Decorative concrete, stainable self-levelers and wear surface toppings are a potential source of untapped revenue for commercial flooring contractors and installers. Building off our coverage in the October/November 2013 issue (“How to Work with Decorative Concrete”), we asked three manufacturers to share their views on preparing and installing these products.

Ardex Americas. Patrick Cunningham, technical service consultant, polished and decorative concrete, said prepping an existing slab for a decorative treatment versus prepping a new slab requires different steps. For an existing slab, “the installation surface should be evaluated to determine existing slab conditions and the resulting aesthetic affect that may be incurred.” He said factors including trench repairs, patching and existing penetrated stains will impact a decorative application on an existing slab.