Defeat

Posted by Ben Walker on February 5, 2021 with 0 Comment

Carindale Project on Hold

Unfortunately for now we have had to suspend work on our Carindale project. We have completed the first section of the project in removing the tiles ready for resurfacing, but as you would know if you follow our works, NBN has installed their cabling to a very poor standard and will not re-attend to rectify it, along with the side section of concrete also requiring a major overhaul before resurfacing can be applied.

Simply a case of not being able to overlay something that is not going to hold together. Once the overhaul has been completed by others to the NBN part and side sections, we will return to this property to complete our works.

Pictures below for damaged areas that are awaiting fixing by other contractors.

Exposed Aggregate Demo and Pour Bonogin

Posted by Ben Walker on February 4, 2021 with 0 Comment

Exploring before repouring

First off. It’s so humbling to us having our customers giving us their faith and trust, waiting for us sometimes for more than 6 months, knowing that we’re there to do the job to the best possible outcome, regardless of difficulties. No excuses, just getting the job done. If you’re one of these clients, like Rebecca and Colleen here, thank you.

We started out on this project last year with the client removing the existing pavers, that were already falling off and down the steep hill, by attempting to explore the concrete with floor grinding to see if there was an option of resurfacing what was there. After a few hours grinding and hitting what is possible the worst section of destruction I’ve come across, some being about 30mm in concrete depth, I pulled the pin and gave the bad news that it would need to be ripped out and new concrete poured, resurfacing was not an option.

I did not charge for the exploration grinding, simply provided a new price for demo and new concrete. Given our experience as well, after working out some heights, we managed to save out client quite a bit of money here, not having to demo all of the concrete because, as it was at a lower level than the surrounding grass, we could simply go straight over the existing concrete in places, avoiding the expensive cost of full demolition.

So we basically just removed several key sections that we needed to to account for cold joint entries, along with council regulations at the cross over.

The main problem we had with the project, throughout all the works, was the steepness of the hill. You can see it a little in the photos, but it is definitely a problem child at best. But, we’ve been here many times before, so certainly not an obstacle that was worrying us too much.

I decided to break this project down into 3 pours because firstly, I don’t like pumping exposed if I can help it. If I must, then that’s a different story, but if there is another option, we eliminate the risk of segregating the aggregates, keeping the mix as even right through in colours as we can.

Secondly, the steepness of the driveway saw me wanting to put in two main construction joints at the weakest spots, the first being the initial step from top pad to the steep section, the section being at the bottom of the steep section as it levelled out on the main road again.

These are both areas that always cause cracking and concern in an installation like this, so eliminating a monolithic hold there and replacing with a construction joint, is a far better outcome overall.

I went old school on this install. I brought a bobcat in to place the concrete up the hill for us as wheel barrows and truck access were impossible. Kind of brought back a few memories, having not used a bobcat for installation for probably 10-12 years…..was pretty fun watching the bobcat slipping up and down the hill as we went.

All in all, our client went with a Salt and Pepper variety of concrete in 75% black stone 25% white stone and we think it went really well with their house colourings.

Thanks Rebecca and Colleen. Again, your patience and kindness is very humbling. We appreciate your business entirely.

Concrete Makeover Coomera Waters

Posted by Ben Walker on January 25, 2021 with 0 Comment

Driveway Refurbishment Overlay at Coomera Waters

This one’s pretty cool in regards to time frames and it is so greatly humbling seeing the patience our clients have waiting for our services.

We completed the neighbour to this client approximately 2 years and in turn, had our client here contact us to also have their driveway and externals completed. Our client here got us to price their work in August last year to which we could only supply them basically the last booking that we had left before the Xmas break.

We failed that time frame because the end of last year was just rediculous in regards to work load. Then this year comes around and we’ve had nothing but non stop rain basically for nearly 3 weeks, with only a few sunny days for exception.

In those few sunny days, we ground our asses off and got our coatings completed for a lovely little turn around to side paths and front driveway to a beautiful Coomera Waters home on the canal.

Thank you Corrans, you guys were awesome and we hope good things came to those who waited. Have a brilliant 2021!

Competition – I Need a Canvas

Posted by Ben Walker on January 18, 2021 with 0 Comment

What's On Offer

So basically, I’m a little bored. We’ve got a heap of work on and our schedule is quite daunting, but, I need to add a little flavour into it. After the first long break at Christmas this year in what seems like an eternity, I promised myself to not only balance out my work / personal life better, but to also put more time into what I consider my art.

