This first troubleshooting session covers common problems with colored concrete, stamped concrete, and overlays; what causes them, and how to avoid, troubleshoot and correct them in the field. Attendees will learn from seeing real world examples of common decorative concrete problems. Topics will include troubleshooting problems associated with proper material selection, factors affecting color, admixtures, site preparation, coloring methods, placement, curing, finish, sealing stamped surfaces and maintenance.

1. Discuss material selection and factors affecting color
2. Summarize common problems associated with stamping concrete and how to avoid them
3. Analyze case studies of decorative concrete installations
4. Recognize problem situations and determine the best way to resolve them: admixtures, site preparation, coloring methods, curing, sealing and maintenance

See Part II, FR05.

3 continuing education hours approved for AIA/CES, PDH, and DBPR/CILB No. 0010702.

Make every project successful by following these proven steps to get organized and in-control. Learn the 7-step formula to replace yourself with systems, the team approach to construction and how to make people accountable and responsible for results. Attendees in this session will learn to delegate and let go of control, set goals and targets and track project milestones. Discussions will include how to get everyone on the same page, monitor schedules and quality, how to start and finish projects right, budgeting and keeping on track. This session will also present solutions for procurement, writing contracts, getting paid fast and job cost review. Additional topics will include contract checklists, change order procedures, shop drawing approvals, pro-active meetings, field paperwork, jobsite management and job close-out.

1. Organize and systemize with management systems
2. Discover how to create systems for field and project management
3. Implement clear targets and goals—track project progress via meetings, reports and checklists
4. Manage fast pay, procurement, contracts, change orders, submittals and schedules

3 continuing education hours approved for AIA/CES, PDH, MCAA, and DBPR/CILB No. 0009970.

This session will cover valuable information regarding the ordering, batching, mixing and transporting of concrete. Attendees will learn proper methods of placing, consolidation and finishing. Other factors that will be discussed include batching and mixing variations, variable set times, erratic slumps and air content, premature finishing and the effects of delivery and waiting time.

1. Identify specifications and codes required when ordering and making concrete
2. Summarize proper methods of handling, placing, consolidation and finishing concrete
3. Recognize variations of batching and mixing
4. Assess the effect of delivery and waiting time

See Part I, FR01 and Part III, SA07.

3 continuing education hours approved for AIA/CES (HSW), PDH, and DBPR/CILB No. 0009944.

This Part II of the Troubleshooting Decorative Concrete series covers common problems with stains, dyes and sealers; what causes them, and how to avoid, troubleshoot and correct them in the field. Examples of common decorative concrete problems addressed will include proper material selection, surface preparation, application, environmental factors, site preparation, curing, finishing, factors affecting sealers and maintenance. Attendees will develop a strategy for addressing the most common issues that arise in the field—why they happen and how to develop and implement a solution.

1. Recognize problem situations and determine the best way to resolve them
2. Evaluate surface and site preparation and understand the various applications
3. Discuss in detail the key factors that affect decorative sealers
4. Analyze case studies of decorative concrete installations

See Part I, FR02.

3 continuing education hours approved for AIA/CES, PDH, and DBPR/CILB No. 0010703.

This seminar will show attendees how to become more competitive and profitable by mastering the ability to place floors that meet the flatness standards of the F-number system. Learn what characteristics of floors affect F-numbers, how they're measured, what standards are required for various types of floors, and how to achieve them. Discussions will address the specific tools, techniques, and procedures for achieving all levels of flatness and the costs associated with each.

1. Identify the characteristics of floors that affect F-numbers
2. Summarize how F-numbers are measured
3. Discuss the standards required for various types of floors
4. Explore the specific tools, techniques, and procedures for achieving all levels of flatness

3 continuing education hours approved for AIA/CES (HSW), PDH, and DBPR/CILB No. 0009960.

This third session on the basics of concrete will address the most significant step for determining the overall quality of concrete curing. Attendees will discover curing methods and materials and their impact on crack control. Discussions will cover common concrete defects and how attention to concrete basics will minimize these problems.

1. Evaluate the importance of concrete curing including methods and materials used
2. Examine how hot and cold weather can affect concrete
3. Recognize curing impact on joints, joint spacing and reinforcement
4. Describe how to minimize common concrete defects (cracking, scaling, dusting, spalling)

See Part I, FR01 and Part II, FR04.

