These plans really are set in concrete
These plans really are set in concrete

NORMAN — A section of gray sidewalk perched on top of a cabinet — that's what some people envision when James Claborn talks about concrete counters.

A glance into Christie Morrow's bathroom makes it plain that's not what he means.

The counter is vivid red, the walls are sand-colored and the floor is mossy green — and it's all concrete.

The new bathroom in Morrow's 1940s-era Norman home is part of the ever-expanding world of decorative concrete, said Claborn, who owns Claborn Construction.

In the past several years, stained-concrete floors — sometimes stamped to create textures and sometimes "scored” or cut to resemble tiles — have become an increasingly familiar feature in new homes in the Oklahoma City area, several builders said.

More unusual are concrete counters, desks, sinks, showers and a 23-foot-long bar, all displayed at The Stamp Store, 121 NE 40 in Oklahoma City.

"That's the advantage of concrete over other materials. You can color it, shape it, structure it. Its versatility is unmatched,” said Doug Bannister, who owns The Stamp Store.

Bannister is the "decorative concrete guru” and one of 2007's most influential people in concrete, according to Concrete Construction, an industry publication.

Builder Mike Gilles said concrete interior floors are included in about one of every five homes he builds. The reddish-brown color called "cola,” a shade similar to Oklahoma's red dirt, is the most popular, he said.

The decorative floors are used in kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, mudrooms, "anywhere where people would be putting in tile,” he said.

"Lots of people like it. It's very nice and easy once people move in,” Gilles said.

However, he said, care of the floor during construction — while a home is still being painted or trim is being added — can be tricky for a construction crew.

"Keeping it covered and clean is very difficult. A lot of builders have said, no, they don't want to do it, because of that,” he said.

There are other problems, he said, including inconsistency in color and at some point, cracking, Gilles said.

"Most people we deal with want to take the risk, because it's such a cool product. It's like original artwork. It's not perfect, but it is original,” Gilles said.

The one-of-a-kind aspect is part of the appeal for Claborn. He and his partner and brother, Travis Claborn, specialize in decorative concrete projects.

"The last 200 projects we've done, we haven't duplicated anything,” he said. "You can buy the coolest tile you can find and 5,000 other people in Oklahoma City will have the same kind.”

But with concrete, "People will throw parties to show off their countertops,” Claborn said. "It's something no one else has.”

Concrete lends itself to creativity, he said.

"I'm not smart enough to do the figuring, but there are probably several million ways to do it. There are eight or nine different ways to color it. Each way to color it has hundreds of colors in it. There are 250 patterns or stamps. There's also stencils and 14 different ways to seal it. It would make your head spin,” he said.

In addition, there are constant updates in products designed for decorative concrete projects, he said.

In the past several years, Claborn said, he has added "old nasty pools” — swimming pools 20 to 30 years old — to the remodeling repertoire. They are rejuvenated by a concrete overlay process made possible by recently introduced products, Claborn said.

"The before and after of these pools is just amazing,” he said.

"I have two teenage boys that live in the walk-out lower level and it's a lot more durable. It's concrete. You just kind of wet mop it,” McCaleb said.

McCaleb also regularly features concrete floors in the homes he builds.

On the outside of a home, he said, "It goes hand and hand with the outdoor kitchen, the outdoor fireplace, the veranda. It makes it feel more like a living area than an outside patio.”

The stamped surfaces are less slippery than smooth concrete.

"We use a lot in outdoor swimming pools and spas,” McCaleb said.

McCaleb has yet to try concrete for a kitchen counter, however.

"For the money, I'm a granite person. I can buy imported granite for the same price without the worry of it cracking,” he said.

At The Stamp Store, however, Bannister's center of operations is a dramatic green concrete desk, which he has worked on for five years with nary a crack.

"It's a wonderful place to work. It feels sturdy,” he said.

Bannister recently traveled to a decorative concrete event in Oregon, where he introduced his enCounter system — which includes colors and forms — for countertops and sinks.

The countertops don't crack or warp because the concrete mix requires only a small amount of water to finish well. In addition, the countertops don't stain because they are sealed with industrial-grade, 100 percent enPOXY concrete sealer, according to product information.

He thinks the popularity of kitchen counters will increase, partly based on the increasing number of people attending national kitchen countertop conventions. At one recent event, Bannister said he was told by three East Coast kitchen designers that their high-end clients were considering concrete counters.

"Each one of them said granite is becoming a commodity item and their clientele was asking for something different,” Bannister said.

Bannister regularly passes on his decorative-concrete knowledge during hands-on sessions called "Deminars,” a name he has trademarked that combines demonstration with seminar. The events at first attracted concrete professionals from around the world and now more regionally as more and more people get into the decorative-concrete business, Bannister said.

The events are held in a meeting room overflowing with decorative concrete, from massive boulders on the walls shaped like courthouse-foundation blocks to a kitchen with a lime-green concrete countertop and a backsplash featuring a variety of concrete fruits and vegetables.

Working with decorative concrete is for the professional, although occasionally homeowners will color a concrete floor with an acid stain.

"We really don't encourage them to do other things,” Bannister said.

He is not sure where the decorative concrete industry will go next.

"Who would have thought that the materials used for bridges we would be using for kitchens? Or we would be using concrete for baseboards? I don't know where it's going. But there are lots of imaginative people drawn to concrete, because it's so exciting,” he said.

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