Xtreme Series Forming System delivers ease of installation by eliminating the time needed for ripping, screwing, or wasting melamine or other casting surfaces. You will instantly enjoy from the speed and simplicity of the bendable foam rails, as it delivers significant savings in time and labor needed compared to traditional forming methods.

The items that make up the system are:

Base Material  -  Form Rails  -  PSA Tape  -  Clear Facing Tape

Base Material

A sacrificial clear sheet of plastic between your casting surface and concrete upon which form work begins. This allows multiple uses of your casting deck whether Melamine, Expanded PVC, or other. One side of the base material has a protective film, this side is placed up and the film is removed prior to the pour. Using clean soapy water flood the surface of your casting deck with soapy water, laying the Base material on top. Using a squeegee start from one side and work the water to the opposite end. As you squeegee your goal is to remove any dirt and debris from between the casting deck and the base material. I usually do this 2 times. Starting where you had originally begun lift the corner and flood the surface with clean soapy water again and squeegee in one direction. As you go look for imperfections or dirt caught between the casting matt and your casting deck.

Form Rails

They are made of foam and available in various thicknesses (3/4”, 1”, 1 ½”, 2”) and come in four foot lengths. The thickness of the form rails will determine the thickness of the countertop you will be pouring. One side has a protective film on it, this is the side that is placed facing the center of your mold or the edge in which concrete will be placed.

Form rails can also be bent to form inside and outside radius. When bending it is only possible to bend the form rail “into” the protective film. If you bend away from the film it will break the form rail. When trying to accomplish this type of bend you will need to use Clear Facing Tape. On the opposite side that already has the plastic on it apply a strip of clear facing tape so the form rail can be bent both ways. Once the piece has been bent into the desired shape, remove the tape from the side that would go on the inside of the form and reline with facing tape to leave a smooth surface to cast into.

Clear Facing Tape
This material is used to line the inside of your mold after bends have distorted the finish of the existing tape or where two form rails come together. Minor radius can be accomplished using this tape as well.In addition to those uses, you can apply the clear facing material to the foam form rails to aid in the ability of making multiple bends.

PSA Tape

PSA (Pressure Sensitive Adhesive) is used to attach the form rails to your casting surface. It is tacky on both sides and eliminates the need for screws. When placing the PSA Tape, apply the tape to the form rails first, then remove the protective coating to expose the other tacky side. It is important to have this tape placed as close to the edge of your inside form rail as possible, this will eliminate the need for caulking because the tape is made from vinyl and will not wick moisture from the concrete.This material is used to line the inside of your mold after bends have distorted the finish of the existing tape or where two form rails come together. Minor radius can be accomplished using this tape as well.

To see this system installed please go to www.SureCrete.TV or find us on www.Youtube.com

A Louisiana state run hospital was in need of an upgrade in its appearance. As you walked into the main entrance for the hospital’s supply area you were greeted by 3,500 sq ft of linoleum floor that had out lived its purpose. The hospital’s Head Engineer was presented with a challenge to upgrade the floor system while preventing any disturbance to the normal business operations to the state run hospital.

The hospital’s head engineer met with Tommy Meir of New Age Decorative Concrete. He presented his plan and the obstacles that stood in the way. Here were some of those obstacles:

• Dustless Removal of Linoleum
• Zero VOC and NO smell during installation
• Pigmented Floor System
• Lower Maintenance Care
• Installation during 5PM - 4AM
• Floor Area must be accessible from 4:30 AM – 5:00 PM

New Age Decorative Concrete guided the hospital into the choice of a Pigmented Waterbased Epoxy Flooring System. Here is the installation process they used. They started by removing the linoleum and glue utilizing a dustless diamond grinding system. After the floor was prepped properly they than used SureCrete’s Dura-Kote Water Based Pigmented Epoxy. They applied the 1st coat of Epoxy at night. Knowing that they could not put the final coat on the same day, and have the floor dry enough for business early the following morning, they packed up and left for the day.

