BROOM FINISH -  Broom finishes- one of the decorative concrete finishes, a broom finish is the most common. A consistent 4” slump is recommended for concrete flatwork with color. Schedule placement of decorative concrete when weather is favorable. Place as many pours as manageable in the shortest amount of time so that each individual pour dries in the same weather conditions as the concrete placed around it. Colored concrete will accept all of the conventional hand tools, walking tools and kneeboards. Tool joints or saw colored concrete as you would any other job

Broom finishes can be light broom or coarse depending on the bristles of the broom you choose. This is not a fancy finish but is attractive and provides a non-slip surface. Plain concrete finished with a fine concrete finishing brush can be the natural color of concrete or can be colored with several different colors

EXPOSED AGGREGATE - One type of decorative concrete that is seen more often than most others in residential projects  Exposed-aggregate concrete offers a wide range of textures and an unlimited color selection. This makes exposed aggregate on of the most popular and attractive  decorative finishes for concrete design. A plain, unremarkable surface has been stripped away to reveal the exceptional beauty lying beneath. In the case of concrete, that beauty is in the form of decorative aggregate, either natural or manufactured. The decorative process of exposing aggregate has been around since the early 1900s, well before pattern stamping, stenciling, and decorative overlays became trendy. But this method is far from being ready for retirement. An exposed-aggregate finish offers numerous advantages. And many of today’s contractors are finding creative ways to take exposed aggregate to a new level by combining it with other decorative treatments.

Exposed aggregate affects the surface of the concrete. The surface of the concrete is decorated with coarse aggregate, usually of interesting color and or shape. Exposed aggregate finishes are rugged, slip resistant, and highly immune to wear and weather. Exposed aggregate finishes are ideal for sidewalks, patios, pool decks, and driveways. Commercially, they are commonly used to allow the sidewalk finish to match or accent an exposed aggregate finished tilt-up or pre-cast building panel.

There are two methods of producing an exposed aggregate surface.

1 - Wash away a portion of the concrete from embedded rock. The concrete mix typically includes a gap-graded or special colored coarse aggregate. During placement and finishing of the concrete, an ample amount of cement paste is floated to the surface and then sprayed with a surface-retarding agent. Once the concrete has reached initial set, the surface is washed with a high-pressure washer or special nozzle to wash away the paste and expose the embedded aggregate.

2 - "Seed" the decorative aggregate into the fresh concrete. A standard concrete mix is placed, screened, and floated in the usual manner. The entire surface is then uniformly seeded with wet, clean aggregate. This seeded aggregate is tapped into the surface of the plastic concrete and then embedded by the use of a bull float, hand float or wood darby until the appearance of the surface is similar to that of a normal slab after floating. Once the aggregate is securely embedded, and the initial set of the concrete is obtained (when the concrete can bear the weight of a person on kneeboards without making an indentation), the surface is brushed with a stiff-bristle broom to remove excess mortar. The brush is then dampened and the surface brushed again. The surface is then flushed with water until the water runs clear and there is no noticeable cement film left on the aggregate.

ACID STAIN FINISH 

Unlike paint-like stains, acid stains are chemically reactive stains. These stains permanently color the concrete, transforming it into a unique and rich palette of colors. The uneven distribution of the cement causes this marbled effect  while the concrete is being finished. Ther many application techniques include spraying, brooming, swirling, sponging, ragging and mixing colors. All give different, yet fantastic results. All are guaranteed to give you a unique surface.   Exact coverage is determined by the porosity of the concrete, weather conditions, and application technique.  

Chemical stains are water solutions and metallic salts that penetrate and react with concrete to provide insoluble, abrasion resistant color deposits in the porous concrete. They contain a diluted acid to etch the concrete surface slightly and to remove any surface laitance so that the staining ingredients can penetrate deeper and react more uniformly. Stains are applied to surfaces of cured concrete that are at least one month old and free from all foreign matter.

The chemicals used limit concrete stain colors. Black, green, reddish-brown and various shades of tan are most widely available. The color is not merely a surface coating, but penetrates to a limited depth and will not chip, crack or peel. However, it can wear away to the

CONCRETE ENGRAVING    The Engrave-A-Crete System... It's an amazing transformation for existing concrete! Our process changes the color of the concrete, then the pattern is actually engraved (scored, cut, sawed) into the hard concrete with our specially designed patented machine. Concrete of any age can be made to look like glossy polished marble tile, dull old clay bricks, flagstone or rustic cobblestone with a long history. Engrave-A-Crete® is not a topping, coating, overlay, stamped, or sandblasting treatment. The Engrave-A-Crete® System is used on interior floors or exterior slabs, commercial or residential.