Spencer - Southbridge Evening News

2 SPENCER NEW LEADER • Friday, April 4, 2008
Stamped Concrete: A Look All Of Its Own
When you were a kid, did you
ever press your hand into wet
concrete? If so, then you have
had some experience with
stamped concrete. The use of
stamped concrete, also known as
patterned or imprinted concrete,
is becoming more popular
for a number of reasons. It doesn't
cost as much to make a
stamped concrete surface as it
does other surfaces and the
results resemble the look of
wood, stone, slate, tile, bricks
and flagstones in areas around
patios, driveways, courtyards
and pool decks. With all of this
and the variety of patterns and
colors available, is it any wonder
stamped concrete is popping up
everywhere?
Stamped concrete offers the
durability of traditional concrete
and the flexibility to fit
most budgets and landscape or
architectural schemes. These
two factors alone have moved
stamped concrete from the outdoors
in. It can now be found in
basements, kitchens, family
rooms and entryways, on fireplaces
and walls, and even on
countertops. Existing concrete
floors can be easily revamped
with stampable overlays.
For design ideas involving
stamped concrete, look in
brochures, books and online. Hit
local home shows and visit the
showrooms of concrete contractors
in your area. When choosing
a design, make sure it harmonizes
with the setting and
will look good for years to come.
Try to choose colors that complement
the exterior and interior
of your home. Keep in mind
that the application of a color
hardener to the surface of
stamped concrete will make it
more resistant to water and
abrasion, while several coats of
protective sealer will prevent
oil, dirt and the like from damaging
it.
The price of stamped concrete
varies according to the materials
used, the complexity of the
job and the labor costs in your
particular area. When figuring
the costs for stamped concrete,
don't forget about the longevity
of the product and the value it
will add to your home if you
ever decide to sell.
Caring for stamped concrete is
fairly simple. Outdoors, you
should give the surface an occasional
brushing and washing
with a mild detergent and avoid
getting salt on it in the winter.
Indoors, you should keep the
surface sealed against damage
from foot traffic and give it an
occasional polish or wax for
added protection. Should the
surface start to look dull, recoating
it will restore its luster.
Stamped concrete is not for
everyone, nor is it something
that everyone can do on their
own. The process takes time,
and if you have any reservations
about doing it yourself,
you should contact a professional.
For hobbyists, masons and
do-it-yourselfers, however,
stamped concrete can be a
worthwhile project to pursue.
New Shrubs Make Gardening Easier
Whether you’re looking for an accent plant or a bold
focal point, Weigela can add beauty to your garden.
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INSTALLATIONS
— Bob Letourneau —
508-885-6859
774-272-0275
In today’s fast-paced world, gardeners are
looking for showy, attractive plants that are
easy to care for.
One shrub that’s growing in popularity is
the Weigela, which happens to be one of the
more effortless yet high-performing garden
dwellers around.
Happy in full sun and adaptable to most
soils, this group of shrubs is quite cold
hardy and can shrug off intense heat and
browsing deer. Match that with their classic
spring flowers and colorful foliage options
and you’ve got a grand slam.
Plant breeders have been working for
years to bring new, trouble-free varieties
with dark purple to sunny yellow to vibrantly
variegated foliage to the table. Now gardeners
get to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Dark purple Weigela are among the most
dramatic of the group. And, fortunately,
there are three excellent selections that
come in a range of sizes to suit any garden
space.
Wine & Roses has beautiful dark foliage
and rosy pink spring flowers, which often
rebloom. At 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, it is a
perfect choice for foundation plantings or
If you have ever been in a house with a sagging
or bouncing floor, it's a good bet that the
subfloor and underlayment layers were not
prepared correctly. The subfloor is the foundation
or structural support on which the
underlayment is placed. You can install the
best resilient flooring in the world like
linoleum, rubber, cork or vinyl, but it won't
help a bad subfloor and underlayment.
Hardwood, plywood, particleboard and oriented
strand board (OSB) are the most common
types of underlayment for resilient
flooring. Although sometimes hard to find,
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the back of a mixed border.
Fine Wine Weigela is a good contender for
massing and works well around the back
patio or deck. It has the same intense purple
color as Wine & Roses, only in a slightly
smaller package at 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.
While old Weigela varieties typically need
a good pruning to keep up their looks, Fine
Wine stays manageable and rarely needs
attention.
For gardeners with limited space, consider
Midnight Wine Weigela.
This little gem grows to 10 to 12 inches tall
and wide, making it a prime candidate for
bed edges, along pathways and containers.
Like the other purple-leaved cultivars,
Midnight Wine offers a great contrast to
bright annual flowers such as Pentas and
Lantana.
Another excellent dwarf variety for small
spaces is My Monet Weigela. It is a unique
shrub with bright green and white variegated
leaves that will often blush with pink as
the season progresses. The spring flush of
rosy pink flowers is icing on the cake.
My Monet also works well in container
gardens, at the front of borders or as a mass
Guaranteed Not To Sag
hardwood makes an excellent choice for
areas not prone to moisture. Plywood is the
most commonly used underlayment, with
lauan being the most widely available, and
comes in three grades: BB, CC and overlay.
Like hardwood, particleboard is susceptible
to moisture and should be used in areas not
prone to moisture. OSB, wood strands bound
together, is fire and impact resistant and can
help control a room's sound and temperature.
When installing wood or laminate flooring,
be sure to use only what the manufacturer
recommends or you will risk voiding the
warranty. The most popular underlayments
for wood and laminates in areas not prone to
moisture are standard foam, thin pieces of
foam placed directly on a plywood or concrete
subfloor. A combination of film and
combustion foam has a moisture barrier
attached and can be used in areas prone to
moisture. Upgraded wood or laminate, highquality
foam made from fibers or rubber,
works well in areas where some soundproofing
is needed. Cork may also be used to
reduce the noise between floors and raise the
PROMPT
planting.
For something with a little more punch,
try ‘Eyecatcher’ Weigela. A bold choice for
semi-shady areas, this plant is 2 to 3 feet tall
and wide and has vibrant green and yellow
variegated leaves accented by dark red
spring flowers.
It can be used to brighten dark corners of
the landscape or to greet visitors near an
entryway throughout the season.
This year, a more subtle player will be
available. Be on the lookout for Ghost
Weigela, which features yellow-green foliage
and dark red flowers in spring.
The remarkable leaves turn a ghostly, iridescent
butter-cream in summer. Although it
reaches 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, you may
want to plant it near a walkway where the
distinctive color can be enjoyed up close.
To say the varieties available for this easyto-grow
group of shrubs are nearly endless
could be seen as an understatement.
Whether you’re looking for a small accent
plant or a bold focal point, there is Weigela
out there for you.
To find out more about these adaptable
plants, visit www.color choiceplants.com.
level of the subfloor but will cost more.
Before installing underlayment, familiarize
yourself with the supplier's recommendations.
Lay the seams so they don't fall over
the subfloor seams and never place a seam in
the middle of a high-traffic area or doorway.
Check that the underlayment is well
anchored. Use a floor patch to fill in any
indentations or joints in the subfloor and
underlayment, and sand until smooth.
Finally, clean the underlayment prior to
installing the flooring.
Be aware that installing a subfloor and
underlayment can be tricky, and if not done
correctly, can cause the floor to sag and
bounce. Some patching compounds must be
used with certain underlayments, and in
some cases, nail holes must be filled in.
Unless you are comfortable doing the work,
you might want to hire a professional. It is
not uncommon for some minor dips to
appear in a floor because of stress and
fatigue. However, if the floor sags, there
could be some serious structural problems,
so make sure the subfloor and undelayment
are installed properly.
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