Naming this a “competition” is kind of corny, but I’m trying to emphasise, in this circumstance, that the work and materials will be provided for free and I guess “competition”, is the best way to let potential customers know this.

This idea, is not only limited to this particular design that I will be talking about in this “competition”, I am also open to other potential clients who to provide me a canvas to work upon, and hopefully some more “themed” installations.

I want to start completing the odd project, primarily out of my pocket providing the outlay isn’t too crazy, to start delving into full theme’s that I can encompass different styles and aspects of my overlay resurfacing, as well as epoxy, into a single piece of workmanship that really is one of a kind. So if you think you have something interesting, outside of this idea, please get in touch, I’d love to hear what it is.

For now though, lets chat about this potential design and the requirements I am looking for in a potential concrete canvas.

The Idea / Theme

I’ve you’ve been following my articles for a while, you’ll maybe remember quite a while ago me expressing my respect for the Japanese culture and something that drew my attention a lot whilst I travelled there briefly, especially in areas surrounding Mount Fuji, was the Torii Gate and Shinto Shrines.

Although not specifically a religious type person myself, the idea of having a place to show respect to and ask for good fortune to something higher than yourself (Kami), is an interesting concept. I don’t want to try and pretend to know all the inner workings to the Kami, simply just saying it is something that tweaked my interest in depth, whilst there. Which also, gave credence to a pretty cool design idea, which although will be difficult to pull off properly, would really keep my little inner creator Kami happy.

The Torii Gate is symbolic as the entrance from the mundane to the sacred. An entrance point into the Shinto Shrine and this is what I want to re-create for a potential customer.

The Background

I want to create the background primarily in the textured style of our new (but old), stone skip trowel overlay. I want to use this to replicate possibly a stone pathway leading to the Shinto Shrine.

This skip trowel design I’m thinking to apply in a dark grey to black multi tone in water based stains, that will compliment the overall theme of a more “jungle” type feeling, and allow the colouring of the other aspects to pop out properly from it.

The picture across gives an idea of the texture design. I will be looking at a darker grey than this though and of course, without the tile pattern.

The Torii Gate

The Torii Gate itself is to be the star of the show and to be completed in a textured effect to imitate a timber look.

The gate will be completed also in water based stains leaning towards the common solid red colouring, possibly with a black topping as seen in a lot of images of Torii Gates.

This section will be a bit tricky to get right as I don’t want it to look too tacky….but I think we have the skills to get us there.

Note: Credit to Ultimate Industries for the timber effect. I stole this photo from Peter’s website….I’m sure he won’t mind? lol

The Finishing Touch

Now what would a Japanese themed installation be without a Golden Sunset?

I’ll be looking to apply a large sun into the design and completing this with a stipple effect to appear like the fuming heat of the afternoon sun as it beams it’s glory upon the Torii Gate. Colours of Red and Orange will be the star of this.

If I can pull it off as well, I would like to spray on some misting clouds through the sun in light and dark greys. See how that one pans out.

The picture across gives an idea of the texture finish for this, ignore the colour applied of course.

Closing

I guess at the end of the day, this might be difficult to find a customer who suits the requirements we need. First of all, you need to be into this theme, along with artwork in general of course.

Secondly, the project needs to be reasonable and not going to cost me a fortune to install.

Thirdly, the perfect canvas would be great. Hopefully and upward facing driveway. Or a larger entertaining area. Patio entertaining. Or even better, something leading to a personal shrine would of course be perfect.

If you follow my blogs, share this blog around to anyone you might think may be interested.

I’ll be sharing this through Instagram and passing it along through my supplier reps as well. Basically just getting the word out as best as possible.

Hope you’re all doing well out there and I hope we can find the right requirements so we can make this dream into a reality.

Custom stormy skies concrete resurfacing Ormeau

Latest Stormy Skies Install

Posted by Ben Walker on January 17, 2021 with 0 Comment

Something I’ve always strived for with our custom designs, is not to fall into the trap of just adding things for the sake of adding things. Some of my early work, has taken inspiration from older contractors like Mick and Rod from CCI and Tuff respectively. They have some really cool work and they were inspiring, but when I looked at their work, I thought it was just overly complicated for the sake of adding more, instead of doing more, with less (if that makes sense). Not taking anything away from their, I really admire their approach to artistic designs.

Take this next photo for example, it was completed by Mick at CCI, to be fair, one of the pioneers in this finishing and I love his work.

