July 17, 2006
Concrete Decor’s New Issue Now Available!
The Potawot Health Village in Arcata, Calif., greets patients with the look of a traditional Native American village, right down to the thick redwood planks that form the walls of the buildings.

Visitors might be even more impressed once they take a closer look at the redwood planks of Potawot. They aren’t wood at all — they’re tilt-up concrete.

Sacramento contractor Concrete Surfacing Systems Inc. used reactive stains on the concrete walls to duplicate redwood’s rich shades for the 12 buildings in the complex. “It looks exactly like wood,” says company president Rod Scott. “We actually had guys call us up saying they had walked up to a building and they could swear they could pound a nail into it.”

The story of how these amazing walls were achieved can be found in the latest issue of Concrete Decor magazine, released today. This project profile is a companion story to a feature on the up-and-coming practice of using reactive stains to add color to vertical surfaces.

Also in the new issue are feature stories on how to properly reinforce concrete countertops, how to create the most beautiful and functional pool decks, and how to cut joints that perform the way they’re supposed to.

And there’s more. For a global vision on the future of decorative concrete, Doug Carlton of Carlton Concrete shares what he learned during his trip to World of Concrete Asia this spring, while publisher Bent Mikkelsen offers a little taste of Italy in his write-up on a decorative concrete seminar he attended near the town of Castelfranco.

Concrete Decor, published six times per year, is the premier magazine on decorative concrete. It is available in print, online, and in a digital version. To see the latest issue, visit Concrete Decor Web site. For more information, call (877) 935-8906.

June 13, 2006
PaintPRO introduces new, free digital magazine
Professional Trade Publications is excited to announce the new digital PaintPRO, the Professional Paint & Decorating Contractor’s Journal. The print edition has been discontinued, and the fully interactive digital magazine will now be available to subscribers for download through e-mail. A trial issue can accessed on our Web site.

The free publication will allow contractors and enthusiasts from all over the globe access to how-to stories, contractor profiles, product information and more, all with the click of a mouse.

Featured in the June issue are coatings for concrete and masonry, removing rust from painted surfaces, and getting the gray out of wood deck surfaces. Featured products include biodegradable paint removers and roller covers. Profiles spotlight the process of painting the new Georgia Aquarium, said to be the world’s largest, and the work of Colin Griffinson, who recreates amazing Old World finishes in and around Vancouver, B.C.

Available by free subscription, PaintPRO magazine will be easier than ever to attain. The magazine can be accessed online or downloaded to read later. Current subscribers can enter their e-mail addresses as the subscriber ID and new subscribers will just have to fill out a form and be on their way!

Readers can click on links throughout the stories, making it easy to learn more about the products or techniques they are interested in. Besides great how-to stories, profiles, product information, and colorful photography, digital PaintPRO readers will have access to a complete archive of articles dating back to the magazine’s establishment in 1999.

PaintPRO magazine is a product of Professional Trade Publications, based in Eugene, Ore. The magazine is now published exclusively on the Web six times per year. With unlimited online readership, it features up-to-date, informative articles highlighting the best work, products and techniques in the industry.

For more information, contact Bent Mikkelsen, Publisher, at (877) 935-8906.