Design Tips for you Outdoor Space

1.  Have a blank wall? Consider this treatment: A pergola, trellis and planting bed transform a blank wall into a three-dimensional art piece.

2.  Use complementary color tones of furniture, stone columns and patio floor.

3.  Take advantage of natural terrain contours to add dimensions to the landscape.  Stone stairs draw the eye up to a second, higher seating area for a  multi-level outdoor space.

4.  Scale is key to a good design.

5.  Smart planting of only a few containers means that you can dress up any outdoor space with a seasonal display of annuals, perennials and even vegetables.

6.  FRSR feels that the look of a patio should be determined by the style of the house. So the patio of a period house needs paving or gravel and stone walls, while decking and trellis suit a modern home.

Welcome Bob Gomora Northern Colorado Hardscape Salesman

FRSR is proud to annouce the hiring of Mr. Gomora to head up Hardscape Sales in the Northern Colorado Area.

Bob Gomora is a local 3^rd generation concrete finisher practiced in the most current applications of concrete and concrete products. Bob completed his initial training and ACI certification though the Cement Finishers Union in 1987 and continued to pursue the vast applications of decorative concrete.

He started his own decorative concrete business in 1998 serving Colorado’s Northern Front Range. Building the company with himself and one employee, this business grew successfully to become the largest decorative concrete company in Northern Colorado. Bob kept himself and his growing crew continuously educated and up to date on the latest techniques in the industry through training and national seminars.

Earning the respect of both private residential customers, as well as the areas most prominent builders, Bob has a reputation for exceptional quality and resolute integrity. Bob’s areas of expertise include stamped concrete as well as all forms of decorative and regular concrete, concrete design, decorative concrete overlays and epoxy flooring; including paint chip and reflector floors. These ever expanding applications have been provided to both personal residences and large commercial applications.

Mr. Gomora is now excited to be combining his knowledge, years of hard work and skill with the expertise of F.R.SR.  This team relationship brings the best of the decorative concrete industry to the customer.

New Year, New Yard

Adding value to your home, whether monetarily or aesthetically, is a great idea in today’s economical environment. A great way to do this is with decorative concrete, stamped or colored concrete. Welcome your guests into your home with a beautiful stamped entry. Or relax on your beautiful stamped concrete patio with a warm and glowing firepit, or better yet, entertain in your custom-built outdoor kitchen.

Not sure what you want, but know you want to wow your neighbors and friends? Contact FRSR, and we can show you examples of our work or a portfolio of past projects. If nothing catches your eye then we can come up with a completely custom design for you. Maybe you’d like to just have a simple patio or a large entertaining space with all the bells and whistles.  “The possibilities are virtually endless.”

FRSR, LLC. Receives 2011 Best of Broomfield Award

FRSR, LLC. Receives 2011 Best of Broomfield Award

U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

NEW YORK, NY, December 7, 2011 — FRSR, LLC. has been selected for the 2011 Best of Broomfield Award in the Landscaping category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2011 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Commerce Association

Stamped Concrete – The best all around choice for outdoor living space construction

Once you have decided to build outdoor living space the next decision is what to material to build with.  The usual suspects are Concrete, Composite decking, Pavers and real stone, usually flagstone.  Each have unique advantages and price points, but Stamped Concrete stands out as the most popular choice with the greatest variety of color and design options (both shape and style), best durability, lowest maintenance and the highest return on investment.

 

Stamped concrete is reinforced concrete, poured on a compacted sub-grade, usually colored with two colors to achieve a real stone effect.  When the concrete has set the right amount, but is still soft enough to receive an impression, it is stamped with a rubber mold to impart the pattern and texture of natural stone, brick or tile.

 

Stamped Concrete is truly “Affordable Elegance.”  It is the least expensive of the construction material choices.  The only surfaces that are less expensive are standard grey concrete and colored concrete.  Pavers are 20% to 40% more expensive; flagstone and composite decking is over 200% the price.

 

Stamped concrete offers the widest variety of color, pattern and texture choices.  Stamped concrete generally has 2 colors, a base color and a highlight color.  There are over 40 vibrant colors to choose from giving you over 1,521 possible color combinations.  The better contractors will provide color samples to choose from instead of just a color chart.  There are over 75 natural stone, tile, brick and even wood patterns to choose from as well as simple but elegant natural seamless stone textures.

 

Stamped Concrete is the most durable and strongest of the construction materials.  This is where choosing the right contractor is critical.  The better contractors pour a 4000 psi concrete mix.  That means a 1” x 2” piece of concrete can support an 8000 lb suv without crushing.  Unlike pavers, concrete can be reinforced with rebar or steel bars, to hold the concrete together as a single unit.  Concrete can additionally be reinforced with a mixed-in additive of polypropylene fibers (Micromesh or Fibermesh, like fiberglass) to prevent cracking.  When color hardener is used to color the concrete, the surface reaches between 6000 to 8000 psi.  This is the hardest, most scratch, stain resistant surface on your house.  (Go to www.frsrllc.com to view the best concrete mix, material, and structural design and installation practices.)  Pavers and Composite decking have a tendency to scratch and stain.  Composite deck manufacturers are experimenting with PVC coatings on their boards to reduce scratching and staining, but they are even more expensive and look like plastic.

 

Composite decking provides the lowest maintenance, with Stamped Concrete close behind.  General maintenance to keep Stamped Concrete and Composite decking clean and nice looking is to hose or power wash it off as often as you wish.  Pavers should be swept and not washed with water too often.  Regular cleaning with water will wash out the polymeric sand (sticky sand) that holds Pavers together.  Pavers require the additional maintenance of weeding, spraying for ants and insects that like to live in the cracks between the blocks and underneath the Pavers.  Since Pavers are just sitting on the ground they will move up and down in various areas with the ground as it swells and settles.  You will have to regularly remove, re-grade and replace many of the Paver blocks to keep the surface even.  The polymeric sand will need to be reinstalled about every 2 years.  Stamped Concrete should be resealed every 4 to 5 years to keep the color vibrant and the surface looking new.  This process is simply cleaning the surface and rolling on a new coat of sealer.  The new sealer will dissolve the remaining existing sealer so no need to strip the old sealer off. (See DIY instructional video at www.facebook.com/frsrllc .)

 

Stamped concrete truly achieves the best balance of cost, aesthetics, durability and low maintenance that every one is looking for.  Of course even the best product needs to be properly installed.  Refer to the Tom Martino Troubleshooter Referral List for the prescreened, best of the best contractors.