the processes have be-come increasingly user-riendly, allowingcontractors to experience an improveddependability on return on investmentwith lower risk o job ailures.

Among the astest growing processesin decorative concrete is concrete engrav-

ing. The reasons or the growing accep-tance o decorative concrete engraving aresimplicity o process, lower materials cost,

and, most importantly, a nearly infniterange o looks, colors and pattern/graphicreproduction that can be achieved.

Decorative Concrete

Options Abound

Staining and sealing concrete suracesare long-accepted processes. Adding tex-

ture to concrete suraces is now what themarket demands. Consumers and com-mercial enterprises are looking to repli-cate higher-cost building materials on orin concrete, and add relie in replicationo graphical treatments and designs, suchas corporate logos, corporate/city seals,emblems reecting individual passions,

By Paul J. DelFinoTaking Concrete Floor Suraces to the Next Level

Concrete foors can be luxurious while remaining tough and easy to maintain with decora-

tive concrete engraving. (Photo courtesy o Engrave-A-Crete Inc.)

Decorative Concrete Engraving


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or numbers and letters/initials. The morecomplex the look created, the higher theperceived value by the end customer.

Options or achieving such eects canbe simplistically described as:

Concrete Stamping The process ostamping texture and designs into wetmaterial with a rubber mold.

Concrete Overlay Adding a thin

layer o cementituous/acrylic polymercoating to and existing concrete surace.Relie and designs are oten achieved byapplying pattern tape or stencils to thesurace in advance, then removing thetape ater the surace has hardened.

Concrete Engraving Using speciallydesigned machines to cut patterns in ex-isting plain or colored concrete whichsimulate grout lines o standard buildingmaterials. Other methods use tools andtemplates to precisely chip away sections o

the concrete, revealing designs o exactingdetail replicating any pattern or graphic.Cost of Starting New or Adding to

an Existing Business and Training

Depending on what business you arecurrently in and what tools and equip-ment you currently own, the cost o en-tering any o the decorative concrete busi-ness options will vary greatly.

Customized concrete engraving equip-ment varies in options and capability. Itis possible or an entrepreneur to enter

the business with a minimum investmento under $5000. Full turnkey business-on-wheels trailer packages are also avail-able or under $60,000.

When evaluating the start-up costs anddegrees o difculty o oering decorativeconcrete services, do not orget to evalu-ate training and uture technical support.There are numerous training optionsavailable that can be researched online.Possibly the most important question you

should be asking is whether your traineror supplier will be available to you in theuture or technical support when you en-counter a new circumstance on a job site.How Hard Do You Want to Work?

The processes o concrete stamping andconcrete overlay oten requires the mix-ing o concrete or the mixing o baggedacrylic polymer material with applicationover existing concrete. Anyone who hasmixed material will attest to the act thatthis can only be described as back break-

ing labor. Beyond the physical demands,any outdoor application o these process-es is extremely environmentally sensitive.timing o rain can create havoc with theprocesses and leave the contractor withno options other than ripping up exist-ing work. This uncontrollable scenariocan destroy any proft margin let or theinstaller and makes scheduling o repairand delays o uture commitments no lessthan a nightmare.

The process o decorative concrete

engraving is growing in popularity dueto the act that there is no back break-ing labor. Contractor/installers are notadding material to the existing surace.Machinery is relatively small, manage-able, and light. These acts have madethe process and business extremely at-

tractive to both sexes.

Where Is the Art?

When the compelling argumentso economics and ease o work are putaside the tables turn completely in avoro decorative concrete engraving whenconsidering the artistic potential and thethen natural leap to be paid as an artisanversus a tradesman.

Concrete stamping is limited to con-tinuous replication o a pattern o a moldand the application o one color. Somedesign exibility exists, but complexitycreates multiple problems in installation.

Decorative concrete engraving o-ers unlimited options. Replication othe looks o standard building materialssuch as brick, circular brick, cobblestone,agstone, river rock, are what decorativeconcrete engraving machines are meantto do. Additionally, these designs canbe enhanced by simple techniques tovary coloring in/on individual simulatedstones or sections o the project. Varying

patterns or borders and multiple patternswithin the overall design are easy whenplanned in advance.

Decorative concrete engraving oersunlimited potential or artistic expres-sion and oten allows the contractor tocommand a higher price.

The Ultimate Differentiator

The world o decorative concrete en-graving has within it a package o toolscalled the KaleidoCrete System. These

innovative tools, when used with special-ly designed and manuactured templates,allow contractors to permanently engravenearly any pattern or design in a concretesurace. This process allows or:Marketing to corporations, govern-ment, and associations or logo replica-tion anywhere there is concrete in oraround their acility.Opportunity to upsell to customers orthe reproduction o graphics depictingtheir personal passion. Examples o

Uses existing cured concrete X XMixing & applying cement or polymer XPolymer overlay used on existing concrete surface XProcess done before concrete is cured XProcess done after concrete is cured X XRubber mats used for designs X

Plastic templates used for designs X XTracking systems used for designs XCan free-hand designs with equipment X X XMultiple people required to do process XEasy to learn X XRain will negatively affect process X XDesign can peel off XPattern permanently in concrete X XRepairs easily XNo thickness added X XStain and oil resistant X X XFlexible at existing cracks XEasy to clean X XEconomical XLow overhead costs XEast of customization XPersonalization X

Comparing the Decorative Concrete Options

ConcreteOverlay

ConcreteStamping

ConcreteEngraving


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Numerous decorative concrete engraving tools are available. (Photo courtesy o Engrave-A-Crete Inc.)

this may include horses or the eques-trian, ships wheels or the boater. Theopportunities are nearly endless.A price as art versus the traditionalsquare oot price driven o the alter-native building material option.

It May Come Down To What IsEasiest To Sell

The sale o decorative concrete En-graving services is an art as well. Thetraditional approach o showing a photoalbum o past jobs or suggesting thatpurchasers visit past jobs is no longerenough. The sophistication o decorativeconcrete engraving has allowed or theintroduction o customized simulationsotware. Picture a scenario where you visit a prospect job site and, when frst

arriving, snap a digital photo o the lo-cation. While interviewing the prospectthis photo is downloaded into a laptopand, as your prospect articulates their vision, you work with the sotware tosimulate patterns, colors, and graphicsthat your prospect is describing on thephoto image o the actual job location.In the case o corporations or commer-cial enterprises, a right-click on a logo oremblem on a prospects Web site allowsthe salesperson to drop the graphic into

the design in any scale. The end resultis a sales experience that leaves a lastingimpression o proessionalism and an ac-curate printed visualization o the endproduct.

The world o decorative concrete ischanging and growing. I you are con-sidering entering the business or areconsidering supplementing an exist-ing business with the service, seriously weigh the benefts o concrete engrav-ing. Proper planning and introduction

should:possibly lower your cost o business en-try.provide easier work.provide you with an end product thatwill command a higher price.provide you with a process or the mostadvanced sales approach.provide you with the ability to sell art.provide you with a way to gain a higherreturn on investment capital and time.FCI

With Decorative Concrete Engraving, pool

decks can be transormed into artistic

displays. (Photo courtesy o Engrave-A-

Crete Inc.)

Decorative concrete engraving is a service

that can be sold or interiors and exteriors

and allows or personalization with the

engraving o nearly any pattern or graphic.

(Photo courtesy o Engrave-A-Crete Inc.)

Reprinted rom January/February 2008 Floor Covering Installer, Copyright 2008 BNP Media, II, L.L.C.

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FCI0108 Dec Concrete Reprint