#honed concrete in gold coast

[polishedconcreteexpertsgoldcoast]

Top Benefits of Professional Concrete Sealing in Gold Coast

Learn how concrete sealing Gold Coast can help protect and improve your concrete surfaces. This PDF explains how sealing prevents stains, damage from weather, and moisture, keeping your floors looking great for longer. Whether for your home or business, find out how professional sealing can save you money on repairs and maintenance. Download now to see how concrete sealing can keep your property safe and looking its best!

To Read More Click Here

[coulsonsconcretefinishes]

Select polished concrete - It's an attractive method to have a long-lasting, non-slip surface that will keep its color, complement, and improve the appearance of your property. For each of our Gold Coast resurfacing projects, we only employ the highest caliber sealants and tools to provide exceptional, high-end results. We promise that the service you receive from us will be exactly what you need.

[qldshotcreteservices]

Retaining Walls on the Gold Coast: Essential Tips for Choosing and Maintaining Your Structure

The Gold Coast is renowned for its stunning coastal views and picturesque landscapes. However, the region's unique terrain and weather conditions present specific challenges for homeowners, particularly when it comes to landscaping and property maintenance. One crucial element that many homeowners in the area need to consider is the retaining wall. These structures not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your property but also play a vital role in soil stability and erosion control.

Why Retaining Walls are Important on the Gold Coast:

The Gold Coast's topography can vary from gentle slopes to steep gradients, making retaining walls essential for managing soil and preventing erosion. Whether you're dealing with a steep backyard, a sloping garden, or a driveway that needs leveling, a well-designed retaining wall can provide numerous benefits:

Erosion Control: Heavy rains and tropical storms common in the Gold Coast region can lead to soil erosion. Retaining walls help keep soil in place, protecting your garden and property from damage.

Slope Stabilisation: On sloping land, retaining walls prevent landslides and soil movement, ensuring the stability of your garden and home.

Increased Usable Space: By creating level areas on sloped land, retaining walls can expand your usable outdoor space, giving you more room for gardens, patios, and recreational areas.

Aesthetic Appeal: Well-designed retaining wall gold coast can enhance the visual appeal of your property, adding structure and character to your landscape.

Choosing the Right Retaining Wall for Your Gold Coast Property

Selecting the ideal retaining wall involves several considerations:

Material Options: Retaining walls can be constructed from a variety of materials, including concrete, timber, stone, and brick. Each material has its advantages:

Concrete: Durable and versatile, suitable for both modern and traditional designs.

Timber: Provides a natural look but may require more maintenance over time.

Stone: Offers a classic aesthetic and excellent durability, though it can be more expensive.

Brick: Timeless and sturdy, but also comes at a higher cost.

Design and Functionality: Consider the purpose of the wall and the design that best fits your landscape. Some walls are purely functional, while others are designed to be decorative. The wall's height, length, and load-bearing capacity will depend on the specific requirements of your site.

Permits and Regulations: The Gold Coast City Council has specific regulations regarding retaining walls, including height restrictions and construction standards. It's essential to check local regulations and obtain necessary permits before starting construction.

Drainage: Proper drainage is crucial to prevent water buildup behind the wall, which can cause pressure and lead to structural failure. Ensure that your retaining wall gold coast includes adequate drainage solutions, such as weep holes or gravel backfill.

Maintaining Your Retaining Wall

To ensure the longevity of your retaining wall, regular maintenance is key:

Review for Harm: Frequently check for signs of wear, such as splits, bulging, or moving. Early location of issues can avoid exorbitant repairs afterward. Clear Flotsam and jetsam: Keep the zone around the divider free of flotsam and jetsam and plant development that seem deter seepage or put weight on the structure. Screen Waste: Guarantee that seepage frameworks are working accurately which water isn't amassing behind the divider. Reapply Treatments: Depending on the fabric, you'll ought to reapply sealants or medications to secure against weathering and disintegration. Conclusion: holding dividers are a significant component of arranging on the Gold Coast, advertising both utilitarian and stylish benefits. By carefully selecting the correct materials, plan, and support hones, you'll be able guarantee that your holding divider not as it were upgrades the magnificence of your property but moreover stands up to the region's interesting natural challenges. In the event that in question, counsel with a neighborhood proficient who can give custom-made exhortation and guarantee that your holding divider meets both your needs and neighborhood directions. 

[concretefloorrestorations-blog]

Concrete Floor Restorations

Concrete Floor Restorations is a professional flooring company in Brisbane and Gold Coast, Queensland. Concrete Floor Restorations specialises in polishing, grinding, and sealing concrete floors. Their team of experts have extensive knowledge and experience throughout the residential and construction industry. To get the perfect polished or honed concrete floor for your home and office, contact their team of experts today. https://concretefloorrestorations.com.au/ Facebook Instagram

[osmconcrere]

Resurfaced Concrete Gold Coast

We have decades of experience in Resurfaced Concrete Gold Coast ranging from New concrete driveway Gold Coast, exposed aggregate, coloured concrete, stamped, stencilled concrete honed and polished concrete, plus the standard grey concrete. To know more about Resurfaced Concrete Gold Coast please reach out to https://www.osmconcrete.com.au/

[athenagc94]

Find the Word

Tagged by @wildswrites - Thanks!

Tagging: Open tag -- I’m so bad at tagging and I don’t know that many people in the community yet.

Your words are: regal, remember, respect, rifle, regret

My words were: theory, tumble, timber, tissue, thread

Mordan held his breath as he fit the metal slats together. His jaw clenched so tight, he felt the ache deep in the muscle tissue. One wrong move and he’d be choking on smoke. His previous experiments already scorched the walls and singed the curtains. 