3 continuing education hours approved for AIA/CES (HSW), PDH, and DBPR/CILB No. 0009945.

Polished concrete is the fastest growing segment in the field of decorative concrete. In this seminar, attendees will learn how to polish and seal concrete surfaces. Hear about diamond tooling, equipment, polishing options, chemical sealers and most importantly—how to polish concrete. Polishing edges and corners, handling cracks and other surface imperfections will also be discussed. In addition, identify how to avoid common mistakes and coloring techniques that can be combined with polishing.

1. Discover how to polish and seal concrete surfaces
2. Evaluate equipment, polishing options, and chemical sealers
3. Discuss how to polish edges and corners and how to handle cracks and other surface imperfections
4. Identify how to avoid common mistakes
5. Summarize coloring techniques that can be combined with polishing

3 continuing education hours approved for AIA/CES, PDH, and DBPR/CILB No. 0010697.

It is important to have a clear understanding of the types of cracks and how to minimize cracking. Cracks are caused by either structural loading or nonstructural effects. Attendees will learn about the causes of structural cracks, mapping cracks, measuring cracks, and tolerable crack widths. Discussions will include the causes of nonstructural cracks that occur before hardening (plastic shrinkage, plastic settlement), or after hardening (crazing, shrinkage, corrosion of embedded metals, alkali-aggregate reactions, and early thermal contraction) and how to minimize them.

1. Analyze the causes of structural cracks, mapping cracks and measuring cracks
2. Identify the causes of nonstructural cracks that occur before hardening (plastic shrinkage, plastic settlement)
3. Determine causes of nonstructural cracks after hardening (crazing, shrinkage, corrosion of embedded materials, alkali-aggregate reactions, early thermal contraction)
4. Discuss how to minimize various types of cracks

3 continuing education hours approved for AIA/CES (HSW), PDH, and DBPR/CILB No. 0010701.

Don't let hot, dry and windy conditions or freezing temperatures steal your profits! First, hear how weather conditions affect fresh and hardened concrete properties and the required protection necessary. Attendees will learn how to handle problems such as slump loss, plastic shrinkage cracking, crazing, rain showers, and freezing temperatures during placing, finishing and curing operations. Why air-entrainment can't fully protect freshly placed concrete against freezing temperatures will also be addressed.

1. Identify how weather conditions affect fresh and hardened concrete properties including workability, time of setting, finishability, strength, cracking and required protection
2. Discuss how to handle slump loss, plastic shrinkage cracking, crazing, changing set times, rain showers, and freezing temperatures
3. Analyze effect of temperature during placing, finishing and curing operations
4. Recognize why air-entrainment can't fully protect freshly placed concrete against freezing temperatures

3 continuing education hours approved for AIA/CES (HSW), PDH, and DBPR/CILB No. 0009946.

This session will discuss step-by-step procedures for two countertop methods: cast-in-place and precast. During the first half, discussions will include cast-in-place techniques, processes, and a myriad of finishes as well as solutions to common problems. The second half will address the fundamentals of precast concrete countertops, covering such topics as forming techniques, mix design, sealers, troubleshooting, integral sinks, and embedments. Both speakers will give their assessments of the advantages and disadvantages of the two distinct countertop methods, along with important information on how to get started applying these techniques.

1. Identify differences between precast and site-cast countertops
2. Discuss techniques, processes and finishes for concrete countertops
3. Analyze variances between the two methods including forming techniques, mix design, casting techniques, and use of sealers, integral sinks and embedments
4. Discover troubleshooting tips and how to get started using these two versatile techniques (including business aspects of selling, marketing and client interface)

3 continuing education hours approved for AIA/CES (HSW), PDH, and DBPR/CILB No. 0010902.

The construction process is characterized by a considerable amount of waiting, disruptions and events that lead to project delays and time/cost overruns. In this session, a proactive approach to project planning and scheduling will be highlighted. The use of short interval schedules, team huddles, look ahead schedules, and the master project schedule to "make things happen" rather than merely plan and track results will be addressed. The emphasis will be on the use of planning and scheduling of small and medium-sized construction projects.

1. Examine how to break a project into specific work activities
2. Integrate the project plan and schedule with the estimate and control system
3. Prepare foreman work goals and budgets
4. Analyze how to effectively crew a project and manage limited resources

3 continuing education hours approved for AIA/CES, PDH, MCAA, and DBPR/CILB No. 0009971.