Epoxy Coatings Page 4-11

Acrylic Polymer Overlays Page 12-15

Venitino Look Page 16–17

Acid Stains Page 18-22

Dye Stains Page 23-24

Concrete Engraving Page 25

Schools We Have Attended Page 26

Frequently Asked Questions Page 27-28

Care and Maintenance Page 29-30

Contact Us Page 32

From cover to cover this publication offers a portfolio of

the work done by Special Effex Decorative Concrete in

Rockford Illinois. Throughout the pages of this book you

will learn about the process involved in converting your

ugly grey concrete to beautiful decorative concrete.

You will learn the differences between stained concrete,

acrylic polymer overlays, and acid stains and dyes and

Epoxy Coatings. You will also be looking at the work com-

pleted by Special Effex to use as a starting point for your

own design.

We will show you different patterns and options that you

can have done such as Tile, Ashlar Slate, Flagstone, Brick,

Modern Designs and more. Keep in mind if you do not see

a pattern or design that you like we can design one for

you.

You will learn about different coloring options and tech-

niques that we use to apply the colors and Special Effex

that we use with our colors to achieve the most realistic

look for the look we are trying to achieve.

We will teach you about different sealers that we use for

different applications. You can be assured you will get the

right sealer for the application that your surface is going

to be used for, this way you can be assured you will get

the longevity out of your surface. We will also teach you

how to take care of your surface and routine mainte-

nance.

So sit back and enjoy this book and the photos so you can

become educated yourself on Decorative Concrete by

Special Effex.

If you have any questions please feel free to call us

815-978-9969

www.specialeffex.net

The typical garage usually consists of ugly grey concrete

full of oil spots, cracks that run throughout the garage

in every direction, spalled or pitted concrete from the

salt that drips off your car, a garage apron (concrete be-

tween door and driveway) that is falling apart and box-

es and toys piled up to the ceiling or spread across the

floor. Does any of this sound familiar?

The average garage is any where from 500 square feet

up to 800 square feet. The garage is one of the biggest

rooms in your home so why not utilize it better? Take

the new found living space and back the cars out and

now you have a place for kids to play, put a big screen

TV on the wall and have a nice place to throw a party

for a football game or a NASCAR race. If something gets

spilled no big deal it will wipe right up.

Epoxy Coatings are a great choice for garage floors.

Epoxy coatings are chemical and stain resistant, mold

and mildew resistant, will not peel or flake, will last the

life of the concrete.

Special Effex uses 100% solids two part epoxies, these

are high performance coatings unlike the big chain

store type epoxy’s that will peel or flake in 6 months to

a year. Our coatings will last the life of the concrete if

taken care of properly.

Special Effex has the perfect system for your garage

Floor preparation is the most important part of all the systems

we install. If the floor is not prepped properly the system will

fail. When concrete is troweled tight or smooth, the pores of

the concrete have to be opened up so the coating has some-

thing to bond to.

Special Effex uses diamond grinders with special tooling to

open up the pores of the concrete. We grind the top layer of

concrete about 1/16” to open it up. We use dustless vacuums

to collect the dust when we are grinding. The vacuums we use

have hepa filters and they are very expensive commercial vac-

uums. A shop vacuum is not powerful enough nor will it keep

up with the dust like the commercial vacuums.

Cracked concrete can be repaired using a stitch method

that we developed, after the repair you will never see

where the crack was. Cracks should be repaired to keep

moisture from penetrating and causing more serious

problems.

Spalled concrete is when the top surface of the con-

crete begins to flake off. This usually starts in small

areas but can deteriorate very quickly. As long as we

have a solid surface to bond to it can be repaired.

After the repair you will never know it was spalled.

We have systems for every budget when it comes to epoxy coatings!

Neet Coat- (solid color) Single Broadcast Flake

Double Broadcast Flake Epoxy Quartz Double Broadcast

Our Epoxy Neet Coat is a two coat epoxy system that comes in an array colors, this system is our least expensive

epoxy floor system. Do not let the cost of this floor fool you because this is more an industrial look and we use this

exact same system on industrial factory floors every day. After all the floor prep is completed we apply a solid color

epoxy at 10 mils, after the floors dry and within 24 hours we apply a second coat of epoxy and then broadcast alu-

minum oxide into the wet epoxy for traction. You do not have to use the aluminum oxide but the floor does tend to

get a little slippery when wet.