Upon their arrival the next afternoon they walked in and saw the employees of the hospital running steel wheel food carts, pallet jacks and gurney’s across the floor, it was not even 12 hour old. Concerned for the quality of his work he immediately scanned the job for the damage it incurred. To his amazement the floor held up beautifully, with Zero damage. His crew began the prep of dry dust mopping the floor, and began applying the 2nd and final coat of the Pigmented Dura-Kote Water Based Epoxy.

As Mr. Meir contemplated another job well done, he expressed his opinion on the new Epoxy product and the thoughts of the hospital’s Head Engineer. He mentioned that the pot life on the Water Based Epoxy was 1-2 hours. In addition to that, he used a 1/4″ and a 3/8″ roller, and found the application was smooth and fast and the coverage did not change by the roller size. With his normal application being a solvent based Epoxy, a product that didn’t have much working time, Mr. Mier really enjoyed the speed and ease of application of the Water Based Epoxy, as he did not have to do the normal squeegeeing and back rolling.

The Hospital Engineer mentioned how impressed he was with the finished look, and he was amazed with the lack of odor left over from the application. He said that the low-VOC paint the painter used on the walls had a stronger odor than the Dura-Kote Water Based Epoxy. The state run hospital was so pleased they have made the Water Based Epoxy Floor the specified choice in all their future renovations. Mr. Meir and a few other Louisiana contractors, have put down the Dura-Kote Water Based Epoxy, in various large projects around the state, all with similar results.

For less maintenance and heavier duty protection, Mr. Meir,  likes to apply 1-2 coats  of Dura-Kote Water Based Polyurethane on top of his pigmented epoxy floors.

For more information please visit www.SureCreteDesign.com

Tired of Filling Pin Holes? Let the Xtreme Series technology simplify your slurry process by eliminating the need for a secondary cementitious slurry coat. By combining LD-1800 (Lithium Densifier) with SureCrete’s Polishing Pads you will enjoy a blemish free densified surface, which is now ready for your choice of sealer.

SureCrete now offers long lasting professional grade diamond polishing pads. Thicker millage for extended life, comes in 5” discs in 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500 grits. Can be used wet or dry, best results are achieved through dry polish in conjunction with the LD-1800 (Lithium Densifier).

Application & Technique
1.) Begin by flooding the surface of countertop w/ LD-1800 (Lithium Densifier) a few square feet at a time. Using the pad of your choice to start with 50, 100, or 200 begin to grind. These first three pads will determine the amount of material and aggregate exposure you wish to expose. The slurry caused by grinding mixed with the LD1800 will fill the holes. The LD1800 is a densifier and will react with the slurry to make the pin holes stand tall and fill in. Keep grinding until the LD1800 is completely dry and move to the next area of your countertop.
2.) If you have started at the 50 pad the next pad would be 100…Again flood surface with LD1800 and grind with the 100 pad until the LD1800 (Lithium Densifier) is dry.
3.) Once the countertop has been ground at the 100 pad the next pad would be 200 pad… Again flood the surface with LD-1800(Lithium Densifier) and grind that area until the LD-1800 (Lithium Densifier) is dry.
4.) The next logical pad after the 200 pad is the 400 pad. This pad begins the polishing process and no new pin holes should develop, therefore no more densifying is needed.
5.) After the 400 comes the 800 and then the 1500 if desired.

Tips
If the pad is new and has never been used before there is a resin over the diamonds, this must be removed before use! The best method to accomplish this is to turn on the grinder with the pad and grind on a semi rough, flat piece of concrete for a few seconds. RPM’s are not to exceed 4000.

She loved the acid stain job that you did for her friend. She wants her floor stained too. At her house for an estimate, your potential customer walks you into the dining room. “I want to pick up the gold tones in my drapery for the acid stain,” she tells you. Then she adds, “It doesn’t need to be an exact match, just close.” Herein lies potential for trouble, if you don’t address head-on the color match issue.

