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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FINISHES

FURNITURE

FIRE

BATH

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KITCHEN

CONTENTS

INTRO

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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.


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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.


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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

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

[email protected]

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

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