Here we started by pouring the blue/gray aggregate points of the compass. Spray painting the design on the gravel base is a big help. The second pour was the white concrete points and circle feature. We hand trowel led to a smooth finish, sealed the white area only with a high build acrylic sealer. This will prevent the acid from damaging the white finish when you acid wash the exposed aggregate. This should be done also when stamping is done in your designs as you will see further in this segment. 

            Take your time and fill in the remaining area and surrounding driveway with alternate decorative aggregate. It makes a nice contrast and allows you to add color and dimension to your work. This picture will help show how we saw cut the expansion joints in strategic locations to help complete lines of the compass. You can also see where we installed recesses for the north, south east, and west markers that were installed later. Its a lot of fun, and can earn you a lot of Respect. Not to mention income potential.

            Here's a difficult design, but it helps to show how versatile concrete is. Try doing this with asphalt, or pavers. This stag was poured first and trowelled to a smooth finish. Forming it took some doing and is not for beginners. Here we created the drawing and transferred it to graph paper making one square = to 6 inches squared. Then we laid out the wire mesh onto the granular base, and tied it together to create a grid with wire mesh. Then we transferred the drawing and painted it to the base as a template. This allows some free hand and is a little more user friendly. 

           Most of the detail was formed using 1/4 inch masonite cut to 5" strips. But the antlers and head required some special wood/rubber plywood used for round cabinetry (around $45.00/sheet) ripped into strips along grain to allow as little as a 2" radius. We staked where ever the drawing crossed the mesh, and tied the stakes into place with tie wire. You will want to use screws if you already don't.

 

               There's no end to what you can accomplish. Once again we poured and polished the three components to the sail boat. Use your imagination, inflating the front sail instead of a tri angle adds realism and creates motion. the addition of the red exposed compass ring further defines the design and frames the driveway very cleverly. Once again, be creative with the saw cutting. you are only limited by your imagination.

Please return when this segment is completed for a more in-depth look into inlaying designs. The above work including designs are property of Art Sampson and would be appreciated if you did not duplicate.