A Beginner’s Guide To Decorative Concrete Finishes

Decorative Concrete Finishes are an innovative solution for people who want the grandeur of stones in their homes. These coatings are a great solution to achieve seamless concrete texture walls within a short span of time. Any applicator or contractor can create a wide array of textures for interiors and exteriors using these finishes.

What are Decorative Concrete Coatings?

Decorative concrete coatings are manufactured using a technology that combines concrete with proprietary additives, that imparts its fluidity. These finishes are manufactured in an aqueous base. Thus, unlike paints, they do not contain any harmful pigments or solvents. Furthermore, they have no VOC which makes them environment-friendly and also sustainable. This innovative technology has led us to achieve concrete textures on not just flat, but also on curved and 3D surfaces. 

What type of textures can one create?

Using decorative concrete finishes one can create multiple distinctive textures. The textures are either trowelled or sprayed depending upon finish desired. Moreover, you can also polish the concrete textures to give a marble-like look and feel. Here are a few basic textures that you can create.

Sprayable Concrete

A plain seamless concrete look that was previously used to cover slabs and other exterior surfaces. But with the development of textured concrete coatings, you can now spray concrete to create seamless walls.

Troweled Finish

Trowel finished textures are a great way to attain smooth and fine walls. One can achieve this either by hand or by machines too. This concrete texture finish goes well for interiors, exteriors and also for other curved or 3D surfaces.

Broom Finish

As the name denotes, you can attain these finishes using a broom or in some cases also a brush. The final look attained is simple yet maximalistic and is great for creating statement walls and furniture. 

Exposed Aggregate Finish

The exposed aggregate finish is when the aggregate (or the different particles) in the concrete mixture can be seen clearly. Coating it with a glossy protective coat adds to the uniqueness of the concrete texture and makes your surfaces hard not to notice.

Salt Finish

If you are planning on getting a rough, granular look on your walls, the salt finish concrete texture is ideal for you. It adds a natural and raw look to your surfaces and works well for both interiors and exteriors.

Stamped Concrete Finish

You can achieve this texture using pre-formed moulds to attain the desired texture or design on the concrete surface. Using this technique to create a highlight wall ensures a uniformity in the design thus making your walls look classy and distinctive.

Stained Concrete

This is one of the most well-known concrete textures for enhancing the x-factor of decorative concrete finishes. The most common and the best staining material is the acid stain. It not only produces a rich colour but also gives a marbleized look much like grainy leather.

Polished Concrete

The polished concrete texture is attained by hand-trowelling to remove any float marks. This process, in turn, gives us a smooth concrete surface that is a pleasure to the eyes. The polish also helps us to achieve stone-hardness thus protecting our surfaces from being damaged easily. 

How can they be applied?

Decorative concrete finishes can be applied onto most base substrates. One can apply these finishes using regular texturing tools in a thin layer ranging from 2mm to 5mm, depending on the design you choose. For example, if you go for a handcrafted look, the coated layer will be thinner in comparison to a 3D design. 

The only requirement for the application of these coatings is that the surface needs to be smooth. If not, neither can you create textures, nor will it look pleasing to the eyes. One can easily coat surfaces like bricks, plastered walls, old tiles, weathered walls, plastic, wood etc with textured concrete finishes. 

Can you use decorative concrete coatings for interior applications?

Concrete has primarily been seen as an exterior surface material, given its raw look. With the invent of decorative concrete finishes, which provide a wide range of subtle textures and finishings, it is now also increasingly being used across interiors. The concrete finishes can be textured using tools like trowels, rollers, and brushes to create designs that best suit your requirements. 

Are decorative concrete coatings durable?

Decorative concrete is crafted to endure the toughest of conditions for a long time. The concrete texture finishes manufactured here at Evolve have a 7-year warranty for any coating failure or fading of the shade. You can protect the finishes by sealing them with either a glossy or matte protective coat depending on your theme to prevent it from any external damages. 

On what areas can you apply decorative concrete coatings?

You can apply decorative concrete coatings to a wide range of areas like under:

• Walls 

These coatings are great for creating seamless statement walls in your interior spaces as well as to create striking exteriors. Be it designing a bedroom backdrop or a facade, textured concrete coatings can do it all. Check out this villa in the hills,  one of our first projects completed using decorative concrete finishes.

• Ceilings

You can also amp up your interior spaces by coating your ceilings with decorative concrete finishes.

• Furniture

You can use textured concrete finishes to create unique furniture pieces. These pieces can, in turn, be used to accentuate your interiors. Seal them with a protective coating to ensure their longevity.

• Door

Concrete doors are easy to integrate into an interior space. These doors uplift the wooden elements. One can also use them as bedroom doors, kitchen doors or just as a sliding door. Check out our selection here.

• Decor Pieces

Decor manufacturing companies can now finish their various range of products using decorative concrete coatings. By selecting a durable and cost-effective base substrate, one can obtain a lightweight end product, finished to their liking. 

How do we maintain the decorative concrete coatings?

The decorative concrete coatings have very low maintenance. A clean damp cloth will do the job. You can also use mild soap water to clean the surface stains. Avoid acid-based cleaners, as they can wear off the protective coat much faster.

What is the curing time for these finishes?

Decorative concrete finishes typically cure overnight. This feature also makes it a favourite among the customers and designers alike. You can also learn to create these finishes at our Evolve School of Textures. At this workshop, any architect, contractor and painter can enhance their texturing skills and use them further to design many new textures to impress their client base. 

At Evolve, we supply these coatings in the form of ready to install panels and also as material kits. You can choose one that fits your needs and give your spaces a stellar look. 

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