Why did the Nevarro estate have to have flammable timber accents?

Slow. Steady. The slats melded with a metallic click. Heat permeated off the ruby-inlaid runes, curling the baby hairs around his ears. When nothing caught fire, he let a sigh tumble from his lips.

No big booms today. Thank the moon and stars.

He ran a thumb over the first string of runes. The arcane energy tickled his skin as they burned. A concentrated beam of fire shot from the honed tip of the relic and struck the opposite wall. 

He swore under his breath and hurried to douse the flame. The lingering smokiness burned his nostrils as he turned a look disdain on the relic. The gnomes probably used this relic for welding - he’d gathered that much over the last few weeks - but how could he use it in his. He only made weapons.

He stared at the burn mark, the inklings of an idea churning at the back of his mind. With some tinkering and a lot of booms, he might be able to stabilize the blasts - weaponize it. His buyers back home would pay a pretty piece of gold for a fire blaster.

And with all the contraband passing through the Veridian Harbor, it’d be fairly easy to get his hands on some essence of fire elemental - ya know - for some added oomph.

It was a theory - nothing more - but theories to him were more concrete than any thread of fate.

This scene doesn’t actually happen in Of Coast and Courtships - at least not “on camera”. But those words threw me straight to Mordan and it was fun to write regardless.

[samuelmmarcus]

Interior Design Ideas: New Home Inspiration

  Hello, my wonderful friends! How are you today? I am truly happy to start slowing down this week and start my kids’ back-to-school shopping. Doing it for three kids isn’t an easy task, but I will try to have some fun. Now, let’s focus on this new “Interior Design Ideas”.

Built by Timber Trails Development Company and with interiors by the talented Julie Howard (previously featured here – a must-see post!), here, here, here, here, here & here), this beautiful home is an east coast inspired home located in Western Springs, a suburb about 20 miles outside of Chicago. The home’s exterior commands attention with it’s stately tower topped with X details on the windows. Inside the tower is a three story floating staircase that has a marvelous view of the chandelier above. When you enter the front door, a long hallway lined with mercury glass lanterns leads you to the open concept kitchen and family room where a built-in banquette steals the show because of its leaded glass windows.

I hope you enjoy this tour and make sure to pin your favorite interior design pictures!

  Interior Design Ideas: New Home Inspiration

Exterior finishes: Hardie siding and board and batten in Pearl Gray.

Exterior Trim: Hardie Trim in Arctic White.

Windows: Marvin Integrity windows with SDL including leaded glass windows.

Roof: Dimensional shingle asphalt roof with metal roof details in Pewter Gray.

Front Door: Solid wood front and side door with glass

Garage: Oversized carriage style garage door

Porch Flooring:: Bluestone front porch

Exterior Stone: Rustic Blue Machine Cut

Foyer

This home comes to show that dark hardwood floors with white wall paneling is a classic choice that will always stand the test of time.

Ceiling Lighting: Visual Comfort.

Sconces on either side of door: Visual Comfort.

Built-in Buffet Cabinet

Located just across from the dining room, this buffet features inset custom-designed cabinetry painted in Benjamin Moore’s Iron Mountain. Buffet is crafted by Palos Fine Carpentry. Paint color is Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain. Countertop is Caesarstone Calcutta countertop with custom designed backsplash.

Sconces: Visual Comfort.

Mirror – Homegoods – similar here.

Beautiful Buffets: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Hardwood Flooring

Herringbone hardwood floor uses Red Oak stained 50/50 Ebony and Espresso.

Dining Room

The dining room features coffered ceiling, custom wainscoting and leaded glass windows.

Dining Table: RH Discontinued – similar here, here, here, here, here (light wood), here & here (smaller).

Sofa and Chairs – Ikea – similar here.

Wallpaper: Thibaut grasscloth Wallpaper – similar here.

Chandelier: Visual Comfort.

Open Layout

The kitchen, breakfast room and family room feels connected and open to each other.

Kitchen

Kitchen is almost 20’ long and the custom cabinets are by Palos Fine Carpentry.

Island Paint Color

The dark grey island is painted Benjamin Moore’s Iron Mountain.

Island Dimensions: 12’x4’

Kitchen Hood

Hood is by Modern Aire – similar here.

Cabinet Paint Color

Cabinetry: White inset custom designed and crafted cabinetry painted in Simple White by Benjamin Moore.

Counterstools

Barstools: Target – Other Beautiful Counterstools – many styles: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here & here.

Refrigerator: 32” Electrolux Ref. and 32” Electrolux Freezer (stainless steel) – Trim Kit: here.

Countertop & Lighting

Countertop is Caesarstone Calcutta.

Kitchen Pendants: Visual Comfort.

Kitchen Faucet

Kitchen Faucet: Kohler faucet – Parq in Polished Nickel.

Apron Sink: Kohler Apron Sink.

Cute Indoor Planters: here, here, here, here & here.

Backsplash

Backsplash is Carrara marble tiled backsplash to ceiling in Chevron Pattern – similar here.

Sconces & Hardware

Kitchen Hardware – Top Knobs – Pulls, Knobs, Cabinet Latch, Appliance Pulls.

Sconces over windows by RH – similar here & here.

Similar Countertop Decor: Clear Glass Vase, Faux Floral, White Jars (vases).

Range

Range is a 48” Thermador professional range – similar here.

Other Appliances: Thrermador stainless steel dishwasher and Thermador Microwave drawer in island.