Color matching is problematic. Even when using a spectrometer or some fancy computer based high tech matching system, the final tweak is always done with the human eye. We all process color a little differently.

What affects color? I have come to believe, EVERYTHING:
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Wind speed
• Cloud cover
• Mixing time
• Cure time
• Water demand
• Substrate product is placed upon
• How long the cement was fired
• How clean the mixing vessel was
• The clear seal used
• The rotation of the earth

I know that there are a number of Maestros out there that can indeed match colors, even under trying circumstances. But, for every Maestro, there are probably a thousand of us that can create trouble in matching. What are some strategies to please a customer and not drive yourself crazy with an infinite number of attempts to “match?” Here is the first of several.

Integrally Coloring the mix

Color is achieved through the addition of pigment to the cement based product. Consistency is the key for matching. Careful measuring of all elements in the mix is critical. Attempt to control cure times and conditions as the product is placed. Generally the color that is observed while it is mixing (still wet) is the color after the product is cured and sealed with a penetrating color enhancing clear sealer. For a large expanse of a single color, integrally coloring the mix is a poor choice. The product likely will have some variation in color due to a number of factors already enumerated. Secondary coloring (antiquing, staining, speckling, highlighting, etc.) is the friend of integral coloring. The additional colors can draw the eye away from any variation and create a more pleasing, natural look for the job.

When money becomes tight the first move most companies make is to cut any perceived fluff in their budget. In most cases the easiest thing to do is to remove or dent your advertising budget. While this move may be necessary, is it the wisest decision?

Can you reduce your budget and still grow your company name and provide an increase in your lead generation?

The answer is YES! The process for achieving this is not always an easy task. Lets take a look at some FREE advertising opportunities and some smart internal marketing options.

Showcase Your Company
A great way to increase your company’s name and the type of work you specialize in is the ability to put your work on display for large audiences. Many people instantly think of trade shows, although these can be great opportunities, they can also be expensive. However the concept behind it is sound.

Throughout most of the United States, major grocery stores (Publix, Sweetbay, Albertson’s, ect..) or wholesale department stores (like Sam’s Club or Costco) begin to put up specific displays to promote products.

For example In a grocery store they have a promotion to push holiday treats or items for grilling. They will create a booth to create a unique look to catch the attention of their shoppers. This is now an opportunity for you to offer a display concept like an outdoor kitchen or a miniature waterfall that they can incorporate into their promotion. In most cases the store manager has no fee or charge for this opportunity and appreciates an upscale look for his clients to enjoy and aids in catching their maximum attention. In addition most of these displays last for 3-6 weeks.

Direct Mail Options
So many choices are available that deciding on the smartest option can be difficult. Have you ever said to yourself that “I am not a marketing guy”, although that may be true it does not mean you cannot make wise decisions on what you choose and how often you use it. Here are some helpful tips:

Evaluate each option carefully - There are 3 aspects that should guide your decision; purpose of the publication or piece, cost, actual direct mailed # (do not be fooled by total distribution # these are 2 separate amounts).

1.) Type of Publication
Just because something is cheap does not make it a great opportunity. Look at the size of ads on display and what other advertisers are marketing. If the bulk of the advertisers are quick buys like; pizza coupons, dry cleaning, $1-$20 coupons that should give you a sign to that publications ideal reader. They look for inexpensive weekend purchases. If your ticket sale that you are advertising is $1000 - $10,000 does a person who is searching for Domino’s pizza coupons have the right mindset to benefit from your ad?

On the other hand if the publication is a lifestyle type you need to think about how you approach that demographic. In most cases they are looking for a wow factor. You may put a 10% off or $200 off coupon and not receive the response you were looking for. This could be more on the deisgn of your ad and not on the discount you are giving.

