The recent warm and unseasonable temperatures have us thinking spring (despite the even more recent snow), but for some, spring is a sign of suffering from seasonal allergies.

Pollen is the biggest culprit for those in agony from outdoor allergies, but many can suffer year round from indoor allergies, like dust mites, pet dander and molds. These allergens can hide in your carpeting, and require routine cleaning to get rid of these pesky annoyances.

If desperate, getting rid of carpeting in your house can help, since it’s in the carpeting where most of these allergens hide.

At Urban Creative Concrete, we can install concrete floors anywhere in your home as a durable and affordable option when looking to remove carpeting. Concrete floors, whether in Racine, Lake Geneva, Oak Creek or Milwaukee, can be acid stained, dyed, painted and include patterns and textures to make the floors match your home’s decor. Concrete floors can be beautiful and as unique as your home is.

And a new concrete floor is similar in cost to carpet, ceramic tile, linoleum or vinyl, and costs less than slate, marble or granite.

Once complete, concrete floors are easy to maintain, and, if properly sealed, needs no more than dust mop and a non-volatile cleaner and water to clean.

Because it’s so durable, concrete flooring can last much longer than carpeting and other flooring options, and can boost the value of your home if you ever decide to sell.

Lastly, concrete floors won’t harbor dust mites, molds and pet dander that cause sneezing and watery eyes that come with indoor allergies.

While you can’t control the weather and the pollen levels outside, we can help you control the allergens inside your home, all the while making it a beautiful and unique living space for you and your family.

For more information on concrete floors, contact us today.

This winter, we’ve already seen varied weather, including snow, freezing rain, and high temperatures well above — and below — the average. The recent freezing rain has made concrete surfaces slick, making it treacherous to navigate hard surfaces, requiring concrete ice removal.

We still have plenty of time for winter weather, and it’s likely we’ll again see freezing rain and ice, so it’s time to reiterate the best options for concrete ice removal to make your driveway, walkways, and patios safe.

There are several types of salt commonly used for concrete ice removal, including calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and sodium chloride, best known as rock salt. These solutions have their own pros and cons as outlined below:

Calcium Chloride:

—  Effective to minus-25 degrees

—  Fast acting

—  Can damage grass and plants if over applied

—  Approximately $10-$20

Magnesium Chloride:

—  Effective to minus-13 degrees

—  Environmentally friendly; safer around pets, but can be lethal to animals with kidney disease if swallowed

—  Can damage plants if over applied

—  Approximately $10-$20

Sodium Chloride:

—  Effective to 20 degrees

—  Lethal to pets if ingested

—  Can damage asphalt, concrete, bricks metal, grass and more. (Don’t use on concrete less than 1 year old.)

—  Inexpensive. Usually less than $10.

Once you determine the best deicer for your needs, be sure to first clear any snow accumulation and use the right amount — or risk damaging your concrete surfaces.

So whether it’s a Racine concrete driveway, or a Lake Geneva stamped patio, be sure to pick the right concrete ice removal product to keep you slip free, and keep your concrete strong.

Contact us today to learn the best way to keep your concrete surfaces ice free.

While the weather outside is frigid, all of us at Urban Creative Concrete want to take this opportunity to wish you the warmest of holiday greetings.

The holidays are a magical time filled with the warmth of friends and family. We hope you have the opportunity to spend the holidays with those you love, and take the time to reflect on 2016 and the year ahead.

If concrete work is part of your 2017, we hope you give us the opportunity to provide services that will beautify your home or business and increase its value.

And there’s no need to wait for warm temperatures for our work. We offer a variety of products year-round. Our beautiful and durable concrete countertops — a great alternative to granite or other expensive options — and our customizable concrete floors for your basement or anywhere within your home can be completed during the winter months.

When the weather does warm, we can complete to your satisfaction a variety of residential or commercial outdoor concrete projects. From a Kenosha concrete driveway to a Lake Geneva stamped patio, we have the knowledge and experience to provide solutions that will last indefinitely.

But until then, we encourage you to contact us with any questions you might have about your concrete needs, whether about your Milwaukee decorative concrete patio, your Oak Creek concrete steps, or advice on how best to deice your driveway.

Until then, all of us at Urban Creative Concrete wish you the happiest of holiday seasons and a joyous new year!

In many construction and remodeling projects, concrete is becoming the material of choice due to its versatility and durability, including concrete floors.

Concrete floors can be found in all types of environments, from upscale restaurants major metropolitan areas, to Racine decorative concrete floors and Lake Geneva decorative concrete floors. Concrete floors can be beautifully decorated and no longer just a drab grey slab. Business owners and homeowners alike are attracted to a variety of benefits a concrete floor provides.