Breakfast Room

Breakfast nook features built-in banquette with millwork detail and leaded glass windows by Searls Windows for Marvin.

Dining Table: RH Discontinued – similar here.

Dining Chairs with Gold Ring on the back – Home Goods – similar here & here (without ring).

Similar Candle Holder: here & here.

Lighting: Visual Comfort (Medium).

Family Room

The family room features a white and grey color scheme. All mirrors, art, pillows, and accessories are from Home Goods.

Inspired by this Look:

(Always check dimensions before ordering

)

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + '://' + 'widgets.rewardstyle.com' + '/js/shopthepost.js';d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') {window.__stp.init();}}(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

Paint Color

The family room is painted Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore.

Coffee Table – RH

Fireplace

Wood burning fireplace using trim to create window seats on either side and a really fun tile around the surround.

Similar Fireplace Tile: Here.

Sconces over Fireplace: Visual Comfort.

Chandelier

Chandelier is from Pottery Barn.

Home Office

The home office features a built-in banquette flanked by bookcases with cabinet lighting. Gorgeous, right?!

Table RH Discontinued – – similar Pier 1.

Ceiling light fixture by Visual Comfort.

Cabinet Lighting: Visual Comfort.

Beautiful Grey & White Rugs: here, here, here, here, here, here & here.

Paint Color

The whole room is painted in Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain – semi gloss.

Storage

A walk-in closet (not showing) is ideal for hiding printers and file cabinets, so the shelves can display only the beautiful stuff.

Library Cabinet

The second floor features a 14’ built-in cabinetry and bookcase with library lighting. Color is Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain.

Hardware – Rejuvenation Tolson in Aged Brass

Lights – RH – similar here & here.

Staircase Chandelier

Chandelier: 48” Moravian Star Chandelier.

Second Floor Laundry Room

The second floor laundry room features marble backsplash to ceiling (similar here) and Caesarstone countertops in Fresh Concrete.

Cabinetry: Aristorkraft cabinets.

Hardware: Schaub and Company.

Lighting: Visual Comfort.

Powder Room

Powder room features a pedestal sink; Memoirs Stately by Kohler with Artifacts Faucet also by Kohler in Polished Nickel. Paint color is Classic Grey by Benjamin Moore.

Accent Wall: Marble mosaic wall.

Sconces: Visual Comfort.

Navy Bathroom Barn Door

Barn door is painted in Newburyport Blue by Benjamin Moore.

Cabinet

Cabinetry: Navy blue inset custom-designed and crafted. Cabinet painted Newburyport Blue by Benjamin Moore.

Countertop: Caesarstone countertops in Misty Carrara.

Marble floor tile is from Floor and Decor. Other beautiful mosaic tiles: here, here, here & here.

Hardware (Polished Nickel): Pulls, Cabinet Latch.

Tub Tile: Beveled subway tile bathtub.

Master Bedroom

Paint Color: Boothbay Gray by Benjamin Moore.

Ceiling

Ceiling is vaulted with beams. Chandelier is by Visual Comfort.

Pillows were from Joss & Main – similar here, here, here & here.

Master Bathroom Paint Color

Paint Color – Walls are Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore and cabinet is Benjamin Moore Simply White.

Chandelier: Visual Comfort.

Knobs: Schaub and Company – one of my favorite knobs!

Similar Mirrors: here & here.

Faucets: Kohler.

Countertop & Sconces

Caesarstone Countertops in London Grey.

Sconces over Vanity in Polished Nickel: Visual Comfort.

Floor Tile

The bathroom also features a separate tub area with Carrara Wainscoting and Freestanding Soaker Tub.

Carrara Herringbone floor is Royal Satin Carrara.

Tub Filler

Similar Telephone Tub Filler: here.

Shower

Shower combines large Carrara subway tile with hex honed Carrara floor tile.

Shower System: Kohler.

Jack & Jill Barn Door Paint Color

Barn door is painted Benjamin Moore 1606 Cobblestone Path.

Cabinet: Grey inset custom-designed and crafted cabinetry including shelving tower by Palos Fine Carpentry.

Hardware from Rejuvenation.

Caesarstone countertops in Misty Carrara.

Floor tile is Marble floor and shower in Hampton Carrara by the Tile Shop – Other beautiful tiles: here, here, here & here.

Sconces: Visual Comfort.

Basement Hall

The basement features shiplap walls, painted in Benjamin Moore Simply White and rustic ceiling beams. The exposed beams are actually barn wood that the designer covered duct work to disguise it. They had the barn wood corbels made at All American Reclaim where they take apart barns and are craftsman with old wood.

Barn Door: Home Depot.

Similar Lighting: Pottery Barn.

Mudroom Paint Color

Room is painted in Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore.

Light fixture – Visual Comfort.

Staircase Nook

“Hang-out Nook” under second staircase. Isn’t this a brilliant idea?! Wainscoting and trim are painted in Simply White by Benjamin Moore.

Mudroom Cabinet

Mudroom cabinet is custom-designed and crafted and it features cabinetry with X detail. Cabinet paint color is Benjamin Moore Graystone with Caesarstone ledge in Sleek Concrete. The room also features beadboard walls and brick herringbone flooring in Porcelain Tile.

Similar Brick Porcelain Tile: here, here, here & here.

Hardware: Rejuvenation.

  Many thanks to the designer, Julie Howard, for sharing all of the details above!

Builder: Timber Trails Development Company (Instagram).

Interior Designer: Julie Howard.

