Graphical Construction Glossary >> Concrete and Concreting. >> Stenciled Concrete

Stenciled Concrete

Concrete that has the surface textured and patterned with a stencil process.

Specialist suppliers have a large range of wax paper stencils in various sizes and styles. They also supply the polymer modified cement based powders and ochres and colourings to complete the process.

• The process of stenciling is carried out to the drying concrete pavement after the concrete has been screeded and bull floated.
• Laying of the stencils start just as soon the surface takes on the initial set and concrete is just about hard enough to walk on without damage to the surface.
• If the concrete is too wet when the stencil is applied then it may sink into the wet concrete and become embedded.
• Any central features like the one above are placed in position first. If there are to be edge patterns then they are put down at the same time.
• The main pattern comes in rolls and they are unrolled onto the surface of the still moist concrete.
• the rolls are about one metre wide and care is taken to match the repeating patterns. The ends are cut to shape with scissors.
• Immediately the area is dusted with the dry cement based coloured powders to an even depth of say 3mm.
• No water is added to the powder in general, but the bleed water on the surface of the concrete is sufficient to activate the powder.
• For this reason timing is critical, not too soft to walk on but not too dry that the dust does not get enough moisture.
• This short window of time makes it impossible to do large sections of pavement in one pour.
• A small amount of water can be mixed with coloured ochre or pigment and sparingly splashed on top of the coloured powder to give a random spotted effect if it is desired.
• At a time later, maybe a couple of hours,when the whole surface is dry the waxed paper stencils are removed.
• This shows the white natural colour of the concrete where the stencil has bee.
• It also produces a lot of dried flakes of dried material that comes off the stencil paper.
• These dried flakes are blown off the surface of the concrete.
• The concrete is then sealed with a clear sealer that is approved by the manufacturer of the stencil products.
• The sealer seals the concrete and ensures good curing for the finished pavement.
• Usually another coat of sealer is applied the next day and it is normally recommended to re-seal the concrete on an annual basis thereafter.

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