A new competition recognizes excellence in concrete homes, renovations and decor

text by SHERRY A. BOYD • photography by Phil Kean, Phil Kean Designs, Winter Park, Florida. Courtesy of AIBD.

A new American Residential Design Awards (ARDA) for concrete décor design competition launches in 2012. The ARDA will serve to increase awareness of the techniques, technologies and green benefits of using architectural and decorative concrete in the built environment, both at home and in the community. As a part of the prestigious ARDA managed by the American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) in Washington, D.C., it will enjoy national prominence from the outset.

Americans are as passionate as ever about home ownership. During challenging economic times, homeowners have maintained an interest in personalizing their home, décor, amenities and even landscapes. The broad range of home improvement programming on television expresses the magnitude of this phenomenon.

Americans demonstrate an incomparable desire to express individuality in their homes, whether delving into the myriad of details it takes when designing and building a new home from the ground up, repurposing a barn or a loft as a dwelling place, restoring an historic home, or embarking on continual home improvement. Over the decades, styles have changed and evolved dramatically.

RIGHT TIME FOR CONCRETE
Homeowners are at home with concrete, and it is the right time to recognize these changes.
The quest for using more sustainable and green materials at home has affected the choices homeowners make. The result is much greater interest and readiness to seek concrete home building and use of exposed concrete and cementitious finishes for floors and walls — even molding sinks or countertops for custom baths and kitchens.

Other factors have changed our attitudes and preferences. As the home office has gained popularity, working at home required a fresh look at the use of space. New electronic media have been incorporated throughout the home for both work and entertainment. Active indoor/outdoor lifestyles and the attention on exterior amenities for dining and relaxing also have changed materials selection with priority placed on durability, reducing maintenance, and building green.

A category of the new ARDA will be Sustainable Concrete Home Design, which features whole house design and building.

THE NEW ARDA COMPETITION
The ARDA-Concrete Decor Design Competition will be announced officially at a special event Feb. 21 in San Antonio, Texas, during the opening of the 2012 Concrete Decor Show. Entries must be submitted online at www.AIBD.org by May 31 for judging during June. In this first year, there is not a limitation to the date in which the project was designed or constructed. The winners of the 2012 ARDA-Concrete Decor Awards will be recognized at the AIBD National Convention Aug. 8 in Wilmington, N.C. A tribute to award winners will appear in the August/September issue of Concrete Decor, Concrete Homes and other building industry publications.
The categories include:
•    Sustainable Concrete Home Design – whole house design and building, including single family homes to vacation homes and other new construction projects, as well as multifamily
•    Home Office/Studio and Workshop Design – using architectural and decorative concrete
•    Home Renovation and Improvements – Remodeling existing spaces or building additions using decorative concrete materials
•    Outdoor Living – outdoor kitchens, patios, pools, spas, walkways and landscapes
•    Kitchen Design and Fabrication – precast or cast-in-place fabrication in conjunction with other decorative concrete
•    Bath and Spa Design and Fabrication – precast or cast-in-place fabrication in conjunction with other decorative concrete
•    Interior Floor Design and Artistry – staining, polished concrete and resurfacing, including terrazzo, cementitious toppings and coatings
•    Community and Retail Renovations – public areas and community projects using decorative concrete, as well as light commercial projects like retail, restaurant or hospitality.

The outdoor living category includes outdoor kitchens, patios, pools, spas and landscapes.

A Best of 2012 Award may also be selected where a clear winner is evident. An award may be given in each category for single family, multifamily and community development projects. If warranted by the quality and quantity of entries, three top awards may be given in each of the categories.

A panel of expert judges will rate the submissions on these five criteria.
1.    Aesthetic value and use of color
2.    Superior design and craftsmanship
3.    Innovative use of materials and methods
4.    Green building, including recycled materials, durability and sustainability
5.    Overall creativity

The AIBD, a nonprofit professional organization established to protect and enhance the ability of its members to practice building design in 1950, has been managing the prestigious awards program now know as ARDA for 60 years. The AIBD brings the methodology, structure and respect in the industry to add greater credibility and visibility to this initiative. The judging of the awards competition will be managed by AIBD and will involve independent judges selected to add relevant expertise to each of the categories.
Detailed submission requirements will be on the ARDA awards site. Professional quality, high-resolution photography is required. A fee to cover the administrative costs for each submission will be required.

Those who enter will be encouraged to provide credits for the entire building project team. Submissions may be entered by anyone in the team, including specialty subcontractors, as well as design-build firms, builders, architects, and professional building designers. A release giving ARDA and Concrete Decor  publication rights for the project profiles and photos is required.

COMPETITION SUPPORT
Sponsorship opportunities are available through Bent Mikkelsen, CEO of Professional Trade Publications. “This exciting new partnership between Concrete Decor and AIBD in developing a design competition that focuses on concrete applications is very exciting for us,” Mikkelsen said. “While decorative concrete is used extensively in a variety of building environments, including residential, this awards program will help the public and our industry to better understand and appreciate the many ways concrete can be used as a durable and highly aesthetic architectural building material.

“We are looking forward to seeing this partnership develop over the next several years to become a mainstay in the industry. This is a big opportunity for contractors, builders and designers because it presents a valuable opportunity to be recognized for quality workmanship throughout the building industry. We also are looking forward to seeing the winners of this design competition get industry-wide recognition.”

The third annual Concrete Decor Show, sponsored in part by Concrete Homes magazine, will be Feb. 20-24 in San Antonio. The event will provide training, continuing education, networking opportunities and demonstration projects showcasing general excellence in the decorative concrete industry. During the show, officials will announce next year’s inductees into the Decorative Concrete Hall of Fame, founded by Professional Trade Publications to cultivate creativity, promote awareness of decorative concrete and stimulate demand. Owned and operated by Professional Trade Publications, the Concrete Decor Show (www.ConcreteDecorShow.com) is the industry’s only annual trade event dedicated to advancing the decorative concrete industry.

Award-winning, exterior decorative concrete patio and pool deck design and construction by Gregory Mata, owner of Cutting Edge Decorative Concrete, Richfield, Ohio.

Sherry A. Boyd is director of communications for the Concrete Decor Show. She may be contacted at sboyd@protradepub.com.

The Greenbuild 2010 Legacy Project will demonstrate the next generation of affordable housing by comparing energy performance for two similar Habitat for Humanity homes, one built with ICFs (left) and the other with lumber-framed walls.

Sticks and foam just don’t stack up against ICF air tight qualities

text by Stacey Enesey Klemenc
photography courtesy of BILTMORE INSULATED CONCRETE INC.

JUST outside of Chicago in Waukegan, Ill., the Greenbuild 2010 Legacy Project is all about comparing apples to apples in an energy consumption study.

In this particular case, it involves two side-by-side 1,300-square-foot one-story homes built on concrete slab foundations. Each three-bedroom, one-bath ranch has the same floor plan, elevation, windows, doors, mechanical systems and drywall interiors.

But there’s one big dissimilarity: Each has a different exterior wall assembly.

“Home A features state-of-the-art LOGIX Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) and panelized construction, while Home B was built using conventional lumber-framed construction with spray-foam insulation,” says Eric Barton, owner of Biltmore Insulated Concrete Inc. in Highland Park, Ill.

Fiber-cement siding and a metal roof complete the ICF home’s exterior, while vinyl siding and concrete roof tiles were used on the lumber-framed home.

The ICF house’s stacked blocks fit together precisely — much like Legos — to form a continual wall of expanded polystyrene foam insulation on the inside and outside. These 2¾-inch stay-in-place forms contain a 6.25-inch concrete core, says Barton, a National Association of Home Builders’ certified Graduate Master Builder. He has been in the construction business for about 25 years and has been building with ICFs since 2005.

Comparatively, the house next door was built with 2-by-6 advanced framing at 24 inches on center. The lumber-framed house has 4 inches of open-cell spray foam insulation in the walls’ cavities and 1-inch XPS foam board sheathing wrapped with an air infiltration barrier. Both the framing and the insulating materials are well beyond what is required by code.

In November 2010, both homes were built by volunteer crews with donated materials as a Greenbuild demonstration project that benefited the Habitat of Humanity Lake County. Barton, a member of the Chicago chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) — the nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction that hosts the annual Greenbuild convention — largely worked with representatives of the Portland Cement Association to train the ICF house’s volunteer crew.

AIR TIGHT ATTRIBUTE
According to the USGBC, about a quarter of the heating losses and gains in a new home is due to air leakage through the thermal envelope. The Legacy Project aims to demonstrate how this percentage can be substantially reduced through better air sealing techniques. Tighter sealed homes not only consume less energy because of the reduced air infiltration, the USGBC asserts, but they also are more comfortable with fewer drafts. In the long run, they are more durable by reducing the flow of moisture and lessening the risk of condensation within the exterior envelope.

When the two Legacy homes were completed, a blower door test was conducted to determine the air tightness of each building. The test involves a special fabric placed over a front or back door coupled with a fan. The fan pulls the air out of the house until a certain pressure differential is reached, which is measured in Pascals. When 50 Pascals is achieved, testing equipment then measures how many cubic feet per minute of actual air is exiting the house over the course of an hour.

The blower door test measures air tightness.

According to results gathered by Kouba-Cavallo Associates Inc., the ICF house registered 1.15 air changes per hour (ACH) at 50 Pascals, while the lumber-framed house registered 2.76 ACH. “This is like a mile-per-gallon rating on a house for air infiltration — the lower the ACH number, the better. The higher the ACH number, the leakier a house is,” Barton explains.

The walls built with LOGIX ICFs have a 21 percent greater R-value than the lumber-framed walls but they tested 2.4 times tighter against air infiltration.

Overall, the ICF home tested 2.4 times air tighter than the lumber-framed home. “One of the greatest things about ICF walls is that they are super air tight because there are no construction joints,” he says.

The lumber-framed walls, on the other hand, have gaps wherever two panels meet, as well as gaps at each butt joint. “Spray foam does a lot better job at insulating than fiberglass batts because the foam expands and fills much of these gaps,” Barton says. “But it doesn’t do as good a job at air sealing as ICFs.”

The ICF walls went up faster and provided an air-tight envelope.

Building codes are changing and will become even more stringent in the future, Barton says. For example, back in 2009 the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) allowed for a “visual inspection” rather than a blower-door test to measure air tightness. In 2012, the IECC will require builders to conduct the blower test and achieve a rating of 3.0 ACH. In 2009, that number was 7.0.

“The energy and building codes are catching up to the way we should be building,” Barton says. “The codes are starting to demand more energy-efficient construction.”

The walls built with LOGIX ICFs have a 21 percent greater R-value than the lumber-framed walls but they tested 2.4 times tighter against air infiltration.

R-VALUES CAN BE DECEIVING
Surprisingly, there wasn’t as big a difference in the R-values of each home’s walls. The R-value for the lumber-framed house was 20.13, while the ICF house’s walls measured 24.63. Both of these numbers exceed the minimum 16.17 R-value required for framed walls in Climate Zone 5 by the 2009 IECC.

“Even though the R-values of the two walls are similar, each performed substantially different in the air changes-per-hour testing,” Barton says.

This project demonstrates that when it comes to wall assemblies, he continues, the R-value isn’t the only thing that should be considered. “This demonstration of two buildings with the same layout and location clearly shows that it’s not the R-value but the air infiltration rate that’s important.”

The lumber-framed house’s wall design surpasses building code requirements and is superior to the typical framed assemblies in the industry.

And although the building industry is looking toward spray foam for air-tight construction, “It’s hard to compete with the air tightness of ICF walls. You have 100 percent continuous insulation on both sides of the wall. And you complete the air seal with the concrete pour.”

Another thing that hurts a traditionally framed house is there are long joints where two dissimilar materials meet. “The (concrete slab) foundation has to tie into the bottom plate of lumber-framed walls, resulting in air infiltration. You can’t really spray there,” he says. “ICFs are solid all the way up,” from the top of the footing to the roof structure.

FEELING THE HEAT
Heating systems in both homes consist of radiant floors heated by a gas boiler that also handles each household’s domestic hot water. A heat recovery ventilator moves the air in the homes and also vents in fresh air. There is no furnace or traditional HVAC system, Barton notes.

Both homes currently are on track to achieve LEED for Homes Gold certification, Barton says. “Actual energy performance data will be tracked and published for both homes (after a full year of operation).”

Preliminary data point to the ICF house consuming almost a third less gas than the lumber-framed house next door. But the five-month meter reading period from June to December 2011 revealed the ICF house also consumed just over 11 percent more electricity.

“It seems the consumer electrical plug loads are larger in the ICF home,” Barton says. “Without separate mechanical systems metering, it is hard to separate the laptops, TVs, microwaves, lamps, leaving lights on and so on. I think the big data is the heating data from the winter, which is (going on) now.” CH

The lumber-framed house’s wall design surpasses building code requirements and is superior to the typical framed assemblies in the industry.

Stick-framed house

Editor’s note: When the final data is in, Concrete Homes will publish the results of the study.

Stacey Enesey Klemenc is a free-lance writer and editor in Virginia Beach, Va. She has worked with the residential building industry in various capacities for more than 20 years.

Bob Harris

The Concrete Decor Show is pleased to announce Bob Harris of the Decorative Concrete Institute (DCI) as the keynote speaker on Tuesday evening, February 21 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. As part of the Welcome Reception and Awards Program, Harris will discuss “Going the Distance with Decorative Concrete.” While sharing his insights on the challenges faced by the decorative concrete industry and how we can make the most of the growing popularity of decorative concrete globally, Harris will discuss trends and changes he foresees on the road ahead.

ConcreteIDEAS.com is sponsoring the keynote speaker.

