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We have received many compliments on our porch floor since the work done by Rod Wells and Lifestyle Concrete Coating. This improvement has added beauty and value to our home. I was impressed with the professionalism and care taken by Mr. Wells and his crew in completing this job. I would certainly recommend this company to anyone. Well done.
~ The Hermans
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- What is Decorative Concrete Coating?
- spray or trowel-applied polymer-modified cement;
- acid or water-based stains;
- a range of polymer coatings from epoxies to polyurethanes, and even polyaspartics.
- What does Decorative concrete coating cost?
- There are too many variables, such as the condition of the concrete and the complexity of the design, to give ballpark costs. Please contact us for a free in-home consultation. Suffice to say that we offer solutions for every taste and budget that are competitive with, if not cheaper than, competing solutions such as tile, pavers, brick, or carpet.
- How thick is decorative concrete coating?
- If you are concerned about changing the elevation of your concrete slab you should know that none of our systems is much thicker than a nickel. Competitors offering stamped overlays will want to apply a bonded topping of at least 3/8", similar to the thickness of ceramic tile. Pavers, brick, or carpet, of course, will be even thicker.
- How long does decorative concrete coating last? Is there a warranty? What kind of maintenance is required?
- All of our systems come with a factory-backed warranty from 1 to 10 years, depending on the product. Some maintenance will be required, typically a periodic re-application of sealer, as it is with any indoor flooring or outdoor wearing surface. Consult your lifeSTYLE representative for details.
When properly maintained, a decorative concrete surface or polymer coating will remain beautiful and durable for many years.
- How long does decorative concrete coating take to install?
- You won't be surprised to hear that "it depends", but most residential jobs only take a few days. And, we go to great lengths to ensure minimal disruption to your home life or damage to landscaping, etc.
- What about cracks, stains, etc in the concrete?
- At lifeSTYLE we are fanatics about proper surface preparation. We follow industry standards and practices for concrete surface treatment and repair (http://www.icri.org/) and for the installation of polymer coatings (http://www.sspc.org/).
While no one can guarantee crack repair, we rout, seal and grind flat all visible transverse cracks with a 2-component polymer repair system prior to application of the coating or overlay. Stains are either removed by chemical means, or, if necessary, we will grind the surface in order to remove contaminants that would inhibit bond. If there is a section of concrete where removal and replacement is the only practical option, we have trusted and reliable sub-contractors who will do a professional job, no matter how small, for a reasonable charge.
- How do you treat expansion joints and control joints?
- All joints must be "honored", that is, we don't want to cover over them. They are there for a reason. In fact, cracks are there for a reason too, so we will often cut additional control joints after repairing transverse cracks in order to keep the crack from reappearing. Sometimes we can even work with a crack pattern to create a flagstone look. This can be a very economical approach when a homeowner wants an alternative to costly removal and replacement of a concrete slab.
- Is it cool to walk on?
- Depending on the color and system selected, a decorative concrete surface will be 10 to 40 degrees cooler than plain concrete.
- How do I decide on a decorative concrete coating product, a design or a color?
- The first decision is one you have hopefully already made…Why decorative concrete? Thickness restrictions, cleanliness, cost, and/or the "green" aspects of decorative concrete applications may have made the decision easy versus carpet, tile, pavers, or brick. Our solutions are only the thickness of a nickel; they are seamless and non-porous, and therefore don't show weed growth or allow mold and mildew buildup; and, the competing solutions all have a much higher energy footprint due to the manufacturing processes. Then there's cost. Even if you are willing to consider the cheapest tile or carpet, which can cost as little as $3/sq. ft. installed, there are still very attractive stain/sealer combinations which will provide a modern, chic, and sustainable alternative at a similar cost.
Next consider what, if any, constraints or restrictions are driving your decision. Some of these might be:
- solvent odors or environmental effects
- foot or vehicle traffic volume
- ease of maintenance
- resistance to chemicals, such as pool chemicals
- non-skid characteristics
Finally, your lifeSTYLE rep will help you navigate the possible technologies, designs, and patterns to come up with the look you want and will be happy with for many years to come. The final step will be the creation of a sample that you and lifeSTYLE will sign off on together ensuring mutual understanding of the design goal.
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