2.) Cost
As a former publisher of 3 magazines I will be the first to tell you that everything is negotiable. A full page ad has a lot of appeal to it but it does not mean it will work better than a 1/4 or 1/2 page ad. A Rate Sheet is the basis to start a conversation not your final deal. Look to structure a display ad with editorial opportunities. But do not get caught up with flaunting yourself. Doing an article talking about how you love the community and your kid goes to school locally will not necessarily create great business. Focus the article on the key points you have to explain on the first sales visit.

What might these be:

What fears or concerns do you have to overcome with your prospect?

What makes your product different from other options?

How do you work with clients during and after the project is over?

If you can use an editorial to put at ease the concerns or fears of your prospective owner, it will increase the quality of the leads you receive off of that direct mail piece. This concept is especially true in the home improvement industry were people get burned on a regular basis.

3.) Distribution vs amount actually mailed
First off DO NOT take a publication at its word. Many publications manipulate their actual printing and mailing numbers. Whether they are doing it on purpose or calculating “Readership” it does not really matter. What you want to know is how many are direct mailed, are they direct mailed at the same time and to see the latest US Postal record (This form should have a stamped seal from USPS and dated). If you take the price of your ad vs. the amount direct mailed this will allow you to manage your response and cost per home. Compare that to ALL direct mail options and you can quickly figure out the smartest choice for your company.

Article written by Tony Leff of SureCrete Design

For most of the country the busy season is over in the Decorative concrete market. As you ponder on sources of income to get you from November 08 - February 09 the Specialty Concrete segment may prove to be your answer.

What is the Specialty Concrete Market?
Specialty concrete provides a medium in which one can create a unique one of a kind piece that stands above and separates itself from typical design choices.

In addition, specialty concrete pieces can be pre-casted off site. This removes the irritation of weather elements that can stifle or completely stop decorative concrete installation.

How easy is it to develop a Specialty Concrete market?
It starts with understanding what you want to create and design. Does your market have a need for any of the following:

* Concrete Countertops
* Concrete Furniture
* Sinks / Vanities/ Vessel’s / Back Splashs
* Shower Panels or Wall Panels
* Tombstones (Yes we thought this was odd at first too)
* Artwork
* Table Tops
* and much more…

What does it take to start?
In the past you would need a large facility to setup shop and a 2-4 week turnaround time for the creation of concrete pieces. That is no longer the case, new technologies has taken a frustrating market and simplified the technique and cured the space and time involved in each design.

Where can I get started?
The team at SureCrete Design Products has put together a system that takes advancements from multiple material science companies and made a single location for all your specialty concrete needs. The Xtreme Series Product Lines have opened the doors for the creation of High PSI concrete artwork and designs. With an 10,000+ PSI strength and a flexural strength of 1,495 PSI this material can be shaped and bent, that’s right we said BENT, into any shape, size and design.

The cure time on this product allows you to pour the material and in 4 hours be able to take the piece out of the mold and begin the next stage. You can begin staining immediately. If your desire is to polish you can begin that stage in as little as 8 hours. A traditional concrete countertop that may take 10-21 days to complete can now be done and installed in less than 72 hours. With the ability to pull the piece out of the mold in 4-8 hours you can rack your pieces in order to minimize the space you need for production.

We will discuss in the next addition to this subject a forming system that matches teh speed of the Xtreme Series product line. If you would like to know more on this subject please visit www.SureCreteDesign.com or call 1-800-544-8488

If I asked you to write down the most important aspects that reflect on your company’s image what would say?

* Appearance of personnel
* Appearance of company vehicles
* Business marketing materials
* Technique and Installation process

All of these points are very true. The most valuable asset you have is the reputation your company holds within the business community. If a job goes south on you, the repercussions can be devastating.

How can you protect yourself against tainting your company reputation?

Partner yourself with individuals that approach the job with the same respect that you do. Nothing is worse than creating a masterpiece for an owner and having the project become a nightmare.

When you look a the situation you realize your knowledge on the matter was sound, your employees who did the work were trained properly, your finishing technique was executed to perfection.

Where did this job go south and cause your company image to become tainted?