Your concrete floor can be acid stained, painted, dyed, or include patterns or textures. Concrete floors are a great choice for interior rooms because of the options of colors than can seamlessly mesh with other elements in the room — so much so that many people don’t realize they are standing on a concrete floor.

And while a concrete floor can be beautiful and durable, it’s also a cost-effective options, especially if you’re finishing an existing concrete slab. A concrete floor costs similar to carpet, ceramic tile, linoleum or vinyl, and an extravagant design will cost just less than slate, marble or granite.

But unlike many of the other options listed above, a concrete floor requires minimal upkeep because of its durability.

Another selling point of a concrete floor is that when finished, it’s simple to maintain. A properly sealed concrete floor needs no more than a dust mop and can be cleaned easily with a non-volatile cleaner and water. Heavier traffic areas might require more care.

At Urban Concrete, we help home and business owners choose and install the right concrete flooring for them with beautiful results. We can help resurrect broken and cracked concrete floors in the basement or garage to make those spaces beautiful and functional again.

For more information about a concrete floor, contact us today.

Cracked concrete can be unsightly and dangerous, but fixing it isn’t a terribly tough or time consuming job.

There are many reasons why concrete cracks and avoiding repair will only make matters worse in due time. It’s best to keep in mind however, that cracks in concrete are common and inevitable due to freeze-thaw cycles, the weather and frequency of use.

Depending on the size of the crack, many homeowners can repair the crack inexpensively in less than half a day. Of course, larger cracks might require more work, or even calling us at Urban Concrete to fix or replace the concrete.

To repair smaller cracks, simply follow the following instructions:

—     Use a chisel to rid the crack of larger pieces. While this sounds counterintuitive, use a chisel to essentially make the crack slightly bigger at the surface, clearing out larger pieces of concrete. This will help the patching material bond with the existing concrete.

—     Thoroughly clean the crack, getting rid of any dust or debris. Use a broom to sweep up the bigger pieces, then follow with a wet-dry vacuum to suck up the dust.

—     Using any number of concrete patch products on the market — often found at your local hardware store — fill the crack and use a trowel to smooth out the filling material. Allow the material to cure overnight or per the instructions from the manufacturer. If needed, repeat the process until the crack is filled.

—     To make your concrete seal last, seal it with a heavy-duty water-based polyurethane to prevent stains from being absorbed by the concrete. It’s best to add a second coat, or, if in a heavy traffic area, three or four coats.

At Urban Concrete, we can help repair any unsightly or unsafe cracked concrete, whether it’s your Racine stamped concrete or your Lake Geneva decorative concrete floors.

To learn how to fix cracked concrete, to learn how we can help, or to learn about our other concrete services, contact us today.

With the cold temperatures behind us and the summer sun approaching, now is the time to consider any concrete projects for the spring, summer and fall, whether it be for your Racine stamped concrete patio, or your Lake Geneva decorative concrete driveway.

By scheduling and completing your projects sooner than later, you’ll ensure maximum use of your concrete patio or driveway. Furthermore, the warm weather months are our busy season, so booking early ensures flexibility in our calendar to meet your scheduling needs.

Our long and cold winters can damage concrete, leaving patios and driveways unattractive. We can repair any damage due to the cold, and make your concrete beautiful again.

Additionally, we offer the latest in decorative concrete for both residential and commercial properties. From sealing you existing concrete driveways to constructing a new patio, we can complete your project to your satisfaction and ensure it lasts for years to come.

And we can help you determine the best designs based on the existing decor of your home. We can add any variety of colors to wet concrete before it’s poured, or acid stain existing concrete, which give your concrete an attractive, marbled effect.

With more than 22 years’ experience in concrete construction industry, Urban Concrete has the knowledge and ability to impress your friends and family with beautiful, Racine stamped concrete, all while providing you with the quality you deserve.

For more information about decorative concrete, or to schedule your spring or summer appointment now, contact us today.

Late winter and early spring weather in Southeast Wisconsin is erratic at best. This year has been especially inconsistent, with temperatures reaching the mid-50s followed days later by winter storm warnings and inches of snow.

While these back-and-forth weather patterns leave us to wonder if temperatures will ever stabilize, the freeze-thaw cycles can wreak havoc on your concrete — whether it’s a Racine stamped concrete patio or a Milwaukee concrete driveway.