But for me, when I look at this, it doesn’t suit my style of artistic creation. It seems complicated and over the top just for the sake of, adding more “things”. I like complicated too, but if you look at my work, my individual design style, is adding complication to each detail, rather than just adding more detail. There is plenty of pictures below for examples after this.

Last year we completed for our client here, a full theme you could say in our Stormy Skies flow design. You can find those Articles HERE and HERE.

So we returned this year to install the concrete for the second driveway onto the property, along with resurfacing it and the patio area again, in our Stormy Skies finish.

This really is a design that’s close to my heart. It’s about firstly a solid installation, smooth with just enough even texture to make it non slip. It’s about the grey to mid tone blue back drop of a beautiful sky, with dark blue undertones as mother nature intertwines a beautiful day with a summer storm approaching. Finally finished off by Thor’s hammer beating heavily through the skies causing lighting to crash sporadically, over powering throughout highlights of the chaos behind.

As you can hopefully see, although this design is complicated, it’s not complicated through just adding more substance for the sake of adding other “things”. I take care in each swirl. Making the most out of each trigger pull from the hopper gun. Like a Japanese Sword Smith, everything completed has a reason, being thoughtful to leave enough space for the Midnight Blue blending.

This is my art work. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to display it.

Please enjoy the latest photos and finally, please everyone take a little step back from stress on the lead up to Christmas. Whatever time you get to take off and where ever you end up taking it, enjoy every second of it to the best of your ability.

Life is short and we’re all required to work hard to succeed. But don’t forget yourself in the process. You’re a long time dead.

Off and Running

Posted by Ben Walker on January 16, 2021 with 0 Comment

Finally. Although we’ve been back for a few weeks now, we’ve had literally the worst kind of weather system for what we do around at the moment. Rain sessions every morning which makes things to wet for us to do anything for most of the remaining day. But we have persisted, as best we can, until Thursday and Friday where the sun returned and we smashed out our first project for 2021. A pretty cool new design style of ours to boot.

We have many custom designs, albeit mostly in the same design style, just tweaked and configured differently, to suit different applications and different clients requirements. We had a chance last year with a lovely customer of ours Len, who wanted something very creative and unique, which allowed us to start fine tuning this new (yet old) design style we’re doing.

You can find that project article HERE

Over the next 12 months, customers pending of course, we will be displaying several variations of this design, in different colours, different patterns, water based stained versions, singular colour version (as we see here), lots of different ideas will come from this.

It’s a skip trowel overlay to replicate a more realistic stone appearance on the surface. It’s a prick to complete and is very time consuming and to be fair, a lot of technical knowledge required to get right…..stating this with as much modesty as I can. It really is an ass.

Photos of the project are below, of course it rained for the photos as well which made it difficult to get some angles due to water pooling, but lots of close ups for a better view.

This first project for 2021, is for a fantastic and amazing couple we have completed several projects previously for, one of them being what Kevin call, “The M1 Highway” (article found HERE).

Thanks so much for your work Graetz family, looking forward to seeing you again in a few weeks for more work.

Lets Talk Skin Cancer

Posted by Ben Walker on January 7, 2021 with 0 Comment

CAUTION – Before I get started here, I’ve got a few photos posted on this post that may not be appropriate for younger eyes….to be fair though, if you’re kids are reading what I’m writing, we’ve got bigger problems to deal with.

A few years back, I was chatting with an old friend of mine over a beer. I was a bit younger, much fitter and had less beer in the ol’ belly keg, so I had my shirt off enjoying the sun a little bit.

His son who was sitting with us, asked what the big scar on my chest was. I responded with the truth and honesty, the same way I try and live the rest of my life. I told him about my younger days and what I did wrong, in regards to sun protection, that caused the Stage 2 Melanoma the I had excised. Hearing the story, along with seeing the massive scar on my chest, gave him a bit of scare, however unintentional it was at the time.

Of course not meaning to scare the kid, I felt a little shitty after that, but then came around thinking, to be honest, that’s exactly what I needed at his age, then just maybe I might have been a little more careful.

Basically I grew up in the bush so to speak, in a little bush school that had 30 children from years 1-7. It was a tough little prick of a place and bush kids pack a punch. It was also during a time when “Sun Smart” was just coming into play, only really seeing it’s advertising on television. You know, “Slip, slop slap”. Well I got to see this maybe only a handful of times throughout my early days, so it never really had a chance to dig into my thick head and take a hold.

