The Concrete Countertop Institute

GFRC Class

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Most of the Precast students have stayed on for the rest of the week, and we gained a Precast alumni who has returned to take the GFRC.

The students are out in the shop now, watching/doing a demo on hand-packing and spraying GFRC sink molds. Each student will have their own sink to make, and will learn all of the basic techniques involved in GFRC production... and a few techniques that only an experienced expert would know! Students are already planning how they will incorporate what they've learned this week into their business.

GFRC is great for so many reasons... you can use recylced materials, it's lighter weight, less density, you can make fantastic shapes and designs without the stress of trying to reinforce it with steel... plus, start-up costs are very low!

*Video clips to come soon*

Wednesday Precast class

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Precast class, day 3: Jeff has the students in the classroom today, going over their mix calculators and formulas...

The end of the Precast class approaches! Students have been in the classroom all day, going over the science behind the mixes and formulas, and treatments, etc. It's amazing how much can be learned in just three days!

In a while we'll go out to the workshop and take a look at the pieces that were cast yesterday. They are not done curing yet, but they have hardened to the point where they can be installed in the mock kitchens, for the purposes of the demo. The students will be able to see what their hard work accomplished! And they'll get to experience the joys of hauling a 300 lb top around, and manhandling it into place--without damaging the property it's being installed into!

TIP I LEARNED: 2-3 days is fine for curing the average job. 7 days is a luxury, not a necessity. Be sure to monitor the moisture, and make sure it cures evenly. No leaving it flat on the casting table, make sure to at least prop it up several inches, so the whole piece stays evenly moist and cures at the same rate.

Video Added Tuesday Afternoon

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Tuesday was so busy I didn't even have time to blog about it until now!After the class lecture, we moved out to the workshop, where Jeff shows the students how to layer the steel wires into the forms. Who knew zip ties could be so useful in countertop production! I decided that, while laying out the reinforcement is great to learn, it's less than entertaining to watch.

Jeff talked a lot about layers, and mixes... made me think of cake. It was a lot like a massive baking project, come to think of it...

The students checked the oil on the tables (and made sure there were no pieces of sawdust, or any other large particles) to prepare for the pour. I love seeing the camaraderie that builds up in the groups. Students go from disinterested strangers to coworkers and friends, in a remarkably short amount of time!

The demo was done in run of the mill lunch trays, the kind you see in fast food restaurants. They are great to make samples in! Part of Jeff's demo covered ghosting, and how to avoid it. That is something even veteran countertop makers struggle with! Some of the students have been making countertops on their own for years, and say that they've already learned a wealth of valuable information, things they'd never known to do, short cuts that are efficient, not lazy.

In the workshop, it's always essential to put safety first (and fashion a close second) with safety goggles and face masks. Cement dust is not something you want to inhale too much of! Two batches of concrete are mixed, one with pigment, the other just regular gray cement. Students made the mix from scratch, of course, using sand and stone as the main ingredients. When you build every mix yourself, you know exactly what is going into it, and the condition of the elements you're adding (whether the sand is a little damp, or there are chunks in the aggregates); mixes from a bag are much less controllable. Two types of drums are used, too; Jeff prefers the steel drum; he's had the one in the shop for years, and it's still in excellent condition. Ingredients are poured in, and the mixing begins...

TIP I LEARNED: You don't need fancy or special ingredients. It does not have to be stylish. Just because something claims to be "new" or "adds" a lot to your mix, does not mean that it's not an old product that's been relabeled, or something completely superfluous. If you find a mix that works for you, and that gives you solid results, why change it? If it ain't broke.....

Once the pour is complete, and covered with plastic, Jeff brings the students to a demo piece, and shows them wet grinding, polishing, and sealing. This takes up the remainder of the afternoon, and the students are absorbing the information like sponges. It makes a huge difference in learning when you can actually put your hands on a project, and make it yourself, with an expert standing by!

The day closed with dinner & drinks downtown. Wednesday they'll learn how to make the mix they used today!

Tuesday

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:20:00 +0000

The students are in the classroom this morning, learning how (and WHY) reinforcing needs to happen. They'll be heading out to the shop soon to begin learning how to make their own mixes, using whatever is available from their local hardware stores and dealers.

Time for a coffee break.

First day down

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 21:00:00 +0000

And so the first day is complete. It's amazing what you can learn in a day!Â In the afternoon, we learned how to build the forms on the casting tables, after a discussion on how to make the tables, what surfaces are best to use, and why vibrating tables are overrated....The two groups set out their forms, using the templates they had made this morning. The casting tables were swept and prepped, the borders secured, the calk applied.

