Colorado Hardscapes Opens New Design Center

When Colorado Hardscapes says they'll give you a concrete example, they mean it.

The Denver-based concrete company recently unveiled its new Concrete Design Center. Instead of just thinking about and imagining a project, industry professionals can mull through hundreds of samples. They can arrange and rearrange, run their hands over the surfaces, and see with their own eyes the one-of-a-kind colors, designs, and textures that concrete has to offer.

The center is a symbol of the expanded role concrete is playing in residential and commercial design. In fact, the industry is seeing new trends in both indoor and outdoor concrete applications.

"We're seeing a huge increase in the use of concrete for patios and pool decks for those seeking a natural stone look," said Unruh.

"One of the biggest trends in interior design circles," Unruh said, "is the use of Bomanite, which is prevalent in remodeling circles. Bomanite is known for its durability and the architectural flair it adds to projects through a broad palette of colors, textures, and patterns. It simulates most smooth tiles, new brick and certain stone materials."

Concrete staining is another popular trend. It involves an acid-etched chemical staining process for concrete surfaces, ultimately providing a unique and natural look. No two surfaces will look the same after being treated with the chemical.

"Even interior design students are wanting something in concrete staining for their portfolios," Unruh said.

Unruh attributes the popularity of stained concrete to its two most attractive traits its durability and its flexibility.

"It's a blank palette. The range of colors is huge," she said.

Some mountain homes have stenciled and stained their concrete floors to look like a hardwood floor. One even designed the staining to look like a rug running down the length of a hallway.

Stained concrete is also gaining popularity in the retail sector as well.

Examples of all of these trends are represented at the new design center, which was the brainchild of Jay Fangman, Colorado Hardscape's Sales and Marketing Director. When the company moved into a new office building in September of 2001, a small warehouse-style room sat adjacent to a planning and conference room.

Fangman knew that today's concrete could dramatically change the look and atmosphere of a room, often not only enhancing but transforming a project.

Having been in the business long enough to know that the product sells itself, Fangman suggested the concrete design center concept, which is the only one of its kind in Colorado.

"It's in a huge room and you can show what you can do on an interior basis," Unruh said.

The company's new conference and planning room also help in the process of guiding clients.

Colorado Hardscapes will hold an open house in January. Most of the guests so far have been architects and landscape architects.

"We're hoping to expand to have the interior designers come in and the see the possibilities," Unruh said. "And we'd like to see the custom home builders bringing their clients with them."

In the meantime, Colorado Hardscapes is also concentrating on other aspects of the company, which now includes six divisions in addition to Bomanite:

• Custom
• Repair
• Rock
• Walls
• Staining
• ConcreteScience

Colorado Hardscapes has come a long way since its modest beginnings.

The company was born in 1953 under the name Van Heukelem Concrete. Wendell Van Heukelem's company was dedicated to concrete flatwork.

Some 25 years later, Wendell's son Calvin assumed the role of owner/president. He led the way for the company's expansion into specialty areas, including colors, designs, textures, and simulated rockware.

In 1993 the company changed its name a move Unruh said was made to better reflect what it provides. And now the company even has a division devoted to the latest in technology.

The ConcreteScience division is Colorado Hardscape's newest addition. The new technology involves a patented extraction system that cleans and seals all types of hard surfaces in one mobilization. Concrete can be cleaned and sealed in one day.

One of the major challenges in the industry is unsealed concrete. Often specifiers and contractors don't have the time or resources to seal and protect concrete properly. As a result, unsealed concrete absorbs water that contracts and expands with the freezing and thawing cycles of winter, causing the concrete to slowly deteriorate over time.

Colorado Hardscape uses ConcreteScience to preserve concrete and ultimately save owners thousands of dollars.

The process begins with a professional who pre-cleans all the spots and stains with a bio-degradable substance. The surface is then power-washed and cleaned using a cleaning vacuum recovery unit that suspends and removes contaminants, leaving a clean surface, ready to be sealed.

The concrete is then sealed using ConcreteScience HyrdoSeal, a deep-water repellent that provides a permeable barrier that will repel water and allow ground vapor to escape easily.

In addition to the latest in technology, the company is committed to a range of clients. Some of its most recent projects include Blackhawk Casino by Hyatt, Broadmoor Hotel, The Springs at Keystone, and Flatiron Marketplace.

But for now the company is hoping the Design Center will be a great new tool for the industry. Just like a model home that lures home buyers with its display of attractive home options and features, Colorado Hardscape's Design Center illustrates concrete's possibilities: dynamic colors, interesting textures, unique layouts a combination that makes for a transformation that only the eyes will believe.

Colorado Hardscapes
Teresa Unruh
8085 E. Harvard Avenue
Denver, CO 80231
(303) 750-8200
(303) 750-8886 FAX
Send Mail Now - Click Here
www.coloradohardscapes.com

Michele Dawson writes each week on one of the contractor members of The Concrete Network (www.concretenetwork.com). She has written about the home building industry for several years and was on the public affairs staff of the California Building Industry Association.