Elite Crete Newsletter

Decorative Concrete & Custom Flooring Newsletter
Brought to you by Elite Crete Systems...

Products for: Decorative Concrete Finishes, Overlay Systems, Custom Seamless Flooring, Coloring Systems & Protective Surfaces... Volume 12 - Issue 11
November 2007

In This Issue
Upcoming Seminars
ConcreteLocator.com
World of Concrete
Photos of the Month

Upcoming Training Seminar Locations


U.S.

- Merrillville, IN.
- Boise, ID.
- Philadelphia, PA.
- Cambridge, MD.
- Charlotte, NC.
- Crestwood, IL.
- Dallas, TX.
- Detroit, MI.
- Hot Springs, AR.
- Kansas City, MO.
- Indianapolis, IN.
- Lexington, KY.
- Los Angeles, CA.
- Minneapolis, MN.
- New Orleans, LA.
- New York City, NY.
- Phoenix, AZ.
- Portland, OR.
- Sacramento, CA.
- San Diego, CA.
- Vero Beach, FL.

International

- Montreal, Canada
- Calgary, Canada
- Vancouver, Canada
- South Africa
- Puerto Rico
- India
- Australia
- Egypt
Have You Visited Yet?

Concretelocator.com
What started out as a small on-line discussion forum for Elite Crete Systems contractors to use to communicate with one another has turned into the busiest and most used interactive discussion forum community pertaining to decorative concrete, resurfacing, staining and more with over 4 million visits and more than 32,000 posts.

People from all types are using Concretelocator.com from seasoned contractors to architets, sharing ideas, asking questions, posting pictures of jobs and obtaining advice.

Want to check it out? Click here to see what all the buzz is about.

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Welcome to our November issue of our monthly newletter for the Decorative Concrete Industry. With over 44,000 subscribers from 49 countries, our subscriber base is growing every month. Hope you enjoy...

Are you ready for World of Concrete 2008?

The World of Concrete exposition is right around the corner and Elite Crete Systems will again be there in full force. Held from in Las Vegas, NV from January 22nd to 25th 2008, this year we will be exhibiting indoors and outdoors with one booth located in the South Hall at #S11731 and one being in the Silver Lot at #O49055.

Elite Crete Systems will be represented by factory technical staff and Authorized Distributors from all over the globe to answer questions, provide product information and help educate contractors on the benefits and proper use of our products.

To request your free World of Concrete passes, visit us at www.elitecrete.com and click on the request link located in the left hand colum.
Photos of the Month










For additional photos visit our website at www.elitecrete.com.
Elite Crete Systems Incorporated | PO Box 96 | www.elitecrete.com | Valparaiso | IN | 46384

JLC Live Invites Bill Leys to Present at Long Beach Show in May

Attention General Building Contractors, Remodeling Contractors
and Anyone in the Building Trades



JLC Live, Presented by Journal of Light Construction, A Hanley Wood Company, is the premier event for small building contractors and remodeling contractors.

JLC Live will be back in Long Beach from May 13 to May 16, 2008 for their annual show.

I'm pleased to announce that I have been asked (and I accepted) to be one of their presenters this year, doing a 75 minute session on deck coatings and waterproofing.

Topics will include understanding the differences in various coatings, reading ICC reports, sequencing the job properly and more! Handouts and valuable info provided.

Come see us (date time still tbd)at the show and make time to spend browsing the exhibits and exhibitors that will be there too!

Check out the website, and mark your calendar.

Our First Video Clip On YouTube - Waterproof Decks-Keep Up or Pay Up.

With the miracle of Windows movie maker at my disposal, I was able to put together a little video clip to introduce you to our company. Here it is...



YouTube - Waterproof Decks-Keep Up or Pay Up.

Excellent Article in Hanley Woods "Professional Deck Builder" for Contractors

I recently subscribed to Hanley Woods "Professional Deck Builders", a magazine geared more towards the cosntruction of wood and synthetic decks.

The November 2007 issue, has an excellent article that applies to all contracting trades, including the waterproof deck coating trade that I have to recommend as required reading for those contractors looking to improve your bottom line.

The article, "Are You a Tradesperson or a Businessperson?" by Anne W West, describes common mistakes contractors make as buisnessmen.

Understanding the true cost of labor, job costing, estimating tips and a discussion on understanding gross margin and net profit and projecting cash flow are discussed and sound advice dispensed.

Subscribe to Professional Deck Builder 888-269-8410 or email to prodeck@omeda.com.
Get an individual copy of Novembers issue for $8.00, not a bad investment for this article!

Deck Expert sumbits his idea for Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee's "There Ought to be A Law"

Got my local Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee's newsletter in my mail the other day. You may have heard the news around California, he's come up with a contest called "There Ought to Be a Law".

You go to his website at www.assembly.ca.gov/33 and follow the link to the contest page. Think there ought to be a law about something? Me too.

So my idea (I just went and submited it, so I'm looking forward to a phone call telling me how briliant I am to have though of it...) is this;

Require all waterproof deck coatings installed on decks and balconies on homes, condo's hotels and other buildings to have a "ONE HOUR" Fire rating through ICC. Nothing less. This would apply to all new construction and rehab work as well.

It would outlaw the sale and installation of non "One Hour" approved coatings for decks over living spaces.

Would this help save homes?
In my mind, undoubtably.

Deck Coating ICC#'s-a word of caution, they're not all the same

A deck coating with an ICC# is a must have in today's world of litigation on building defects.

ICC is in my opinion, kind of like the UL (Underwriters Laboratory)of building products. Putting on a building product with an ICC lets you know that the product has undergone lab testing in a series of standardized tests to establish that the product meets minimum standards for use as it was intended.

So can you switch up one ICC rated deck coating for another, without any other concerns? No-you cannot, without first doing your research. Especially when a particular product is specified for a job on a set of plans for new construction.

Even on rehab work, one must be cautious-is the old deck coating your tearing off a "One Hour" Fire Rated coating? If the answer is yes, and many times it will be a yes, one must read up on the various "One Hour" Fire rated coatings and see what the requirements are for framing and substrate to see if your current framing and substrate meets those minimum requirements.

One thing to be really cautious of is installing a Class A or B rated coating in place of a "One Hour" Fire Rated coating. A few of the ICC approved coatings on the web site only have a Class A roof coating rating, not the much more difficult to pass "One Hour" fire test.

Do not replace a "One Hour" System with a system with only a Class A rating. They are not the same thing, even though appearances may be deceiving. Do your research on your options and ask questions.

The way I see it, the product either has a "One Hour" rating on the report from ICC, or it doesn't and that's where I seperate the products from each other. Claims that"it meets ASTM standards" is not the same to me as it being printed on an ICC report.

I don't install anything without a "One Hour" fire rating for my clients.
I couldn't sleep at night of I didn't.

Email Bill@Waterproofdeckcoatingadvice.com for copies of manufacturer's specifications and installation instructions.