Project Manager: John Anderson.

Photography: @stofferphotographyinteriors.

  New Fall-Inspired Rugs & Pillows

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + '://' + 'widgets.rewardstyle.com' + '/js/shopthepost.js';d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') {window.__stp.init();}}(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + '://' + 'widgets.rewardstyle.com' + '/js/shopthepost.js';d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') {window.__stp.init();}}(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

  Best Sales of the Month:

Thank you for shopping through Home Bunch. I would be happy to assist you if you have any questions or are looking for something in particular. Feel free to contact me and always make sure to check dimensions before ordering. Happy shopping!

Scroll to see more:

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + '://' + 'widgets.rewardstyle.com' + '/js/shopthepost.js';d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') {window.__stp.init();}}(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

  Serena & Lily: Amazing Rug Sale!

  Wayfair: Up to 70% OFF on Furniture and Decor!!!

  Joss & Main: Up to 70% off “Don’t Think Twice Sale”!

  Pottery Barn: 40% OFF plus free shipping. Use code: FREESHIP.

  One Kings Lane: Outdoor Sale Up to 60% Off.

  West Elm: Up to 40% Off on Sofas, Sectionals & Chairs!

  Anthropologie: New Fall Arrivals!

  Nordstrom: Sale – Incredible Prices!!!

  Posts of the Week:

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Modern Farmhouse.

2019 New Year Home Tour.

New-Construction Home Ideas.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen’s Home – Full House Tour.

Dark Cedar Shaker Exterior.

Florida Beach Cottage.

Craftsman Beach House.

Lake House Interior Design Ideas.

Neutral Home.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Coastal Farmhouse Design.

Before and After Bathroom Renovation.

White Kitchen Renovation.

Kitchen with Blue Island.

Coastal Shingle Home.

Coastal-inspired Home Renovation.

Southern-inspired Modern Farmhouse.

Coastal Farmhouse Home Decor.

Small Lot Modern Farmhouse.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: British Columbia.

Reinvented Classic Kitchen Design.

Florida Beach House Interior Design.

New England Home.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Urban Farmhouse.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Fixer Upper.Beach House Interior Design Ideas.

Tailored Interiors.

Modern Farmhouse with Front Porch.

Classic Colonial Home Design.Grey Kitchen Paint Colors.

Follow me on Instagram: @HomeBunch

You can follow my pins here: Pinterest/HomeBunch

See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives.

“Dear God,

If I am wrong, right me. If I am lost, guide me. If I start to give-up, keep me going.

Lead me in Light and Love”.

Have a wonderful day, my friends and we’ll talk again tomorrow.”

with Love,

Luciane from HomeBunch.com

Come Follow me on

Come Follow me on

Get Home Bunch Posts Via Email

Contact Luciane

“For your shopping convenience, this post might contain links to retailers where you can purchase the products (or similar) featured. I make a small commission if you use these links to make your purchase so thank you for your support!”

from Home http://www.homebunch.com/interior-design-ideas-new-home-inspiration/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[seqepoxyflooring-blog]

This is really cool! These used to be a plain old exposed aggregate driveway and paths that got dirty easily and were painful under foot. By honing & sealing them they've given them a polished concrete look that's far more modern, easier to clean and easy to walk on. Such a great way to update exposed aggregate. Who might this be an option for that you know?

Read more:  Honing & Sealing Driveway Gold Coast

[nancygduarteus]

The Race to Mass-Produce Perfect Waves

In 2015, a rancher named David Howe lifted off from a California airfield on a covert mission. For weeks, a neglected water-ski park in his Central Valley farming community had been mysteriously ensconced in privacy fencing and manned by a security detail. The clandestine development raised eyebrows in town, but according to Howe, locals contracted to do work at the facility weren’t talking.

To quench his curiosity, Howe decided to sneak in an aerial view. In a helicopter normally employed in crop dusting, he and a friend rose over the lake, and saw something like a train car moving back and forth, causing a disturbance on the water’s surface. On a second pass, workers emerged from trailers below. “They looked mad,” Howe says. “We laughed at how hard they were trying to keep their secret.”

Trained as an engineer, Howe had no doubt what the train-car contraption was being used for: Whoever was behind the development was trying to generate ocean-like waves in a lake. This was an odd thing to build in a lightly populated community 100 miles inland. “We don’t have any surfers around here,” Howe says.

Later that year, the surfing legend Kelly Slater caught the surfing world unaware by posting the first video of the waves created at the facility. The pool, he said, was his “little secret spot,” a mechanism designed by his Kelly Slater Wave Co. to create “perfect waves”—the kind surfers scour the globe to find. And now, if Slater’s plan worked, West Coast surfers could soon enjoy a dependable supply in landlocked Lemoore, California.

Until that point, the physical act of surfing had just about defied monetization. Great surf spots can net up to tens of millions in visitor dollars for their host communities annually, but the main ingredient—waves—was delivered for free. Enthusiasts rarely paid admission or membership fees. Competitions generated no ticket sales; no price-gouging hotdogs or sodas. Now, Slater opened the possibility of growing fans and participants in geographically disparate markets, of controlling access and production, of generating leagues and erecting stadiums. He could turn a fickle, nature-dependent activity into a commodifiable sport.

Pro surfer Gabriel Medina at Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch (Grant Ellis)

But as Slater grabbed headlines, something else was happening. Consortiums of engineers, scientists, and financiers were building other wave-generating technologies around the world. Slater’s company wasn’t only generating fake waves; it was spreading an infectious enthusiasm for the very idea. And there was potential gold for whoever could do it best: In 2016, the International Olympic Committee voted to include surfing in the 2020 Japan Games. First to market in Japan meant an introduction to the world.