When Bob Harris was inducted into the Decorative Concrete Hall of Fame in 2010, Bent Mikkelsen, CEO of Professional Trade Publications and publisher of Concrete Decor magazine, said this in his introduction:

“Bob Harris has changed our expectations of training for decorative concrete and set new standards. With a quest to continuously improve his craft, he reached out to learn from artists, muralists, faux finishers and other artisans to bring a fresh way of looking at decorative concrete that has benefited all of us. He had the good fortune to work on Disney properties where creative uses of concrete and attention to detail were pushed as far as possible, and he generously shared the perspective and skills he gained through outstanding training programs throughout the United States and in Canada, the Caribbean, Germany, England, Greece Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, South Africa, Spain — to name just a few. As an independent trainer, he published Bob Harris’ Guides and DVDs, popular bestsellers that have improved the quality of work in decorative concrete.“

With his depth of experience and passion for quality, Bob was not satisfied with the state of existing tools and materials on the market. In 2009, he introduced a new line of exceptionally realistic stamping tools called Palladiano — Wonders of the World, distributed through Brickform. The patterns replicate historic stone and rockwork, and were produced by making and refining molds at historic European locations. In 2010, DCI introduced Terra Fresco by Bob Harris, a versatile skimcoat line and coloring system distributed by Kemiko.

Bob is also the official spokesperson for Surface Gel Tek.

Bob’s pedigree in concrete is far-reaching. Starting at the age of 3, he learned the fundamentals of good concrete practice from his father, Robert J. Harris. In the mid 1990s, after working six years supervising “themed” concrete installations on Disney properties, he became director of product training for a large materials manufacturer. Bob conducted hands-on architectural concrete training and became the go-to guy for technical support. He carried out product trials for research and development. His passion for sharing his experiences with seasoned veterans and beginners around the world led him to form Decorative Concrete Institute in Temple, Ga. There, he conducts training in his own showroom and training facility and in locations around the world. A full schedule of his workshops is available on his website: http://decorativeconcreteinstitute.com/

For more information on the Concrete Decor Show, visit www.ConcreteDecorShow.com or call (877) 935-8906.

Bob Harris with dog Zeke

Background About the Concrete Decor Show

text by Barry Herbert
photography courtesy of HERBERT CONSTRUCTION CO.

THE advancements in technology in the past few years have affected the foundation business in a profound way. When I started working in the construction industry 45 years ago, we had very little of what we now consider technology.

To get the full picture of our advancements, we need to look back at some of the devices that weren’t available four decades ago or that have been vastly improved during that time. The list includes calculators, computers, mobile phones, smart phones, fax machines, digital transits, total stations, robotic total stations, computer-aided design (CAD), GPS, laser levels, concrete pumps, boom trucks, aluminum forms, laser-controlled screeds and concrete mixes designs.

Pocket calculators weren’t available until about the mid-seventies. I remember a young engineer coming to work with the first “pocket” calculator I had ever seen. It was about ¾-inch thick and wouldn’t fit in most shirt pockets. The calculator would add, subtract, multiply and divide — that’s all. It had red LED numbers that you couldn’t read outside in the sunlight. On top of that, it cost just over $100 (in mid-seventies dollars). We were, however, absolutely awestruck by what it could do.

Back then, electric adding machines were the rage and worked just fine if you only wanted to add. All concrete yardages were figured by hand or with a slide-rule. We squared our foundations using the Pythagorean Theorem requiring the knowledge of the intricacies of square root. I doubt that many people in construction today can calculate the square root of whole numbers, let alone building dimensions involving feet, inches and fractions of an inch. I know I don’t remember how. Many of the dollar stores now sell tiny calculators for — you guessed it — $1. They will do the same as the mid-seventies version, plus have memory features, and perform square root with the push of a button.

A computer was a machine that took up an entire room; cost millions of dollars and ordinary businesses did not own one. Now they’re as common as concrete contractors at the World of Concrete. Grade school kids not only own them, but can run them better than I ever hope to.

When we needed to order concrete or any other material, we had to leave the jobsite, drive around looking for a phone booth and hope no one else was using it. Then bag phones became available. If you happened to be near a cell tower you might be able to use it without the call being dropped. The per-minute cell charges were outrageous. Now, many plans offer free calling on mobile to mobile calls, and have coverage almost everywhere. Smart phones, combining cell phones with computers, have become almost ubiquitous.
What we now refer to as a fax machine was originally invented by Alexander Bain in 1843 (yes, 1843). But even with many improvements, they never really took off until the 1980s, primarily because the technology wasn’t there to support it. Now every office and many homes have one. Ironically, newer technology has already made the fax machine practically obsolete.

Forty-five years ago, large buildings were laid out using transits; then there were digital transits, total stations and now robotic total stations.  Robotic total stations, coupled with modern CAD systems have greatly increased efficiency and accuracy.

Many foundation contractors today draw every job on CAD. This insures that the working drawings they have been given are drawn correctly. Subsequently, each building corner is assigned a coordinate number that is downloaded into a total station. The entire jobsite can usually be laid out with one person and from one location, regardless of steep banks and complicated plans. With the same information downloaded once, the footings and walls can be laid out. Later, after the wall forms are set, the tops of the forms can be verified for correct positioning with the robotic total station prior to placing concrete.

GPS systems, coupled with total stations, are able to position the foundation exactly where it belongs through the use of global positioning satellites. Those same foundations that were constructed using a builder’s level years ago are now built with high tech laser levels.
Back in the 1980s, one of my employees and I spent most of one day laying out a relatively complicated basement with numerous elevation changes. We went home with a feeling of accomplishment and the next day a footing crew was sent out to start forming the footings. About an hour and a half later the crew came back to say that kids in the neighborhood had removed and thrown away every stake we had put in. I’m sure the kids had a lot of fun, but it cost us a day’s work. Today, with modern equipment, it wouldn’t have been nearly as big of a deal to re-establish the corners.

The first concrete pump I remember seeing worked reasonably well – if it was working at all. But you had to have some other means of placing the concrete on standby when, not if, something went wrong.

Conversely, today’s concrete pumps are practically indispensable to most foundation contractors.

Boom trucks or crane trucks were certainly around 45 years ago, but the improvements to them are vast. Our first one had a 16-foot reach from center pin, which meant if you dared drive parallel to the dirt bank you possibly could pick up a stack of forms from inside the basement.

We started with wood forms that we built in my dad’s barn using 4-foot by 8-foot sheets of ¾-inch plywood. Each form weighed about 150 pounds before any concrete stuck to them. Aluminum forms were relatively new then and seemingly cost prohibitive. Most people wouldn’t think of aluminum forms as being high tech, but when we finally could afford them, the advantages were staggering.

Laser controlled screeds for large commercial and industrial projects have been, for a number of years, the best way to construct high quality floor slabs with the least amount of labor.

Recently they have started to move into the residential market and the improved flatness control will be a welcome addition.

New and improved concrete mix designs have allowed contractors to construct better concrete foundations using less cement. Some of the admixtures and cementitious materials used today to improve concrete strengths and workability are actually by-products of other manufacturing processes (e.g. slag and fly-ash). If not used in concrete production, these materials would end up in landfills. This adds to the “green” aspect of an already highly sustainable building material.

These are a few of the advances we’ve experienced in the foundation industry during the last 40-plus years. Considering the rapidly changing technology in just the last four or five years, one would have to wonder what the next few decades will bring. CH

The transit has been replaced with the total station.

Barry Herbert is a 45-year veteran of the concrete industry. He is CEO of Herbert Construction Co., which performs work throughout the Southeast with its corporate headquarters in Atlanta. He’s a member of ACI’s 332 Residential Concrete Committee, is past president of the Concrete Foundation Association (CFA), a CFA Certified Concrete Technician, and in 2009 was presented with CFA’s Robert D. Sawyer Distinguished Service award for his contributions to the concrete foundation industry. Herbert Construction Co. is the 2011 winner of the CFA’s Project of the Year for Concrete homes. For more information, see www.HerbertConstruction.com.

The study, “An Integrated Study of Pervious Concrete Mixture Design for Wearing Course Applications,” was sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Ready Mixed Concrete Research & Education Foundation, and consisted of two parts.

First, researchers conducted fundamental material property investigations and a constructability study. They then designed and constructed a pervious concrete overlay on the MnROAD Low Volume Road, a cold region pavement test track near Albertville, Minn. This second part of the project involved full-scale construction and long-term testing to discover successes, failures, and lessons learned.

The MnROAD overlay represented the first wet-on-dry pervious concrete overlay. It has been in place for more than three years. The overlay has been a success and is performing remarkably well with regard to its surface durability, hydraulic performance, and low noise.

Long-term testing of the MnROAD overlay found that, to ensure good performance during the construction and service periods, a pervious concrete mixture for a pavement overlay must possess the following properties:
•    High workability for ease of placement
•    Uniform porosity or void structure throughout the pavement for noise reduction
•    Adequate bond with underlying pavement and proper strength for traffic load
•    Sufficient resistance to wearing, aggregate polishing, and freeze-thaw damage

A systematic study using a large number of mix designs was conducted to investigate effects of a variety of concrete materials and mixture proportions on pervious concrete performance, including concrete workability, compaction density, strength, freeze-thaw durability, and overlay bond strength.

The results indicate that pervious concrete mixtures can be designed to be highly workable, sufficiently strong, permeable, and possessing excellent freeze-thaw durability making them suitable for pavement overlays. Such overlays will not only function well structurally for carrying designed traffic loads but also perform well environmentally for noise reduction, skid resistance, and splash and spray reduction.

The results of the studies conducted for this project show that a pervious concrete overlay can be designed, constructed, operated and maintained. A pervious concrete overlay has several inherent advantages, including reduced splash and spray and reduced hydroplaning potential, as well as being a very quiet pavement.

The good performance of this overlay in a particularly harsh freeze-thaw climate in Minnesota shows pervious concrete is durable and can be successfully used in freeze-thaw climates with truck traffic and heavy snow plowing. CM

READ MORE: www.rmc-foundation.org

DARRYL CLOUD of Concrete Sealants in Ohio has received the National Precast Concrete Association’s (NPCA) Robert E. Yaokum Award, the Association’s highest award.

KARL BUSCHER has been appointed to the newly created position of senior vice president of Pump Solutions Group’s commercial business, a business unit within the Dover fluid management segment of Dover Corp.

CHARLES SCHUMACHER, product sales manager for ready mix equipment for Schwing America, has received the Operations, Environmental & Safety Committee (OES) of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) 2012 Joseph E. Carpenter Award.

JOE PRICE, AIA, has been hired by Turner Construction Co. as a business development manager to lead business development efforts in Houston and throughout southeastern part of Texas.

COLIN LOBO, Ph.D, PE and senior vice president of the engineering division of National Ready Mixed Concrete Association’s (NRMCA) , is the recipient of the 2012 Richard D. Gaynor Award by the NRMCA Research, Engineering and Standards Committee.

TOM ENGELMAN, president of Bethlehem Precast in Bethlehem, Pa., has been elected National Precast Concrete Association’s (NPCA) 47^th chairman of the board.  ANDY WIESER, president of Wieser Concrete in Wisconsin; ASHLEY SMITH, president of Smith-Midland Corp. in Virginia; GREG STRATIS, manager of Shea Concrete in Massachusetts; and STEWART LUCKMAN, national sales manager for Columbia Machine in Washington, were all elected to three-year terms on the board.

JOEL C. HILL has been hired by H.R. Gray of Columbus, Ohio, as a construction inspector, providing construction inspection services on projects in Ohio.

ANDY TANDON has been appointed to manage Turner Construction Interiors Division in Houston.

JOHN CROWE has been named president and CEO of both Saint-Gobain Corp. and CertainTeed Corp., Saint-Gobain’s largest North American subsidiary. At Saint-Gobain he replaces GILLES COLAS, who has returned to  Paris headquarters as senior vice president in charge of global strategic developments. At CertainTeed he replaces PETER DACHOWSKI, who has retired.

Nick Quercetti Jr. has been named regional sales and marketing manager at Hacker Industries Inc. He will be based in the Philadelphia  area to support the sale of Hacker branded products and Hacker Industries’ network of licensed applicators in the Midwest and Northeast.

THOMAS J. VAN DAM, Ph.D., P.E., FACI, LEED AP, has assumed the position of chair of the CTLGroup transportation practice. He is an expert in materials consulting and pavement technologies.

JEFF DOLEZAL has been appointed an area salesperson for specific product lines for Atlas Copco Construction Mining Technique USA LLC in South Florida and parts of the Caribbean. He is based out of Atlas Copco’s Miami store.

Spider, a division of SafeWorks, recently hired two district sales representatives: SCOTT QUINTERS for the Charlotte location and JASON BUCHANAN for the New Orleans location.

The American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) has elected 2011-2012 officers, including: chairman: PAUL YAROSSI, president of HNTB Holdings Ltd., New York; senior vice chairman: STEVE WRIGHT, president, Wright Brothers Construction, Charleston, Tenn. first vice chairman: DOUG BLACK, CEO, Oldcastle Materials, Atlanta; and treasurer: Tom Hill, president and CEO, Summit Materials LLC in Washington, DC. Regional officers were also elected.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has elected 2012 officers: chair is RUSSELL FOWLER, president and CEO of Krone NA Inc., Memphis, Tenn.; vice chair is STUART LEVENICK, group president of Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Ill.; treasurer is BRIAN KOBER, vice president corporate planning and strategy of Komatsu America Corp., Rolling Meadows, Ill.; Secretary is DENNIS SLATER, AEM’s full-time president, Milwaukee, Wis.;. AG Sector board chair is ROBERT KOLB, vice president global business development of GEA Farm Technologies Inc., Naperville, Il.; CE Sector board chair is RICHARD PATEK, president of Telsmith and vice president of  Astec aggregate and mining group of Astec Industries Inc., Mequon, Wis. CH

text by SHERRY A. BOYD
photography by Don Ciesielski and Vertical Artisans LLC

Homeowners are turning to concrete artisans to build custom rooms for enjoying hobbies and entertaining guests.

