fresh sidewalk is screaming for color

[lynne]

last week, i had one of those "pride of ownership" moments, when i learned the sewer pipe, from the curb all the way back to my house, had to be replaced. it was still the original clay pipe laid in 1890, had broken, and been invaded with roots. stinky stuff was overflowing out of the sidewalk and into the gutter.

$10,860 worth of emergency repair later i now have a nice new cast iron pipe and a 16 x 2.5 foot 'carpet' of fresh concrete leading from the curb to the base of my stairs.

too bad i didn't get home in time to press some pattern into it.

but it's so blank!

any ideas?

[Fauxho]

A red carpet sweetie of course...xoxo

[shelia]

Wow, does HO know you or what?? That's great. It would be so cool to do an eye catching stencil pattern. Something befitting royality. Of course we don't want you down on your hands and knees in the steet. Just fly me out there, I'll have it done in now time at all.

[The Plasterers Arms]

not too late for a pattern ...use a stamped polymer overlay ...mapeii has one,another is colormaker.
you can rent the skins,at least in my area you can.Trowel down,release agent and stamp away.

[Jodi]

How 'bout a Trompe broken clay pipe with roots and stinky stuff, right next to a broken piggy bank with a penny or 2 laying around it.

over 10,000, ouch!!! I wonder if that's why you have been so busy lately, so you could afford that. A new wardrobe or a vacation would have been a little more fun tho.

[leisu]

Remeber Melanie ROyals had posted her atrium concrete floor that she did? on M+, I think it's on her blog site, and i thought she gave instructions online too, but it was TO DIE FOR unbelievable!

[Elena]

hopschotch

[KathyFakesIt]

Jodi, that's hilarious.

Simple acid stain would be gorgeous.

[lynne]

red carpet, darling bruce, you know me so well.

jodi, good idea actually. maybe some of my neighbors missed the excitement!

picture---

[vitold01]

Since you have 2 different type of concrete, applied in different times the only solution to make it uniform is to use solid color penetrating stains. Acid won`t work well because of different amount of lime in them. After that you can use color enhancers to make it more interesting or engrave pattern into the surface or both. I used www.smithpaints.com and engraving equipment from www.engraveacrete.com to transform my 45 years old driveway to a circular brick patern. Job was done in the fall of 2004 and still looks great without any sealer on it to date. U can try www.getnewlook.com for their stains and transpanent color enhancers.

[Fauxho]

Shelia....It wont be the 1st time but she will have silk velvet to cushion ...never mind....

[Elena]

It was Ho's idea

[Jodi]

Oh that's cool! It made me think of the yellow brick road for some reason.

[strongv]

Hmmmm I'm thinking HopScotch

[strongv]

Ok... maybe this

[Elena]

Pat is that a skull or Africa?

[arlene]

skimstone is so easy and quite affordable. You could do alot with it and the colors are pretty saturated. I did my porch with it 4 years ago, gets water, and rollerskates, and the whole shebang, not a dent crack or any sign of wear...just a thought

[Elena]

mmmm skimstone color palette is gorgeous!

http://www.modernmastersinc.com/pdf/MM-SkimStone-colors.pdf

[Jodi]

I think it looks like the dreaded distressed brick and plaster that Lynne loves so much!

[KathyFakesIt]

i think you should paint a little garden path, all tromped up so it looks like pretty flowers growing in the middle of concrete. You know, paint some stepping stones with moss and little flowers and dirt. It would be a neat play on the concrete..

[Jodi]

Now that sounds really pretty!

[shelia]

awww I like the garden path idea. Lisa could hook you up with fake grass!

[Fauxho]

Lynne...Paint a mote...with aligators

[Elena]

[Fauxho]

Elena...Spot on!!!