Essential Decorative Concrete Tools for Concrete Projects in Orlando

A Closer Look at Portland-Limestone Cement
and the Questions It Raises

In the race toward reducing carbon emissions and building a more sustainable future, the construction industry has placed significant emphasis on material innovation. One of the most talked-about shifts in recent years is the rise of 1L concrete, also known as Type 1L Portland-limestone cement (PLC). While its environmental intentions are clear, the execution and field performance of this material have sparked deep concerns among contractors, finishers, and construction professionals across the country.

What Is 1L Concrete?

1L concrete is a blended cement product made by intergrinding Portland cement clinker with up to 15% finely ground limestone. It falls under ASTM C595 and was promoted as a more sustainable option than traditional Type I or Type II cement, with a claimed reduction in embodied carbon of about 10%.
This transition is part of a broader movement toward lowering the construction industry’s carbon footprint. However, for many professionals working in the field every day, the reality of 1L’s performance has not aligned with its promise.

Why the Push—And Why the Pushback?

Advocates of 1L cement cite decades of successful use in Europe and a growing need for climate-conscious practices. Major producers in the U.S. began shifting almost entirely to Type 1L in 2022 and 2023, often with little consultation or consideration for the practical realities faced by contractors and specialty finishers.
This sudden change, often framed as a “drop-in replacement,” has led to a number of serious challenges:
Surface Defects & Finish Failures
Many contractors have reported inconsistent finish quality, scaling, dusting, and difficulty achieving color uniformity in decorative and exposed applications. In some cases, these issues have led to litigation over failed installations.

Lack of Field Testing & Support

Although some densifiers and admixtures are being promoted as compatible with 1L, most have not undergone sufficient independent testing to ensure reliable long-term performance. Contractors are left to troubleshoot on their own, often at their own expense.

Distrust from the Field

For many in the construction world, especially those working on architectural concrete, decorative finishes, or high-performance surfaces, the lack of transparency and technical support has created a deep sense of frustration and mistrust.

What Industry Experts Are Saying

While many material producers remain committed to 1L cement, an increasing number of contractors, specifiers, and consultants are raising red flags. Some are now avoiding 1L altogether in high-exposure projects or are specifying additional treatments, sealers, or surface hardeners to compensate for performance issues.
Yet even these remedies come with asterisks: most haven’t been thoroughly tested alongside 1L, and results vary based on climate, substrate, and finishing practices. While some contractors are beginning to find combinations that work, there is no universally endorsed solution at this time.

Proceeding with Caution

There’s no question that sustainability is an urgent priority—but true sustainability must also account for durability, performance, and constructability. When cement fails in the field, the environmental impact of replacement materials and labor far outweighs any initial carbon savings.
As the industry continues to explore lower-carbon alternatives, many experts are calling for a more thoughtful, transparent, and inclusive approach—one that includes rigorous testing, real-world data, and support for the contractors on the front lines of implementation.

The Bottom Line

1L concrete may represent a step toward sustainability, but for now, it’s a step that should be taken with full awareness of its limitations. The current landscape demands caution, continued evaluation, and an honest dialogue between producers and practitioners.
Until field data improves and manufacturers take stronger accountability for performance, the use of 1L cement should be considered on a case-by-case basis, especially in projects where finish quality, color uniformity, or long-term durability are critical.

Decorative Concrete Tools

Decorative Concrete Tools

When hiring a licensed professional for a project at your Orlando home, you want someone with experience and expertise. However, you also want a person who utilizes the right decorative concrete tools. That way, you know the job will get done correctly.

The type of decorative concrete tools depends on the project. For example, installing stamped concrete requires unique tools of the trade. Experts know the value of using superior-quality tools. For that reason, they choose carefully. Following are some examples of the types of tools used in the Decorative concrete industry.

  • Float – A Bull or Wood float gets used to fill voids, level ridges, and smooth a concrete surface in preparation of using a trowel. A float is different from a trowel in that it does not require the installer to get close to the decorative concrete surface it is often used on long extended pole. Another purpose of using a float is to help push down coarse aggregate and bring paste to the surface to provide a better finish later.
  • Trowel – For a smooth yet hard and dense surface, professionals use trowels after floating. Sometimes, professionals use machine trowels or power trowels, while other times, troweling gets done by hand. For the latter, the finishing expert will trowel the area often kneeling on wide wooden knee boards to prevent sinking in to the wet concrete.  When necessary, the installer can attach a long handle to the trowel, perfect for finishing concrete without walking out onto the surface.
  • Groover – A groover is also among the most important decorative concrete tools. Not only is this used for creating joints or grooves in the concrete, it also helps control the area where cracks might form when concrete contracts due to shrinkage or a change in temperature.
  • Stamps – When having stamped concrete installed, patterned stamps, which look like oversized cookie cutters, get placed on top of freshly poured concrete. Available in virtually hundreds of distinct patterns, these create unique designs, such as cobblestone, wood, slate, brick, flagstone, and even fossils and leaves.

All of these tools can be useless in the hands of an inexperienced contractor.  Stamped concrete can take many years to master and for the DIYer we always suggest starting with a small reasonable sized project to start before refining your skills on larger areas.

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