ForConstructionPros.com

Concrete contractors in Wisconsin got a chance to learn about concrete countertops and Buddy Rhodes mix at a seminar in Milwaukee on March 5. Presented by Specialty Concrete & Tool Co. and taking place at the company's shop, the all day class was taught by Heriberto Esquivel of Concrete Concepts & Design. Esquivel previously worked for Buddy Rhodes and still teaches Buddy Rhodes seminars around the country.

The seminar was a mix of demonstration, question and answer, and hands-on learning. The attendees ranged from seasoned contractors with prior experience to those just getting interested in concrete countertops.

The small class allowed for a free-flowing environment of conversation throughout the entire day. Warren Dutter, a contractor who attended the seminar, said this aspect of the seminar was most beneficial for him. "I've always had questions, and now they are getting answered," Dutter said.

Topics covered in the class included molds, reinforcement, mixing and floating, how to create a pressed countertop, polishing, and pasting to fill holes and gaps. The use of Buddy Rhodes Countertop Mix was at the center of all these lessons.

The class gave attendees the opportunity to learn hands-on what it takes to create a concrete countertop. Members of the class took turns placing concrete into a premade mold, adding reinforcement and floating the concrete to ensure flatness.