A race was on.

Like the push toward nuclear-fusion technology or the search for dark matter, the quest for a machine that could accurately replicate oceanic waves has been long and illusive. As far back as the 1920s, European pools used pistons, paddles, and waterfalls to generate waves at public baths. For surfers, a breakthrough occurred in 1969, when Big Surf Waterpark in Tempe, Arizona, developed something like a giant toilet tank that unleashed tons of water into a shallow pool. Notable surfers crossed the Mojave to test these early man-made rollers, and locals made the park a regular hangout. “The culture was genuine, the waves were artificial,” said surfer Dave Manning in a documentary featuring the water park.

Nevertheless, surf culture was changing. By the 1970s, surfers weren’t looking for long peelers but breaks that harnessed power only great swaths of ocean deliver. The 1987 cult-classic film North Shore honed in on this distinction in its plotline. After winning an Arizona wave-pool contest, its main character, Rick Kane, journeys to Hawaii, where he finds success in big waves. In the real world, the very name Rick Kane became a catchphrase for the buffoonery of attempting replace nature with technology.

Indoor surfers at a wave pool near Tokyo in 1967 (BW / AP)

When Kelly Slater Wave Co. delivered on the long-held dream, it came as something of a moon landing for the surf community: The future was suddenly here. A controlling interest in Slater’s company was purchased by the World Surf League, the organizer of the elite world tour. This year, the Founder’s Cup, held May 5 and 6, was to be the facility’s proof that reliable machines could liberate competitive surfing from the confines of the coasts. To a certain extent, the event delivered: The dunny brown waves contested by international, mixed-gender teams that weekend mesmerized the general public. But about four minutes were required for the pool to settle between waves, creating a significant spread between scores. And Slater’s machine was in fact so consistent that it offered scant variety, and no upsets. Surfer magazine declared the competition “a yawn.”

[Read: The next big wave]

The ocean’s variability, it turned out, was both its glory and curse. Distant storms send waves in batches called “sets,” but unexpected “lulls” occur as well. Part of the thrill of surfing is in reading and anticipating those changes and being in the right place at the right time. In competition, the number and variety of waves causes scores to volley back and forth, heightening the drama and leading to unpredictable outcomes. The challenge for wave technology isn’t simply making one type of perfect wave; it’s replicating the ocean’s many moods.

On the same weekend as Slater’s Founder’s Cup, a water park called BSR Cable Park in Waco, Texas, released a video of their own wave pool. Shapely, pointbreak-style waves rose out of artificially blue water three at a time, less than a minute between sets—150 waves per hour. More videos soon followed. The waves could change shape and even evolve, allowing surfers to execute increasingly technical maneuvers.

https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fplayer.vimeo.com%2Fvideo%2F294811909%3Fapp_id%3D122963&dntp=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F294811909%2F771a0c3f71&image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.vimeocdn.com%2Fvideo%2F731802782_1280.jpg&key=e59abcd3fdf14abe95641518e479f5c0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=vimeo

On May 18, Hawaii’s Seth Moniz landed an unprecedented trick in the pool: a frontside 540, which looks something like a backflip. It was proof that wave pools could push performance. Suddenly, Rick Kane’s storyline had been reversed: Hawaiian surfers were migrating inland.

In June, Cheyne Magnusson, the manager of BSR’s new “surf resort,” stood in a rustic operations tower. He seemed dazed by the flurry of calls he’d fielded since the debut of PerfectSwell, the brand name of the technology that generates his pool’s swells. Developed by the California-based company American Wave Machines, the design is essentially driven by fans that push water through a series of chambers hidden behind the pool’s concrete wall. Each chamber represents a “section” of a wave, and the order in which they’re fired can be manipulated to “build” different waves—more power here, less water there, and so forth.

On a tablet running the technology’s software, this series of chambers looked like notes on sheet music. “I call this my ‘iPod’,” Magnusson said. “And this is my soundtrack.” The soundtrack was a collection of waves, files really, that Magnusson had developed with feedback from visiting pros. Once they’d “recorded” an acceptable wave, or pattern of waves, he only had to push the button and the software looped it endlessly. Magnusson, a former professional surfer, could turn it on and go out for a surf himself.

On my visit, the grounds of the pool were still under construction. A backhoe dug a trench for electrical lines that would power night lighting, which would help attract more attendees: Unlike Slater’s pool, BSR Surf Resort was open to the public. (Currently, the pool is closed as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigates a possible dangerous contamination.)

How many surfers could be accommodated was still being worked out at the time. In the first public session, they’d loaded the pool with 40 surfers. “It was like a mosh pit,” Magnusson said. “A fight broke out instantly.” With a more manageable number, the pool setting compelled surfers to actually communicate for priority—an act that’s usually sorted out by skill level and bullying in the wild. Not only were the waves in development, but the culture of surfing was as well.

Jackson Butler surfs in the BSR Surf Resort pool in Waco, Texas. (Shawn Butler)

Magnusson insisted that the BSR Surf Resort team was not contesting a race with Kelly Slater Wave Co. or any other pool developers. “That would imply there is only going to be one winner, and one technology, and that would suck,” Magnusson said. “If there’s going to be a race, hopefully it’s toward variety.”

