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World of Concrete believes crews are the backbone of the industry; the hardworking team members that are working with the products, tools, equipment and technologies that are shaping the industry. We want to show the world what great things you and your crews have been up to. Enter the amazing and unique concrete/masonry projects your crew has completed this year and you could win a trip to World of Concrete 2013, sponsored by BASF! BREAKING NEWS: DEAN AND DEREK SIGNED TO "ROCK" CREWS THAT ROCK Dean & Derek, popular radio and TV hosts of DIY Network's Rock Solid, Indoors Out, and PBS's Victory Garden, have been signed to participate in the 2013 CREWS THAT ROCK CONTEST, sponsored by BASF, at World of Concrete 2013. For more details, visit
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Go for the Glow with Photoluminescent Countertops
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Greetings!
Looking to update the kitchen in their waterfront home in Taylor Lake Village, Texas, homeowners William and Pam Hanf wanted new countertops that would not only be modern and unique, but also suggest a bit of the celestial, since the home was designed and built by a former NASA astronaut. Robert Salinas of Stamped Artistry, Pasadena, Texas, introduced them to the perfect solution: concrete countertops with aggregate that would glow in the dark like clusters of tiny stars. The use of photoluminescent aggregate to give countertops a celestial glow is one of the industry's hottest trends. Here are some tips from Salinas on how to achieve the best results with these special aggregates, and produce concrete countertops that look as good during the day as they do at night.
Jim Peterson,
The Concrete Network
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TIPS FOR USING PHOTOLUMINESCENT AGGREGATE
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 | | Don't overdo it |
Be careful not to overdo the effect. "To keep from using too much luminescent aggregate, we hand place it inside the mold, then carefully pour the concrete so as not to push the aggregate around and have it bunch up," says Salinas.
- To give your countertops an attractive terrazzo-like look during the day, enhance them with aggregate that doesn't glow. For this project, Salinas used multiple colors of recycled glass, exposed by grinding.
 | | Add colored glass for a terrazzo effect |
- Use a high-strength bagged countertop mix reinforced with glass fibers, such as Xtreme Terrazzo mix and modifier from SureCrete Design Products. "This mix is an excellent choice for fabricating concrete countertops. All you do is mix it with the modifier and aggregate. It already has ingredients such as fibers, so there's no need to add wire or any other reinforcement to hold the concrete together, and it can be cast as thin as � inch," says Salinas.
- To make glow-in-the dark concrete countertops that are eco-friendly as well, use photoluminescent
 | | Glow-in-the dark aggregate |
aggregate made from recycled material. Salinas uses AGT photoluminescent aggregate, from Heritage Glass. (See New Concrete Aggregate Glows in the Dark.)
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