The latest concrete and masonry options include greener concrete mixes, an easier-to-install stone facing system, a line of stone planks finished to look like exotic wood, and artisan concrete options from the U.S. and U.K.
— Rita Catinella Orrell
 


 

Woodlike stone
New to the U.S., Stonewood is made of real stone that offers the look of exotic hardwood. Available through Chicago-based Maestro Mosaics by Granite & Marble Resources, the stone planks can be applied in spaces where the look of hardwood is desired but where moisture control, durability, and maintenance are an issue, such as bathrooms. Stonewood is available in seven colors in four sizes: 4'' x 18'', 4'' x 24'', 4'' x 30'', and 4'' x 36''. Maestro Mosaics by Granite & Marble Resources, Chicago. www.maestromosaics.com

[Reader Service: March 2009 #213]

 

Nice to see you again
Ekocrete has developed a new concrete that uses 90 percent recycled and by-product materials without compromising strength or durability or increasing costs. Ekocrete utilizes only 10 percent Portland cement along with crushed recycled concrete for aggregate, fly-ash waste from coal mills, nanofibers for crack reduction, and nanoparticles for surface density to reduce water penetration. Ekocrete, Santa Rosa, Calif. www.ekocrete.com

[Reader Service: March 2009 #214]
     

First 100 years
Customized high-performance concrete mixes from iCrete are now available in North America and the Middle East. iCrete’s newest highly durable concrete mixes feature a minimum 100-year design life that can also substantially reduce the price, greenhouse-gas emissions, and carbon footprint of concrete by as much as 40 percent. The mixes will be available in Latin America, Central Asia, and Europe in the second quarter of 2009. iCrete, Los Angeles. www.icrete.com

[Reader Service: March 2009 #215]

Fast color
Available in 20 colors, Scofield’s new Formula One is a penetrating, translucent liquid dye concentrate designed for use in the production of colored, ground, and polished interior architectural concrete. Developed as a fast-track alternative to existing conventional dyes on the market, Formula One includes both the dye and the extender solvent. After it is mixed with acetone at the job site, it is used in conjunction with a lithium densifier and finish coat. Scofield, Douglasville, Ga. www.scofield.com

[Reader Service: March 2009 #216]