Concrete Texturing?EUR??,,????'??+A Profitable Choice

By Jenny Boyle, regional editor

The demand for textured concrete is bigger than ever, and the potential for profitability is great. So if you?EUR??,,????'???re wondering what it takes to add this to your repertoire, look no further. We got the lowdown from a man who knows a thing or two about it.

The contracting team works like an assembly line to stamp this large driveway. First, the concrete is laid in the same direction as the rows will move. Next, dust-on color hardener is added (Morgan recommends dust-on is for texturing, rather than integral color) during the finishing process. After the finishing process is complete, an entire row of tools is laid, starting in the area of the slab that was the first to be poured. The tools must be pounded into the slab to produce the desired impression. Once the row is complete, a crewmember follows behind with a chisel and touches up any spaces that were not covered by the tool.

Cameron Morgan, President of Pacific Concrete Images, in Lake Forest, Calif., has been in the concrete texturing business for nearly 30 years. He?EUR??,,????'???s watched this part of the industry go from something customers knew little about, to a standard feature in many new housing developments. He says getting into this business is an excellent choice for almost any contractor, especially if he already has a good knowledge of the properties of concrete.

?EUR??,,????'??If a contractor has a basic understanding of concrete, how it works, how to work with it, then it?EUR??,,????'???s easy to expand their knowledge,?EUR??,,????'?? he says. ?EUR??,,????'??It?EUR??,,????'???s not a big step.?EUR??,,????'??

Morgan says the more artistic you are, the better.

?EUR??,,????'??If you get a contractor that?EUR??,,????'???s more artistic, they?EUR??,,????'???ll take to concrete texturing pretty easily,?EUR??,,????'?? he says. ?EUR??,,????'??For some, it?EUR??,,????'???s not a suitable market because they don?EUR??,,????'???t have the patience to learn. It?EUR??,,????'???s really artistic driven.?EUR??,,????'??

Morgan says if you are willing to invest some time and money, the return is well worth it.

?EUR??,,????'??The profitability [of concrete texturing] can double or triple what a contractor would normally make,?EUR??,,????'?? he explains. ?EUR??,,????'??Doing city sidewalk and curb and gutter jobs won?EUR??,,????'???t get a contractor a lot of profit.?EUR??,,????'??

The technique can make a concrete surface look like stone, brick, or tile?EUR??,,????'???at nearly half the cost. Business and homeowners alike are choosing to texture their concrete surfaces to enhance the look of their landscape, without going broke. It?EUR??,,????'???s why the demand has grown so high over the years.

?EUR??,,????'??Look at Disneyland or Las Vegas,?EUR??,,????'?? says Morgan. ?EUR??,,????'??Almost every sidewalk you walk on has concrete texturing. No one has plain concrete anymore.?EUR??,,????'??

Morgan is amazed at how knowledge of the business has grown.

?EUR??,,????'??Twenty five years ago, we had to explain to customers what it was,?EUR??,,????'?? he says. ?EUR??,,????'??People used to have asphalt driveways. Back then, a business like ours that specialized in concrete texturing couldn?EUR??,,????'???t have survived.?EUR??,,????'??

Now, landscape architects are specifying concrete texturing as a way to tie together the look of a project.

?EUR??,,????'??Business has grown wildly,?EUR??,,????'?? says Morgan.

If you are thinking about investing in this lucrative aspect of contracting, there are a few things you should know. Morgan says your biggest investment will be time.

?EUR??,,????'??You have to allow for learning and experimentation,?EUR??,,????'?? he says.

Instead of cutting off the pattern of the Grand Canyon stone in this textured walkway, contractors chiseled around the ends of each to create an original look.

Also, investing in stamping tools is a good idea, although they can be rented from businesses like Morgan?EUR??,,????'???s. But he recommends purchasing two to three patterns if you plan to make this your main business. This should include at least one set to make a pattern, and one set of feather-edged mats to create a seamless, textured look. The cost can range from $5,000 to $10,000 if you include all the necessary tools.

?EUR??,,????'??The average set of tools costs around a thousand to fifteen hundred dollars,?EUR??,,????'?? says Morgan. ?EUR??,,????'??A contractor can make that money back in his first or second job.?EUR??,,????'??

Contractors used a European fan design to create a walkway into this beachside restaurant that would tie in with its architecture.

He says that often, if the contractor has to buy a new tool for the job, he will include the cost of it in the total that he charges the customer.

?EUR??,,????'??Not only do they get paid for the job,?EUR??,,????'?? he says, ?EUR??,,????'??but they get a free set of tools out of it too.?EUR??,,????'??

In fact, that was how Morgan started in the industry. He had done a few concrete texturing jobs and began accumulating sets of tools. After he had built up a collection, he began renting them out to other contractors. Now his business is worldwide.

Concrete texturing, in a large random stone pattern, was an affordable choice for this meandering driveway that stretches nearly 1,000 feet long and covers 45,000 square feet. The material still holds up to vehicular traffic, but is more aesthetically pleasing than asphalt. This project won the Redi-mix Cornerstone Award in 1996.

Morgan says virtues of concrete texturing are many. The variety of colors and textures are virtually unlimited and concrete is just as durable as paving stones or asphalt. It holds up under the weight of vehicular traffic, can be used as a skateboard deterrent, and looks as good, if not better, than similar applications. In fact, the only time Morgan says he wouldn?EUR??,,????'???t recommend using textured concrete is if the client is really insistent about it resembling another surface.

?EUR??,,????'??It?EUR??,,????'???s all about the overall look. If a customer really wants the look of antique brick, they should spend the money on it,?EUR??,,????'?? he says. ?EUR??,,????'??We can simulate that look, but you never want to give the customer an unrealistic expectation.?EUR??,,????'??

Morgan explains that there will be variations in every job you do and it is important not to set your clients up for disappointment. However, he says the patterns, colors, and tools available today make concrete look so much like the real thing that it is a great alternative for customers looking to save a buck.

?EUR??,,????'??More savings for the customer means more money in the contractor?EUR??,,????'???s pocket,?EUR??,,????'?? says Morgan.

Building Blocks

3-5 ?EUR??,,????'??+ Days after installation, textured concrete should be pressure-washed with 2,000 PSI pressure washer.

1/3 ?EUR??,,????'??+ Truckload of material to be installed on the jobsite at one time. The formula of placing 1/3, then adding water; placing another 1/3, then adding water; and then placing the final third and adding water is recommended.?EUR??,,????'??+Source: Pacific Concrete Images