Nevertheless, actions and announcements from a number of entities have suggested that a race is indeed at hand. As early as September 2017, a Spanish-based pool developer, Wavegarden, announced plans to build a pool near Tokyo in time for the 2020 Games. Following BSR’s video release, Slater invited aerial specialists to the Surf Ranch to help its team develop an “air section,” or ramp, something Waco boasted but Slater’s facility lacked. In July, a group fronted by former world champion Mark Occhilupo revealed photos of a massive pool under construction in North Queensland, Australia, with a purported capability of generating 2,400 waves per hour among eight distinct breaks.

It could all be a pipe dream. So far, the International Surfing Association has insisted that surfing’s Olympic debut will occur in the ocean, and along with the Tokyo 2020 committee, they’ve proposed a beach site 40 miles from the city. But during the window of the 2020 Games, wave conditions at Tokyo beaches are generally unimpressive. This puts surfing at risk of suffering the same fate as other failed trial sports before it, like cricket, lacrosse, and polo. Should surfing appear underwhelming, or even clownish, which it can in anemic surf, the International Surfing Association’s bid to extend surfing to 2024 in Paris, or 2028 in Los Angeles, could sink.

Many commentators have mused that a crystalline wave pool will be the obvious solution. Beyond predictable and impressive swells, these nascent pools lend themselves to arena-like management, ticket sales, and studio conditions for broadcast. “It’s got to happen in a pool,” says Surfer magazine’s photo editor, Grant Ellis. “The Olympic audience can’t watch a couple of surfers bobbing in a flat ocean.”

Rendering of a possible Olympic wave pool design (Paul Roget Design / Courtesy of Webber Wave Pools)

Over the summer, interesting developments occurred at a clip. The parent company of Kelly Slater Wave Co. won community approval to replicate their pool just outside of Tokyo. According to a Japanese news site, construction will be finished this December. Soon after, Olympic surfing’s governing body, the International Surfing Association, chose BSR’s Waco pool as the “official training center” for the U.S. surf team. The Australian surf team countered by traveling en masse to Slater’s Lemoore pool.

[Read: The improbable persistence of swimming pools built in the ocean]

A lot of work and energy was pouring into technologies that Olympic bodies had denied considering. A final decision on the site of Olympic competition won’t be formally made until July next year, which may be keeping the crowded field optimistic. But there’s no proven financial model for inland wave pools, despite the amount of capital going into their development. Should these Olympic dreams come to naught, what will happen to a possible glut of artificial waves? Will communities embrace their new coasts? Who is going to buy all of these waves?

The Waco resident Brian Filmore might have the answer. “My story is the opposite of the North Shore story,” he said. “I experienced surfing with my dad in California, but I really learned how to surf here [in the pool]. I’m a Central Texas surfer.”

BSR initially sold annual permits to surfers for the low cost of $1,000, a decision they openly regretted. Locals who’d learned to surf in the Gulf, California, and Hawaii realized the value and snapped up the passes. Over the course of the year, they could end up paying as low as a buck a wave. One surfer, a father, doubled his money. He’d rekindled skills he’d honed during a long stint in the islands, and then he pushed his son into the foamy leftovers ridden by other pass-holders.

Communities across the country already have their surfers. They’re just waiting for the waves.

from Health News And Updates https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/10/surfs-up-world/572839/?utm_source=feed

[concretegoldcoast-blog]

How Much Does Concrete Grinding Cost In the Gold Coast

The cost of having your concrete floor polished or ground can vary considerably depending on the situation and the requirements of the job. A very simple job in a small space may be a lot more expensive per square foot than a similar job on a large area simply because it is so much easier to use a machine or a larger machine in a large area. Very small areas with tight corners and many doorways or other obstacles mean that a much smaller machine needs to be used which not only takes longer but need a very experienced operator to produce a high quality job.

A basic floor grinding can cost from $10 per m2 where it just requires grinding and honing with a clear coating that exposes the stone on a floor that is is good condition.

If the floor has tile glue, vinyl or carpet glue, etc. it can cost $18 per m2 and if there are existing tiles or floor coverings it can cost around $25 per m2.

The finish that is required also affects the total price, do you want what is known as a “Cream Finish�� which is where the surface or troweled concrete finish is buffed into a glass smooth finish with a penetrating type of sealer. This type of finish is often used in garages or commercial floors where they require a very strong long lasting floor.  The usual cost of this type of finish is about $70 per sq. m.

To get what is called a “Salt n Pepper” finish where the concrete is cut lightly to expose the fine sand and stones to give a more decorative finish then sealed with a penetrating sealer, this finish is suitable for most areas including decks and hallways, living areas and commercial areas. This type of grinding costs about $80 per sq. m.

Full stone Exposure Grind and polishing where the concrete is cut down to expose the full or maximum amount of stone, then sealed and polished where a decorative effect is required This is often done in the home or areas such as restaurants. This usually costs about $100n per sq.m

Other factors that can influence the price of a particular job are whether the job is on a new or existing cement. It can cost 30% to 50% more for working on older concrete especially if there are cracks or other damage that first needs to be repaired.

There are a number of special effects that can be achieved and these can range in price from a few extra dollars per sq m2 to $50 or more depending on how elaborate your require your floor to be.

Sometimes an existing floor will require some extensive repairs, especially those in older homes as they were never meant to be ground and polished, they were poured as a foundation. These types of floors can be successfully ground, but it may be prudent to consider having the floor skimmed with a new coat of concrete that will be ground and polished. Your contractor can advise you about this. One of the advantages of doing this is you can choose the aggregates (different stones and sands) you use and also the color of the cement so you can make a floor that is truly unique to your building. This option can be very cost effective as the concrete grinding job is simpler and therefore less expensive and the finish is very predictable.