This system is a Single Broadcast Epoxy Flake and it

is our number one seller. The single broadcast

flake is a very durable floor that will hold up the

life of the concrete.

The difference between this system and a neet

coat is that flakes (vinyl chips) are broadcast into

the base coat for a decorative look, and this is a

thicker floor.

A Single Broadcast Epoxy Flake is a 30 mil floor;

the base coat is applied at 10 mils

We broadcast vinyl chips into the floor until rejec-

tion; we use .25lbs per square feet. The typical

garage floor will require 100 to 300 lbs. of flake de-

pending on the square footage of the garage.

When you purchase an epoxy from a big chain

store or online store to do it yourself you will get

about ½ lb. of vinyl chips to do your entire floor.

Vinyl chips come in an array of colors and we can

even have colors custom colored.

This is one of our top sellers for epoxy flooring. If you

have a basement that has water problems this is the

perfect floor because epoxy coatings are waterproof.

Tired of replacing carpet? Here is your answer!!!

Garage Floors Basement Floors Restaurant Floors

Restrooms Locker Rooms Businesses

Automotive Showrooms Animal Hospitals

Grocery Stores Beauty Shops Kitchens

Auto Service Centers Lobby’s Enclosed Trailers

Pontoon Decks And More

Epoxy quartz is another type of system we use

and the difference between quartz and flake is a

quartz is broadcast into the system instead of the

flake. An epoxy quartz is a double broadcast sys-

tem.

After all the prep work is completed, a single

coat of epoxy is applied and quartz is broadcast

into the epoxy, the following day a second coat

of epoxy is applied and quartz is broadcast a se-

cond time, then we apply the top coat in a clear

Epoxy quartz is one of strongest floors available,

quartz is one of the strongest materials in the

world.

Very easy to clean and maintain, chemical and

stain resistant, holds up well to all vehicle traffic.

Great for:

Restaurant Kitchens Garage Floors

Indoor Pool Decks Basement Floors

And More

Kryptonite Metallic Epoxy is a system Special

Effex developed that we are very proud of.

We developed this system because we want-

ed an epoxy system that had the look of an

acid stain for use where an acid stain cannot

be used.

Metallic epoxy is a two coat system that

comes in an array of colors. Many effects

can be applied to metallic epoxy such as a

mottled look to resemble acid stain. One of

my favorites is what I like to call a crater look

which is a flat surface with a 3D look.

All metallic floors are different except for the

color. What I mean is all the effects are

different even throughout the floor. A very

unique look. The pictures to the left are pic-

tures of a restaurant we did in Chicago.

Kryptonite Metallic Epoxy is very easy to

clean and virtually maintenance free.

Acrylic Polymer Overlays are one of my favorite systems to use. Twice the strength of con-

crete and the options you can do with an overlay is unbelievable. If your looking for just a

basic repair and a new concrete look we can do that, or if you are looking for the most

elaborate pattern we can do that. From vertical walls to textured concrete not a problem

for Special Effex.

All the textures you see in this publication were created by hand by Special Effex using

tools and techniques that we developed. We have never used a stamp to create a pattern

just a hand trowel and some odd homemade tools. We look at decorative concrete as an

art form.

Texture and Patterns - Wood, Tile , Marble , Slate, Flagstone , Cobblestone, Brick, Rock

Hard Trowel, Spray on Knock Down, Sand finish, You name it Special Effex Can do it.

There are just so many patterns and textures we can create its unbelievable. Color op-

tions are limitless also with acrylic polymer overlays. From integral color, to acid stains

and dyes, custom colors also.

An acrylic polymer overlay is a cement based

product mixed with acrylic polymer instead of

water. Made up of Portland cement and sand

and a few other ingredients.

Concrete will not stick to concrete that is why

we use acrylic polymer. Even though it is a ce-

ment based product the acrylic polymer will

stick to cement.

