Styles

By styles we are referring to the differnent ways the concrete can appear. The simplest style will have a single, almost uniform color. This is sometimes specified when the client is trying to make a simple statement and usually has a more or less specific color in mind to go with the decor.

Some artists produce an exposted aggregate style, where the surface has been gound to reveal the sand and gravel in the interior of the concrete.

Another style, less commom. is the stamped style. In this style, the concrete is embossed to give it a certain texture, such as unfinished natural stone. The stamped style can me somewhat harder to clean, but if it is not too aggresive, cleaning is not usually an issue.

Multi-colored concrete is another style which employs two of more colors of concrete. This can be done to produce a varigated appearance, geometric designs, or other effects. Multi colered countertops can have a very striking apearance and are only limited by the artist's imagination and skill.

The Ashby style, invented by Ben Ashby, uses a proprietary technique to produce some of the most stunning concrete countertops to be found. It produces tonal ranges withing each color used, whether single or multi-colored, and has vein's which have yet another color and a relief and texture. The position, shape, size, texture, and color of the veins can all be controlled by the artist, though there is an amount of randomness in the outcome, that makes it look more like natural stones like granite and marble. Mr. Ashby has trained many other artists to use his techniques.

The Stained style uses acid stains or dye stains to re-color the concrete after it is fabricated. This can be done to achieve colors that are difficult to achieve through integral coloring, but is often sone to produce random color variations of subtle to very bold colors. Acid stains can be quite beautiful and at times, unpredicible. Dye stains usually lack the depth and beauty of acid stains, but there predictabilty make them especially good for applying through stencils for geometric designs or logos etc. All staining systems, are only skin deep. Coloring on non die counterops, is generally intregral, going all the way through the concrete.

Some astists can use combination of these styles. The more complicated styles or combinations of styles, become more labor intensive and require more materials to produce, and will generally be more expensive. As with most things, you get what you pay for, but even the simplest of styles, can bring timeless beauty and added value to any home or business.

Embedments are objects which are placed into the concrete surface. This can be all sorts of things, coin, geodes, fossils, gears, etc. If this interests you, talk it over with your artist and see if he will do that, and what problems he foresees if any.

Samples of all these styles will be shown in the Gallery at a future time.