Forget those dark and typical recreation rooms and media centers of yesteryear. Homeowners have new expectations to create imaginative themed areas that can rival grand hotels, high-end shopping malls and theme parks that charge admission. Anything is possible using materials and methods once adopted in those places.

The range of new methods for vertical concrete combined with tried and true methods for adding colors, textures and patterns to horizontal surfaces can now allow homeowners unlimited creativity. While concrete contractors once simply installed patios, driveways and walkways, those with the skill and inspiration have moved up to offering a turn-key service crafting colorful outdoor kitchens, landscaped pools with waterfalls and spas, elaborate entertainment rooms, and even wine caves. There is enough ongoing demand for these areas of specialization that the custom homebuilder behind the project featured here formed a venture with artisan Nathan Giffin, which they call Genuwine Grottos.

In a spectacular 300-square-foot home wine cellar, hand-carved original concrete rockwork covers the walls and ceilings. The homeowner, an avid wine collector, wanted to convert his humble basement into a vaulted subterranean tasting room that would be reminiscent of one nestled into the hillside of a European vineyard. The new wine cellar was custom-designed to house his extensive collection of 1,500 bottles at a perfect 56 degrees, and provide tasting areas with an authentic character.

Visitors first see a brightly lit entry room through a glass and wrought iron door facing onto an alcove with a mural of a pastoral Tuscan vineyard. This is just the beginning of their journey. Progressing down a dim stone-lined passageway, they catch a glimpse of the main vault room and storage racks through arrow-slit windows and arched doorways. Changes in level and a couple of turns along their way serve to disconnect the larger room from the outside world, as if visitors were stepping back in time as they descend.

Producing such a uniquely personal space, complete with red oak barrels, steps and trim, custom storage racks and granite countertops took 11 weeks and a great deal of planning and skill. The project included gutting the basement space, removing old walls and constructing new dividing area and arches, adding three inches of insulating foam to act as vapor barrier and shaping undergirding layers of mesh lath to hold the wet concrete in place while it is sculpted. The work was planned around custom cabinetry and installation of a sophisticated HVAC system. The artisan behind the project is master craftsman and instructor in concrete carving, Nathan Giffin – a man whose passion is transforming simple concrete into a thing of beauty.

Giffin has perfected the process of creating one of a kind realistic grottos, feature walls and wine cellars by carving, texturing and custom coloring concrete to resemble dry-stacked stone walls and other natural rockwork. He describes the subtle coloring as a type of faux finishing with special pigments and resins. Giffin is one of the remarkably talented trainers who will share specialized techniques at hands-on workshops and demos in February 2012 at the Concrete Decor Show in San Antonio, Texas. The workshops listed here also will leave behind improvements for local non-profit organizations in the San Antonio community after the event leaves town. Here are just a few highlights:

Giffin conducts a two-day workshop and demonstration titled “Introduction to Vertical Carving and Sculpting.” He takes participants through the step-by-step procedures he uses for producing realistic rockwork, such as pillars, arches, fireplace surrounds, walls, grottos, pools and other artificial rock features, such as those featured in this article.

David Montoya of Stonemakers, an innovator in building ledge falls, demonstrates how to use a lightweight, composite panel system to build a water feature – from initial site review and design to fabrication and installation. The workshop features mixing, blending and shadowing, highlights and lowlights, as well as color application tips and techniques to achieve the beauty of natural stone. His course is titled “GFRC Water-Feature Design & Build Workshop: Featuring Advanced Colorization Techniques.”
Jason Geiser of Deco-Crete Supply conducts the two-day, hands-on workshop “High-End Stamped Concrete Custom Features.” He shares expert information on how to install in-demand stamped concrete features such as custom logos, borders and bands, and steps that can set your work apart from the competition and command a higher price.

George Lacker of GLC 3 Concrete provides a workshop on renovation of existing concrete with an overlay that is harder and more durable than the old concrete. This next generation of overlayments can be polished to a beautiful and durable sheen. In this hands-on workshop “Restoration with a Polishable Overlay,” attendees participate in restoring and beautifying a floor.

A wide selection of technical and creative seminars at the Concrete Decor Show will offer builders, contractors and specialty artisans opportunities to learn more about offering sought-after features and amenities.

Scott Cohen of the Green Scene, the popular garden designer and HGTV host, presents “Beyond the Barbecue: Design and Build a Better Outdoor Kitchen,” which covers the latest trends in building unique outdoor concrete counters that feature decorative elements, such as recycled glass, custom edge details, and fiber optic lighting. All attendees receive a copy of Scott Cohen’s book Outdoor Kitchen Design Workbook as a handout. “Designing and Building Outdoor Fireplaces and Fire Features” explores how-to construction techniques, selection of fire features, and space considerations to help expand business offerings.

Award-winning design build contractor Tom Ralston of Tom Ralston Concrete will lead “Sculpting Hillsides with Decorative Concrete.”

He provides a primer on digging into a hillside to create an outdoor space. A third-generation concrete contractor, Ralston offers strategies and ideas for unique decorative retaining walls, drain systems, hillside patios, steps, fire pits and lighting.

Workshops and seminars at the Concrete Decor Show include these educational tracks: concrete coatings, countertops and precast concrete, grinding and polishing, overlays and toppings, staining and coloring, stamping and texturing, plus walls and hardscapes.

These are just a few of the hands-on workshops and inspiring technical seminars that will be featured at the Concrete Decor Show Feb. 20-24, 2012, in San Antonio, Texas. The “Decorative Concrete Spring Training” offers an ideal opportunity to explore new business opportunities and gain new skills. Concrete Homes is a media partner for the event.

For more information, see ConcreteDecorShow.com or call 877-935-8906.

Sherry A. Boyd is director of communications for the Concrete Decor Show. She may be contacted by e-mail at sboyd@protradepub.com.

text by Stacey Enesey Klemenc
photography by The RUDD COMPANY

When homeowners Jamie and Scott Bourdo decided to build their family a home in Chandler, Ariz., there were four things on their must-have list.

They wanted the house to be low maintenance and energy efficient. They wanted it to accommodate entertaining groups large and small. And, perhaps the most important of all, they wanted a well-designed house where their young children could comfortably grow up into early adulthood.

“The goal of the owners is to live in this house for 20-plus years,” says Robert Klob, president of Robert Klob Designs (www.rkdzns.com) based in Chandler and the architect who designed the home. Because of the insulating concrete forms (ICFs) structural superiority, “ICFs were integral from the beginning.”

Curved radius walls made with ICFs were not a problem for Kye Leslie, a veteran ICF installer.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Klob, who has worked with a variety of ICFs for the past 10 years and has designed more than 100 ICF projects and consulted on more than 100 more throughout North America, was very familiar with the Nudura system selected by Bourdo, who doubled as the general contractor. Klob says he has a vignette ICF wall in his office complete with cutouts that show how an entire Nudura wall system works together. “That helped the owners and design/build team see the ICFs in action,” he says.

The architect, who has programmed his company’s CAD system to draw up plans based on specific ICF brands, stresses the importance of integrating into the design the actual size of the block system, which in this case was 8 feet long, 18 inches high and 11¼ inches thick (2⅝-inch foam on each side with a 6-inch concrete core).

“These measurements were used in the layout so the overall and interior walls matched the block sizing — minimizing waste,” Klob explains. If clients change their minds about which ICF they’re using, the program will automatically update to accommodate new sizes and generate a revised set of plans. “It’s really key to your success to have your dimensions right on the money so contractors don’t have to make adjustments in the field to line things up. Not to mention it’s extremely expensive to move a concrete wall.”

The 5,200-square-foot main floor of the Bourdo residence encompasses a large entry foyer and rotunda, four bedrooms including an expansive master suite, five baths, a home office, a play room, gathering room, formal dining room, breakfast nook, utility room, several galleries and two kitchens.

To help keep the Bourdo home energy efficient, Energy Star-rated appliances are installed throughout the home, including the family’s main kitchen. Separating the kitchen from the dining room is a butler pantry and service bar.

The family kitchen, featuring a large island with bar seating, opens up to the gathering room. A “dirty” kitchen with a huge walk-in pantry is tucked behind the main cookery and can be closed off when not in use. The gathering room, which also could be called a great room, has two 16-foot openings with multifold doors. One opens up to an interior courtyard while the other opens to a patio and a well-appointed pool area beyond — a great perk when it comes to entertaining large parties, something the homeowners do often.
Roughly U-shaped with several interesting architectural projections, the main house is designed around an ample courtyard to take advantage of the Phoenix area’s typical 300-plus days of sunshine each year. Besides providing a perfect setting for year-round outside activities, the courtyard allows surrounding rooms and corridors to be bathed in natural light much of the day through an abundance of doors and windows.

The sprawling residence also features a detached six-car garage, as well as a separate one for an RV; a man cave for the guys; a stable for the horses the family may own someday; and a guest casita, which the homeowners envision will one day be a mother-in-law’s suite for one of their parents.

A shade trellis marking the entrance to a large motor court is one of the home’s many passive solar designs.

PLEASING QUALITIES
Unlike the shoebox designs many architects used in the past when ICFs were involved, “The Bourdo residence has lots of ins and outs and corners,” Klob says, and plenty of curves pleasing to the eye.

He credits this accomplishment to Kye Leslie, general manager of Leslie Construction in Apache Junction, Ariz. “He’s one of the top installers of this system,” Klob says, “and can install curves, angles and corners as specified without any issues.”

“Radius walls and arched windows are really easy to do with ICFs,” says Leslie, whose company specializes in ICFs. “They’re a lot easier to work with than having to frame with wood.”

In particular, Leslie praises Nudura for its blocks’ built-in interlocking system. “You don’t have to glue them or clip them,” he says. “And that saves a lot of time.” He also points out the blocks fold down, so they ship and store easier.

As for ICFs in general, Leslie continues, “I like the fact that concrete homes are structurally sound, airtight and well-insulated.” And after the exterior walls have been erected, “You drywall on the inside and on the outside you put a traditional treatment like stucco, brick or siding — just like you would with stick building.”

And you can’t beat this system when it comes to energy efficiency. “I live in a 2,700-square-foot house that I built with ICFs and my electric bill in the summer is half of what it was when I lived in a traditional 1,200-square-foot house,” Leslie says.

ENERGY EFFICIENT PLUS
With an ICF house, the energy-efficient savings start before the first electric bill is sent. In the Bourdo home, the main residence required only two mechanical systems with 8 tons of HVAC. Comparatively, Klob says, a frame structure of its size would require a minimum of three systems and roughly 13 tons.

“The ICF walls were used to create a complete building envelope with high energy-efficient windows and doors, a 6-inch- thick insulated slab and expansive foam in the roof along the top chords of the trusses,” Klob says. “This was key to the long-term savings on energy costs in the years to come.”

The lot dictated that the home have a north/south exposure. Klob took full advantage of this by designing only one window and two doors on the west side, where the heat-of- the-day sun is hottest in Phoenix. The rooms with those openings are the pantry and laundry room, which block additional heat gain to the home. The design also provides shade for the courtyard during the heat of the day. “In addition, some of the larger detached structures cast shadows over the pool and some entertaining areas, making them usable even during hot summer afternoons,” Klob says.

The rotunda off the main entry foyer leads to an interior courtyard where outdoor gatherings are held regularly.

CONSTRUCTION UNDER WAY
The installation of the ICF wall systems was scheduled to last two weeks. During that time, Phoenix got hit with one of the largest rainfall storms of the year. Luckily, the walls had been set and braced prior to the storm and concrete placement was completed after the storm subsided — all within the original schedule.

“We just lost a couple of days due to the weather,” Klob says. Some neighboring builders weren’t as fortunate, he adds, as some of their wood-framed walls collapsed.

Carl LeCompte, at the time owner of LeCompte Engineering in Phoenix and now senior structural engineer with Washington River Protection Solutions, said ICF is probably the strongest residential system around. “The challenges are usually making sure the bars are in the right place and educating subcontractors who are new to the process.”

LeCompte, who was the structural engineer on the Bourdo design/build team, stresses the importance of using the right amount of rebar. “If your engineer is familiar with the material and system he can substantially reduce your overhead. I’ve worked on a couple of projects where I’ve redone the design and saved the owners several times my fee by reducing the rebar.”

Klob agrees with LeCompte’s line of thinking. “One of the problems (of) people unfamiliar with ICFs is they don’t understand the fundamental concept. They think ‘if one is good then five are better.’ But if you put in five times the steel, it becomes five times as expensive. A good structural engineer will show you where you need less concrete and less steel by letting the pre-engineered block work for you.”

Klob noted the biggest obstacle the design/build team encountered on this job was the subs who had never worked with ICFs. For example, Klob says, he watched an electrician score a section of a wall with a utility knife and then painstakingly pluck out small sections of foam with pliers. “I went over there and told him he could use a circular saw or even a chain saw or a hot knife to cut channels for the electrical wire because he wasn’t going to hurt the concrete.”

Once the subs got the hang of ICFs, Klob says, they couldn’t say enough good things about them. The plumbers said the installation is “faster, easier and cleaner,” much easier to work with than wood. The drywall contractor also was impressed, saying the walls were straighter than those stick-built, and anchored more securely with screws. All trades involved with the project thought ICFs were simple, easy and effective, and were looking forward to working with them again, Klob says.

