White Concrete - Gleaming White or Stained to Perfection?

Have you ever heard of using white concrete for floors, tiles, or countertops?  White concrete is sure to create an impact, whatever the application and is the perfect color to start with when designing anything. This innovative white version of concrete is reminiscent of newly fallen snow and blends so well in a variety of design styles. Basically, the product mix of the concrete uses white cement in place of the standard gray which allows for more vibrant, richer colors to be achieved when staining or when adding coloring pigment.  It is also on trend to add no color or stain at all and leave the concrete a bright, gleaming white.  The white allows spaces to feel larger, architecture and design elements stand out and textures/colors to really pop against this. 

White concrete pictured above, was created by MODE CONCRETE.

If pure white is not your thing, let your imagination go crazy.  Stained, colored, textured or smooth, concrete boasts limitless design options. It provides a blank canvas upon which homeowners and designers can leave their mark. Concrete lends itself to so many design styles, but best thing is how concrete gains character over time and like freckles, concrete floors help to camouflage wear as it gets older and only gets better with age, wear and traffic.

But beyond the design advantages, these surfaces are low maintenance and they blend seamlessly with a multitude of various design styles.  Concrete will have variations and inconsistencies, all characteristic properties of concrete.  With concrete we embrace and look forward to variations, in particular concrete floors will develop irregularities, freckles, hairline fractures, spider webbing, and will patina naturally with wear over time.

CONCRETE CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Dust and wipe frequently to remove gritty soil or dirt.
• Use natural, nonabrasive cleaners for best results and longevity of concrete, sealers and stains.
• Every few years, rewaxing or restaining may be required depending on wear and tear.

MODE CONCRETE is an artisan concrete design studio specializing in custom concrete, concrete floors, fireplace surrounds, furniture, and other custom projects, and the list goes on and on... Basically, we conceptualize, design and build gnarly awesome stuff out of concrete on a daily basis.  We are largely fueled by caffeine, constant brainstorming, and love hitting the drawing board with our next project or idea.  Gareth lives, dreams, breathes concrete... his passion for concrete is infectious.  We encourage you to call for a free onsite concrete design consultation.

Be Bedazzled... with Concrete Terrazzo!

Really... did we just say bedazzled out loud?  You should try and rhyme anything to terrazzo (suggestions welcome!)...

Terrazzo is an ancient artistic creation, consisting of chips of glass, marble, or similar material fixed in tinted cement or concrete, then ground and polished to down. Terrazzo is a highly durable concrete material great for flooring, tiles, countertops, fireplace surrounds.  It is especially great when applied in high traffic installations for its resilience and longevity. The composition of terrazzo allows you to incorporate post-consumer and pre-consumer recyclables like glass, marble and cement.  We can even add glow rock dust...  it's probably our favorite additive!

Many of the available aggregates and additives are locally recycled post-consumer glass. Rather than recycling glass by melting it down, we are always environmentally conscious when choosing recycled aggregate whenever possible.  Look at all these colors available...

Here are some terazzo pros and cons for you to consider:
PROS - elegant, unique, durable, easy maintenance, customizable, hand crafted
CONS - cost, cold, no cushion (for sound), usually requires professional contractors

Terrazzo floors date back to the Renaissance and were invented by the Venetians. The Italians used terrazzo floors in cathedrals and other grand places. Did you know that Michelangelo had terrazzo floors installed when he was working on St Peter’s Basilica, ooh la la. Terrazzo floors are often referred to as 'Venetian mosaic', due to their appearance.

Our conclusion on terrazzo - Why doesn't everyone have terrazzo?!  MODE CONCRETE recently traveled to Vancouver (for the IDS West) and stayed at the MODA Hotel, they have gorgeous restored 100 yr old terrazzo mosaic floors that inspired us to create another article about their long term beauty!  If ever in Vancouver, go to the Uva Wine Bar (in the MODA Hotel) and check out the stunning floors... totally drool worthy.  And maybe grab a drink, since you're there anyways...  We would've taken pictures, but how weird would laying on the floor be?  It would appear pretty weird, I'm guessing.

We have always had an obsession with terrazzo, call us for more information or a free estimate. MODE CONCRETE is a concrete design firm specializing in hand cast and artisan created pieces.