[polishedconcreteexpertsgoldcoast]

Top Reasons to Choose Concrete Polishing Services in Gold Coast

Discover the top benefits of choosing professional services for polished floors in your home or business. This PDF explains why concrete polishing Gold Coast is a game-changer for durability, aesthetics, and low maintenance. Learn how professional polishing enhances surface longevity, resists stains, and creates a modern, sleek look perfect for any space. Whether you're upgrading your floors or planning a new project, this guide offers valuable insights into why concrete polishing is the ideal solution. Download now and transform your floors today!

To Read More Click Here

[ebookwriterblog-blog]

Relationships: Final Submission – Retirement!

Episode 43: Eventually then, we all get there. The state everyone dreads creeps up slowly through our 40’s, gathers speed in our 50’s and runs over us like a speeding freight train in our 60’s. Anyone who says that the 70’s are the new 50’s has obviously never been there but retirement however, as a way of life, is not the final state of submission.

‘What is there to submit to?’ you may quite rightly ask. Well, with the kids hopefully gone, the mortgage paid and a healthy retirement fund to get stuck into, this time of life should never be regarded as any form of submission, but cause for celebration. If our Harry and our Kylie have survived together for some forty five to fifty years; dragged up a couple of kids who are now out there making their own mistakes and avoided the ‘other man’ or ‘other woman’ fifties plus trap ... then hallelujah ... the world is now their oyster.

Bear in mind of course that to have any sort of pension worth a light, Harry will have had to pay some quite large financial lumps annually into a private pension scheme throughout his working life. If Harry and Kylie did finally marry, then there is also the rather offensive joint state pension to look forward too. If they both remain unmarried, there is the laughable single person’s state pension to claim, either of which may just about cover the UK standard council tax bill ... and an annual, one-time only, pre Christmas visit to Asda’s.

However, the big decision of the day will be related to the house the long suffering couple will be living in. Harry’s Kylie will have her mind filled with the thought that the house they have so carefully managed, extended and improved over the last forty years is now ‘too big’ for just the two of them. This thoughtful consideration will have started as a seed sown and further encouraged by the children who see the possibility of a small gold mine coming their way if Mum and Dad sell up and buy an all year round live-in ‘retirement’ caravan on the East Yorkshire coast.

What they don’t know of course, is that our Harry will have a plan of his own, and it does not involve a poorly insulated aluminium box sitting on a permanently windswept concrete slab, half a mile from a coastline that is dropping into the sea at a rate of two meters a year. There will of course be restrictions on any retirement plans conjured up by all the retiring Harry’s out there and the main one will be the availability, or otherwise, of suitable amounts of cash. If our couple happen to be the kind of fortunate individuals who have lived in the East End of London and purchased a maisonette from the local council in the seventies at a massive discount, then they can think themselves lucky as in the year 2016 they could well be looking at near sterling millionaires in the mirror.

However, on the other hand, they may have been unfortunate enough to spend most of their working life in the delightful garden town of somewhere like Scunthorpe; an attractive northern location dominated by a crumbling, stinking, prize winning air polluting steel works. They may also have managed to secure a similar deal from the local council as their London based contemporary to buy your property ... and may well now be lucky to see their money back. So, whoever falls into that enviable category of a lucky Londoner, they will doubtless have at least three quarters of a million to play with when they sell their two up and two down. If, however, they fall into the Scunthorpe category, they will be lucky to see even ten per cent of that figure.

To the thinking man, it will immediately be clear that retirement options left to a couple who have survived any kind of relationship for several decades, are perhaps limited to the amount of cash that can be raised to fulfil a plan our Harry has been working on for some years. He may even have been sneaking off for Spanish, Greek or Standard Croatian lessons on the sly and become completely competent at ordering a beer and three portions of fish and chips ... in any one of these difficult to master languages.

Having a plan is one thing; having the money to successfully execute it is another. But what will eventually put the parking brake on it all? Well, it’s not too difficult to guess that if the scheme involves moving somewhere more than a twenty minute car journey from Kylie’s daughter, then the plan will need to be scrapped. She will of course want to sell the house and ‘downsize’ as she puts it, which is Kylie-speak for a house the same size, nearer to her daughter and much, much cheaper.

This impossible equation will not be satisfied mathematically until Kylie has dragged our Harry round thirty or so unsuccessful property viewings to prove the point. If grandchildren are involved, then the chances of enacting a plan involving any kind of move outside the strict radius, as laid down by the young Kylie, can only be regarded as a completely hopeless task.

At some point, the whole matter of their future together will need to be discussed. Harry will require some well honed diplomatic skills to ensure he chooses the right place and time to approach the matter in order to simply reduce the chance of immediate rejection. Perhaps a romantic dinner in a nice little restaurant down by the river might do the trick; or during a relaxing package weekend away at an ‘adults only’ hotel that sensibly bans all forms of child-life and four legged animals. For the London based couple looking to make more than half to three quarters of a million when they sell their property, the choices will be wide and the selling of an idea possibly easier. The initial conversation between Harry and Kylie may go something like this.

H: ‘So are we more or less agreed to sell the flat dearest ... and start a new life in our old age?’

(Harry smiles to make light of the matter. Kylie does not, but remains thoughtful.)

K: ‘Well, I’ve told you, I don’t want to move too far from our Kylie and the kids. I’m still sure that if we downsized, we could find something even nearer than we are now. I mean there are babysitting nights to think about and I know you don’t like staying over and everything ... and there’s the little shopping trips both our Kylie and I go on. If we move too far out then it will be difficult to get to our favourite shops and things ...’