But the story doesn’t end here. “This home backs up to a higher-end production home development,” Klob says. “The developer, K. Hovnanian Homes, sent several of its trades and many of its corporate staff to tour this home during construction.” The home, which calculates to be 40 percent better than what the International Code Council requires, also caught the attention of the vice president of Meritage Homes, who toured the home early on to review the ICF walls. And now, Klob says, “Meritage is looking into using ICFs as an option for its new ‘green’ developments.”

In addition to the ICF exterior walls, the Bourdo home features several eco-friendly characteristics including a steel roof, foam insulation in the attic, natural stones, a solar water heating system and Energy Star-rated appliances.

All in all, Klob says he’s been very pleased with the outcome of this project. “The electric bill is substantially less than it would be for a traditionally built home. The other nice thing was that we were able to capitalize on building this home at a third of the price than we would have four years ago.”

A specially designed RV garage is part of an extensive complex that houses everything from a boat and all-terrain vehicles to jet skis and cars. opposite The main entrance features ICF columns clad in stone from quarries less than 500 miles away and a shade trellis.

Stacey Enesey Klemenc is a free-lance writer and editor in Virginia Beach, Va. She has worked with the residential building industry in various capacities for more than 20 years.

By John Bors

It seems a no-brainer on the surface – repairing cracked or spalled concrete in a stadium, parking deck, bridge, tunnel, dam, dock or runway is an obvious solution to keep ownership costs down. But if the underlying damage is severe, it may be cheaper over the long term to tear everything down and rebuild.

The missing element, in many cases, is an assessment of overall lifecycle costs. This is the time-honored method to determine the best course of action with regard to structural concrete repairs. By considering all aspects of the financial equation, an owner can achieve a fuller understanding of available options. Spending a little more today to fix an immediate problem correctly may considerably reduce the total cost of the structure over its lifespan.

“Lifecycle costs (LCC) are cradle to grave costs summarized as an economic model of evaluating alternatives for equipment and projects,” said H. Paul Barringer, P.E. of Barringer & Associates Inc. “The objective of LCC analysis is to choose the most cost-effective approach from a series of alternatives to achieve the lowest long-term cost of ownership.”

Concrete Condition Survey
Identifying unseen conditions and the extent of damage is a key element in any LCC evaluation. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) is often used by engineers to obtain detailed structural information. NDT techniques include sounding, galvanic pulse testing, ground penetrating radar and in-situ load tests. When more upfront condition detail is available, the engineer can prepare a more accurate remedial cost estimate and it is less likely the owner will face costly change order surprises should he elect a repair option.

A huge repair bill may tilt the balance towards replacement – as is the case with some older hospitals in California where regulations require emergency buildings to meet current more stringent earthquake codes. A major healthcare provider in Los Angeles, for example, recently demolished two large buildings erected around 30 years ago and is rebuilding.

The high cost of improving the structural elements of these facilities to meet current seismic standards was one of several factors that led management to select the replacement path.

In some instances, replacement may prove to be the better option for an older structure with a few years left before the design life ends. In all cases, it is prudent to hire an engineer for a structural lifecycle evaluation and condition survey. If the damage is not disruptive to the entire structure, often the best option is to repair.

Take the case of San Francisco International Airport, located on the Bay, which had some taxiway lights way embedded in concrete structures. When the concrete collars for these lights began to fail, the airport tried a quick setting repair material which failed to eliminate the problem. Faced with a live and important aircraft taxilane, it considered all options – further repair or complete replacement. In this case, it chose a proven solution capable of being injected in harsh loading conditions – a customized epoxy formulated specifically to cope with the difficult working conditions and without compromising concrete integrity.

“The epoxy stabilized our taxiway lights and eliminated further deterioration,” said Charlie Freas, a consulting engineer at San Francisco International Airport. This proved to be the right decision in the long term, both financially and structurally.”

The airport has since used similar epoxy formulations to repair cracking in parking structures, service tunnels below groundwater level, and the airport’s light rail system, as well as for concrete spalling on taxiway aprons and ramps. Groundwater infiltration is a constant challenge as it increases pumping costs and wear. With regards to pavement spalling, the airport is constantly inspecting its runways, aprons, and the surrounding concrete infrastructure for any signs of degradation in order to avoid flying object damage (FOD) which can cause catastrophic damage to jet engines.

“As concrete spalling can be substantial at times and the consequences so significant, we would rather replace an entire concrete section than be faced with the possibility of having to buy a new engine,” Freas said. “However, we have confidence that effective epoxy repairs provide the flexibility and strength to support our planes without further spalling.”

Factors to Consider
Freas pointed out that lifecycle costs may not be the only factor to take into account when it comes to the repair versus replace question. In some instances, the airport needs to realign a runway or change the grade, at which point all associated concrete areas may be completely removed and redone.

Similarly, the Port of Oakland in California sometimes has to look beyond the subject of lifecycle costs for certain structures. One tenant, for instance, utilized an 80-year-old wharf complex for container crane operations. While the wharf clearly needed to be rebuilt, the port had no temporary site available. Repair was the only possibility.

Another time a tenant dropped a 60-ton piston from a height of 100 feet onto a wharf, resulting in severe damage. In this case, lifecycle costs favored repair. The port harnessed epoxy injection for the wharf deck and soffit (underside).

“I’ve inspected the wharf below sea level and the customized epoxy prevented any corrosion of the rebar, returned the structure to its original strength and extended its lifespan,” Bill Morrison, manager of Harbor Facilities for the Port of Oakland, said.

Repurpose for Changing Times
Another important trend: Governments worldwide passing regulations and offering monetary incentives to recycle or reuse existing buildings rather than choosing demolition.

This is already happening widely in China’s large cities where owners are rewarded if they agree to convert an old hotel into condos or an aging office structure into a warehouse. Parking decks have been transformed into computer server farms in Beijing.

This repurposing trend is a high-growth element of the sustainable construction movement and is beginning to eclipse new construction in urban areas of North America.

Whether you elect to repair or replace, do it right, use the correct materials and consult an engineer who can help you evaluate your options from a lifecycle perspective. CM

John Bors is with ChemCo Systems in Redwood City, Calif. He can be reached by calling 800-757-6773; e-mailing email@chemcosystems.com or through the website at chemcosystems.com.

text by JEFF ELLIOTT
photography courtesy of
MISSION STONE

For contractors, installing a cast stone fireplace in a residence, condo or apartment building can present so many labor and material costs – not to mention installation issues – that it can scuttle a job completely before it even begins.

In one way or another, the difficulties behind cast stone surrounds stem from its sheer weight. A cast stone mantel and surround can weigh up to a ton. Shipping alone for a surround of this size can cost $800 or more, in addition to the cost of the product itself. Also, given the product’s weight, floors and walls often require additional structural support, driving up installation time and costs. In fact, structural issues can effectively eliminate cast stone surrounds as an option for any floor higher than the first, and for most apartment or condo units.

The weight of cast stone is also a factor in the actual installation. Contractors must use lifting equipment to bring the material indoors and during installation, and employ multiple helpers. A cast stone surround installation can take up to two days.

There is a new option on the market that takes a lot of the cost, weight and installation time out of such a project. To be more exact, installing a stone surround can take as little as an hour, with a single helper, no structural reinforcements, using only a level, caulking gun, a sponge and perhaps some shim.

The solution is an innovative new lightweight product that has the look and feel of real stone – but isn’t as heavy as solid cast stone. To be more exact, the product, from San Antonio-based Mission Stone (missionstone.com), involves a layer of cast limestone cement over a lightweight Styrofoam core, giving the look and feel of solid cast stone without the weight, the price or installation requirements.

So how does a manufacturer like Mission Stone manage to duplicate the appearance of various stone surfaces without the ponderousness of solid cast stone? Simple, they use actual stone, but just on the surface of the product.

A ½-inch-thick layer of limestone cement is hand cast around the foam core and subsequently hand-polished with a grinder to give it the look and feel of real cast stone. At that point the surface presents a white color, but various water-based stains can be applied to provide different color variations, including custom finishes.

Perhaps most importantly, the fireplace surround with its foam core greatly reduces the weight from approximately 2,000 pounds for cast stone to only 200 pounds for the average mantel and two legs.

Derek Reinig, general contractor and part owner of Ravco Construction (ravcoinc.com), a Tustin, Calif.-based firm that specializes in apartment renovation and reconstruction, discovered the Mission Stone product through the Internet. He was looking for a fireplace surround that could match an existing example for installation in a 104-unit project in San Rafael, Calif. He was also looking for a reasonable price and quick turnaround.

“I sent the dimensions and a photograph to Mission Stone, and they got back to me right away with pricing,” Reinig explained. “The pricing was reasonable, plus they really helped by working with us to get the product here quickly, as we were taking over for another contractor and needed it right away. It was a very large quantity, but they managed to get it to us in about three weeks.”

Although most of the 104 fireplaces had standard dimensions, Reinig also had to order two custom-shaped pieces to fit in a corner.

Because the process is done by hand, Mission Stone can easily provide custom sizes of just about any dimension. “We sent them the measurements and everything came out perfectly.”

For a contractor installing 104 fireplace surrounds, the installation time of 1-2 hours each – rather than the two days for solid cast stone – was the best selling point.

“The installation is what separates the foam-core surrounds from a lot of other products,” he said. “You don’t have to deal with fasteners and clips and that sort of thing. We only need a construction adhesive to secure it.”

The legs and mantel are first “dry-fit” to the wall, and their positions are marked in pencil. The pieces are then removed so that the adhesive can be applied, after which they are pressed firmly back into place. Once the adhesive is dry, a ⅛-inch bead of caulk is applied where the mantel and legs meet the wall. Wiping everything down with a clean damp sponge finishes the job.

If time is money, foam-core technology also saves when it comes to manufacturing lead times. Cast solid stone can require up to eight weeks to fill an order. Foam-core takes half that time.

Jeff Elliott is a Torrance, Calif.-based technical writer. He has researched and written about industrial technologies and issues for the past 15 years.

Text by Sue Marquette Poremba
Photography by The RUDD COMPANY
PART 2 of a 2-PART SERIES

Architect Sean Canning, LEED AP with 10 70 Architecture in San Diego, Calif., has seen some innovative stain techniques being used recently.

“On one home renovation project, the client wanted an industrial/modern aesthetic,” Canning said. “The solution was to strip the existing floors down to the existing slab, pour new slabs as required for new floor area, and then stain/seal the whole thing. The result was a very cost effective patchwork of existing and new concrete. Aesthetically, the client got the industrial look he was seeking, stress cracks and all.”

Canning cited another innovative application to reuse concrete. On a concrete driveway turned exterior living room, he had the contractor set his concrete saw blade at a quarter-inch depth to score the existing slab. Then they treated the concrete and stained it. When the stain dried they grouted the saw lines, resulting in a tiled look.

“These are both cost effective and sustainable techniques,” he says. “Maybe that’s why they have recently become viable options.”

UNIQUE LOOKS
In the last 10 years, decorative concrete has exploded with exciting new materials and tooling, with stains and dyes giving the concrete its unique look. Contractors choose a dye when they want the color to permeate into the concrete; they choose a stain when they want to work with the concrete’s natural composition.

Choosing a dye is pretty cut and dry. Choosing a stain, however, opens up another world of possibilities. There are acid stains, water-based stains and soy-based stains.

Acid stains are reactive stains, which means they develop color through reacting with the “free lime” present in the concrete lab, while water-based stains are usually a colorant with an acrylic carrier. Soy-based stains are similar to water-based stains but use a soy derivative.

In addition, water-based and soy-based stains provide a “green” alternative to the staining process. But perhaps one of the biggest considerations when choosing a stain is that the different types of stains will create different types of looks.

Lou DeCillis, owner of Artistic Flooring Systems, considers concrete to be his canvass to create a work that will be not only beautiful, but lasting and durable. An exclusive installer of L.M. Scofield materials for more than 20 years, DeCillis explains that the original Scofield stain was a reactive stain that reacted with the elements in the concrete to produce a “color.”

“By varying the chemical soup, different colors are achieved. This offers a unique look to every concrete pour. Because they are translucent, patch repairs or irregularities (a normal part of concrete) are highlighted, not hidden,” DeCillis explains.

CHOOSING A STAIN
How do contractors decide what type of stain to use? Jim Scheetz of Endless Concrete Design said there are many factors that will determine the final coloring of any slab.

“If the concrete has a steel troweled finish, it will be more variegated than if it was only mag troweled, where the stain will be more uniform,” Scheetz said. “Acid stain has a more organic appearance, often used for earth tones (browns, gold, terra cotta) or blues and greens. For charcoals, grays or pastels, water-based stains may be the only option. Depending on the amount of stain applied and dilution of the water, the contractor may manipulate the outcome of the stains.”

Katrina Johnson with the Rudd Company said you would use a water-based stain or a waterborne product like SkimStone over an acid stain when there is not enough free lime in the concrete for the acid stain to react with.

“Using a water-based stain would eliminate the need to neutralize the ph of the floor after each application,”she said. “An acid stain must always be neutralized before sealing can occur. Also, achieving an exact shade or color tone can be difficult to do when using an acid stain. A water-based stain will allow you to control the color and the shade.”

Scheetz  said that where the stain is used can make a difference.

“Acid stains may be used indoor and outdoor, however color intensity can change slightly on some colors due to sun exposure,” Scheetz says. “Blues and greens are the most susceptible to UV color change. Most water-based stains available for concrete staining are UV-stable and resist color change, but some are not. Chemical dyes are another coloring option, but most will fade with extended sun exposure.”

He also said to consider the drying time before applying the stain. A slow drying time will affect the final color, making it a bit darker, while quick drying times will make the color lighter and less intense.