Fast forward a little bit to my teenage years, skipping school and spending hours every day, at the beach with no shirt, no hat and sunscreen was for pussies. After all, it only stung when it got in the eye and trying to pick up chicks with stinky red eye just never worked….or maybe it was the ugly mug, 50/50 call really.

Into late teens and early 20’s, starting out in the mud and hey, we’re working our asses off outside, suns out guns out right?

Only in my later years, after my first excision of a skin cancer, did I really take heed and get my pasty red headed ass out of the sun, or at least wear appropriate clothing and sunscreen.

So I guess what I’m getting at here is a bit of a message. A message to kids, young men and women, along with adults as well, get your shit together and protect yourself from the sun, even the smallest things, require a pound of flesh in penance.

This was me at 30 years old. Finally heading down for a skin check that were few and far between. I was having a full check up, but this particular bit was like a pimple in a hair follicle. I picked it, bit of blood came out and I paid it no notice. A few weeks later, it was still slowly bleeding, so I got it checked.

The first excision this time was about half this big, requiring around 30 stitches to close up. After the pathology results came back, the doctor advised me there were still malignant cells too close to the excision line for safety, and that we would need to recut more out. Back we go and another 10mm either side was taken out, with cut from armpit to past my center clavicle.

This time we got it. Thank fuck because I honestly couldn’t have sat there wide awake having the doctor extract more of my body, as I could smell the BBQ pork from cauterizing my open veins that were spilling all over my chest.

Oh, you think they knock you out under a local for this shit? Ha. Wide awake baby. Not even a phone to stay occupied.

This second cut took over 120 small stitches and approximately 30 thick stitches to close properly, which of course was nearly impossible considering you could fit two, 50mm gauze pads in the open wound before pulling it together and stitching me up. I won’t show you those pics on here….

The pic above is about 4 years later. Camilla and I were hiking taking silly photos and no, my present body is but a fat shadow of my previous self. But, this is the only pic to give a good idea of what that scar healed like…..look good hey ladies? Would be beautiful across a chest like yours? Cover your shit up or put sunscreen on….lol. (looking at my sister).

The bit that’s bringing all this to mind is the latest couple I’ve just had removed yesterday, and also having a couple of photos that give a good comparison to the size of the identified problem, and initially, how much the doctor has to take out.

The picture on the left was after the excision of the first one yesterday. These are only stage 1 beginnings, so basically nothing to talk about in the grand scale of Melanoma. But the circled part of the first picture is the second that is to be excised. You can see the purple section? That’s actually larger than what the problem spot was, caused to the original biopsy a few weeks before. The second photo is obviously both spots excised.

Now I guess here comes the point I want anyone willing to pay attention, to listen to.

Don’t be a dick head bush kid.

If you’re one of these Euro chicks who comes over here to Australia and bakes in the midday sun for hours on end, pull your head in, you won’t be beautiful when they start cutting you up.

If you’re a tradie, especially roofers and concreters are the worst, put your shirt on dick head, majority of the time your body isn’t as good as you think and you’ve got it off in front of other blokes.

In this article, take it as you will. I’m not trying to be this recovered cancer patient warning everyone else to change their lives, nor am I looking for caring messages to be sent. I’m fine and because I get checked every 6 months, it’s highly unlikely skin cancer will get me.

This is just written knowledge that maybe someone might pay attention to.

The only bit about skin cancer (if you’re getting regular checks) that sucks, is as I said before, the pound of flesh to be paid in penance.

Latest Stormy Skies Install

Posted by Ben Walker on November 27, 2020 with 0 Comment

Take this next photo for example, it was completed by Mick at CCI, to be fair, one of the pioneers in this finishing and I love his work.

Last year we completed for our client here, a full theme you could say in our Stormy Skies flow design. You can find those Articles HERE and HERE.

So we returned this year to install the concrete for the second driveway onto the property, along with resurfacing it and the patio area again, in our Stormy Skies finish.

This is my art work. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to display it.

Life is short and we’re all required to work hard to succeed. But don’t forget yourself in the process. You’re a long time dead.

Exposed aggregate refurbishment Parkwood

Brand New Everything

Posted by Ben Walker on November 24, 2020 with 0 Comment

Honestly, I’ve sat here for a fair while now, slowly sipping 500ml Asahi beers pretending not to be reasonably drunk while I type out several different blogs for our last project.

I submit though. I’ve tried. I just can’t come up with the flow of paragraphs to make enough sense that people will actually try and continue reading for more than a few sentences. So I’ll keep things to point and try a little less. Sigh.