The students are ready to mix and pour tomorrow!

Now for chips & salsa at Lane & Jeff's house...

Lunchtime Business Info

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:20:00 +0000

Lane takes the time to discuss her marketing experience, in relation to Concrete Countertops.Â Jeff and Lane used to run a concrete countertop business of their own, before Jeff decided there was a greater need for instructors in the industry, and transitioned to teaching. Both of them have very practical experience with concrete! Lane presents some very helpful marketing information after a lunch of Southern-style BBQ....Have you considered who your target market is? Have you thought out the best ways to use marketing to boost your business, so it's not a useless drain on your finances? In short, are you prepared to sell concrete, and generate new sales as often as you want them?

The buyers market does have some impact, but if you don't know how to explain concrete countertops to the concrete-ignorant (which is 95% of the people you'll be selling to) it doesn't matter what the market is doing, you're still not going to be able to sell. The reverse is also true: if you have solid contacts with designers, contractors, and carpenters, and know how to present concrete countertops to your clients, you can maintain a steady business, in most instances.

What are your goals, your plans? Do you have them written out, have you assigned actual figures to see how much money is required verses how much is expended? These students here have!

The hands-on process begins!

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Â I joined the students out in the shop, where Jeff promptly began making a mess...

We're standing out by the mock kitchens in the shop, where things are set up to be as true to life as possible. Jeff is discussing backsplashes, the widths of panels, and how to attach them. I don't have any personal experience with backsplashes, but they sound rather dangerous, and like something you might want to avoid whenever possible. Pricing is touched on, how to fairly charge a client for said backsplash, if one cannot be avoided. Full back panels: good. Narrow and short backsplashes: less good.

Jeff does his demo, with doorskin (wood that is about as thick as construction paper), hot glue, and sharpies. Naturally, the glue fibers get all over everything, as do splinters of doorskin. Demos are made to be messy! Once the demo is complete, the students are split into two groups of 4, and the groups take the materials, and template one of the mock countertops. They get to experience everything from unruly glue-guns (those things have a mind of their own) to lost sharpies to doorskin strips that don't want to cut smoothly, so they get a genuine feel for how it will be on-the-job! Â

One thing I've learned already, is that templating does not have to be complicated. It should, in fact, be as uncomplicated as possible. Simple is better, work smarter not harder!Â

The students are asking great questions, and some very interesting rabbit trails are touched on. A discussion springs up about seam placement, and the best way to go about aligning the seams, if the project calls for them. This is definitely not a boring lecture, it's very interactive! As each situation is brought up (What if they have a window above the sink? What if the wall is very uneven? What if the drawers are unusual sizes? What if the homeowner can't make up their minds?) possible solutions are discussed, the pros and cons of each. Who knew there were so many things to consider!

Finally, templates are made, and in place, mark-ups are complete, and the forms are ready to be built!

Next: Lunch time....Â

TIP I LEARNED: Treat every templating and/or installation job with an eye on the client's space. Don't scrape, nick, scratch or in any way mar their home/office/restaurant, even if it's in a place where it won't be seen once the install is complete! You want to leave each location in the same condition you found it in.

Monday morning....

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:30:00 +0000

CCI Customer Service going undercover as a CCI Student.... come follow along!

Â Weather is gorgeous here in Raleigh! Students have come in from all over the continental United States, to learn from the experts. This week, I get to tag along and actually BE a student! I'm super excited about this, because I haven't had the chance to get my hands dirty yet.

Class started at 8.30, with pastries, coffee, and introductions. The students have very diverse backgrounds: among others, we have a bathroom remodeler who deals with tile and wants to expand, a construction worker who wants to add concrete countertops to his business, a scientist who's looking for a new challenge, and a copper-mine worker who wants to bring concrete countertops up to his region of Canada.

I'm going to head out to the workshop, where the students are now, and follow along, to see the whole process. Stay tuned- more to come soon!

Concrete Decor Show 2010

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:59:42 +0000

The first Concrete Decor Show, March 16 - 1, 2010 at the Phoenix Convention Center, was a huge success! Over a thousand attendees experienced seminars and workshops lead by the leading decorative concrete and concrete countertop trainers, including Jeff Girard of The Concrete Countertop Institute.

World of Concrete 2010

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:40:00 +0000

World of Concrete, February 2010, was a great show. Exhibitors reported that attendees showed a lot of energy and enthusiasm.