CD Designs Blog
Training Day
Learn the 'art' of pattern imprinted concrete installation
Places are beginning to fill up for our pattern imprinted concrete training day, but there are still some available. Book now to avoid missing out.
The course provides a great opportunity to learn how to install and maintain pattern imprinted concrete, one of the fastest growing parts of the uk home improvement sector. There will be a mixture of classroom learning and hands-on practical experience. Everyone is welcome, from novice installers wanting to learn from scratch, to specifiers wanting to gain a greater knowledge of the materials and processes.
The course starts at 9am on Saturday, 8th June, with the booking fee being £25. If you would like to reserve a place, please phone us on 01706 827180 or email info@cd-designs.co.uk.
Post Date: | 17th May 2013 |
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Tags: | concrete art, concrete driveway maintainance, pattern imprinted concrete installation, training |
Case Study – Butterbowl Drive, Leeds
Pattern Imprinted Concrete Driveway and Planter
This customer was drawn to our company from us being part of The Guild of Master Craftsmen. The customer wanted a transformation of the front of their property, with the space being split for use as a driveway, patio area and planting area.
Instead of steps we designed a seamless pathway that would cut through both the driveway and patio area, each section of the job was partitioned with the use of timber sleepers. The project incorporated two different colours and two different patterns, with the use of an acid stained compass pattern to finish. The use of the acid stain on the classic grey colour worked beautifully, contrasting but with subtlety.
On preparation a large planter was formed to the left using the sleepers. On completion the project was in complete contrast to the original job with room to park, plant and entertain.
To see the full case study for this job click here.
Post Date: | 15th May 2013 |
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Tags: | acid stained compass, leeds, pattern imprinted concrete driveway, timber sleepers |
McDonald’s Drive-Thru, Openshaw
We have recently completed installation of our second McDonald’s drive-thru this year in Openshaw, Manchester. The other was in Nottingham in March, which you can see a blog entry for here, and a full case study here. The above video shows images of how the job was done and the finished results, and also a short time-lapse segment showing the concrete pouring and imprinting process.
The installation was similar to the Nottingham drive-thru, but the specification was slightly different. Instead of our usual steel mesh that we used on the Nottingham job, we used a new material called Novomesh 950, which was one of the first times that it has been used with decorative concrete. Both the pattern and colour where the same.
We really enjoy doing these big pattern imprinted concrete jobs, and hopefully we will have more of them to show you in the future.
Post Date: | 9th May 2013 |
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Tags: | Concrete Driveway Installation, Drive-Thru, manchester, McDonald's, Openshaw, Video |
Pattern Imprinted Concrete Training Scheme
Printing the pattern on a new driveway
Complete Driveway Designs are pleased to announce that in June we are set to begin training courses in the installation and maintenance of pattern imprinted concrete.
The courses will provide full practical lessons on the process of pattern imprinted concrete installation, from preparing the area and pouring the concrete, to applying the pattern, colour and finish. It will also offer technical knowledge on the art and science of pattern imprinted concrete, with our instructors sharing their 30+ years of experience in the industry. Further training is then given on how to maintain pattern imprinted concrete, and how to identify and then solve any problems that may arise.
The courses start on Saturday 8th June at our yard in Ramsbottom, Bury, and cost £150 + VAT. Limited places are available so book early. A booking fee of £25 will secure your spot, with the rest to be paid once the course starts. Lunch and light refreshments will be provided.
If you are interested in the scheme, or know someone else that might be, then please get in touch via telephone on 01706 827180 or by email info@cd-designs.co.uk.
Post Date: | 2nd May 2013 |
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Tags: | concrete art, Concrete Driveway Installation, home improvements, pattern imprinted concrete driveway, training |
McDonalds Drive-thru, Nottingham
The finished pattern imprinted concrete drive-thru
In February we told you about our two new McDonald’s contracts. The first of the two in Nottingham has now been completed, and work on the next one is due to begin at the end of March.
Due to the volume of traffic that was expected on the site, our specifications were as with previous drive-thru’s changed slightly from our usual driveways, with 7 inches of concrete and steel reinforcement mesh being installed. Detection loops were then placed by in four positions throughout the drive-thru. Once the concrete was poured the client requested the use of charcoal colour and London cobble pattern throughout. Rather than use the usual surface colour hardener, our client specified the use of colour through charcoal pigment, which meant that the charcoal colour would run all the way through the concrete and not just the surface. On the corners of the drive-thru we used border mats and turned the pattern to suit the corners perfectly. Polythene was used to cover the kerbs to prevent the chance of staining the kerbs, and grills were removed from the aco drains, which were also covered.
Prior to completion we cleaned the drive-thru and cut in the crack control joints, followed by another clean. The drive-thru was then sealed using acrylic seal, and was now ready to be used by the public. This newly refurbished McDonald’s on the Victoria Retail Park, Nottingham was built next to an existing McDonald’s which will be demolished and replaced once the new one has formally opened.
Click here to see lots more images in the full case study for this job.
Post Date: | 8th March 2013 |
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Tags: | concrete case studies, Drive-Thru, McDonald's, Nottingham, pattern imprinted concrete |