Acrylic polymer overlays are used to resurface

concrete that is falling apart. I can tell you from

experience that 95% of our resurfacing is con-

crete that is five years old or newer. In my

opinion todays concrete is junk.

I have resurfaced concrete in brand new homes

that have not even been lived in yet. We have

seen garage floors less than a year old that

have pot holes in them, driveways falling apart,

porches, sidewalks, pool decks to name a few.

I hear from a lot of our new customers tell me

that they have heard that overlays do not

work. This is a myth and overlays do work.

Again if the concrete is prepped right the over-

lay will work. There are times that you will

have a problem with them but that is with any-

thing, did you have problems with your con-

crete?

If you are just looking for a good repair and

not a fancy overlay with patterns and color

then you should look at the broom finish

surface we offer.

Less expensive than patterns and colors,

and a nice broom texture for traction.

Broom finish is a two coat overlay system

and when taken care of properly will last

the life of the concrete.

Overlay maintenance is relatively simple,

Keep it clean and seal your new surface

once a year and it will last forever. Sealer is

cheap compared to tear out and replace-

ment.

All concrete surfaces should be sealed once

a year to help keep moisture out. Moisture

is the number one cause of concrete failure

in our area because of the freeze and thaw;

Special Effex has came up with a system we call our Venitino Marble look, we figured

out a way to mix and install an overlay where we can control the way the stain takes to

the overlay to create a marble look.

We are one of only a few contractors in the world that know how to do this system, I

have stained, resurfaced, and coated over a million square feet of flooring and I can tell

you this Venitino look is the most beautiful look I have ever seen with a concrete over-

lay.

We use 100% solid epoxy sealer on this surface to bring out the colors of the acid stain,

the epoxy also makes this system waterproof, stain resistant, chemical resistant, and

mold and mildew resistant.

Price range for this floor is equivalent to a higher grade tile but I assure you there is no

tile around that can achieve this look. This floor can be installed over wood, tile, and

even marble without tearing out the existing floor.

Special Effex is one of the few companies that will install an overlay over the top of

wood. We have been doing this type of installation for years with 100% success. What

this means to our customers is that you can have any room in your house done, upstairs

or down we guarantee you will love this floor.

This floor was a two color acid stain the

main color was Cordovan Leather and we

did spray a diluted Lichen Green into the

wet Cordovan Leather, the Lichen was

sprayed real light. The customer did not

want too much green.

The mottling in this floor is where the Veni-

tino look comes in. We did just wet the

floor with a custom mixed acid stain and let

the overlay do the rest of the work to cre-

ate the mottling.

The different colors (lighter darker) actually

come from the way we mix and install the

overlay.

Staining concrete is one of the most popular applica-

tions for transforming concrete slabs. Often referred to

as colored concrete, homeowners, designers and build-

ers are drawn to stained concrete because of the

unique outcome that can be achieved combining col-

ors, application techniques, etc., on cement flooring

and other substrates. The results are limited only by

the creativity of those involved in the stained concrete

process.

Because of concrete's porous qualities and neutral

tone, it is the perfect blank canvas for topically applied

color. Using acid-based chemical stains, decorative con-

crete contractors have been able to achieve rich, earth-

toned color schemes resembling natural stone, marble,

wood, or even leather, giving a completely custom look

to cement floors, concrete driveways, patios, walkways,

pool decks, concrete walls and more.

Most acid stains are a mixture of water, hydrochloric

acid, and acid-soluble metallic salts. They work by

penetrating the surface and reacting chemically with

the hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) in the con-

crete. The acid in the stain lightly etches the surface,

allowing the metallic salts to penetrate more easily.

Once the stain reacts, it becomes a permanent part

of the concrete and won't fade, chip off, or peel

away. Like stains for wood, acid-based stains are

translucent and the color they produce will vary de-

pending on the color and condition of the substrate

they are applied to. Each concrete slab will accept

the stain in varying degrees of intensity, creating

natural color variations that bring character and dis-

tinction to each project. What acid stains don't offer

is a broad color selection. You'll mostly find them in

a limited array of subtle earth tones, such as tans,

browns, terra cottas, and soft blue-greens.

