From Texture to Trademark – The Patterned Concrete Story
Concrete endures in classic architecture. Patterned Concrete® originated modern stamped concrete. It leads in innovative finishes, tools, and project design.
Ancient deposits of concrete have been discovered that pre-date recorded history. The first known users are thought to be the Nabataean traders in 6500 B.C. and used for homes and underground cisterns. Ancient Egyptians mixed mortar of lime and gypsum to build the Great Pyramid at Giza. The Great Wall of China used a concrete form.
Pliny the Elder, who lived in the 1st century A.D. and died in the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius, wrote that volcanic ash made the best concrete. It was mixed with lime to form a mortar, packed into wooden forms and used to create undersea structures. The chemical bond created with the seawater has endured for centuries.
The Romans first began extensive use of decorative concrete for arches, domes and other structures from 300 BC to 476 BC and is considered the Roman architectural revolution.
Modern concrete was created during the industrial revolution. Innovations that significantly increased the strength and resistance to freeze-thaw cycles enabled its use for roads, bridges, highrises, towers and everything in between.
Decorative concrete gained popularity in the early 20th century when artisans explored colour, stamped patterns, chemical stains, overlays, stencil patterns and polishing techniques.
In the late 1950s and 1960s, demand gave rise to aluminum forms, created to create concrete ‘tile’ finishes. Conceptually innovative, the results were often less so until Skip Moorehead and others entered the race for a better product and process. In 1972, he ran with the concept of patterned concrete. He trademarked his novel new method as his company name. Patterned Concrete® became the company, the brand, the product, the tools, the process, the innovation.
The company changed hands gained skills with the addition of tool and die expertise, and breakthrough tools, techniques and finishes that changed the industry forever. By the 1990s, Patterned Concrete® had over 80 licensed professionals worldwide, leading the way with architectural stamped concrete solutions. Their success arose from a commitment to excellence, training, mentoring and support that was unsurpassed. And many award-winning, landmark Patterned Concrete® projects stand years later as a testament to that, including the Disney Grand Floridian Hotel, Disney Paris and commercial, residential and public projects spanning the globe.
Today, Patterned Concrete® Global, under the ownership of the Guida family since the 1990s, continues to lead the architectural concrete industry in next-generation stamped concrete design and finishes and formed concrete, aggregates, stained and polished styles. We are proud of our history, licensed professionals, projects, and ethos.
Join us. There is no substitute for excellence.