All building materials will eventually degrade due to the impact of the environment, wear and tear from normal use and eventually will need repair to prolong the life of the structure or surface it is being used for. Repairable is utmost when being considered when designing a project. Concrete’s repairable lends it’s self high on the designers lists, as concrete usually does not have to be replaced, only repaired if reinforced and constructed correctly. In North Dakota, a building which was thought to be unrepairable, after 3o years of innovation of synthetic materials and with Continue Reading…
One Stop Shopping, I have heard it most of my life and I was interested in when and where that phrase came about. It has of coarse become one of the phrases large retail companies and wholesale companies use today. So I did some Goggling and Continue Reading…
I flew this year to vacation for the Holidays and went through 3 different airports. I must say they all have done really well trying to make the passenger as comfortable as can be. Continue Reading…
Concrete began being used by humans in ancient Rome. It has continued to be an important construction material through today -- owing its current popularity to its positive environmental properties such as saving energy, using readily available, non-toxic components, and its durability.
Here are some of the environmental benefits of concrete:
1) Natural and recycled materials are used to make concrete. Concrete is made from three abundantly available ingredients- water, aggregate(stone, sand and gravel), and Portland cement (gypsum and calcium sulfate).
2) Durability- Concrete is strong, adaptable and resistant to fire, water and weather. It has a longer service life than wood, steel, asphalt and other construction products. Concrete’s durability conserves resources by reducing maintenance and the need for reconstruction. When concrete has ended its service life, it can be crushed and reused as aggregate for new concrete.
3) Energy Efficiency -- Concrete’s thermal mass saves energy throughout the seasons because it reduces temperature swings. During hot weather, concrete will require cooling mainly at night when electric companies can produce power more efficiently and preserve fossil fuels. During the cold months, concrete buildings cost less to heat.
One of the chief challenges of the use of concrete in home interiors- such as in floors and countertops, has been its aesthetic value- not so high for interior use! however, all that has changed. Today, acid staining and polishing provide almost endless possibilities for interior designs. Call Colonial Floor Care today to learn more about how concrete the concrete in your home can be transformed into a beautiful design element! Don’t replace, cover or paint your concrete- all Colonial Floor Care!
Modern technology provides us with two common procedures for treating, coloring and sealing concrete floor, countertops, patios etc. They are Concrete Acid Staining and Concrete Polishing.
Why Acid Staining? Before this process was developed, concrete dyes were commonly used. Early concrete dyes consisted of generic printing inks that were dissolved in mild solutions of alcohol and applied to concrete surfaces to add color to grey concrete. There were problems with these earlier dyes. When alcohol-based dyes are exposed to sunlight, the color either lightens or fades completely.
Manufacturers moved beyond these alcohol based dyes because of the fading problems. They began dissolving these same printing inks in different carriers such as acetone, lacquer thinner and other solvents. UV inhibiting agents were added to new dyes to help with UV instability issues. While the results were improved color maintenance, there was still substantial fading when exposed to sunlight.
Acid staining was developed to address the fading concerns, but also the toxicity concerns. Acid staining does not entail dyeing or pigment coloring systems, but rather, it is a chemical reaction. the non-toxic chemicals used in concrete acid staining bond with the compounds in the concrete and change the chemical composition of the concrete surface, creating a permanent, non-fading, durable surface.
Concrete polishing allows the use of multiple grain level polishing heads to achieve a high shine, durable, non porous surface that is a chemical free sealer and shining process. We’ve come a long way in terms of concrete. This is important because concrete is an inexpensive, plentiful and environmentally safe construction material that because of its malleability, has endless application possibilities.
Colonial Floor Care has developed an expertise in these methods because of their many benefits to the consumer and the environment. Our processes make housecleaning easy!
One of the ongoing issues for homeowners with garages is the care and matenance of their garage floor. From oil drips to cracks and scrapes from heavy equipment, maintaing a clean and stable surface can be a great challenge.
My father used to scrub the garage floor every few months then once every other year or so he would repaint it, which as you can imagine, was a realy work intensive project.
Well now there is a revolutionary way to seal and repair your concrete garage floor, while making it really attractive!
Concerete Poishing -- We use a state of the art, proprietary process that seals, levels and shines your concrete garage floor, making it durable, smooth, beautiful and stain resistent. What more could anyone ask for?
Furthermore, this finish lasts 10-15 years. An occassional hose down is all that is needed to maintain it. If you want to add dramatic color to your garage floor, yu can choose your own color and we will create a stain to color your floor.
Best of all, our process is completely green- no toxic chemicals are needed!
We will be discussing the many exciting options for concrete staining, coloring(tinting) and polishing that are now available to dramatically enhance your conrete floor’s appearnace and durability.