Maintenance is simple on an acid stain floor, simply

just clean the floor with warm water , or dust with a

floor mop. We do sell a mop on wax that we do rec-

ommend waxing every six months to a year. The wax

renews the shine and makes your floor look like a

brand new surface again. The wax also acts as a pro-

tectant.

The process starts by cleaning the concrete surface. Acid

stains are very translucent so every mark, paint, glue,

sealers, etc… has to be removed from the surface or you

will see this through the stain.

Cracks in the concrete surface are usually left along as

these add character to the surface when it is done.

Cracks can also be incorporated into the pattern. I per-

sonally love to stain concrete that does have a few

cracks in it.

If you are building a new home and plan to have the

surface stained it is best to cover the concrete surface

before any trades come in to do any work. This will save

you time and money for the staining process.

After the floor is cleaned patterns can be engraved into

your surface such as tile, slate, or modern designs. We

can do any size tile or design that you like.

After any patterns are engraved the surface is cleaned

again and stain is applied. We have many different op-

tions of applying the stain depending on the color and

look you are trying to achieve.

There are so many different stain techniques that we

can employ such as using a resist such as coffee

grounds, plastic, sealers, to name a few. All of these will

give your floor a unique look. We can also just spray

down the stain for a mottled look.

After the concrete is stained we have to neutralize it

to bring the PH level back down. After all this dries

the concrete is ready to be sealed.

There are different types of sealers that can be ap-

plied to acid stained surfaces. The biggest factor in se-

lecting a sealer is to make sure you are selecting a

sealer that is going to hold up to the type of use that

it will be used for.

Special Effex will explain to you when we do the initial

consultation the type of sealer that should be used

for your particular application.

Maintenance for acid stained concrete is very easy, all

you have to do is mop or sweep your surface. We do

recommend applying a coat of wax to your surface at

least once a year and this is a process you can do

yourself. All you have to do is mop it on a clean dry

surface and let it dry for about an hour. Wax protects

your surface and renews the shine.

Acid stained floors are a beautiful option and they are

not cold like most people think. Acid stained floors

will last the life of the concrete with a little care and

maintenance and they hold up to traffic well if all the

proper preparation work has been completed proper-

ly.

These color charts are just a few examples of the colors we carry, if you do not see a color you like let us know

and we can probably find a color for you. With our experience we have been very successful with custom color-

ing of acid stains.

Concrete Dyes are a different way of coloring concrete,

instead of a reaction that you get with an acid stain a

dye is a coloring process that is sprayed on the con-

crete and there is no reaction.

Colors are limitless with dyes and custom colors can be

blended also. We like to spray our dyes with an air

brush (HVLP gun) because you can control the look

more, and I really like to do color layering and with a

dye this is easy to achieve.

Color layering is adding one color on top of other col-

ors to create special effex and sometimes you can get

multiple colors by spraying two colors together and you

will end up with four or five different colors just by

spraying two colors together.

I personally do not like to spray dyes over regular con-

crete as they do not hold up. But put an overlay or a

micro topping down and the dyes are the best color op-

tions to use.

Dyes need to be sealed after the color is achieved, and

a dye surface will last the life of the concrete as long as

it is taken care of with light maintenance.

Maintenance is easy with a dye surface, basically keep

it clean and they should be resealed once a year. This is

a process that the property owner can do themselves

or Special Effex can do it for you.

Concrete engraving is a process we do using special tools

to engrave patterns into concrete. We can engrave any

pattern or design into a concrete surface such as tile,

slate, flagstone and more.

We have special concrete saws we use to score the sur-

face of the concrete. When we engrave a pattern into the

surface we only score in about 1/8” so this will not hurt

the concrete surface at all.

We have engraved Logo’s for businesses, Sports courts,

and more. What better way to show your team colors

than having a team logo engraved into your concrete sur-

face.

Any pattern any design!!!

Decorative Concrete Institute—Atlanta Georgia— Bob Harris instructor— Acid stains and

dyes, Concrete preparation for acid stains and dyes, engraving techniques, concrete col-

oring techniques, Concrete sealers.