SEALER MOST IMPORTANT
Whether using indoor or outdoor, the sealer may be the most important aspect of staining, according to Johnson. She said choosing the right sealer for either an exterior, interior, residential or commercial application is just as important as choosing the finish that will give you the look that you are trying to achieve.

DeCillis  adds,“The sealer is truly the wearing surface and depending on what the floor is for — sidewalk, patio, pool deck, basement, kitchen, restaurant, hair salon etc, — the appropriate sealer must be incorporated or failure will result. The sealer will protect the floor and create the desired durability.”

Sealer choices include non-solvent based epoxy, regular and water based acrylic, polyurea, and concrete urethane (not to be confused with wood urethane). The type of sealer used on a stained concrete will depend on the concrete’s location and its end use.

All types of stains are usually applied via spraying with a random motion to prevent the introduction of a pattern into the scheme, according to Scheetz. The quality of the sprayer and the technique used by the person applying the stain will affect the final look.
“It is possible to use a brushing technique, but this should only be attempted by experienced personnel in order to prevent visible brush strokes,” Scheetz says. “’Ragging’ is sometimes used to color concrete on three-dimensional items, like sinks and planters.”

One thing all of the experts note is that staining – particularly acid staining – is not a do-it-yourself type of project. It is too unpredictable a process – there are professionals who have said that the look can end up so unique that they can’t duplicate it. If the stain is penetrated too deeply, the mistakes can’t be fixed, says DeCellis.

As Scheetz says, “I know of some who were ‘lucky’ and had all the stars align, but I know far more who weren’t so lucky.  One client even called me on a Sunday just after he ruined his floor. He told me there should be warning labels on the bottles.”

Sue Marquette Poremba is a freelance writer based in Central Pennsylvania. She writes regularly about decorative concrete, construction, engineering and technology.

Text by Sherry A. Boyd

BOTH durability and design versatility have made concrete floors and countertops of all types increasingly popular during the last several years for both economic and environmental advantages. Homeowners still want practical and gorgeous custom amenities.

Concrete floors eliminate the cost of adding additional floor coverings that would require replacement several times during the life of a home. Concrete countertops reduce waste when poured to the exact dimensions needed. Both can be installed in an almost unlimited range of colors, textures and finishes to suit virtually any architectural style or décor, and delays are minimized.

Relatively simple maintenance keeps these surfaces looking great and eliminates the use of toxic cleaning products. When lasting value counts, it makes sense to pick materials durable enough for use outdoors and beautiful enough for use indoors.

Decorative concrete is in demand by customers who embrace environmental ethics and prefer using locally extracted materials that also help maintain excellent indoor environmental air quality in the home. Because concrete is essentially crafted and mixed from natural materials extracted locally, it provides a superior alternative to manufactured building products. Concrete and cementitious materials rank high on the checklist for achieving LEED points, or just building green. This article highlights the five most popular building solutions where decorative and architectural concrete materials and methods have proven popular and green when compared to alternative building materials.

1. Demand for Residential Concrete Polishing
At a time when consumers are highly cost conscious, polished concrete has become more popular than ever. Advancements have brought the price point down to be affordable even at home. Improved methods and greener surface-applied treatments along with more compact diamond grinding equipment have made concrete polishing more accessible for every size of project.

The appearance varies from monochromatic, uniform coloring to floors where the surface is aggressively diamond polished to expose aggregates for a more natural appearance that resembles granite or terrazzo. Now, we see polished concrete in almost every room from kitchens and living rooms to home offices and recreation rooms.

2. Concrete Warmed Underfoot
Improved methods for using under-floor radiant heating systems make it possible to maintain an even and consistent temperature indoors, even in cold climates.

During new construction, an under-floor heating system can be installed when a slab is poured. New ultra-thin mat systems have been developed for use with low profile, rapid setting overlays and toppings that can be used for resurfacing and renovation over any existing slab that is structurally sound.

Homeowners like this option for a variety of reasons: eliminating the dust and noise of forced air heating systems, eliminating unsightly vent systems and reducing energy demand. On the plus side, residents enjoy the “ahhh” factor of walking barefooted on a warm floor on a cold day.

3. Take a Shine to Resurfacing and Renovation
Resurfacing concrete has gained popularity at a time when selling and moving is less practical than building an extension or upgrading an older home. Resurfacing can unify old and new areas, and be applied over unsightly gaps and gouges left behind when walls are moved or removed. We are seeing more ways to produce the look and variations of stained concrete on textured toppings and thin micro-toppings.

A variety of new fast-track materials is popular in recreation rooms and the garages of car collectors. Fast setting epoxy treatments can be used for rapid installation, superior durability and even remarkable metallic effects. In party rooms and areas with media centers or high tech gear, high sheen protective finishes can add depth that accentuates the colors and reduces maintenance.

4. Old-World Hand-Finished Counters
An antiqued, aged appearance can be brought to concrete surfaces for old-world charm in the home. This artistic approach is ideal for producing custom kitchen, bar and vanity countertops at an affordable cost.

Concrete can replicate the appearance of marble and other more expensive materials at a fraction of the cost. Special molds are available to provide a beautifully detailed custom edge that can look rustic, ornate or simple.

5. Creating Custom Outdoor Kitchen Counters
While concrete countertops are highly practical indoors, they have become the preferred choice for ease of maintenance in the all-weather outdoor kitchen. Entertaining at home has seen a massive resurgence, as we become more health conscious concerning our diet and food choices. As homeowners spend more time making home cooked meals for family and friends, these areas provide a great way to expand the areas for entertainment without knocking out walls.

It is possible for homeowners and landscape designers to accomplish things simply not possible with stone and granite. More interesting color combinations and embedment of recycled glass, stone and found objects make these areas uniquely personal and festive.

Concrete Decor Show
Inside and out, environmentally conscious green-building alternatives continue to influence methods and materials choices in demand for new home building and renovation. Many of these projects incorporate recycled materials and use the benefit of concrete’s thermal mass to contribute to the energy efficiency of the homes pictured.

These are just a few of the new directions in decorative concrete that will be featured at the Concrete Decor Show February 20-24, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas. Concrete Homes is a media partner for these events.

The “Decorative Concrete Spring Training” offers an ideal opportunity for contractors to explore new business opportunities in decorative concrete and gain skills to expand their services. An educational conference focused on “Green Matters,” co-located with the show, will be offered for architects, designers, builders, property owners and developers on February 23-24.

For more information, see ConcreteDecorShow.com.

Sherry Boyd is director of communications for the Concrete Decor Show. She may be contacted by e-mailing sboyd@protradepub.com.

Many of today’s homebuilders strive to erect the most energy-efficient building envelope possible. To push that envelope even further, students and faculty from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, as well as New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), formed Team New Jersey and designed a 100 percent raw concrete prototype home—the eNJoy house—for the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2011 Solar Decathlon.

Twenty teams participated in the competition held Sept. 23 to Oct. 2 at the National Mall’s West Potomac Park in Washington D.C. Final scores were based on 10 contests: architecture, market appeal, engineering, communications, affordability, comfort zone, hot water, appliances, home entertainment and energy balance. The goal lies in producing a housing prototype that provides ease of living as well as optimal environmental conditions, is affordable and attractive, and produces a balance or surplus of energy, according to the Department of Energy.

Based on a beach house design, the one-bedroom 960-square-foot eNJoy house is made entirely of raw concrete — from the floors to the roof — and boasts numerous features, including:
• A 9-kilowatt photovoltaic system
• Evacuated solar thermal tubes that heat water for domestic use and the hydronic radiant floor
• Wall perforations that serve as windows, emitting daylight and proving cross ventilation
• An inverted hip roof that collects rainwater and maximizes the solar PV system’s performance
• Accessibility that conforms with the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Universal design concepts for aging in place
• A central core that houses mechanical units and a bathroom
• A workspace and laundry facility located just off the central core
• A combination kitchen-dining-living area with an entry-area closet

Although designed for the New Jersey shoreline, the eNJoy house is easily adaptable for various geographical settings, according to Richard Garber, an associate professor at NJIT’s College of Architecture and Design, as well as principal of GRO Architects in New York City. “The kind of tweaking that would have to go into placing this prototype anywhere beside the specific Jersey shore site we had selected really has to do more with orientation and less with any kind of structural rethinking,” he said.

Changes in orientation would be required throughout various geographical settings to optimize the protoype’s passive solar design and the placement of the window-like perforations, which were designed to maximize airflow throughout the structure. The insulated precast concrete units have an estimated R-value of 30, and the inverted hip roof’s overhang further enhances the concrete’s thermal properties by shading the interior from the summer sun. In addition, the roof is set at a 25-degree angle to maximize solar exposure for the PV solar system.

“We basically took a traditional hip roof and flipped it upside down,” Garber said. “What that allows us to do is get a fairly large photovoltaic array that is in effect hidden. You’re seeing the architecture of the house as opposed to the technology behind it.”

According to Garber, the inverted hip roof also allowed for the collection of rainwater for irrigation purposes during the Solar Decathlon. However, when the eNJoy house reaches its permanent location at Liberty Science Center, located at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, rainwater also will be stored and used for a greywater flush system, he explained.

“We fully intend to utilize a greywater flush system. The concrete roof will collect rainwater. That rainwater will be collected into a cistern, and all rainwater will be used to flush all toilets,” minimizing the need to tap into a city water source, Garber said.

Part of the intent behind designing the eNJoy prototype was to reduce heating and cooling loads, so the use of steel, in the form of rebar, was limited as much as possible. However, the precast concrete mixture needed to limit thermal bridging without compromising structural integrity because the house was designed to be assembled and disassembled in multiple locations.

Northeast Precast LLC in Millville, N.J., agreed to donate the precast pieces, about 25 total, for the floors, walls and roof. Every piece, according to Northeast Precast President John Ruga, required a custom pour because not a single piece was identical in terms of shape, size or weight.

To help achieve the thermal and structural needs, Northeast Precast joined forces with concrete accessory supplier A.L. Patterson Inc. and Patterson’s affiliate Nycon Corp., both located in Fairless Hills, Penn. Solutions ultimately included using fiberglass ties instead of rebar when possible; a special polyvinyl alcohol fiber; and a new system called the Quick-Lift Zero Series. All of these solutions were integrated into Northeast Precast’s existing THiN-Wall system.

“Probably one of the most difficult things to do with this house was to maintain the thermal integrity of the walls,” Northeast Precast’s Ruga said. “This was what we call a sandwich panel. In most areas is it was 3 inches of concrete and anywhere from 4 to 5 inches of insulation and then 3 inches of concrete again.

“We have a special product – a fiberglass tie – that goes from the outer layer of concrete through the insulation to the inner layer. The reason we used fiberglass is because that doesn’t transmit any thermal component. If we used conventional rebar or other fasteners, it would definitely transfer hot and cold right through the wall.”

In all, about 15,000 pounds of steel was used in building the eNJoy house, according to Ruga. Had the fiberglass ties not been used, the steel component would have been increased by about 25 percent, he said.

The fiberglass ties carry an added benefit, Ruga said. Using fiberglass ties “creates a structural panel that would be equivalent – almost equivalent – to a solid-cast wall. Say our wall was 12 inches thick in total, but it was 4 inches of concrete, 4 inches of foam, 4 inches of concrete. We’ve reduced the weight of that wall by one third, but we’re structurally as strong as a 12-inch solid wall.

“Most of the time we can precast these walls to be structurally load-bearing walls while reducing a third of the weight and saving that much concrete in the product, which helps with your footing sizes. It helps with the whole carbon footprint.”

The eNJoy house called for a total of 125 cubic yards of concrete. Northeast Precast produced in-house a high-performance concrete mix with a 0.38 water-to-cement ratio that also included a special PVA fiber from Nycon, donated by A.L. Patterson.

“It’s a little different from most fibers we use in our mixes every day in that there’s a chemical reaction,” Ruga said. “You really don’t get the strength development of the fiber for about five to seven days. It’s part of the makeup of the fiber with the alcohol in it that it takes that long to react. It’s a little different, but it really adds tremendous, not necessarily structural strength, to the concrete but impact resistance,” he said. “We developed a special mix just for this job with that [Nycon fiber], and it really performed real well.”

In addition, A.L. Patterson created the Quick-Lift Zero Series to reduce issues with the thermal performance of the THiN-Wall panels as a result of the panels being moved multiple times for three different assemblies. Existing lifting and handing systems could not eliminate thermal bridging.

“Because we were trying to maintain the thermal break between the outer and inner wythes of concrete, we also worked with A.L. Patterson to develop a special lifter for all these wall panels,” he said. “It was two steel pieces embedded in the concrete and a center piece of steel that was removable,” he said. Once the panel was in place, we removed the center erecting plate and inserted foam into that cavity, which maintained the thermal integrity of the house.”

One of the more complex aspects of the design involve the inverted hip roof that “almost looks like [it] is floating and supported by the glass windows,” Ruga said. “I don’t know that everyone grasps how difficult that was to do with precast,” he said. “It was pretty impressive.”

The eNJoy house took 48 hours to erect, a process that required the use of a 300-ton crane because the heaviest piece was 48,000 pounds with the fully assembled prototype weighing 500,000 pounds.

Although placed on temporary footings for the Solar Decathlon, the eNJoy house likely will be situated over a crawl space once it reaches its final destination, Ruga said.

Garber and Ruga both said they believe the concept is viable for the residential marketplace. “We’ve basically designed a highly insulated, very tight house that’s going to perform well with or without the kind of added high technology aspects that are required in the Solar Decathlon,” Garber said.

