
Chris Mayo
Cory Olson
Matt Sambol
Jason Spangler
Tyler Stephens
Chris Sullivan
Publications Inc.
27495 2nd Place
Junction City, OR 97448
ISSN 1542-1597
© 2019 Professional Trade Publications Inc. All rights reserved. Acceptance of advertising in this magazine and mention of specific products or services in editorial content does not imply endorsement of the product or service by Concrete Decor. No part of this publication or its website may be reproduced without written permission of Professional Trade Publications Inc.


There’s a Preview of each new issue appearing in the top left corner of www.ConcreteDecor.net for the general public but subscribers will receive the full version in their inbox before it’s available to anybody else. For those who subscribe to the print magazine, no worries! You’ll continue receiving this great magazine curbside.

October 2019

As the owner of The Art of Concrete LLC out of Denver, Colorado, Karen Keyes has found her niche in the industry exploring the creative side of building and designing with concrete. She helps owners, architects and landscape architects design decorative concrete palettes to enhance space and its community. Reach her at karen@theartofconcretellc.com. See Karen’s article on page12.

Cory Olson, senior vice president of Sakrete North America, leads the company’s national product mix, independent sales and brand initiatives. He has worked for nearly 30 years in the building materials space, the last 20 with Oldcastle in various leadership roles. Questions should be directed to Sakrete’s technical team at (866) 725-7383. See Cory’s article on page 37.

Matt Sambol, manager of flooring and polymer systems at CTS Cement, has been with the company since 2002. He oversees product development, testing and field support for the Rapid Set Tru Flooring System, which includes the polishable self-leveling overlayment products. He can be reached at msambol@ctscement.com. See Matt’s article on page 34.

Jason Spangler, Wagner Meters’ flooring division manager, has more than 25 years’ experience in sales and sales management. He has successfully launched various products to the market, including the original Rapid RH concrete moisture test and the new Rapid RH L6 Smart Sensors. He can be reached at (800) 634-9961. See Jason’s article on page 16.

Tyler Stephens is president of Stephens Concrete Sealing, a surface restoration, cleaning and sealing company in Indianapolis, Indiana. The family-owned company, founded in 2009, services both homeowners and businesses. Tyler can be reached at (317) 264-9781 or tyler@stephensconcretesealing.com. See Tyler’s article on page 18.

Chris Sullivan is vice president of sales and marketing with ChemSystems Inc. and a member of the Decorative Concrete Hall of Fame. He has led seminars and product demonstrations throughout North America. Reach him at questions@concretedecor.net. See Chris’ article on page 28.
- McKinnon MaterialsInside Front Cover
- Trimaco11
- Concrete Polishing HQBack Cover
- World of Concrete Las Vegas44
- World of Concrete/The Buildings Show36
- W.R. MeadowsInside Back Cover
For information from any of these advertisers, go to connect.concretedecor.net/PIRC



his Training Guide helps you find training opportunities that fit the specific needs of decorative concrete experts, beginners and everyone in between.
The Training Index lists training opportunities offered by various service providers. Find the type of training you need in the tables below and click on the company name for more information.
The online Training & Events Calendar at ConcreteDecor.net tells you when and where classes are being held. Online calendar information is updated daily. Have questions? Give Concrete Decor a call at (877) 935-8906.


625 W Illinois Ave.
Aurora, Ill. 60506
(800) 282-3388
www.butterfieldcolor.com
See our ad on page 29

45 Underwood Rd.
Throop, Pa. 18512
(570) 489-6025
www.kingdom-products.com
See our ad on page 35

40 Grosset Dr., Ste. 200
Kirkwood, N.Y. 13795
(607) 775-1948
www.trinic.us
See our ad on page 13

Laticrete, a leading manufacturer of construction solutions for the building industry, has introduced Nxt Level SP, a coarse-sanded, polishable, cementitious self-leveling concrete overlay designed to function as a high-strength wear surface or underlayment.
With its ability to be pourable and pumpable, the overlay is ideal for new construction and repairs to polished slabs in malls, department stores, supermarkets, hotels, apartment buildings, car dealerships and other high-traffic areas that need a durable, low-maintenance wear surface.
bout a week after having my fourth child, I received several kind comments and gestures from people across our industry. But two in particular stuck out. The first involved a residential client and the second was from a commercial general contractor. The interactions made me ponder the pros and cons of residential construction versus commercial.
Honestly, I cringed going into it. Throughout my career, I’ve been warned many times not to go “fix” other concrete contractor’s mistakes because it only leads to trouble. The concrete contractor who placed the basement floor did a great job. However, like in most construction, something got missed and additional plumbing had to be run through the floor. So, a portion of the floor was removed and replaced.
nderstanding how moisture moves through concrete is critical to successful flooring. It helps you reduce the risk for future moisture-related flooring failure during installation. It also helps you identify and assess the cause of moisture-related issues that have already occurred.

