> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hammarberg, Eric
> Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2007 9:37 AM
> 
> Concrete generally seems to be thought of as a bulk 
> commercial material or a substitute for stone. Few have 
> exploited its creative aspects, Mr Kahn and Early are 
> exceptions. There are a number of systems where they roll 
> patterns into paving cocncrete but these are again cheap 
> immitations of other materials such as brick paving. I have 
> always loved exposed aggregate sidewalks with pea gravel but 
> using it as the pastic workable mat'l that it is should be 
> exploited but seldom seen.

I want to echo that sentiment.

First: the tradition of craftsmanship in concrete. Beautiful concrete
work entered my conscience when I moved from Memphis to Raleigh. Raleigh
was noticeably crude. The workmanship of concrete placement and finish
in Memphis revealed a community with a level of craftsmanship in the
trade that lifted everyone's work. 

The company stamps I had noticed in older concrete sidewalks and
retaining walls took on new meaning as emblems of pride in craft, not
simply of marketing. Of course, finding people today that can replicate
the textural treatments of vertically-formed concrete surfaces is
virtually impossible, as many tricks of the trade seem to be largely
lost. We find it a problem in historic district administration where you
are trying to match the details of the existing district qualities and
no one can do it...like the sanded finish of old retaining walls and
sidewalks, and the striated edge treatments of walks breaking the
surface plane into panels.

Faux material treatments are simply prohibited in our guidelines. Bleah.
No dyed concrete masquerading as brick. It goes back to our discussions
of authenticity. 

Since no one could reproduce the fine-grained surface texture of our
historic concrete walks (which were really a one-inch thick topping over
compacted cinders), we have developed a washed treatment that at least
brings some textural quality to the walks, and knocks down the bright
shiny grey color of the brushed concrete that is so shockingly at
variance with the patina of the rest of the walks in the districts.
Rather than using pea gravel, we just use regular crusher run batch
concrete and apply a washed surface. You want to avoid excessive working
of the concrete so the aggregate doesn't fall away from the face of the
walk. It exposes the differing colors and such of the local aggregate,
and at a minimum additional expense and effort, at least offers
something more interesting than a broom finish does.

___________________________________________________________
Dan Becker,  Exec. Dir.   "Have nothing in your house that
Raleigh Historic              you do not know to be useful
Districts Commission          or believe to be beautiful."
[log in to unmask]                         -- William Morris  
919/516-2632


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