(This is the difficult bit as no matter what happens; whatever Harry puts forward as a plan, he must not leave himself open to being accused of acting ‘selfishly’ or being labelled ‘selfish’ in any way whatsoever.)

H: ‘I really do think Luv that unless we move a really long way away ... maybe like Luton or Watford or somewhere like that, then even with the cash we have, we won’t be able to find something suitable we can afford!’

K: ‘Oh no! I couldn’t be that far away Harry ... that’s just too far, it really is ... and what about the money? If we spend a lot on another house, then there won’t be any left to give the kids ... you know, to help them out a bit’

H: ‘Well you know what I’ve been thinking ... if we are going to have to move that far out ... it will take ages, even two or three hours to get backwards and forwards to see the kids, so we might as well actually be guaranteed to be only a couple of hours away ... in a place like Spain ... for example’

K: ‘Spain? But that’s full of foreigners and we don’t speak the language or anything ... and you know how bad you are driving on the wrong side of the road dear!’

H: ‘I was only thinking of you dear, about how much better your arthritis would be in a warmer, sunnier place ... and if we work it out carefully, we could buy a place in say Spain ... or somewhere like that, and have a caravan somewhere in Essex; somewhere much nearer the kids. If we get a good deal ... there could possibly be some left over to give the kids, as a present like, just to help them out’

(The smart move by Harry is the mention of ‘something for the kids’ as he knows they will support any plan that puts some money in their back pocket. Kylie is now thoughtful as she considers the options.)

K: ‘So what you’re saying is we could afford a villa or something in Spain and a place near our Kylie and the kids ... and still have some left over?’

H: ‘Of course dear ... if we’re careful I’m sure we put some away for them’

K: ‘But it’s a long way ...’

H: ‘Well, you have to consider that to get to East London from Luton will take nearly two hours ... maybe three ... by road ... you know how bad the roads are! But if we went to Spain, it’s only the same time, maybe a couple of hours from Benidorm to Gatwick ... no driving involved, and you could be at Kylie’s in half an hour Luv!’

(Kylie is weighing up the plan. It’s not yet accepted and it’s not yet rejected. She will need to discuss it with her Kylie before she can come to a decision. Harry knows exactly what’s going on in her mind and pushes home the benefits.)

H: ‘The big thing to consider dear is that if we’re careful, we can make sure the kids are well looked after financially and we can live much cheaper on the continent. We’ll have a better life; you’ll feel better and if it’s cheaper to live, then we could maybe send some money to the kids and grandkids whenever they need it’

K: ‘Well, I don’t know what I’m going to tell the kids. I mean our Kylie will be well upset ... we’re very close you know. But if we can help them out to pay for some babysitting that we would normally have done ... if we were here, then that might be alright for them’

H: ‘It’s up to you dear. The choice is really yours and if you mention the money to Kylie, I’m sure she will be able to see the advantages. The other option is Luton and every penny we have will be needed to buy another house. We might even have some debts to consider!’

K: ‘Hmm ... shall we have another bottle of wine Luv?’

H: ‘Yes dear!’

From little acorns do oak trees grow ... and now the acorn has been broken from its shell by a satisfied Harry and planted in what is hopefully fertile ground. The plan is now firmly in place and after Kylies next visit to the young Kylie, Harry is sure the pendulum will start to swing his way.

[polishedconcreteexpertsgoldcoast]

Top Benefits of Professional Concrete Sealing in Gold Coast

Learn how concrete sealing Gold Coast services can protect and improve your property. This article explains the top benefits of sealing, like preventing cracks, stains, and water damage while making your concrete last longer. Whether it’s for your home or business, sealing helps keep your concrete looking great, reduces maintenance, and saves you money over time. Don’t miss out on these simple ways to protect your surfaces and boost their durability. Read now to find out more!

To Read More Click Here

[polishedconcreteexpertsgoldcoast]

Top Reasons to Choose Concrete Polishing Services in Gold Coast

Discover the top benefits of choosing professional services for polished floors in your home or business. This PDF explains why concrete polishing Gold Coast is a game-changer for durability, aesthetics, and low maintenance. Learn how professional polishing enhances surface longevity, resists stains, and creates a modern, sleek look perfect for any space. Whether you're upgrading your floors or planning a new project, this guide offers valuable insights into why concrete polishing is the ideal solution. Download now and transform your floors today!

To Read More Click Here

[polishedconcreteexpertsgoldcoast]

Professional Concrete Polishing Gold Coast Services

At Polished Concrete Experts Gold Coast, the goal is to provide high-quality flooring solutions that make your spaces more durable and beautiful. The skilled team uses advanced techniques to turn plain concrete into stylish, low-maintenance surfaces. With plenty of experience in concrete polishing Gold Coast, every project is done with care and attention to detail. Whether you want a modern, shiny look or something more classic, call (07 5603 3932) today for a free consultation!

To Read More Click Here

[polishedconcreteexpertsgoldcoast]

Top Reasons to Choose Concrete Polishing Services in Gold Coast

Find out why concrete polishing Gold Coast services are a great choice for your floors. Polished concrete is durable, stylish, and easy to maintain, making it perfect for homes and businesses. It’s also eco-friendly and cost-effective, giving you a high-quality finish that lasts for years. Whether you want a modern look or a practical solution, polished concrete can transform any space. Read our Article to learn more about why it’s the best flooring option for your Gold Coast property!

To Read More Click Here