hen someone calls us for a quote about sealing their concrete, it’s usually a driveway, sidewalk, patio or pool deck. Sealing exterior concrete surfaces that get exposed to Mother Nature 24/7/365 with her summer heat and winter snow and ice makes sense to customers and contractors alike.
However, when it comes to garage floors, most clients lean toward epoxy flake flooring, while for basements they typically request epoxy or acid stained floors. Many suffer from sticker shock when they find out how expensive epoxy is and few realize how strong an odor it emits.
elcome to the ninth installment of the Concrete Decor Show, a now biennial event put on by the folks from Professional Trade Publications. It’s being held Monday through Thursday, Oct. 28-31, at the Arlington Convention Center in Arlington, Texas, with lodging accommodations at the nearby Arlington Sheraton Hotel.
The show — dedicated wholly to those whose livelihood centers on the business of decorative concrete — begins at 7 a.m. Monday with a presentation titled “Safety Comes First” at the center’s Show Floor Four.
Moderated by Chris Sullivan, the decorative concrete specialist for the American Society of Concrete Contractors/Decorative Concrete Council and a regular columnist for Concrete Decor, the early morning tailgater will address how you can build a job site environment that’s safe and free of hazards while winning the support of your co-workers. Doughnuts and coffee will be served.
his year, four men will join the ranks of those honored in the Decorative Concrete Hall of Fame at an induction ceremony and dinner held Oct. 28 at the 2019 Concrete Decor Show in Arlington, Texas. They are:


8 a.m. Monday, Oct. 28 & Tuesday, Oct. 29
Area: Show Floor One
Trainers: Troy Lemon of Cornerstone Decorative Concrete and Emil Gera of Emil J Gera Concrete Contractor Inc.
Workshop assistants: Danny Carillo of Graco and Matt Sampson of Matthew Buckley Sampson Inc.
This workshop for intermediate to advanced applicators will focus on productively using the latest products, tools and equipment to turn vertical concrete carving applications into one of your company’s most lucrative services. Participants will learn valuable techniques that will fool anyone into believing stone, brick and modern plaster veneers — along with carved steps and other custom finishes — are the real deal.
8 a.m. Monday, Oct. 28 & Tuesday, Oct. 29
Area: Show Floor Two
Trainers: Rick Lobdell of Concrete Mystique Engraving and Debbie Ohland of Engrave-A-Crete
In this workshop participants will learn multiple ways to not only use engraving to their advantage, but also methods to incorporate stencils for added details.
Glen Klassen
Champions I
Karen Keyes
Champions I
Chris Klemaske and Byron Klemaske
Champions I
Rich Robertson
Show Floor Four
Troy Lemon and Emil Gera
Show Floor One
Rick Lobdell and Debbie Ohland
Show Floor Two
Jake Brady
Show Floor Zero
7:00 p.m. Hall of Fame Dinner, Plaza on the Hill (Sheraton Arlington Hotel)

5637 LaRibera St., Livermore, CA 94550
(800) 350-6021 · www.aggretex.com
400 Ardex Park Dr., Aliquippa, PA 15001
(724) 203-5000 · www.ardexamericas.com
13880 N Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75234
(214) 352-9091 · www.barnsco.com
9328 Wheatlands Rd., #A, Santee, CA 92071
(844) 376-5474 · www.ezpolishsystem.com
EZ Polish System allows its users to create beautifully polished floors faster than the traditional polishing method.
810 Northwest 3rd St., Unit A, Bentonville, AR 72712
(832) 329-3648 · www.floormapsinc.com
Incorporated in 2009 by Rachel Knigge Bruce, FloorMaps specializes in producing vinyl stencils and also provides consulting, support, training classes and artists for more complex works.
1669 E Wilshire Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92705
www.sealboss.com
SealBoss Corp. offers specialty construction products, systems and equipment for infrastructure and geotechnical applications.
s there value in having a dedicated trade show for the decorative concrete industry? The short answer is yes. There’s tremendous value in having an industry-focused show. While there are decorative-devoted pavilions at other shows, they are just that — areas within other events.
I get that money talks. As a small business owner, I understand return on investment and the ability to recoup expenses are critical. My company has exhibited in three of the eight shows to date, and we will have a booth at the upcoming ninth show in Arlington, Texas. We make the decision to attend based primarily on where the show is located and the “bang for the buck” we anticipate.

