Guide to Designer Concrete
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Transcript of Guide to Designer Concrete
D E S I G N E RC O N C R E T E
A PUBLICATION OF
L I M I T L E S S P O T E N T I A L
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6
FINISHES
FURNITURE
FIRE
BATH
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KITCHEN
CONTENTS
INTRO
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22
COMMERCIAL
I N T R O
Concrete has been a workhorse of modern civilization for millennia. In the
construction of roads, buildings, and bridges it has served to advance our
interaction with the world and one another. The Romans developed and
perfected the casting of unreinforced concrete for breathtaking structures like
the dome of the Pantheon. Since then, concrete has been used in countless
projects worldwide. Applications of the material are as varied as the architects
and designers who employ its possibilities.
These days, everyone has experienced concrete in some fashion, giving us
preconceptions about what the material looks and feels like. If you ask five
different people what first comes to mind when they think of concrete, you’ll
likely get five different answers, making it difficult to successfully
communicate the intentions of a project. Enter our Introductory Guide to
Designer Concrete. This guide will serve to as an introduction to some of the
possible uses for Designer Concrete. Each section contained in this guide will
then be supplemented by a more in-depth guide with cut sheets, specifications,
and case studies. 4
Buddy Rhodes began his creative path with clay. He quickly
became limited in the size of projects he could create due to the
size of available kilns. So he created his own concrete mix that
could be shaped like clay, but had the self-hardening nature of
concrete. This unique and innovative spirit is what still drives
Buddy Rhodes Concrete Products.
What makes Buddy Rhodes Concrete Products unique is a high
cement content, pozzolans (which are cementitious also) and
ultra-fine aggregates that are blended into every bag. This makes
for a quality finished concrete product whose compressive
strength can reach upwards of 9,000 psi! Coupled with the fact
that these mixes have been engineered for great workabililty, it’s
no wonder that our mixes have become preferred by top concrete
artisans around the world.
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F I N I S H E S
FinishesSo far, we know that the flexibility of concrete means that everyone has
their own idea of what concrete looks like, making it difficult to be on
the same page. So let’s begin by discussing finishes. Once we have a
common understanding of what we want the project to look like, we can
begin to explore the shape and function of the finished project in
various residential and commercial environments.
Important terms to be aware of are Cast-in-Place and Precast. Cast-in-
Place concrete will have either a troweled or polished finish and can be
cast in longer spans, given proper consideration for reinforcement.
Precast concrete is created off-site in a workshop and will open up more
finish options as there are more possibilities in how it can be cast.
Seams should be expected in precast projects.
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Polished
Polished finish is achieved by using diamond
abrasives to remove the surface layer of the
concrete after casting. This can be done to varying
degrees. This photo shows an aggressively ground
terrazzo, which has fully exposed all the aggregate
in the mix. A ‘salt and pepper’ finish would be a
much lighter polish, only exposing the sand in the
mix.
This finish can be achieved in either precast or
cast-in-place.
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FINISHES
Troweled
To create this finish, a steel trowel is used to
flatten and finish the concrete to varying degrees.
This is a finish that reflects the hand of its maker.
Full of character and variation, every piece will be
different and unique.
This finish can be achieved in either precast or
cast-in-place.
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FINISHES
Pressed
This is Buddy Rhodes’ Signature technique. The
concrete is pressed into precast forms, and excels
for vertical surfaces with minimal effort. The color
options are endless. The size of the voids depends
on how soft, or fluid, your mix is along with how
hard you press it into the forms. The voids are
then backfilled with a cement slurry when the
concrete has cured. This slurry can be the same
color, complementary or contrasting.
This is a Precast finish technique
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FINISHES
High Spray
This is a GFRC technique created when the mold is
sprayed with variation, and often with different
colors. It produces variations in tone and texture,
either subtly or dramatically
This is a Precast finish technique.
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FINISHES
Veined
Veined Finishes are achieved by mixing together
two or more colors of wet mix before placing in the
mold. There are a great number of ways to achieve
this finish.
This is a Precast finish technique.
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FINISHES
Cream
This finish is accomplished when very little
processing is done to a neatly cast piece. This
finish requires significant attention to detail
during the mold building process. It shows loads
of character, while often being soft, muted, and
monochromatic in appearance.
This is a Precast finish technique.
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FINISHES
F U R N I T U R E
Furniture
Concrete’s ability to be cast into any shape allows for
unmatched design potential. Sexy, curvy loungers, geometric
tables and modular seating cubes just scratch the surface of
shapes attainable with concrete. And since our concrete
products can be cast ¾” thick, the weight is substantial
enough to withstand high winds yet light enough to be easily
moved. Another benefit to choosing concrete for your outdoor
furniture is that unlike steel, wicker, plastic, and wood, the
timeline for deterioration is measured in decades not seasons.
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F I R E
Fireplace Surrounds
The attraction of fire is undeniable. Leverage concrete
to create distinctive fireplace surrounds that will take
center stage in your clients' living spaces.
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B A T H
SINKS
K I T C H E N
Kitchens
One of the most popular known uses of designer concrete
is one that Buddy Rhodes helped pioneer, concrete
countertops. Integral drainboards, inlays and the various
styles already presented allow for limitless design
variations. Concrete is the original waterfall leg material,
and can be made to appear nearly any thickness in a
custom kitchen, when care is taken to design cabinets of
appropriate height. Complementary backsplashes of the
same material can be made in long spans to minimize
seams as well. With the ability to match any color, you
have the freedom to truly create your one-of-a-kind
design.
KITCHENS
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C O M M E R C I A L
Commercial Spaces
All of the applications previously discussed can be
utilized in commercial projects. Typically, this is
where most designers and architects who realize
the strengths of concrete as a design medium will
really flex that muscle. Bars with big profiles,
feature walls made to look like a log cabin, and
even exterior cladding (more on that in another
volume) make your commercial projects stand
out. All of these elements can easily be branded in
many ways to tie into your client’s marketing
strategy.
COMMERCIAL SPACES
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W H A T W I L L Y O U D E S I G N ?
R E A D Y T O G E T
T E C H N I C A L ?
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG IN THE POSSIBILITIES WITH DESIGNER CONCRETE. IF ANYTHING YOU’VE SEEN IN THIS EBOOK STANDS OUT AND YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION OR SPECIFICATIONS ON OUR PRODUCTS, HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES TO DIG INTO AND EMAIL ADDRESS TO
CONTACT OUR TEAM. FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION.
CHEERS,THE BUDDY RHODES ARCHITECTURAL TEAM
WEBSITES: WWW.BUDDYRHODES.COMBLOG.BUDDYRHODES.COM
Photo Credits
Buddy Rhodes Architectural would like to sincerely thank the artisans whose photography made this publication possible. Their continued support, both in providing images and being loyal customers, allows us to continue to push the envelope in our product offerings. We couldn’t do it without them! Click each artisan’s name to view their respective websites.
Jimmy Hazel – Clastic DesignsJerrad Inlow – Elements Artisan ConcreteOlga Ziemska – Olga Zimeska StudioEric Boyd – Reaching Quiet DesignJonathan Haywood – Béton StudioAndrew Barber – CounterkultureJason Pledger – Forever DesignMichael KarmodyBuddy Rhodes Studio