Our clients here have just given birth to their wonderful new baby boy. Really cool to see a young couple taking the steps into parenthood. It brought me back a few times to my early days and my daughter….before she was a teenager and entered a new realm of WTF.

Hell, I even found myself giving some advice. Dad comes out one morning, bags under the eyes and stress because mum and bub have been in hospital last night vomitting. Everything from the doctors was fine, which allowed me to actually sound relatively intelligent and let them know that new babies are tougher than new parents, try not to stress as much although I know it’s hard. It’s all part of learning.

I sounded mature. I sounded…..grounded. WTF right?

Albeit for about 12 seconds before I coughed and burped and got back to hand sanding a concrete surface….fml.

The next brand new thing on this project is, apart from their relatively new home, we were onsite to complete resurfacing to all their concrete surrounds to get rid of that old shitty texture, and create something a bit nicer under foot for when the new little fella comes of ages and starts cartwheeling down the driveway tripping over his own feet. (He’s a red like me guys, that boy’s going to be trouble).

Add to this new texture going down, we were lucky enough to get our hands of Concrete Colour Systems new colour for 2021 in “Storm Grey”. We must be good clients of CCS, who knows.

We completed all this in a relatively simple, blanket design with flecks of White and Midnight Blue, along with an 18mm single border around the permiter of the driveway.

I’m sorry Nicole and Josh that I couldn’t get anything more entertaining to write about your project, you guys are awesome, I’m afraid I’m just old, tired, worn out and completely shit faced. I’m doing the best I can. Google’s even having trouble with auto correct.

Apart from that, you guys aren’t just great clients, but like many of our customers, as people, we got along with you very well. New mums and dads need a break every now and then, even just a coffee to break up the home life. We’ll give you and Josh a call soon and pop by for a coffee and see how you are going, at your convenience of course.

All the best with your new family. There will be ups and downs and lots of stress. It’s all VERY worth it though, enjoy the ride.

True Feminism

Posted by Ben Walker on November 21, 2020 with 0 Comment

Here goes nothing. End of our second murder week for the year and I’m two (large beers) down and about to open a kettle of fish I’m not sure I should be getting into. Fuck it though, I’m not shy in speaking my mind.

You see, I hate the modern system that revolves around, and is only really advertised by main stream media selling tickets to their show, personilty polictics segmenting individuals into racial and sexual divides, which just isn’t necessary to any sane, level minded individual. Let alone proved irrellevant by none other than my awesome wifey.

At the risk of sounding like I’m insensitive, I hate hearing people crying out for equality. There is nothing worse than standing in the back ground and screaming at the top of your lungs that you deserve better. For fuck sake. I agree. We all agree. You don’t need to make it a big issue. Just close your mouth and get to work, I think you’ll find everything in the modern system is setup for you to succeed to the degree of effort you’re willing to put in, especially in a free and wonderful country like we have here.

I have never at any stage, not given anyone a fair go in our business or in life. Colour. Sex. Age. Whatever. Put your hand up, the jobs yours. Display you can do the job to a high standard, the money follows regardless of any of the aforementioned stereotypes. Whinge, sook or be a lazy son of beer keg, hit the road baby, this train doesn’t carry passengers.

I was left with no other option today but to buy my wife flowers. Man has this woman been working her ass off. I’m 20+ years in this industry and I have not seen many men who have been willing to put in the effort and hours that this beautiful lady does.

It also got me to thinking…is she the true poster person for equality?

Abso-fucking-lutely.

She doesn’t sit back and just talk the talk, she puts her ass to the grind and fucking takes equal rights by the throat like the true Viking Shield Maiden she is. Inspiring.

If you want something in life, take advice from experience. Take it. Because no one will willingly give it to you. She is the perfect example of this.

Good for you honey. We kicked ass this week and you worked hard enough to keep up with a simpleton bush kid, full of ADHD and even took on a day on your own and completely nailed it. So proud.

Women should look up to Camilla and see what a lady can accomplish. It doesn’t matter the industry. See the heights you can reach by just gritting your teeth and trying harder. I’m so damned proud of her.

This project we completd here, is murder week, take 2.1

18mm single tape border. 12mm x 700mm internal diamonds. White lines with Coal main and White / Graphite flecking. Awesome transformation.

Thank you Ian and Felicity if you read this, it was as always, our pleasure doing business with you .

Keep up the kick ass work Camilla, you really are inspiring.