Angela D. Rutherford has 13 years’ experience as an editor and designer in the newspaper industry. She most recently spent four years as an editor and writer with a large health-education company. For more information, see SolarTeamNewJersey.com or SolarDecathlon.gov/team_new_jersey.html.

The historic 10-story high-rise complex was facing an asphalt fate as potential tear-down/rebuild would be required if an emergency and long-term repair solution wasn’t developed to address the pressing structural and safety issues that existed with the exterior brick masonry cladding and terra cotta façade.

The restoration effort by the City of Miami and the Miami Parking Authority, which runs the theater, began with enlisting R.J. Heisenbottle Architects P.A. (RJHA) of Coral Gables, Fla., to head the project. Structural engineers from Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. (WJE) of Northbrook, Ill., conducted the initial onsite assessment that resulted in saving the building.

WJE collaborated with masonry repair reinforcement system manufacturer Helifix Inc. of Streetsboro, Ohio, to provide a supplementary and sustainable lateral and gravity support system for the building’s distressed veneer using its Helibeam System.

Known for the intricate Mediterranean Revival style details on its architectural facade, the building is comprised of a steel-framed structure with clay tile infill supported on the steel spandrel beams. The envelope consisted of brick and terra cotta veneer that was unsupported within the piers and supported over the punched window openings by steel lintels anchored to the spandrel beams.
WJE engineers discovered that slippage of the brick veneer led to cracked, bulging and separating masonry. This was a direct result of insufficient vertical support and poor weight distribution; resulting in failed wall ties and lintels – often the only means of support above the windows.

Due to the differential support conditions and the 10-story heights of unsupported veneer, widespread distress attributable to improper gravity support was observed including: diagonal brick cracking originating from the lintel ends, compressive failures within the second and third floor terra cotta water tables, delaminated faces of the water table projecting elements, and bowed displacement of the veneer in excess of two inches.

To restore the Olympia’s severely damaged sections back to a historic and maintainable condition, various areas of the building would need to be taken down and rebuilt, particularly at the building’s corners. Additionally, due to the inadequate gravity support and subsequent damage, WJE recommend installing a new support system for the exterior veneer.

In seeking a solution to secure the existing masonry, while maintaining the aesthetic integrity of the historic building, WJE specified Helifix’s new Helibeam System, which offered a non-invasive and sustainable solution comprised of HeliBars, HeliBond, DryFix remedial ties, and Crack Stitching.

In conjunction with Helifix’s onsite quality control and assurance support team, installation of the Helibeam System was conducted by specialty repair contracting company STRUCTURAL of Hanover, Md., and its Ft. Lauderdale office.

To form the Helibeam System, two horizontal rows of 7-meter long stainless steel HeliBars were laid in tandem at various levels around the entire circumference of the building. This essentially creates a deep masonry beam to distribute the structural load and provide gravitational support around the entire building.

Installation involved cutting out 1¾-inch deep slots in the mortar joints, which were vacuumed and then flushed with water. A bead of thixotropic cementitious HeliBond grout was laid in and the 7 meter length of HeliBar was then placed in the slot. The grout-HeliBar-grout process was then repeated on top to complete the composite action of the Helibeam System. When each length of HeliBar came to its end, the next length was overlapped by 1.5 feet to create one monolithic run around the building; with corners kinked in at a 90-degree bend. The recessed Helibeam was then pointed over the top – rendering it virtually transparent to the naked eye upon completion.

Additionally, DryFix remedial ties were used in tandem with Helibeam System for lateral restraint in the façade. The DryFix ties were installed simply by being power-driven into position, via a small pilot hole, using a special installation tool that leaves the end of the tie recessed below the outer face allowing an ‘invisible’ finish.

According to STRUCTURAL’S Project Manager Alan Fleischer, “The Helibeam installation was easy because it’s a lot like crack stitching but in a longer run. After we completed the installation, you’d never know what was done to the building.”

An alternative to complete structural tear down and rebuild, the system delivered an efficient green solution in restoring the historic Olympia Theater, which was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1984. CM

text by ANGELA RUTHERFORD
photography by BILL NAEGELI

Maryland  has its first net-zero-energy home, according to insulating concrete forms (ICF) certified installation specialist Bill Naegeli of GNP Inc., a residential and commercial ICF builder in Annapolis, Md.

Constructed of IntegraSpec ICFs, the home boasts six inches of closed-cell spray foam in the roof, a geothermal heating system, a 5-kilowatt photovoltaic solar panel system, a solar thermal hot water heater with two storage tanks and propane backup, and PEX tubing radiant-heat flooring. The owner “has combined some cutting-edge technologies,” Naegeli said. “He knew exactly what he wanted.”

Construction of the 10,776-square-foot home that features 12,300 square feet of ICF walls began in late spring 2009. The owner, Thaw Poon, and his family moved into the completed home in December 2010 and received their first net-zero electric bills in May and June 2011.

NET ZERO GOAL
“I gotta give Poon a lot of credit,” Naegeli said. “He told me from the beginning, ‘Look, Bill, I want to try to go for net-zero. Maybe we won’t get it, but we’ll get near zero…that’s what I’m going for.’”
In less than six months, Poon achieved his goal.

Moreover, Poon anticipates that tax reductions will reduce his energy expenditures by 50 percent, allowing him to see a return on his investment in just two years. The geothermal system cost $82,000, the PV solar system cost $39,000, and the solar hot water system cost $8,000, Poon said.

The house is located on three acres in the Baltimore suburb of Cockeysville, Md., where average temperatures range from a high of 87° in July to a low of 23° in January, with an annual average of 55° and about 210 sunny days a year. Naegeli said the Poon residence is “just blowing everything away” in terms of energy-efficiency.

THE CONCRETE FACTOR
“Concrete is the reason that house is net-zero. It’s not only because of the ICF; it’s because the house has this huge amount of concrete inside the walls that’s creating thermal mass for the walls. It’s storing energy,” he said. “Combine that with renewable energy and combine that with geothermal combined with the solar thermal hot water, and [Poon has] just created a path to net-zero. And that’s what everybody is concerned about: ‘What’s the path to net-zero?’ Well, the easiest one is concrete houses — ICF concrete houses specifically.”

A total of 387 cubic yards of 3,500 psi pea-gravel mix concrete with 4 percent air was used to pour the footers, garage and basement slabs, and to fill the ICF walls, Naegeli said. Because of issues that arose while excavating for the walkout basement, Naegeli simultaneously poured the slab, the 12-inch by 24-inch footers, and two feet of the ICF walls all the way around.

“Basically what happened was there was so much stone in the bottom…when we dug it out, we actually had to blast some of the stone out of [the ground],” he said. “The ram hoe wasn’t even breaking it up…so we had to bring in blast caps.”

Further complicating the situation was the fact that spikes used to fasten the kickers for the ICF bracings could not be hammered into the dirt. “We were going to have to drill [the spikes],” Naegeli said.

To compensate, Naegeli chose the permanent 3-in-1 Form-A-Drain system, which provides foundation footings, drainage and radon venting.
“We’d run these tracks across [the Form-A-Drain system] — basically make railroad tracks on top of it — and we were able to put our forms — like 2-foot-high of forms — all the way around it,” he explained. “Then we went ahead and graveled the inside of it, so we were able to pour the footer, two feet of wall, and the inside of the slab all in one shot.”

Plus, the one-shot pour saved money. “Every time you do a pour with ICF, or even with slabs or footers like that, you have to have a pump truck, and pump trucks are at least a thousand dollars every time they show up. So the more items you can combine on a pump, the better off you are,” Naegeli said. “We basically combined two pours into one.”

BLOWING THROUGH THE ICFs
At this point, the rest of Naegeli’s portion of the project — which involved the shell package and included excavation, footers, slab, ICF walls, floor systems, window installation, and the roof system, minus the spray foam — progressed smoothly. Excavation work began in late May 2009, and “We were done mid-September,” he said, despite a three-week period of heavy rain.

Of those approximately three and a half months, ICF construction took only about a month. “We blew through the ICFs,” Naegeli said.
The basement was waterproofed with Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing Inc.’s MiraDRI 860/861, a peel-and-stick membrane designed for below-grade use, and required 5,562 square feet of 13-inch ICFs with an 8-inch core. The garage slab, as well as the first and second floor walls, all used an 11-inch ICF with a 6-inch core. The garage slab required 1,100 square feet of ICFs, the first floor walls used 4,325 square feet of ICFs, and the second floor totaled 1,313 square feet of ICFs. The project called for 1 ton of No. 5 rebar and 4 tons of No. 4 rebar.

Completion of the ICF portion of the project was rapid even though the house design included 24 45° angles and 17 90° angles. “The design of the house was really kind of wild,” Naegeli said. “The longest run we had wasn’t even 20 feet.”

The number of angles required “a lot more cutting” during the ICF portion of construction, Naegeli said, adding that the work “would have been challenging even for a framer.”

The complex roof system features three 45° turns as well as multiple gables, dormers, valleys and hips, and took one and a half months to complete. “The roof system was outrageous. We had a few trusses come out. The rest of it was stick-framed onsite.”

In addition to six inches of closed-cell spray foam, the roof system is finished with a light-gray architectural shingle. According to Naegeli, the owner “went with a light gray shingle that’s going to reflect [the heat],” a decision that contributed to the home’s energy-efficient performance.

Overall, Naegeli said he was pleased with the production time of the shell package. “That’s a pretty quick turnaround…probably just as fast as if it were stick-framed.”

From the beginning, Poon said he knew that ICF construction was the best option in terms of achieving energy-efficiency, which was his primary concern in building this home. In the event of a national energy crisis, Poon said he needed to know, “How can I beat this problem?”

To answer that question, Poon spent two years researching energy-efficient systems, such as geothermal heating, by attending seminars, touring factories, and visiting construction sites.

The effort, he said, “is worth it,” especially because he is already seeing results from the combined energy-efficient systems.
In addition to energy-efficiency, age-in-place and handicap-accessible features were another top consideration for Poon when designing the house, Poon included an elevator that runs from the basement to the second floor as well as two master suites, one of which is located on the first floor and would allow Poon to live entirely on the first floor, if necessary.

CLASSIC TOUCHES
The stucco and stone home, which borrows from French Colonial architecture, features:
•    Three fireplaces, including a see-though fireplace and a dual-fuel fireplace
•    About 85 windows
•    Six bedrooms and six full bathrooms, including the two master suites
•    Two half-baths
•    A two-story marble foyer
•    An attic playroom
•    A sunroom, a study, and a living room
•    A formal dining room, a kitchen with a butler’s pantry and a breakfast area
•    A combination pantry and laundry room
•    A mudroom that is located off the three-vehicle garage
•    A great room
•    3,374 square feet on the first floor and 3,140 square feet on the second
•    3,374 square feet of finished space in the basement
•    888 square feet of semi-finished space in the garage

“That [great] room is all clerestory,” ICF builder Naegeli said. “It’s 28 feet to the very top of where that chandelier is, noting that the chandelier is on a pulley system to accommodate cleaning.”

Each window in the great room is about 18 feet tall and is positioned within a 45° angle. “The windows were so tall, we had to stop halfway up in pouring,” Naegeli said. “You can’t pour that all in one shot. We did the first floor all the way up to the top, and then we had to stack scaffolding to move the bracing to do the next floor. We did that pour with the second level.”

Even with the complexities involved in constructing the great room, Naegeli said he was pleased with the results. “It’s just a really cool room,” he said.

The same statement could apply to the house in general.

According to Naegeli, everything is contained within an “enclosed airtight envelope,” and the ICF walls are “performing beyond an R-50.”

Furthermore, the entire project is “way, way beyond anything that’s written into code right now.”

“We are so far beyond code construction right now that we might as well be Christopher Columbus setting sail for the edge of the ocean, for the edge of the world. Even the engineers don’t know how to recalibrate for the ICF walls. They don’t know how to calibrate for the thermal mass.”

In fact, thermal mass is the key to Poon’s home achieving net-zero energy status, and concrete creates thermal mass, Naegeli said. In addition, the home “has perfect sunlight…it’s just the perfect setup. I didn’t know it was going to be that good when we first placed the house on the lot.”

Plus, by achieving net-zero energy status, Poon has “created a hedge against future utility increases,” Naegeli said. “It’s the coolest hedge fund you could ever come up with. That’s exactly what [Poon has] done. But the cool thing is, you can do that just by using ICF with spray foam and…everything else is traditional – regular HVAC, regular everything else.

“You can do the same thing…but you have to have the ICF walls; you have to have the spray-foam roof system; you have to have the envelope. Period. And the best envelope today, bar none, is an ICF envelope. And I challenge anybody, anywhere, to come up with a more economical, efficient and effective building envelope. I challenge them. It’s not out there.”

In short, Naegeli said, Poon’s house is “the whole package. If that house isn’t net-zero, then nobody’s gonna be net-zero. Period.” CH

Angela D. Rutherford has 13 years’ experience as an editor and designer in the newspaper industry. She most recently spent four years as an editor and writer with a large health-education company.

COMPANY INDEX

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
www.bomanite.com  
Bomanite is your single source for innovative architectural concrete paving hardscapes and interior flooring solutions – offering imprinted architectural concrete, toppings and concrete overlay systems, custom polishing systems, exposed aggregate systems and pervious concrete (Grasscrete) systems. The Bomanite Company and its licensed group of contractors distinguish themselves as the best in the industry. To guarantee consistently high standards, Bomanite offers training, marketing, technical services and support to its contractors and to the design community.