The answer to your dilemma could be in the company you choose to partner up with too supply your material. Inconsistency in the blending of the materials, cost & timing of delivery and poor technical support can be the result of cash flow issues within an organization. When this occurs many companies begin too cheat on their formulas or staff in order to compensate for poor cash flow. The result becomes increased pain and anxiety on your job sites as you struggle to explain the delays or failures in your projects.

We at SureCrete understand the pain and lingering effects that this has on your company’s reputation. Throughout the 2008 business year we have made changes at great expense to aid the Decorative and Specialty Concrete industry as a whole. We realize that if we do not support our suppliers and installers with a consistent reliable product, live technical support with an affordable cost structure we will no longer serve a purpose.

With that being said we would like the opportunity to partner with your company and be an asset to your reputation and image. Why do we feel this way?

* We blend ALL our materials ourselves which allows us to manage the quality and consistency of our product.
* Single Component Bag Mix’s reduce your shipping cost in 1/2.
* We have negotiated the BEST pallet rates in the industry to keep delivery costs low.
* We have made available 24/7 technical support.

We thank everyone for their business in 2008 and we look forward to serving you even better in the new year!
www.SureCreteDesign.com or 1-800-544-8488 for more information

Previously we discussed one frequently asked question, “Can you make my concrete countertop look like granite?” Our response in general was to beware of this customer. But what if this is our ultimate customer? One with enormous artistic vision …one that truly thinks outside the form! With this customer you have the opportunity to create that one of a kind concrete countertop that resembles the look of granite or marble through the addition of aggregates, yet has the “concrete funk” effect.

This all sounds great! A truly challenging project, what could go wrong?

Countertop was made by Salinas Construction and sealed with Polyurea from SureCrete

The aggregates could go wrong.

Among the things to consider when choosing from the thousands aggregates available are:

• PSI
• Metallic objects
• Flaky or naturally layered

PSI – This is one of the most important considerations of a potential aggregate for your countertop. Using a low psi aggregate, such as limestone, can be a problem. Why? Because it’s not compatible with today’s advanced concrete mixes that can achieve strengths of 6,000-11,000 psi. When grinding and polishing a high psi concrete surface combined with an aggregate with a low psi, you end up with a depression in the area that contained the aggregate piece. What happened? The dust created through the grinding process has wallowed out the lower psi material and left you with a low spot that your slurry coat will cover, thereby covering any aggregate you had intended to expose.
Conversely, a high psi aggregate, such as glass, can leave a “mound” when combined with a low psi concrete mix. The surrounding area around the glass has deteriorated faster due to the dust particulate wallowing away the concrete.
Whenever possible try to match high psi aggregate with high psi countertop mix. To be particularly safe wait several days before grinding to ensure sufficient cure the concrete to grind safely.

Metallic Objects – Use caution when choosing metal. Any metal with iron will rust at some point within your countertop. Usually this happens within the first few days and the result will be rust stains around your intended aggregate, and non-payment. What’s the cure? Throw it away and start over, losing days of formwork and learning a hard lesson.

Flaky or Naturally Layered Aggregates – Micas are the main culprit here. Although tempting in beauty and color, use caution in selection. Your vision may include these gems of the earth, but usually they fall apart when grinding. If they make it through grinding, the sealing process will amplify imperfections, especially using water based sealers.

So, did we learn anything? Remember to start simple and experiment. Following some of these guidelines will hopefully help. That’s the 911 on aggregates. Next time: the easiest way to color and most effective sales tool will be our focus. Think outside the form!

Article written by SureCrete Design Countertop trainer Chris Franzen. To learn more about this subject or other concrete countertop questions please email him at Whatsnew@SureCreteDesign.com

On the coastline of the worlds largest man-made island sits Atlantis - The Palm. The 1,539 room, ocean-themed resort is home to one of the largest open-air marine habitats in the world, with some 65,000 marine animals in lagoons and displays including The Lost Chambers, a maze of underwater corridors and passageways providing a journey through ancient Atlantis.

