One of the best attributes of decorative concrete flooring is that no two floors will look alike. Each one can be given a distinct personality. Use concrete stains and dyes as the palette for creating an endless array of custom color effects. Experiment with different application tools, such as rags, sponges and brushes. Or try your hand at techniques such as stenciling or decorative sawcutting to embellish concrete floors with everything from floral patterns to three-dimensional graphics. See these examples of some of the innovative ways you can personalize your own concrete floor.
Elegant Concrete Floor Incorporates Wood Inlays
As you enter this impressive 12,000-square-foot custom home, you immediately notice how the grid of wood beams in the ceiling is mirrored by the walnut plank grid in the stained concrete floor. This stunning project received a first place award from the Decorative Concrete Council for stained concrete flooring under 5,000 square feet. Learn more about this unique floor.
Stain It with a Floral Pattern
You can use just about anything you have on hand to trace free-form designs on concrete. This beautiful floral pattern was traced using flexible PVC piping and metal templates cut into swirl and leaf shapes. Once the pattern was applied, a blend of black and brown acid stains was sprayed over the surface to bring the design to life. (See Stained Concrete Floor Art.)
Create the Look of Faux Wood
Tony Leos of Custom Concrete Solutions, San Antonio, Texas, has perfected a technique for making concrete floors look like beautiful stained wood. He starts by scoring the floor to create offset joints, and then he applies a wood-toned concrete stain. Next, he goes over the floor with a graining tool to give it a wood-grained effect. Learn more about his process.
Give It Old-World Charm
All the concrete floors in this Old-World-style home were handcrafted with custom-cut designs to mimic rough-cut stone and wood planking. Acid stains in tan and vintage umber give the floors depth and richness. (See Stained Concrete Is an Innovative Fit for an Old-World Castle Home.)
Make a Splash
Who knew that spilling water on a floor could look so attractive? In this case, the drops of “water” were created with a turquoise acid stain applied with sponges, towels and brushes. The rest of the floor was stained a rich Cordovan leather to give it a weathered effect. Learn more about how this look was created.
Add a Graphic Focal Point
Concrete flooring is the perfect canvas for custom graphics. Anything is possible, from corporate logos to decorative medallions. The focal point of this concrete floor in a rustic log cabin is an intricate compass design depicting geographical references for the cabin's remote location. Learn how the design was created.
Be Inspired
Some of the best floor designs are inspired by our surroundings. The muse may be Mother Nature, unique architecture, a swatch of fabric, or a wall painting. The brainstorm for this richly textured, multicolored concrete floor overlay was a deteriorating wall spotted on a trip to Venice, Italy. "It was the layering in the wall that gave me the idea," says artist Bob Harris of The Decorative Concrete Institute. See a slideshow of the project, from start to finish: Concrete Overlay Inspired By a Wall in Venice.
Get Creative with Stencils
Thanks to adhesive-backed stencils for concrete, you don’t need to be a skilled artist to produce custom floor art. This home's dining room floor was stenciled to look like an area rug, and then dyes were used to color in the design. The beautiful result is definitely a conversation piece. See a collection of projects using adhesive-backed stencils.
Go 3-D
Some concrete artisans are creating stunningly realistic three-dimensional art on concrete floors that gives the illusion of depth and 3-D perspective. The process begins by choosing a piece of artwork and transferring the design, using an overhead projector, onto the concrete surface. After the design is traced with chalk, stains and dyes are hand-applied. Learn more: Illusions on Concrete.