Stone Image Decorative Concrete Introducing Two New Colour Systems for 2009. Turning Concrete Into Art is the Name of the Game.

Toronto, Canada, June 16, 2009 --(PR.com)-- In the past when someone mentioned concrete, people rarely got excited. Concrete was usually seen as dull in appearance, somewhat expensive, and an unwise choice for a paving material given the harsh abuse of Mother Nature. When it came to flatwork around the home, homeowners usually ended up settling for asphalt driveways and hoped they could afford traditionally masonry for their sidewalks, patio or pool decks. Thanks to new advances, concrete is quickly redefining its role in the residential marketplace. Today, concrete can be made more durable with overlays applied in a wide variety of finishes and colours offering the homeowners endless design possibilities. With new tools and practices it can even acquire the look and feel of brick, slate, tile or cobblestone for a fraction of the cost of the real material. Builders and homeowners alike are now realizing that concrete overlays can add tremendous value, flexibility, and curb appeal to their projects while allowing them to stay within budget.

“A home owner can now have that brick or stone look driveway and still have enough money left over to enjoy it. Stone Image prides themselves in being on the leading edge of decorative concrete solutions in Toronto to meet all their customers custom concrete needs, from decorative overlays, stamp or pattern concrete, decorative concrete curbs to decorative countertops, sinks and desktops” says Alex Borrego owner of Stone Image , a company that specializes in decorative concrete installations in the Toronto and GTA area. "This material is being looked at in so many ways. Not only is Stone Image getting more calls from general contractors, but now they are getting just as many calls from homeowners, architects and designers asking to consult on new design possibilities. It’s an exciting time to be in the business". Comments Alex.

“Builders and developers of large commercial projects have long taken advantage of the beauty and flexibility of decorative concrete. To these budget-conscious professionals, it is seen as a perfect alternative to traditional masonry due to the savings in material cost, installation time, and overall maintenance. “Anyone who has been to Disney World, Six Flags Amusement Parks, or Las Vegas has probably walked all over those old cobblestone streets, slate and brick sidewalks for hours to end never realizing it was actually concrete,” says Alex Borrego." Unfortunately, people in our area have been slow to pick up these advances. They’ve been hesitant to use concrete creatively given the abuse it can receive during a harsh winter". Alex Borrego says this is unjustified. “Decorative concrete can be stronger and more chemical resistant than ordinary concrete with a higher cement content, advanced reinforcement material, surface hardeners and protective sealers. Using these materials in proven cold weather placement techniques, there is no reason why a professionally installed concrete job here should not last as long as it would in any other climate.”

In the past, decorative concrete was usually limited to a mason scoring a flagstone-like design, or embedding sticks, leaves and even coffee cans into the surface to achieve a desired affect. Today, the leading edge of concrete is a process called thins stamped overlays or decorative overlays. This involves stamping or impressing three dimensional pattern tools into a polymer cement material with moulds made from actual brick or stonework. When the stamping is complete, the product is then stained and sealed; highlighting the colours and providing greater stain and weather resistance. The result is a surface that combines the beauty of masonry with the durability of concrete. There are over 40 different colours to choose from, ranging from natural earth tones to bright pastels. Pattern choices include slate, brick, granite, cobblestone, flagstone, and more. Although thin stamped overlays are a little more expensive than ordinary concrete work, a savings of more than 50% over masonry costs are common. Thins stamped overlays can also be placed in a fraction of the time and there are no individual units that will shift or allow grass to grow in the joints.

Stone Image is also pleased to announce some new and exciting products for 2009.

REFLECTOR™ Enhancer

Available in 18 unique colors and can be blended for unlimited looks

The most in demand coloring system of all time

Very unique coloring effects that cannot be achieved using other products

Creates the most beautiful flooring today

Ideal for subtle highlighting or dramatic effects

As well as in 2009:

SPARTIC-ALL™ RM - Polyaspartic Coating

The fastest curing two component protective coating available

Higher level of durability and performance that epoxy products

Specialty coating for quick in/quick out applications

Can take foot traffic or recoat in under 2 hours

Can take vehicular traffic in under 12 hours

Create flake flooring systems in less than a day

Not applicable for all situations

###