Crafty DIYers discover concrete as a medium
Remember the cool kid in the neighborhood, the one who always had the “it” thing, the newest bike, the latest video game with the best graphics. Neighbor envy never really goes away, and now there’s opportunity for redemption.
A niche home improvement and construction movement is quickly gaining momentum and is being incited and inspired by a new wave of small entrepreneurial artisans who are exciting the maker-based home décor industry by using and incorporating concrete as a medium into home improvement and craft projects. Spawned in many of the same circles and preferences as craft beer positioning today, these small, niche artisan operations rebuff the large-scale and mainstream manufacturing framework.
“The number of artisans beginning to work with concrete is expanding, and they’re doing so with less-than traditional materials. For example, these projects may include the use of rubber or fabric-based molding mediums that provide unique flexibility characteristics when used to make molds for casts,” said Chris Becker, who brings 20-plus years of hands-on concrete craftsmanship to his new post as designer and product innovator with Oldcastle Architectural. “But it’s still in a very early stage. Part of the attraction is that it’s very basic, in that there’s a great simplicity or minimalist characteristic to it; however, it still maintains an edgy, innovative feel that’s entirely unique and your own.”
Inching out of infancy, these designers and artists are using innovative and expressive techniques and materials not commonly associated with what has traditionally been considered chic or commonplace.
“If you have a vivid imagination and are even somewhat resourceful, you can devise a unique project,” said Becker, who creates custom concrete pieces ranging from sophisticated water tables to complex wall tile patterns. “Concrete, in the right hands, and with the right imagination, can conform to almost any shape and can embrace a unique personality that you pour into it and cast. Additionally, it’s still a very inexpensive material that doesn’t require a huge capital investment.”
Home improvement stores carry easy-to-use products like Sakrete 5000+, a professional grade, high strength product formulated for commercial structural applications, and ShapeCrete, a high performance, shape-able concrete, so artisans have easy access for material for projects ranging from simple to complex.
The degree of design difficulty is driven by the aptitude of the artisan and the vision he or she shares with the homeowner to create something unique.
