Well, we’re all on our own, when it comes right down to it, aren’t we? Two harbingers in Concrete Detail’s teacup manifested themselves today; well, actually one was scheduled and the other orchestrated. But I’m still counting them…

Senator Patrick Leahy hosted an open meeting to discuss the federal economic stimulus legislation and its significance to Vermonters. After a bit of speechifying by the Senator, Governor James Douglas, and VT Senate President Peter Shumlin, we broke into separate workshops to discuss topics of particular interest. I attended the small business seminar because, honestly, my business is very small and I would like it to grow bigger – and I need all the help I can get. There was a very strange mix of cautious optimism and palpable panic in the room. I’m glad I went; I have some good leads to follow through on – but at the same time, the scope of our mutual situation was brought closer and driven home a little harder.

On another, more personal note, the press release I wrote last week about the website launch was published by the Brattleboro Reformer in their “Business Briefs” column, so that was a little more gratifying. Hopefully, even more gratifying if the discerning public decides to see for themselves. This is just part of my many-pronged assault on the mysterious entity we call the “market” – it’s a bit of a game, but it sure is a lot of work! It is an investment, a building of critical mass… hmmm, I wonder how many of the 12 newspapers to which I sent the release will actually print it? One down, eleven to go.

Today we installed the completed concrete composition which will anchor the design theme for the lavatory at Enright & Co.’s new salon and spa space on Canal Street in Brattleboro, VT. The project was a rewarding collaboration between Concrete Detail (yours truly) and Bryan Louisell, who conceptualized the interior design of the Aveda concept salon. Opening to the public in a week or so, the ambience is built around calming, earthy colors and natural textures.  Lauren Henry lent her expert eye in coordinating the overall color scheme.

The concrete elements are cast in bronze and sage green; the integral sink top is a flowing semi-circle with a deep round bowl, set on a slight oblique angle in the corner of the room. Behind it, covering the wall full-width, are two concrete sculpted panels and a large mirror, making a triptych with a Zen garden inspiration, and drawing references from the Aveda commitment to naturally derived health and beauty. The panels are retained by a set of shiplapped concrete cleats bolted to the wall, which also act as backsplash to the sink area.

The concrete is cast with flyash and VCAS, two recycled replacements for portland cement, which effectively create a better performing end-product, as well as lessening the environmental impact . There is a sprinkling of crushed recycled glass as well in the countertop surface for depth and contrast. The faucet is by Ikea.

Polishing fireplace cap

The cast concrete fireplace cap we are working on is progressing nicely. This is one of the more “architectural” pieces we have done; a little more conceptual than functional, although that is exactly why we do this – it’s both at once.

After wet curing for six days we unwrapped it, diamond-honed the surface, and filled any pinholes that materialized. Then we polished it down to a clean surface once again and re-inspected. Usually there are two fill applications needed and then we are ready for sealing. This piece has a bit of an Art Deco feel, with a little classic Detroit thrown in… cast in “Night” color. We will be sealing this with a reactive sealer that will densify and make the surface nearly impervious. Install should be early next week!

Existing home sales nudged up in February, according to a new report issued by the National Association of Realtors, reversing the trend that has been plaguing the industry. Sales were up 5.1% over January of this year nationally; this is 4.6% below the same time last year but c’mon… we all know that was an untenable bubble that needed to pop. Maybe we can have a little more sustainability, with some judiciousness sprinkled in and a small dose of reality, this time around.

Sales in the Northeast region (that’s us!) jumped up 15.6%, once again leading the country. This is a good sign, right?

We have sealed the cast elements for the Enright & Co. lavatory, in preparation for installation later this week. The grand opening is the following week and the new fixtures will be getting a workout right away. The integral sink and top is sealed with a water-based epoxy/urethane system that is maintenance free and extremely durable. The wall panels are sealed with an enhancing penetrating sealer, being purely decorative pieces. This brings out the color and repels incidental water splashed by overzealous hand washers…

The integral sink for the lavatory at the new space for Enright & Co. is fully processed and ready for sealing and then installation. The crushed bottle glass has been ground and exposed, and then diamond polished to bring a sparkling swath of amber along the left edge of the top. The inset rim and bowl of the unit is unground and lightly polished to lend contrast to the perimeter.

We will attach steel angle to the underside for mounting and turn our attention to finishing the  wall panels and mounting cleats next. Bryan brought the sink’s wall mirror by the studio yesterday so that we can match up layouts and setbacks.

The sculpted wall panels for Enright & Co. are now demolded and wrapped up for a thorough wet cure . This will help the castings to gain their designed strength through proper hydration. Hydration is the chemical process in which water actively combines with other molecules to create new compounds, thus building a dense matrix of interlocked crystalline formations. To be sure, the fly ash content in our concrete hydrates a bit slower than the portland cement – it doesn’t happen overnight! 

As curing progresses, the end result is the material we call “concrete”, a very complex and dynamic substance –  but without enough water, the transformation falters and the concrete never reaches its strength potential. To ensure against this sad fate, we maintain a 100% humid environment for the fresh slabs by placing special curing blankets over the faces and wrapping completely in plastic sheeting for an extended period of time. The young castings are checked regularly for proper characteristic development and adjusted as needed. It’s a moving target and one must keep up with the process, because things can go awry quickly… Yes, concrete warps!

Wall panel pour

We poured the 3/4 inch thick concrete wall panels and the 1 inch thick cleats that will hold them to the wall. The panels are “Sage” and the cleats are “Bronze” to match the accompanying sink. These were wetcast pours, as opposed to the hand-pressed integral sink. The cleats have polypropylene sleeves cast into them to receive the bolts that will fasten them to the wall upon installation. This will help relieve direct strain on the concrete under the bolt’s pressure. The wall panels fit into the cleats with a shiplap joint, formed by rubber strips at the edges of the form which create a “rabbet” in the panel’s top and bottom. It’s all done in the form.

The concrete itself has partial recycled content consisting of flyash and VCAS. These help to replace part of the portland cement portion while  improving the performance of the final cured slab. See earlier posts…

Another project we are working on: A cast concrete cap for a freestanding gas fireplace, designed around the steel and glass firebox details and poured in “Night”, our charcoal black shade. The fireplace is very rectilinear and monolithic in appearance; with the concrete, we are introducing an assymetrical curve to streamline the shape jutting into the room, and repeating the unit’s three incised louvers up the front edge and along the length of the top. The piece is 1 1/2 inches thick throughout, with dropped edges on three sides to cover the structure beneath.

I will admit that we had a bit of design inspiration from the Zephyr locomotives of railroad days gone by, if you must know…

We have been forming and sculpting the wall panels that will be mounted behind the sink in the Enright & Co. lavatory. They are 3/4 inch thick concrete slabs, in two sections: one about 16 x 36 (divided into two areas)and the other 26 x 36. The sizes are derived from the golden ratio, which basically says that the proportion between two companion parts should be equal to the proportion between the whole and the larger of the two. This ration has been used in design for thousands of years and has an intrinsically pleasing aspect to the human eye. The color will be a sage green, mounted in concrete cleats to match  the sink’s bronze hue.

The design is botanical in nature, to refer to Aveda’s naturally-derived product, and somewhat Asian in inspiration, to suggest calm presence and wholeness. There are three marble mosiac tiles (one of my “trademarks” )and a small signature panel included, to denote artisanship.