Bob Harris's Guide to Stained Concrete Interior Floors

By: Bob Harris

Learn how to turn concrete slabs into works of art your customers will cherish, and in return, reward you with a lifetime of repeat business.

This new book shows you concrete design options available today, how to estimate costs of different techniques and compare those costs to other floor covering options such as carpet, wood floors, tile, or marble.

Find out how to sell your services, write a contract for floor staining, then keep notes and records so you can repeat your performance.

Large color photos show how to correct problem floors, test your stain before beginning, apply dyes, grouts and sealers, and specialty techniques. Full of charts, helpful hints and step-by-step instructions.

Contents:

About the Author, 5

Introduction, 7

1, Why Stained Concrete Floors Are So Popular, 10

2, Stained Concrete Floors Provide a Wide Spectrum of Design Options, 15

3, Where Do Good Flooring Designs Come From?, 18

4, Budget Analysis of Stained Concrete Floors, 20

5, Site Conditions Affecting Chemical Staining Projects, 24

6, New Concrete: Attributes That Impact Chemical Staining, 29

7, Establishing Expectations with the Builder, Architect, and Owner, 33

8, Preparing Samples, 34

9, Writing a Fair Contract, 38

10, Chronicling Your Work The Importance of Safety, 40

11, The Importance of Safety, 42

12, When Extra Surface Preparation Is Required, 44

13, Getting Ready for Stain Application, 51

14, The Chemical Staining Process, 58

15, Applying Dyes and Grout, 63

16, Sealing and Protecting Your Work, 66

17, Equipment, Tools, and Supplies, 70

18, Specialty Techniques, 74

19, Troubleshooting: How to Fix and Avoid Common Field Problems, 83

20, Maintaining Chemically Stained Floors, 86

21, How to Sell Chemically Stained and Dyed Interior Floors, 88

22, The Future: Artisans Taking Stained and Dyed Floors Over the Top, 90

Glossary, 94

Resources, 96

Bob Harris is known worldwide in the decorative concrete industry and is founder and president of the Decorative Concrete Institute in Douglasville, Georgia.

He has personally placed and/or supervised the placement of over 3 million square feet of decorative concrete, including work for some of the major Disney theme parks in Orlando, Florida.

He has conducted hands-on training seminars in architectural concrete in locations around the world, in addition to being a part of technical support, and research and development at a large decorative concrete manufacturer for almost a decade.

In addition to sharing his expertise with others through his involvement with numerous industry associations, Harris been a presenter at four consecutive World of Concrete Trade Shows. At the 2004 World Concrete Trade Show, Harris delivered four presentations on topics including: Acid Etch Staining, Sandblast Stencil Techniques, How to Get Started in Decorative Flatwork and Advanced Decorative Overlays. He also spoke at the 2004 World of Concrete Mexico Trade Show.

98 Pages - 8-1/2x 11 in.