We have just finished the installation of a large custom concrete fireplace in Armonk, NY consisting of several large flat concrete pieces mounted to the wall above a solid hearth base. The design concept was to have large slabs and concrete pieces with a ‘Just Out of The Mold’ patina and the minimum of processing. ‘Artfully Imperfect’ would be a good way to describe the finish.
We were introduced to Lisa M, the client by builder, Jim Bolam of Newtown, CT and Beata Buhl-Tatka of Beata Buhl Interiors Inc. of Armonk, NY
Matching the color to the samples provided by the designer was a real challenge. After a few dozen test tiles we ended up using a mix consisting of 90% white cement, 5% gray cement and 5% Trinic Fly Ash. The color pigment we used was Desert Beige by Elite Crete at a rate of 1 ml per quart of mix water.
After forming each of the pieces in our workshop we sprayed a face coat into the molds using Trinic GFRC Admix. This was backed up by hand using the same mix but with with added AR glass fibers and some Optimum 380 Super Plasticizer.
We let every piece cure for over 72 hours before processing with 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper. We did not want to over work the surface and left small pin holes or imperfections untreated. We sealed the surface with Trinic NanoSeal diluted 50% for the first 2 coats and then by 20% for the second 2 coats. NanoSeal is a wipe on product that provides excellent abrasion and stain resistance.
The base sections were set in a mortar mix and the vertical pieces were held in place using Liquid Nails Construction Adhesive. There are no visible fasteners. After installation and grouting, all of the surfaces were coated with a paste wax and buffed by hand.
The result is an amazing corner fireplace that looks clean, minimalist, solid and impressive.
For more information contact Robin Leigh on 860 307 9499.