Freeze-thaw damage is caused when porous concrete absorbs water, which turns into ice in freezing temperatures. Because concrete isn’t flexible, it eventually chips and breaks as the water absorbed by concrete expands as it freezes. (It’s this expansion of freezing water that causes the potholes you are likely to experience on roadways in the late winter and spring.) Overtime, these chips and breaks can make your Racine stamped concrete unsightly.

While there isn’t much that can be done about the outside temperatures that affect the concrete, sealing your concrete can help protect it and slow the deterioration of your concrete from freeze-thaw cycles.

Another way to combat freeze-thaw cycles is to use deicing chemicals to reduce the freezing point of snow and rain in cold temperatures.

At Urban Concrete, we can seal your concrete and recommend the right de-icing product to reduce damage from free-thaw cycles. From Racine stamped concrete to Oak Creek stamped patio, we can helps reduce the wear and tear of winter and springtime weather on your concrete.

To learn more about the effects of freeze-thaw cycles on your concrete and how to protect it, contact us today.

Decorative concrete is an investment in a durable, functional, and beautiful material that’s designed to last. But with the winters we experience in South East Wisconsin, caring for decorative concrete in Wisconsin is a necessity.

Between rain, snow, ice and more, concrete in our area takes a beating. In order to enjoy it as long as possible, be sure to do the following to care for the project this winter:

—    Make sure you shovel off fallen snow as soon as possible. Concrete is damaged from water continually freezing and thawing. By removing snow from your decorative concrete as soon as you can, you’re removing the threat of melting snow — or water — from the freezing and thawing cycle.

—    Avoid using de-icing agents on decorative concrete, especially in the first winter after the project is completed. While the sealer helps protect the concrete from the de-icer, the water caused from melting snow can seep through, and the freezing and thawing cycle can damage the concrete.

—     Speaking of sealing, make sure your decorative concrete is sealed in a regular basis. Sealants will help protect your concrete and it makes your decorative concrete shine.

—      If temperatures allow it, and there is no snow or ice on your decorative concrete, sweeping your concrete from debris will avoid excess dirt build-up and is beneficial over time.

Regardless of whether you’re caring for a Milwaukee decorative concrete driveway, or a Pleasant Prairie decorative concrete patio, these care tips will help your concrete remain beautiful and functional for years.

Contact us today to learn more about how to keep your decorative concrete beautiful for years to come.

With the winter season upon us, the weather is certain to be more frightful than delightful in the near future.

And this less-than-desirable-weather is sure to bring more ice and snow to the area, creating slippery situations on driveways and sidewalks. Good neighbors always take care of their concrete areas to reduce the threat of someone slipping and getting injured.

But when de-icing your concrete driveways and walkways, be sure to use calcium chloride or magnesium chloride, as opposed to sodium chloride, better known as rock salt. While rock salt itself won’t damage your concrete, the rapid warming then freezing can.

Sodium chloride is a better option as it causes no harm to your concrete and quickly melts the ice. Furthermore, it’s more environmentally friendly than traditional rock salt. Magnesium chloride also excels at melting ice, is safe to use near plants, and will help your concrete last longer. However, be advised that magnesium chloride typically costs more than the other options.

And after you finish de-icing your concrete walkways, steps and more, take the time to shovel the slush created from the rapidly melting ice. By removing this slush, you reduce the threat of refreezing and potential damage in the long-run to your concrete. By removing the slush, you can increase the life of your concrete.

So whether it’s a Racine concrete driveway, or a Lake Geneva stamped patio, be sure to pick the right de-icing agent to keep you slip free, and keep your concrete strong.

Contact us today to learn more about how to keep your driveway and more ice free.

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays in full swing, we want to take this opportunity to wish you the happiest and holidays and thank you for your past business.

The holidays are a special time of the year spent gathering with friends and family to reflect on the year past and look ahead to the future. We hope you had a joyful 2015 and look forward to 2016.

We hope we were part of your year, and hope to be part of your future. Whether it’s a Oak Creek concrete driveway, or a Milwaukee decorative concrete floor, we can help you complete your concrete project.

New concrete can beautify your home and add value. We have the knowledge and experience to complete decorative projects to your liking that will leave a lasting impression on guests. And we provide commercial services for the business-owner in your life.

And if we’ve done work for you in the past, and as you gather with neighbors this holiday season, please share with them your excitement about our work. Sharing your positive experiences with neighbors is the best gift we could ask for.

In the meantime, if you have any concrete-related issues or questions, please contact us, whether it’s about your Kenosha stamped concrete, Pleasant Prairie concrete driveway, Racine decorative concrete floors or anywhere between.

Until then, from all of us at Urban Creative Concrete, have a happy holiday season!