SureCrete was called upon to provide a solution to help bring the Lost Chambers (also known as the “Dig”),the age old mythical city to life.
The result was a product called Eco-Stain.

Why was Eco-Stain chosen over reactive acid stain?

With the multitude of companies working simultaneously on the creation of the Atlantis project, the management team could not afford to have down time or product issues. Reactive Acid stain would require the need for a large amount of water for the neutralization stage, the VOC’s from the reaction with the concrete would cause all other contractors to leave the area being worked on and the old world look could not afford the stain producing a color or shade not intended.

After weighing all those factors, they worked closely with SureCrete and the Eco-Stain product line. With one product they were able to find a solution to all their concerns. Eco-Stain allowed them to keep all contracting divisions working, remove the process of neutralization and cleanup, allow custom colors and shades while keeping the variegated look of real Egyptian stone and removed concerns over the amount of time and labor needed to complete this stage of the project.

Article was written by SureCrete Design Products. For more information on this company please visit this link www.SureCreteDesign.com

We all appreciate tools that make an installer’s life easier. When those tools are under a hundred dollars, you can cramp from smiling. Here are the Whisperer’s favorites in order:

1) Cage Mixer manufactured by Smith Industries in Dade City, FL. for $84.00

Why we like it – If you’ve ever mixed a 50 lb. bag in a 5 gal. pail, you’ll love this mixer. It pulls the mud down, instead of throwing it all over your legs. The design allows you to smoothly scrape the round sides of your bucket and ride the bottom. No chunks of mud are left unmixed.

What we would change – offer a threaded head to connect to hand- held mixers, not just the flat hex head for ½” drills.

2) Steel Squeegee (epoxy finisher) manufactured by Bon Tools in Gibsonia, PA for $37.00

Why we like it – It’s like a trowel on a stick. We hate bending over or working on our knees when we can stand up straight and save the back.

What we would change – Change the angle of the blade; make it straight, not angled on the handle. Offer rounded corners to prevent tracking.

3) Baby Chapin (1 ½ qt. hand sprayer, model 1046) manufactured by Chapin in Batavia, NY for $22.79

Why we like it – For detail work it beats lugging around a hefty sprayer with a clumsy hose. The Baby Chapin is even equipped with Viton seals. It will spray most anything. The pump action saves the repetitive squeeze of other hand sprayers. The handle design allows you to hang the sprayer from a back pocket while working.

What we would change – Make it last longer, they tend to break down all too quickly.

4) Flex Bed Spiked Shoes manufactured by Midwest Rake in Warsaw, IN for $96.00

Why we like it – Because we like our feet even more. Comfortable and flexible are what we want when walking through a wet job. Why wasn’t this thought of sooner?

What we would change – The price. Come on, $96.00 is steep!

5) SP pump-up acid sprayer (2 gal., model 02SP20A) manufactured by SP Systems in Santa Monica, CA for $108.00 (OK it’s over a hundred bucks)

Why we like it – This sprayer not only handles acid well, it puts out the volume that a pro needs. We prefer the fan tip for volume and the cone tip for coloring. Since we’ve sworn off acid for staining, you’d think we’d find a replacement for the SP. But when you need to dampen a slab to put out a coat of any cement based overlay, you can’t beat this sprayer.

What we would change – The price. And the handle. Although the handle has a locking position after you pump it up, it will unlock and the sprayer will drop the length of the shaft that the handle attaches. This feature is rather annoying, but not a deal breaker.

These tools are, at best, only among a longer list that will make installing easier. You no doubt have your favorites. If you haven’t tried these, at least consider it. What have you got to lose? At most a hundred bucks!

Next we will tackle an issue that is problematic in decorative concrete: color matching. Live long and cementitiously prosper.

Article written by Charles Leland, Head Trainer and Technical Support for SureCrete Design Products.
www.SureCreteDesign.com