Concrete and Cement Finishing

Use a creative concrete finishing technique and lend character to basic cement conceptions
By Sue Darnell, Freelance Writer In building, remodeling and home design, concrete and cement finishing can bring surprising pizazz and energy to the overall look, both inside and outside. Cement finishing has come a long way over the years and evolved into a design element all its own.

Driveways, patios, garages and carports can all be made more interesting by the type of cement finish you choose. Nowadays, builders incorporate specialty cement finishes into residential interiors. Homeowners often find the modern, contemporary look of concrete finishing techniques such as polishing cement to be both beautiful and beneficial in ease of maintenance.

Think about concrete concepts in design:

1. Stick with basic, traditional concrete finishing for smooth cement finishes in foundations, basements and garages. Smooth cement finishing also works well for kitchen countertops. Projects such as remodeling warehouses for residential occupancy work well with these countertop concrete finishes.

2. Stamp and pattern designs in concrete finishing make beautiful accents on patios and driveways.

3. Some glossy cement finishing techniques (such as polishing cement) give such an elegant look to the finished area that it’s hard to tell the material is simple concrete.

Locate a concrete contractor in your area with a concrete reputation

Look for concrete and cement finishing contractors with experience in various modern methods of cement finishes so you have design variety for all kinds of jobs.
Try:  ConcreteNetwork.com posts many types of concrete and cement finishing jobs, including concrete repair. Click on the type of concrete you want or the area that needs concrete finishing, such as driveway, patio or foundation. ConcreteIdeas has a list of concrete contractors in the U.S. and Canada.

Go glamorous with cement finishing and add creative accents

Concrete finishing nowadays includes projects finished in colors and all kinds of design patterns to bring exciting character to inside floors or outside areas.
Try:  A-One Cement Finishing Co., Inc. in Rhode Island has a great array of stamp and design patterns on their website. View examples and get ideas to offer your customers. Perfect Polish uses a dry polish process to create a beautiful and eco-friendly finish.

Ask concrete questions about polishing cement to polish off the finished look for customers

Polishing cement is a technique done with heavy-duty polishing machines, but doesn't use waxes. It gives a finish that makes floors easy to clean, requiring only damp mopping.
Try:  Concrete Reflections Inc. has a posting for most-often asked questions, explaining in detail the polishing cement technique. Get questions answered about the polished concrete look that is rapidly growing in popularity.

• Concrete countertops made from colored concrete add interest to kitchens in most any style home.
• Engraving concrete is another concrete finishing technique that can add an elegant touch to any area.
• Aesthetic appeal increases with the beauty of specialized concrete finishing, both inside and out. Driveways and walkways stamped, engraved and patterned add great curb appeal.
• Basic flat work application done well also looks great and is budget friendly.