Lee Ann and Bob Harris (pictured below) decided the time was right to dazzle their students with Venetian-inspired saw-cut and colored floors in their new DCI training center in Temple, Georgia. The floor pictured above is in the warehouse.
ob Harris had wanted to tackle replicating the breathtaking floors of the Santa Maria della Salute, commonly known as La Salute, ever since he first laid eyes on them. The founder of the Decorative Concrete Institute and senior decorative concrete consultant for Structural Services Inc. had visited the Catholic basilica in Venice seven or eight times and had studied the cut marble floors in detail. He thought how cool it would be to pay homage to the 15th-century Venetians by recreating their artwork in his own backyard.
n his and his wife’s many visits to Venice, Italy, Bob Harris was always in awe of one Catholic church near the entrance of the Grand Canal. In particular, the concrete floor specialist marveled at the precision involved with the hand-cut marble pieces that formed the unforgettable floors of the Santa Maria della Salute (Saint Mary of Health). After all, they were built centuries ago — from 1631-87 to be precise.
Prior to the Salute’s construction, the plague had ravaged the city in 1630-31 and wiped out about a third of the population. The Venetian Senate prayed to the virgin mother to intervene on Venice’s behalf and stop the pestilence from claiming more lives. The epidemic was stemmed and in return for prayers answered a magnificent Catholic basilica was to be erected in Mary’s honor — with no expense or effort spared.

ompressive strength — the ability of a material to withstand being compressed or pushed together — is often used to determine mortar and concrete’s quality. This makes sense for floors and overlayments as the primary forces applied to them are downward, compressive loads from traffic, equipment or anything affected by the force of gravity.
However, when it comes to decorative overlayments, which are typically installed between 3/8 and 1/2 inch thick, crack resistance is also critical. When addressing cracking concerns, it’s important to understand how cracks result and how different types of strength can contribute to crack resistance and durability.

s clients look to increase their home’s curb appeal, they often overlook transforming the mundane mailbox. Considering a home’s curb appeal encompasses everything from the sidewalk to the front door, a monument mailbox can quickly and easily make a big impact in improving a home’s first impression. Here’s what you need to create a monument mailbox and how to do it:
exas-based VLK Architects is no stranger to being recognized for its outstanding accomplishments when it comes to designing public schools such as the monumental and expressive Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center.
“I’d give it an A for sure,” says Sloan Harris, a partner with VLK Architects, about the sprawling 165,000-square-foot CTC that’s being heralded as the flagship campus for the Arlington Independent School District.
exas-based VLK Architects has earned numerous recognitions for its work with public schools, including notable rankings by Architectural Record, ENR and Building Design + Construction.
In 2018, Building Design + Construction ranked VLK Architects eighth among 150 U.S. architecture firms for its K-12 work in 2017, which included the Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center (CTC) in Arlington, Texas. It also was ranked 49th overall among the largest 149 participating U.S. architecture firms.
Accolades given to the CTC in Arlington include:
• The Fort Worth Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture’s Honor Award, the organization’s highest recognition for building design. All Design Award entries are evaluated for design excellence regardless of size, budget or project type.
• School Planning & Management’s 2018 Education Design Showcase Honorable Mention, which honors projects providing excellent learning environments for students at all levels of education.
• Selected as a finalist for the 2018-19 Caudill Class of the Exhibit of School Architecture competition by the Texas Association of School Administrators and Texas Association of School Boards. To be considered for these groups’ highest recognition, a project must receive at least four stars from six areas of distinction: Design, Value, Community, Planning, School Transformation and Sustainability. The Dipert Center received five.
magine you own a company that supplies concrete contractors with the tools for their trade. You offer a product that has been the industry standard for decades and is essential to most contractors in your industry. Your company sells a lot of them and they are a good source of income. Your company is a recognized industry leader as a provider of the product.
magine you own a company that supplies concrete contractors with the tools for their trade. You offer a product that has been the industry standard for decades and is essential to most contractors in your industry. Your company sells a lot of them and they are a good source of income. Your company is a recognized industry leader as a provider of the product.