Engrave -a Crete— Sarasota Florida— Brandon Adamson—Concrete Engraving, concrete

coloring techniques, concrete sealers.

Perma Crete— Nashville Tennessee— George Henderson— Surface preparation, Design,

Acrylic Polymer Overlays application techniques, different systems for different applica-

tions, Concrete Sealers.

Colormaker Floors— Cleveland Ohio— Victor Pachade— Colormaker flooring products,

stains and dyes, coloring techniques, overlay’s and application techniques, sealers.

Crown Polymers Overlay college— Huntley—Epoxy coatings, surface preparation, sys-

tems,

Thermal Chem Epoxy college— Franklin Park— Epoxy coatings, surface preparation,

different applications.

Buddy Rhodes– San Francisco California—Buddy Rhodes— Concrete countertops, Mold

Making, Pressed technique, Pour in Place, Custom furniture, coloring and sealers.

We have taught hands on schools for Sherwin Williams in South Beloit

We offer consulting services for companies trying to get into the decorative concrete

field. We will teach you all aspects of the business from overlays, surface preparation,

acid stains and dyes and epoxy coatings and concrete engraving.

How Long does the process take?

Acid stained floors take anywhere from 5 days to 7 days depending on dry time and patterns.

Epoxy coatings usually take two to three days depending on repair and square footage.

Concrete resurfacing usually takes 3 to 5 days.

How much does it cost?

Depending on the system, patterns, and colors, the cost can range anywhere from $3.75 sq. ft. up to $15.00 sq.

ft.

I get water in my basement and I'm tired of replacing carpet! Will your systems work in a situation like this?

Yes! We have the perfect system for you! Most of our systems are waterproof, no more replacing carpet, tile,

hardwood etc... give us a call to explore your options.

What about Mold?

All of our systems are mold, mildew, and allergen free.

Will your system hold up in our garage?

Yes, we have the perfect garage floor system. All of our epoxy coatings are industrial strength and will not peel,

flake, or come loose from the concrete.

Can't I can buy epoxy from the big chain stores and do it myself for less?

Yes, however, Do not waste your money! We grind these types of so called coatings off every day because they

do not hold up. These coatings are water based epoxy and are not made to hold up to normal use. You can go

this route and I guarantee they will peel and flake in about 6 months. I wish they would take them off the mar-

ket! It is a waste of money. Our epoxy coatings are 100% solids two part industrial strength epoxy coatings. The

surface is ground with diamond grinders, not acid washed with acid.

Are these types of surfaces perfect surfaces?

No! These surfaces are hand made and you will have a blemish here and there. We try our best to make these

surfaces as perfect as we can, but, it is not manufactured, it is hand made! Blemishes add to the character of

the system! That is what makes them so unique!

Do you guarantee crack repair?

No. We have the best method for concrete crack repair but there is no guarantee that the crack will not reappear. Concrete

moves from the freeze and thaw cycles. This makes it impossible to guarantee that the cracks will not reappear should the

concrete move.

If a crack reappears will it hurt my coatings?

No. If the crack should reappear it will not hurt the aesthetics of our systems.

Do you guarantee your work?

Yes! We do guarantee all of our work! There are a few exceptions though, depending on how bad the surface is that we are

repairing. Ask a concrete contractor what kind of guarantee you get and he will tell you that he guarantees it will crack and

spall. We do offer a one year guarantee and an option to purchase an extended warranty.

When is the best time to have our floor done during construction?

We like to be the last company in except for the base molding. It is best to have all construction done prior to the floor or I

will personally guarantee other trades will ruin your floor. We have had to redo so many floors from other tradesman not

caring about anybody else's work. So schedule the floor to be done last.

Is there color and texture options?

Yes, there are hundreds of colors to choose from and texture options are limitless also.

Is it slippery?

Our surfaces are not any more slippery than tile! We think they are less slippery. On some of our surfaces we can add tex-

ture or aluminum oxide for traction control.

How often should I clean it?

When it gets dirty! See our care and maintenance section of the website.

Why should I go with decorative concrete when I can get tile for $2.00 sq. ft.?

