Specialty Concrete Engraving

This gorgeous floor was created by engraving the pattern with our Mongoose concrete engraver. Next, we stained the concrete with Elite Crete’s Antique Brown Chem stone stain. The lines were highlighted with Antique black by one of our master installers with a steady hand to create the soft rustic edges to the pattern. The floor is coated with Elite Crete PT-1 Epoxy for beauty and durability.

This is a great way to change the look of your floors. In fact, unlimited decorative designs and patterns can be directly engraved into a concrete floor surface. If you have a design idea you’d like to discuss, call Hardscapes today at 403-547-5597. We’d love to don our creative hats and help you transform your space into something beautiful!

Check out our gallery at http://concretecanada.com/portfolio/ for more unique floors!

Bulletproof for years to come!

Concrete has become a material that homeowners and designers are often requesting as functional and beautiful space options.

Here’s an overview of the basic methods used to restore our client’s garage floor:

“On this project, after grinding, chipping and preparing the concrete, this suspended garage floor was structurally restored using our unique structural repair material.

We coated the floor with an 80% solids polyaspartic with Hardscapes “gunflint” blend of flakes. Top-coated with two coats of a 90% solids polyaspartic coating, this floor will be bulletproof for years!

It can be a challenge in Calgary with frigid temperatures. Thanks to some premium products designed for our harsh climate., this job was a success despite -30 degree temperatures.”

Hardscapes Inc. knows about concrete and how to keep it from cracking and heaving while making it look beautiful at the same time.

For more information or to request an estimate, don’t hesitate to call 403-547-5597, or email sales@concretecanada.com.

Check out the before & after of the job described above.

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It’s Giving Tuesday!

Tuesday November 29, 2016 is National Giving Day – a day to celebrate the movement of giving back!

Concrete Restoration Solutions

Modern concrete is designed to last 60 to 120 years, but lack of maintenance and environmental conditions can greatly reduce those numbers.

Many city practices like salting city streets in the winter can lead to pitted and stained concrete driveways. As snow plows push the snow from the streets onto sidewalks and driveways it also sends any vehicle waste like oils and engine fluids that have made their way to the street along with city particulates like salt and or grass control chemicals along with it.

Any or all of these waste products can have an effect on your sidewalks and driveways leaving them even more susceptible to the wear and tear of extreme weather and the fluctuations in temperature that cause cracking and flaking.

Hardscapes Inc. has solutions for every concrete restoration need and years of experience to make a repair that is beautiful and long-lasting. If your driveway is already stained and pitted from the harsh winter elements and you’re considering a driveway re-surfacing in the near future, give us a call to arrange an appointment for a free no-obligation quote or even just to meet for a chat to have all your questions and concerns addressed. We’re more than happy to be of assistance!

Ever considered concrete countertops?

Concrete CountertopYep, the cold weather’s arrived and outdoor projects will cease over the winter months. Time to turn our attention to interior updates and renos again!

Have you been thinking of giving your kitchen a little facelift? You’ve likely heard time after time that one of the home improvements with the best return on investment is actually the kitchen. After all, the kitchen is the heart of any home – one of the rooms where most families spend a ton of their time.

Remodels these days centre around the type of stone you’re going to select for your countertops. From granite, quartz, and corian, to slate, engineered stone and ceramic tile – such a variety of hues, tones, and colours from which to choose!

But wait a minute, don’t discount concrete as an option.
It’s such a unique & versatile material!

Most people dismiss concrete because it sounds like something you’d only use in an outdoor setting – for a driveway, walkway or patio for example. But concrete can make one of the most beautiful and long-lasting countertops. Concrete’s reputation as being not quite perfect as a countertop material has truly evolved. With new resins and colour options, concrete now has a polished, lustrous finish that rivals any of the other options.

So if you’re considering a kitchen makeover, but haven’t yet made your countertop material decision, get in touch with us here at Hardscapes. Call 403-547-5597 and we’ll provide you with all the details you need to know about concrete countertops and we’ll explain why it’s such an excellent option for any kitchen!

Heated Concrete Reflector Floor

This reflector floor was installed on all 2200′ of this Airdrie basement. It is a gorgeous seamless flooring solution that is durable and easy to maintain. More and more people are moving to hard surface floors for their basements, particularly when they are heated concrete floors.

Give us a call to get your estimate scheduled.

hardscapes-reflector-floor   hardscapes-inc-reflctor-floor

Without them there would be no freedom

On Friday November 11, 2016 we pay tribute and remember those members
of the armed forces – some who selflessly sacrificed their own precious lives in the
line of duty — who have served their nation in war, in armed conflict, and in the
effort of sustaining world peace.

Past, present and future we salute those who have served and those who continue
to serve at home and overseas. Without them there would be no freedom.

Salt can sneak into small pores and tiny cracks in your concrete

Concrete is incredibly more porous than you would think. Though it seems rock hard, it is actually full of millions of tiny cracks and pores.

Concrete can be damaged in any number of ways, but the most common damage occurs from the de-icing salts used by city snow plowing services and freeze/thaw cycles which occur quite often in Calgary during fall freeze-up and spring warming.

When this happens, salt can sneak into the small pores and tiny cracks in your concrete creating an acid-like reaction. Eventually larger and larger pockets are created that hold greater and greater amounts of water. It is the water that eventually causes all the damage.

Water expands up to 9X when frozen. The pressure from this expansion grows with each freeze and thaw until eventually it pops the surface of the concrete creating even larger cracks and the pitting you so often see in sidewalks and driveways.

Hardscapes Inc. has a number of solutions to this problem. Call 403-547-5597 or email sales@concretecanada.com for a FREE quote or for more information.

 

Is radiant heated flooring for you?

Did you know that radiant heated concrete flooring is even an option?

You may not be building a new home, but if you are thinking of resurfacing your existing concrete basement floors, radiant heating may be an idea you want to explore.

Radiant heated concrete floors can provide both beauty and warmth under foot, resulting in a more comfortable living environment. In fact, concrete floor radiant heating consumes less energy to achieve the same level of comfort, ultimately lowering utility costs.

Radiant floor heating is available in most situations. For newer floors or complete renos, cable forms are installed in the concrete slab when it’s poured, but for but already existing concrete floors, mat form can be embedded with a quick and easy installation in thin-set cement.

Have questions or need more information?

Give Hardscapes Inc. a call at 403-547-5597 to discover how radiant heated concrete can be installed anywhere in your home or garage.

Radiant Heated Concrete Flooring