A hand-scored vine pattern adds a touch of elegance to this stained concrete floor. The vine motif is echoed in the light sconces on the wall.
Another view of the floor, which was colored using chemical stains in dark walnut and antique amber.
A view from overhead. The floor gets its brilliant shine from a high-gloss finishing wax.
Sometimes a simple design element can turn an ordinary stained concrete floor into a work of art. That’s the case with this stunning residential concrete floor, which features a scrolling vine pattern wending its way from room to room.
“The homeowners wanted a carpet-free, easy-to-clean floor with an appealing design,” says staining contractor Dave Gonzales of Decorative Crete-Worx. “They decided to have a vine scored into the slab. Interior light sconces in the home with a subtle vine design on them add to the effect.”
Gonzales used a dark walnut chemical stain for the main floor and an antique amber stain for the vine, hand applying the stain in that area using a sponge. Creating the vine motif was his biggest challenge because he did all the work free-form, using PVC pipe to trace the pattern and then scoring it with a hand-held grinder equipped with a 4 ½-inch tuck blade, doing his best to keep a steady hand. Adding a few small details, such as leaves with dark brown lines in the center, completed the effect.
Because this was a newly built home, Gonzales was able to complete all the staining work before the sheet rock was installed. “We try to get in beforehand so we can beat the painters and everyone else from destroying the floor’s virgin state,” he says. As the home was being completed, the finished floor was protected with corrugated cardboard.
The maintenance required to keep the floor looking like new is to simply keep it waxed, says Gonzales. He recommends using Johnson Wax ShowPlace, a high-gloss floor finish applied with a rayon mop or lamb’s wool applicator.
Gonzales says that he gets 80% of his work through referrals. The portfolio of project photos that he posts on his website also helps attract customers. “The pictures open the eyes of my clients to think outside of the box and reach a little further for something they desire. I always tell them to get what they want and not to worry about what other people will think about a design in the floor. If they sell their home in the future, the floor can always be covered with carpet, wood or tile.”
Let’s hope that this gorgeous floor remains uncovered indefinitely.
Project details
Contractor: Dave Gonzales, Decorative Crete-Worx
Home location: Grand View, Texas
Project size: 2,364 square feet
Cost: Approx. $4 per square foot
Materials used: Scofield Lithochrome Chemstain
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