I started a new concrete wood project for a local resident just after Memorial Day. The basement had nice access from the garage but the customer - while nice - was definitely going to be a tough cookie with all her needs for referrals and a million questions. Can't fault someone for being engaged with their project and doing their due diligence though, and regardless, I'm always up to the task!
After initial prep, there was a good bit of divots, cracks and other damage that needed repaired before the fun stuff could begin. We also filled the expansion joints with a flexible material. I finished all of that on day 2 of the installation and added our unique liquid rubber material to create a vapor-proof barrier before switching over to the concrete wood system.
Once the base coat is set, we use a special fiber-reinforced tape to create the plank designs however we please. In this case, we had to do a lot of "cheating" as the room was not symmetric by any stretch. After taping out our design, we add the texture coat which gives the appearance of wood grain. The real magic comes once I stain the boards though.
Each plank is stained by hand. I usually jump around a little and make some initial boards a little darker and add other effects that will look great later when the full board get's stained.
Afraid that the threshold between the garage and basement wasn't going to look right given the angle of the doorway, I decided to build a perpendicular piece for a cleaner endpoint. I think it worked out great!
The before and after shows the transformation well, and the customer who seemed like she was going to be a pain is absolutely beside herself she's so happy with how things turned out. I finished the project 2 days ago and we've already received a referral from her and a very nice Facebook review.
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