Colour to the world of construction

Originally developed in the USA, decorative concrete is now used extensively throughout the world. It can be seen in theme parks like Disney World, in the casinos of Las Vegas and Atlantic City, USA and in public spaces, on driveways, patios and interior floor finishes. Concrete remains the most flexible building material in common use, it arrives on site as a liquid, and can be formed into virtually any shape to produce structurally robust structures both vertically and horizontally.

New ways for concrete

The use of concrete to provide an aesthetically pleasing surface is being increasingly exploited outside the UK. For example, an American company has developed a texturing system that may be fitted to extruder kerb machines. This machine could have been used to realise an aesthetically pleasing texture on the slipformed vertical concrete barriers located in the central reservation of the M25 and other motorways, yet still maintain the same safety benefits.

Computerised liquid pigment dispensers are in common use in America. This is evident when orders for concrete are placed with ready-mixed companies and the colour requirement is a standard enquiry. Regrettably, it is still normal in the UK to conceal concrete surfaces with cladding or floor coverings. The time wasted and expense incurred by applying brick slips to a newly constructed concrete car park or bridge could arguably be better spent on the use of in-situ coloured concrete and the use of special polypropylene formliners to simulate the appearance of brick construction.

Spreading the word

The extensive use of decorative concrete in theme parks and other tourist areas, principally in the US, has led to greater public awareness of the benefits to be derived from decorative concrete. This has benefited the market, resulting in a number of contracts in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. Clients, having seen the benefits of 'themed' areas, are increasingly requesting similar constructions in their parks, often involving random stone-type patterns, cracked mud or beach effects, some complete with footprints. Installations using decorative concrete have taken place at Legoland, Giinz.burg, Germany; Flamingo Land, Yorkshire; West Midlands Safari Park, near Birmingham and the Coombe Martin Dinosaur and Wildlife Park, Devon.

Less noticeable when travelling in the USA are the more mundane applications of decorative concrete, such as in the millions of square metres laid in public parks, small shop interiors or on the countless driveways, patios and pool surrounds installed every year. Decorative concrete is widely used in many areas of the world for public pavements. The benefits of monolithic paving include the fact that there are no slabs to sink or heave, thereby reducing the possibility of trip hazards. Claims against local councils for tripping accidents in the UK are increasing, and a large proportion of these would be eliminated by the adoption of monolithic paving. Concerns that services beneath the pavement may require attention, resulting in irreparable damage to the concrete, are unfounded because decorative concrete can be reinstated by competent contractors. Provided that records are made regarding colours and patterns used in the initial installation, the repair will blend with the surroundings more readily than a repair to asphalt.

Internal floor finishes

The demand for concrete floors continues to grow in the UK. Products are readily available for the provision of a polished concrete floor as a final finish to new-build construction, or for installation of a concrete floor over an existing floor (see Figure 1). Polymer-modified cements give the option of overlaying existing floors, whether constructed from concrete, screed or wood. These may be at depths varying from 8-10mm for textured finishes, reducing to credit card thickness for smooth finishes (see Figure 2). Both products can be coloured to most colours in the Pantone colour range to achieve a highly decorative 'concrete' floor. Existing concrete floors can be treated very cost-effectively with acid stains, transforming them from bland floors to objects of beauty.

Concluding remarks

It is taking time for concrete to be seen as the medium for the creation of a huge range of aesthetic finishes that are cost-effective and will last a lifetime. However, as architects and specifiers become aware of the palette of textures and colours at their disposal, preconceptions regarding the material should be dispelled, encouraging more imaginative use of this versatile material.