Butterfield Color, Inc.
625 W Illinois Ave
Aurora, IL  60506
(800) 282-3388 toll free
(630) 906-1982 fax
sales@butterfieldcolor.com
www.butterfieldcolor.com 
Butterfield Color, Inc. manufactures a complete line of coloring products and tools for the decorative treatment of new and existing concrete: integral color, liquid color, shake-on color hardeners, chemical stains, dyes, release agents, overlays, curing compounds, sealers, stamping tools and form liners. Products are suitable for interior floors and exterior paving, as well as horizontal or vertical applications. Decorative concrete is attractive and durable, and well suited for pedestrian and automobile traffic.

Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing
900 Hensley Lane
Wylie, Texas 75098
(800) 527-7092 toll free
Customer Service (888) 229-0199
www.carlisle-ccw.com    
No two waterproofing jobs are the same. With all the options out there, how do you choose the right solution? Choose the solution with free expert assistance on project and installation specific details. Choose Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing (CCW.) Part of the Carlisle family, CCW is backed by 45 years of innovation.  Our vast pool of resources lets us pioneer time and money-saving solutions – like MiraDRI (see our ad on page 3). View the full product line at www.carlisle-ccw.com.

CertainTeed
(610) 341-7656
www.certainteed.com    
With CertainTeed’s new CertaForm flexible flatwork form, contractors can easily tackle curved designs associated with patios, driveways, and decks. CertaForm performs like wood – easily drilled, nailed, and staked. It holds its shape during pour with minimal staking and is compatible with standard lumber sizes. Available in 2×4 and 2×6 nominal sizes, each form is 12 feet long, weighs only 5 and 8 pounds respectively, and can create a 12” radius curve.

Concrete Decor Show
(877) 935-8906
www.concretedecorshow.com    
The Concrete Decor Show gives you the tools you need
to improve your skills and grow your business, with hands-on workshops, classroom training, plus an extensive exhibit hall with live demonstrations. Our third annual event will be held February 20–24, 2012 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. The exhibit hall will be open February 22–24. Don’t miss the 2012 Concrete Decor Show. Call 877-935-8906 today for more information.

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
A Division of Rhino Linings
3904 Riley St. | San Diego, CA 92110
(800) 232-8311 toll free
sales@concretesolutions.com
www.concretesolutions.com                                         
Concrete Solutions, Inc., since 1986, manufactures Ultra Surface Products for restoration, beautification and protection of existing concrete surfaces. Training classes monthly. See www.concretesolutions.com for training schedule. Tools, products, training and support.

Construcolor USA, Ltd.
(866) 644-8324 toll free
Fax: (866) 591-8670
sales@construcolor.com
www.construcolor.com
CONSTRUCOLOR® innovates, develops, manufactures and offers a line of products for concrete, mortars, plasters or grout; including: integral color, water repellent, self leveling, overlays, pervious and sealers; maximizing the beauty and performance in your construction projects. Applications include: floor, grout, pre-cast, ready-mix, walls, countertops and so on. Our products meet the highest quality regulations and are environmentally friendly. We offer technical support and customer service. Place your order online or by phone.

Davis Colors
3700 East Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90023
(323) 269-7311
www.daviscolors.com
Davis Colors is the leading U.S. producer of mix-in color additives for decorative concrete, concrete countertops and anything else that can be made of concrete. Davis Colors come in powder, liquid or granular form and are added to the mix with the exclusive Chameleon PC-operated automatic dosing system or with Mix-Ready disintegrating bags. Davis Colors products are available through ready-mix suppliers and concrete building material dealers nationwide. Color cards, sample sets and specification information are available for dealers or direct from the company.

Dust Collection Products
837 Cornish Drive
San Diego, CA 92107
(877) 223-2154 toll free
www.dustmuzzle.com         
Dust Collection Products manufactures and sells a complete line of dust collectors for all the hand tools used in the concrete trades including the Dust Muzzle for grinders, the Saw Muzzle for circular saws and gas-powered cut-off saws. As well, Dust Collection Products offers a complete line of dust collectors for crack chasers, tuck pointers and much more.

Elite Crete Systems
(219) 465-7671
www.elitecrete.com  
Elite Crete Systems is the recognized leader in the decorative concrete overlay industry manufacturing products and systems for: concrete overlayments, stamped concrete, concrete coatings, concrete repair, colored concrete, acid-stained concrete, concrete toppings, concrete floors, architectural concrete finishes, concrete surface restoration, concrete protection, concrete enhancement, concrete countertops, concrete wall finishes, concrete stains, concrete sealers and much more worldwide.

Epro Waterproofing
PO Box 347
Derby, KS 67037
(800) 882-1896 toll free
www.eproserv.com
EPRO is a leading developer and supplier of innovative waterproofing systems and gas (methane and radon) barrier systems to the residential and commercial construction industry through an Authorized Applicator network. The E-Wall system (residential) and System III Plus (commercial) not only provide complete protection from water intrusion through the walls, but also water/vapor penetration as well as methane permeation through the slabs. This completely eliminates mold, mildew and hazardous gases.

Heritage Glass Inc.
(435) 563-5585
www.hgglass.com         
Heritage Glass is a glass recycler and manufacturer of colored glass aggregates used in decorative floor and countertop applications. See our website: www.hgglass.com for our color and sizing options.

Kemiko
(562) 236-1170
www.kemiko.com   
Kemiko Decorative & Industrial Coatings can be used on interior/exterior concrete and can transform concrete slabs into luxurious floors resembling marble/glazed or natural stone. Terra Fresco micro-topping can provide a fresh canvas over old, previously coated concrete. Kemiko stains are LEED compliant, available in eight colors and are top-coated with Kemiko’s full line of sealers, industrial coatings–epoxies/polyurethanes/polyaspartics, waxes–solvent/water based, and instant UV cured coatings (RapidShield®).

Lura Enterprises
(701) 281-8989
wwwluraconcretescreed.com
The Lightening Strike Roller Screed system is a blend of commercial quality and dependability to take on the largest of jobs. We have added time and labor saving attachments to improve on the contractors’ bottom line. We not only offer power but versatility as well. Everything you would expect and demand from an American made Tool.

The Shepherd Color Company
4539 Dues Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45246
(513) 874-0714
SalesUSA@shepherdcolor.com
www.shepherdcolor.com           
Shepherd is the largest US manufacturer of Cobalt Blue, the most stable blue; and other dry powder colors for concrete, grout and stucco. Since 1916 this family-owned business has been in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
(888) 848-0059
121 NE 40th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
www.thestampstore.com     
The Stamp Store is a full service company providing quality decorative concrete products. The Stamp Store excels in training and technical support for the professional contractor and the DIY homeowner. Stamp Store instructors specialize in training classes for countertops, vertical stamping and carving, overlays, fresh pours stamping, and One Day Floors applications. We are a a nationally recognized leader in service and product selection hosting one of the largest decorative concrete Internet stores in the country. We ship anywhere.

Super-Krete International, Inc.
1290 North Johnson Avenue Ste. 101
El Cajon, CA 92020
(800) 995-1716 toll free
(619) 401-8282
www.super-krete.com            
Super-Krete products have been used since 1985 to repair, restore and beautify concrete surfaces. Tagged as “The Concrete Overlay Experts,” we manufacture environmentally-friendly and non-toxic products to include ready-mix overlayments, paints, color stains and sealers for decorative concrete and concrete restoration and waterproofing.

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(800) 342-5976
www.wrmeadows.com    
W. R. MEADOWS, INC. designs, manufactures and markets high quality products and systems for today’s construction professionals. Our decorative concrete line features sealers, evaporation retardants, curing and sealing compounds, additives and surface retarders – for every aspect of decorative concrete protection. Our products are supported by a large distribution network and the MEADOWS experience factor – over 85 years of quality, service and integrity.

PRODUCT INDEX

ACCESSORIES

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
thestampstore.com

W. R. Meadows
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

ADHESIVES

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W. R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

ADMIXTURES   

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Heritage Glass Inc.
(435) 563-5585
hgglass.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W. R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

AGGREGATES

Heritage Glass Inc.
(435) 563-5585
hgglass.com

BUILDING ENVELOPE SOLUTIONS

Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing
(800) 527-7092
carlisle-ccw.com

CEMENT

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

CLEANING SOLUTIONS

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282

COATINGS

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
bomanite.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
thestampstore.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

COLOR ADDITIVES

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

Davis Colors
(323) 269-7311
daviscolors.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

The Shepherd Color Company
(513) 874-0714
shepherdcolor.com

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
thestampstore.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

COLOR HARDENERS

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
bomanite.com

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
thestampstore.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

COLOR RELEASE AGENTS

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
bomanite.com

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
thestampstore.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

COMMERCIAL DRAINAGE SYSTEMS

Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing
(800) 527-7092
carlisle-ccw.com

CONCRETE COUNTERTOPS

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

CONCRETE CURBING

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

CONCRETE SINKS

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

DRY SHAKE

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

DUST COLLECTION  

Dust Collection Products
(877) 223-2154 toll free
sales@dustmuzzle.com
dustmuzzle.com

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Concrete Decor Show
Education and Training
concretedecorshow.com

EPOXIES

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
thestampstore.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

EPOXY COATINGS

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
thestampstore.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

FAUX FINISHING  

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Eomar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

FORMING

CertainTeed
(610) 341-7656
certainteed.com

GARAGE FLOOR COATINGS

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
bomanite.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
thestampstore.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

GLASS

Heritage Glass Inc.
(435) 563-5585
hgglass.com

GREEN ROOFS

Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing
(800) 527-7092
carlisle-ccw.com

GROUT REPAIR

Epro Waterproofing Systems
(800) 882-1996
eproserv.com

HARDSCAPING PRODUCTS

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
bomanite.com

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

MOLDS  

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

OVERLAYS/TOPPINGS  

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
bomanite.com

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
thestampstore.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

PAINTS/COATINGS  

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

PERVIOUS

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

PIGMENTS/DYES  

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
bomanite.com

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

The Shepherd Color Company
(513) 874-0714
shepherdcolor.com

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
thestampstore.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

POLISHING/GRINDING EQUIPMENT

Dust Collection Products
(877) 223-2154 toll free
sales@dustmuzzle.com
dustmuzzle.com

POLYMERS  

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

RECYCLED CONTENTS

Heritage Glass
(435) 563-5585
hgglass.com

RELEASE AGENTS

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

REPAIR

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
ww.concretesolutions.com

Epro Waterproofing Systems
(800) 882-1996
eproserv.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Dust Collection Products
(877) 223-2154 toll free
sales@dustmuzzle.com
dustmuzzle.com

SCREEDS  

Lura Enterprises Inc.
(701) 281-8989
luraconcretescreed.com

SEALERS

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
bomanite.com

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing
(800) 527-7092
carlisle-ccw.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

SELF LEVELING  

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

STAINS

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
bomanite.com

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

STAMPING

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
bomanite.com

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

STENCILS

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

The Stamp Store
(405) 525-2426
thestampstore.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

STRIPPERS

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

TEXTURING TOOLS

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Lura Enterprises Inc.
(701) 281-8989
luraconcretescreed.com

TRAINING

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Kemiko (Epmar Corp)
(562) 236-7170 x318
kemiko.com

UNDERLAYMENTS  

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

VACUUMS

Dust Collection Products
(877) 223-2154 toll free
sales@dustmuzzle.com
dustmuzzle.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

VAPOR BARRIERS

Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing
(800) 527-7092
carlisle-ccw.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

VERTICAL APPLICATIONS

Bomanite
(303) 369-1115
bomanite.com

Butterfield Color, Inc.
(630) 723-3106
butterfieldcolor.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

WATERPROOFING

Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing
(800) 527-7092
carlisle-ccw.com

Concrete Solutions, Inc.
(800) 232-8311 toll free
concretesolutions.com

Construcolor
(210) 616-1172
store.construcolor.com

Elite Crete Systems, Inc.
(219) 465-7671
elitecrete.com

Epro Waterproofing Systems
(800) 882-1996
eproserv.com

Super-Krete International, Inc.
(619) 401-8282
super-krete.com

W.R. Meadows, Inc.
(847) 214-2100
wrmeadows.com

text by Sue Marquette Poremba

PART 1 of a 2-PART SERIES

LIVING  and working in Gulf Shore, Ala., Lundy Wilder has needed to find a way to color concrete homes and concrete pool decks, while keeping in mind weather elements such as hurricanes. Over the years, she’s learned something about the pros and cons of dyes and stains. And what you use is going to be different for every project.

Wilder tried to use acid stain for a flooring project, for example. Because of the colors created by the acid stain, she thought it would be the perfect coloring product. However, the concrete also included molds of seashells, made from rubber cement.

“Know what happened when I put that acid stain with the rubber cement?” Wilder asks with a chuckle. “That rubber cement turned to mush.”

“Both stains and dyes are extremely challenging, but they are both amazing,” Steve Lazar, owner of Lazar Design/Build in Southern California, said. “It’s almost like a grab bag when you use either one of them. You have to be prepared to accept whatever you get.”

There are pros and cons to using dyes and stains, and further broken down, there are pros and cons between acid stains and water-based stains. However, the primary consideration in what the homeowner chooses will depend on the type of final look that’s desired.

Christopher Lowell, home design expert and author based in Santa Fe, N.M., says choosing between a dye and a stain is kind of like a woman deciding how to wear her lipstick. “It’s the difference between wearing lipstick that covers the lip completely or using a lip stain that shows the lip’s construction and part of its natural color.”

Dyes tend to permeate deeper into the layers of concrete, offering a denser quality in the look. Often the dye is mixed into the concrete before it is poured. Once the dye is in the concrete, it is there for good and it can’t be changed.

Because the color blends deeply into the concrete, dyes are an excellent choice for outdoor spaces, especially in areas where weather is a concern. The color will remain looking solid even if the concrete is worn away by severe climate conditions.