You can not get tile installed for $2.00 sq. ft.! You can buy cheap tile for less than $2.00 sq. ft. but, installation for tile will be

$3.00 to $6.00 a sq. ft. for a decent contractor. Decorative concrete can save you a lot of money in tear out and replace-

ment of existing concrete, tile, or carpet. When proper care is given, it will last for many, many, many years.

Do you pour concrete?

No, we only work with existing concrete. We do know good quality concrete contractors that we can refer you to.

Do you take credit cards?

No, we take cash and checks only. We require a 75% deposit up front with final payment due the day of completion or the

warranty is void.

Care and Maintenance of your new flooring!

You will get many years of enjoyment out of your new surface with proper care and maintenance!

Epoxy Coating Care- The epoxy coatings we use are industrial strength epoxy coatings. These epoxy coatings are

built to last but you still need to do some maintenance to them. Epoxy coatings are chemical and stain resistant,

not stain proof. When you spill something on your epoxy surface wipe it up. The only thing I have found so far

that will stain this surface is Monster Energy Drink! This needs to be cleaned up right away. (everything that spills

should be cleaned up right away)

If your car leaks oil or other fluids, it is a good idea to clean up any leaked fluid then put a catch pan under the

vehicle to catch the fluids. Epoxy floors can be powerwashed but the powerwasher should not exceed 2500 psi.

When powerwashing your epoxy floor keep wand 18" to 24" away from the epoxy surface.

Cleaners to use on your epoxy surface- We love and recommend Simple Green! This mild detergent seems to take

out small scratches and cleans well. You can use any mild detergent, just make sure it does not have any abrasive

in it.

Epoxy coatings will scratch as will concrete or any other flooring. Do not drag any sharp objects across your epoxy

surface as you will be taking a chance on scratches.

Sweep your epoxy surface as it starts to show signs of dirt and dust this will prevent your surface from showing

signs of wear and tear. The cleaner the surface stays the better it will look as with any surface.

If you should have any questions please feel free to call Special Effex we would be happy to answer any of your

questions.

Acid Stained Floors- Acid stain floors are very easy to clean. Dust mop or damp mop your acid surface

with a mild detergent such as simple green, do not use any abrasive cleaners on your acid surface as

you are taking a chance on scratching it. The cleaner you keep your surface the better your acid stained

floor will look. Acid stained floor should be waxed at least once every six months, however, do not use

just any wax. We carry a special wax for these surfaces. It is a mop on wax that you can apply yourself. If

the floor surface is dirty, before waxing, all you do is clean the floor with water then let dry at least a

day. This is very important - if you apply wax to a wet floor it will turn white. Our wax is very easy to use

all you have to do is mop it on and let it dry for one hour without any foot traffic. You can wax the entire

acid stained surface or, just the areas that are showing signs of wear. We recommend a coat of wax at

least once every six months, however, you can wax more often, as needed. Wax will renew your sur-

face, giving it back the look it had the day the first day the it was completed. Wax is also a wear coat,

meaning the more wax you put on the better it will look.

You can purchase the wax from Special Effex just give us a call and we can ship it to you.

Acrylic Polymer Overlays- Outside overlayed surfaces should have a new coat of sealer put on every

year. All concrete surfaces should be sealed yearly. Concrete is like a sponge and absorbs everything!

When the freeze and thaw happens, concrete expands and contracts. This is why your concrete surface

spalls, flakes, scales etc... Water should bead up on your concrete surface like a waxed car. If the water

is not beading up on your concrete overlay surface, it is probably a good time to apply a coat of sealer.

Your overlay will last a long time if cared for properly.

You can power wash your overlay but you should use a power washer that is 2500 psi or less and make

sure to hold the nozzle 18" to 24" away from the surface.

Cleaners to use- Again, Simple Green works the best! It removes soiled surfaces and is a mild detergent.

Just spray some on and agitate it with a brush then hose off, its that simple.

Remember with proper care and maintenance it will save you problems in the long run.

Craig Adamson

4616 Whitespire dr

Loves Park, Illinois 61111

(815) 978-9969

www.specialeffex.net

Email— craig@specialeffex.net

Call today for a free in home consultation

And we will leave you saying

“Wow I Can’t Believe It’s Concrete”