Ontario’s greenest concrete

Without reservations, we now can claim to make the greenest concrete in this province. Our main recycled ingredient is crushed glass from all the broken bottles that are collected in blue boxes but are rejected by glass recycling plants. This is a post-consumer product that would otherwise be landfilled, so it has the highest possible environmental rating. And it’s local to southern Ontario.

Our proprietary cement is now 80% recycled and 80% local to Ontario. But instead of being a compromise between strength and environmental footprint, it makes stronger, more durable concrete than ordinary Portland cement. Now our concrete is 94% recycled and local to Ontario – the most LEED-friendly material available.

Everyday Exotic set wins gold award

A year ago, we supplied countertops for the set of the Food Network show 'Everyday Exotic'. Last week, the set won the Gold Remi Award for Set Design. The Gold Remi is an Award handed out by Worldfest, the longest running international film fest in North America. Congratulations and thanks to Elisa Sauve, the set designer who made our countertops the second star of the show. Please have a look at her website, as well as that of the show's chef, Roger Mooking:

www.elisasauve.com
http://www.rogermooking.com/home/

Cabinetry Alert

We recently had a very unfortunate experience with custom cabinetry that was almost worthy of a Mike Holmes intervention. Until now, we had never encountered new cabinets that gave us cause for concern, because they were all put together with screws and ridged dowels. These, however, were barely held together using nothing but 1-1/2", 18 gauge brad nails. When we attempted to put our countertop on them (with a cast sink), the cabinets simply came apart, and the homeowner was devastated.

When selecting cabinets, please ensure that your cabinet maker will use proper fasteners. Brad nails are only a 'third hand' - they hold pieces together until the pieces can be fastened more securely. We cannot accept any responsibility for improperly constructed cabinets, so please choose them carefully. If you are looking to save money, IKEA cabinets are a good option.

Sealer options

We now offer two sealers, depending on customer preference. One is a very environmentally friendly product with a natural look and feel. However, it always allows some water penetration, which temporarily darkens concrete, and in the first two months, it can allow the concrete to be stained by oils.

The second sealer offers much better protection with a natural look and feel, however, it is a solvent-based sealer which releases VOC’s during application (but not once it’s cured). It also has a limited tolerance to vinegar, although it offers excellent protection from wine and lemon juice.

It is unfortunate that we still must choose how we want to compromise, but the perfect sealer has not yet been invented. In spite of their shortcomings, these two products are as close to perfect as we have found.

Designer’s Walk

We now have a booth in Building 3 of Designer’s Walk, 168 Bedford Road, in the Sustainable Products section. Designer’s Walk buildings are downtown Toronto, in the Avenue Road/Davenport area, and they are open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday.

While Designer’s Walk is geared to those who work in the design/construction trade, anyone can walk through and see the displays. The resource centre staff are friendly and very knowledgeable, and there is a wealth of information on all the products on display. Please check www.designerswalk.com for a schedule of special events and seminars.

This booth will act as our remote showroom at least until our showroom is built and set up.

Our friends and colleagues

We are part of a vast network of concrete countertop professionals who are striving to create innovative products from ever-improving concrete. Here are some links to the websites of our most respected associates. Their work shows a great variety of styles and really showcases concrete as an artistic material. Some, like Glasscrete Studios, for example, have created such unique looks that their work is immediately recognized. Others have entered this field recently and are still developing their styles and techniques, but all have a passion for this incredibly versatile material.

www.barrettdeezal.com
www.threshold-design.net
www.twooceanconcretestudio.com
www.concretedetail.com
www.endlessconcretedesign.com
www.plasmastone.com
www.glasscretestudios.com
www.gbcountertops.com
www.h2concretedesign.com
www.rmdesigninc.com
www.incretetech.com
www.concretewavedesign.com
www.concretexpressions.com
www.castingimpressions.net
www.jmcgregordesigns.com
www.urbanconcretedesign.com
www.hardrock-concrete.com