“More importantly,” Lowell says, “dyes will give a floors a more solid, painted look that covers up the concrete versus working with the concrete’s natural characteristics.”

Stains, on the other hand, are more surface-related in their penetration. When applied, stains have a more translucent look, whereby one can see the attributes of the existing concrete below. It acts like an enhancement to the concrete rather than an opaque that covers up the concrete all together. Stains also offer the chance to create unique patterns in the concrete.

“Staining is the method I prefer most because it doesn’t look like you’re trying to disguise the concrete,” Lowell says. “The stains showcase the natural qualities. So, in interiors, I will tend to use this method because it’s more interesting.”

Lazar also prefers stains to dyes, and prefers acid stains to water-based. “I’ve made some of the most amazing floors with an acid stain,” he says. The results were stunning, so clients wanted him to replicate the look in their homes. Yet, he was nervous to undertake that task. When you use the stain, he says, “It is what it is when it comes out. The acid stain I used was not forgiving at all. Once you spray it onto the concrete, it’s etched.”

Even the sprayer used to apply the stain will make a difference, he explains. “Let’s say you use a hand sprayer and it isn’t a high quality sprayer and drips. Those drips will burn holes right into the concrete.”

Hence, Lazar says his greatest challenge with using a stain – and he admits this might not be a challenge for everyone – is managing the expectations of his clients.

“You can’t mimic the same thing over and over with a stain,” he says. Clients see something they like and want the same thing in their home. “They don’t understand that your project will be working with different concrete, different humidity, different temperature, different amount of days from the setting of the concrete to the staining – everything is a variable that is going to make a difference in how the stain will look.”

Getting the stains to look just right is not easy, but that’s also its charm. It has a lot more character than a dye. For example, Wilder, who creates cement decorative tiles, says she is considering staining to give some of her tiles an antique look that she cannot get from concrete’s natural color or from dyes.

Dyes are very useful when a large area needs to be a singular color, such as a wall. Because the dyes mix into the concrete, the color is more consistent. You know exactly what you are going to get.

If the homeowner wants to mix colors and create a pattern, that’s where stains come in. But where dyed concrete can be applied with a good idea of what the end result will be, staining should be sampled first to get a feel for what the final application will look like. It’s best to use an inconspicuous small corner to test the stain before applying it to the entire area.

Cost also comes into play when deciding between stains and dyes. First, consider colors when estimating the overall cost of a project. Colors that most resemble natural concrete will be the least expensive, and often the colors used in dyes. Stains can also be in neutral colors, but many homeowners prefer vibrant color patterns. Colors like teal will bump up the price of the stain.

Also, applying stains is more labor intensive than dyes. “With dyes, having the color might double the price of the concrete in the truck, but essentially, you just pour it out and finish it as you would any other pour,” Lazar says. “But with stains, you are layering three or four more processes on top of the concrete. You have to lay the concrete, finish it, stain it, put a base solution on it, and then put a clear finish on top of it.”

Bottom line, it’s labor versus materials when it comes to costs.

In the end, whether to use a dye or a stain comes down to the project itself, the look you desire and how well that look will hold up over the years. CH

The second article will examine the pros and cons of acid-based stains  and water-based stains.

Sue Marquette Poremba is a freelance writer based in Central Pennsylvania. She writes regularly about decorative concrete, construction, engineering and technology.

Nestling in the hills overlooking San Diego is the San Vicente Dam, one of San Diego’s main sources of domestic water. The San Diego County Water Authority is overseeing the construction of the $1 billion San Vicente Dam Raise Project, which began in early 2009 and will take about four years. Refilling the reservoir after construction will take another two to five years.

This is part of the Water Authority’s more than $1 billion Emergency Storage Project, which is creating new emergency water storage and pipeline connections to deliver water throughout the region if the imported water supply is disrupted.

When complete the reservoir will be able to store an additional 152,000 acre-feet of water supply. The construction project was awarded to a joint venture partnership of Shimmick Construction Co. Inc. and Obayashi Corp., and the design and supply of the concrete production plant was awarded to Plant Architects/Plant Outfitters of San Antonio.

Plant Architects chose to convert an existing Con-E-Co plant for the aggregate batching section, and ordered a new section from Ocmer Impianti of Italy housing two aggregate holding hoppers, cement, fly ash and water scales, two twin-shaft mixers and two mixed RCC concrete holding hoppers feeding either of two take-away belts. One belt is short for local delivery and the other feeds directly to the dam, where rollers compact the concrete to form a stairway-shaped addition to the exposed front of the dam and continuing another 117 feet in height.

Ocmer Impianti represented by ConcreteMixers.Biz and Scale-Tron in North America, specializes in high-quality batch plants of the low-profile design rather than the tower type, with fully galvanized structure incorporating a number of features new to North America. The huge volume of RCC concrete requires a plant with output of 600-yard per hour, which is easy going for the two 5.3-yard mixers. Aggregates are batched from storage bins, replenished by inclined belts from a dual wet-belt cooling system and a drum-type sand cooler supplied by Coldcrete. Cement and fly ash are supplied from two 1,000-ton silos.

The control system is a Scale-Tron BatchTron III PLC and touch screen-based system, chosen for its reliability in high-speed production as well as its user-friendly graphic touch screen operation. In operation, it replenishes the twin holding hoppers underneath the mixers, based on level sensors, and sequences weigh scales, holding hoppers and mixers in a continuous duet that can refill each mixer the instant it is empty to maximize throughput. Peak output is calculated at 740-yard per hour, although the aggregate supply could not keep up with this pace for long.

To produce concrete at a maximum temperature of 55°F at the delivery point, aggregates and water must be cooled to about 40°F and sand to 50°F. A storage pond, insulated by a floating cushion, is cooled to 40°F by the Coldcrete system and used to spray water over the aggregates on the two wet belts, as well as supplying the water used in the concrete.

Because the aggregates are thoroughly saturated by this process and the product is a zero-slump mix, water required in the batching process is low by ready-mix standards, but still works out to more than 15,000 gallons per hour at full production. Fortunately, a ready supply is available from the existing reservoir.

A local quarry supplies aggregates that are crushed, screened and sent to the two separate wet belts. Approximately 150 feet long, these belts are of perforated rubber with spray nozzles along their length, covered by a vinyl-fabric canopy. Run-off water is collected in channels under the belts and returned to the cooling pond for reuse.

Coldcrete’s Mike Lee says that this method of cooling is more efficient and more reliable than an ice plant, giving less downtime and lower energy costs.  He is currently supplying many of the world’s dam contractors with similar equipment, together with Scale-Tron’s aggregate control systems.

The two factors that persuaded Plant Architects to go with the Ocmer plant were Ocmer’s European-style design and galvanized “assembly-kit” structure. Ocmer precision fabricates all its structural frames and pre-assembles them at their plant to guarantee that when they arrive onsite that they can be erected easily with negligible delay due to ill-fitting parts.

This was borne out in practice; from delivery at the site to an erected plant took 14 working days. Electrical, plumbing and feeds from cement silos and aggregate batcher took an additional four weeks, with the first batch being poured six weeks following delivery to the site. A 1,000-yard test pour was witnessed by the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers during March, about 14 weeks after plant equipment delivery.

Innovative plant features include:
• Aggregate Refill Control: The aggregate wet belt and sand drum cooling systems need to be run continuously, preferably at a constant speed, to optimize the cooling. The feed bins for the batch plant need refilling as batching proceeds but because production can speed up or slow down, the bins will require filling at rates that constantly change.
A separate PLC and touch screen control system uses mid-level sensors in the bins to control the average level, speeding up or slowing down the feed rate onto the wet belts as necessary. Additional sensors either stop the filling process if the high level is reached or stop the batching process if the low level is reached.
These levels should never be reached during normal operation, but are a safeguard against plant equipment breakdowns. The aggregate control system eliminates the need for an operator to monitor and control the refill process. With the addition of temperature sensors, it can also optimize the cooling process, saving further energy.

• Mixer Feed System: Ocmer’s aggregate holding hopper is a complete, enclosed assembly with scales for cement, fly ash and water distributed round the outside.
The whole assembly sits on the mixer with access to the upper level by an integral ladder and catwalk, saving structural elements and making assembly very speedy. In colder climes, cladding is added to the outside to make it weatherproof.

• Rotary Jet Mixer Cleanout: Using high pressure water through three water-powered rotating heads in each mixer, the twin shaft mixers are thoroughly cleaned twice each shift with very little in the way of extra manual cleanup.
The Italian-made heads have four jets that rotate like pinwheels around a horizontal axis and also rotate around a vertical axis, giving an omnidirectional spray pattern that is ideal for large mixers.

• Dust Recirculation: Air displaced from the mixer during charging with aggregates is recirculated into the top of the aggregate holding hopper, replacing the volume evacuated by the material as it discharges.
This would form a closed circuit if the hopper was fully enclosed. Since it is not, a small dust collector cleans up any dust around the top of the hoppers before it escapes.

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Robin Shepherdson is an engineer with more than 40 years experience in the concrete industry. He has recently started ConcreteMixers.Biz, which specializes in high-quality European plants, mixers and related equipment. CM

According to Sullivan’s recent report, a federal default stemming from the absence of a higher debt ceiling would affect business, consumer and bank confidence, leading to a rise in interest rates and the likelihood of forced government austerity spending measures. Such moves, in turn, could depress highway and other government construction programs at the federal and state level.

“In this scenario, cement consumption would record a 5.6 percent retraction in 2011, followed by a 7.5 percent drop in 2012,” Sullivan said. “In fact, the debt crisis may already be exerting adverse influence on near-term cement consumption due to suspension of state and local treasury bonds as well as an overall uncertainty that has been injected into the economic landscape.”

PCA estimates the cyclical downturn caused by the “Great Recession” reduced federal revenues by $1.9 trillion and raised income security payments like unemployment insurance by $600 billion. Aside from revenue and tax assessments, part of the increase in debt has been recorded due to necessary counter-cyclical spending such as the stimulus package.

Defense spending in the Middle East has also contributed to the recent large deficits. Finally, and perhaps most worrisome, deficits have come from increases in entitlement spending fueled by demographic changes. The Congressional Budget Office expects entitlement spending on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid will rise from $1.5 trillion in 2010 to $2.6 trillion in 2020.

Before the recession, total accumulated federal debt held by the public totaled $5 trillion. Since 2007, this debt has more than doubled, increasing by $5.8 trillion to $10.8 trillion. The debt accumulation during the past four years actually exceeds the total debt accumulated since the country’s inception.

“It had examples of almost every type of situation you can encounter in foundation work. Most challenges could be met with careful pre-construction planning; however, some had to be met in the field at that time.” The project has more than 1,500 linear feet of foundation wall containing more than 600 cubic yards of concrete and 41,000 pounds of steel reinforcement. The project includes a 12-foot walkout basement and a two-story, 24-foot-tall vault. Wall heights ranged from 2-foot 4-inch to 24-foot,
and ranged from 10 to 15 inches in thickness. River City poured footings that were all 3 feet wide and placed at a variety of levels with footing steps ranging from
8 inches to 5 feet in height.

There were also special footings for a recessed elevator pad and the 10-foot by 15-foot vault. “Typical of very large residences, the geometry and layout further complicated the construction,” Harrison explained. There are 11 individual radius or curved walls with radii from 2-foot to 38-foot 2-inch and a total length of 223 feet. The foundation also had freestanding columns up to 3-foot 4-inch square and 7-foot-tall, as well as concrete floors and ceilings in the vault. “Approximately two weeks prior to the start date was spent proofing the blueprint, discovering errors and planning a schedule,” Harrison said as he recounted the challenges.

“We visualized how to stage equipment and designed ways to most effectively facilitate some of the more complex concrete placements.” Estimating was also a challenge and required multiple trips to the jobsite before elevation shots and layout couldcommence. Although significantly more detailed than a traditional set of plans and specifications, the architectural and engineering blueprints required intense scrutiny due to the level of detail involved with the full project.

Technology played a significant role in the success of the project for River City Foundations as they solved the complex layout of more than 700 individual points with a
robotic total station. Concrete pumps delivered the concrete to much of the foundation due to the size and height of many of the wall areas.

“Being as the project schedule spanned different seasons, the working conditions varied from oppressive heat and mud to frozen ground and snow. Every day brought new challenges and new decisions,” he said. “We are blessed to have such a great work force of men and women,” Harrison said. “I am very proud of the quality and pride that goes into all of our foundation jobs, big or small. I think this and many other reasons are why we maintain more than our fair share of the work in this market, despite the very slow economy.“

The study examined data collected from the industry and the Department of Commerce for the period of 1997-2007. It showed the gap between top-performing cement plants and others narrowed and the performance of the industry as a whole improved.

“The decade studied by Duke was one of unprecedented growth for the cement industry, yet PCA members demonstrated their commitment to environmental stewardship by building sound strategies for energy management and investing in their facilities with state-of-the-art technologies that significantly improved the industry’s energy efficiency and reduced emissions,” said Brian McCarthy, Portland Cement Association (PCA) CEO and president.
“The U.S. cement industry was among the first major industries to tackle the issue of climate change, and this study illustrates that it has remained at the forefront of developing policies and improving the manufacturing process,” he continued.

The study was commissioned by the EPA to measure the change in the cement industry’s energy efficiency curve. The energy management approach promoted by the EPA’s ENERGY STAR program, that of benchmarking plant energy performance against peers over time and certifying plants for top performance, was an important factor in enabling the industry to shift its energy performance.

The Energy Performance Indicator (EPI) scores the energy efficiency of a single cement plant and allows the plant to compare its performance to that of the entire industry. The tool is intended to help cement plant operators identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve conventional energy supplies and reduce production costs. CM