The process to install the decorative concrete is a multi-stage progression. We go over each inch of the curb from start to finish 20 times before it gets our final stamp of approval.
- The first meeting with the potential customer where we survey the yard and measure the footage for the estimate.
- Mark out the location of the curb, incorporating any changes requested by the customer.
- Remove any edging or lift low lying branches that may get in the way of the curbing process.
- Cut an outline of the curb bed with a sod cutter.
- Remove all the sod in the curb bed, as well as any sod that would have ended up behind the curb, like in a tree circle, for example.
- Use a weed eater on the front edge of the curb bed to remove the excess grass so it won't interfere with our cleanup later.
- Our curb extruder (the machine that places the curb) puts down the basic shape of the curb in the curb bed and packs the concrete.
- Level, pack, and shape the just-laid concrete curb by hand, using trowels and custom tools.
- This is one of the most important aspects of the job. Using skill, experience and a good eye, the skilled tradesmen will fine tune the concrete until it is exactly the right angle, depth and consistency, throughout the run.
- Pouring a wet skim coat, called a slurry coat. The slurry coat contains the base colour chosen by the customer.
- Trowel the slurry coat with a one-time pass to level and smooth the slurry.
- Padding the colour onto the concrete with an imprinter. The rubber imprint pad has a slate look to it and can add up to four colors to the top of the curb.
- Etching the pattern onto the concrete with a rubber mallet and one of six different stamp imprints.
- Insert expansion joint cuts every four or five feet.
- Cut away the excess slurry on the front and back of the curb.
- Clean the front edge of the curb bed so no concrete is present to prevent the grass from growing up to the face of the curb.
- Smooth and polish the face and back of the curb and remove any inconsistencies.
- Lightly blow off excess color and any leaves, dirt, etc., along the entire curb.
- Seal the coat in three passes to get back, top, and curb face fully sealed.
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