By Obianuju Uzukwu
With the changing world of exterior decors, prompting innovations and expertise in deploying its services, the stake is now high for both practitioners and consumers when making choices in either satisfying the customers’ increasing taste or making a statement with the look and feel of one’s immediate environments, be it corporate, school, pleasure parks, homes and many more.
In the past, exteriors and other environmental beautifications where mere horticulture in nature through flower beddings and tree planting in many instances to achieve aesthetics, but things has drastically changed stimulating insatiable craving for cleaner and adaptive exteriors.
With the forgoing, more and more practitioners have emerged in a bid to cash into the new and changing world of exterior with a view to enhancing a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space.
Like any other profession with players of diverse experience and exposure which in the long run targets the customer’s purse, value creation is one notion needing expression after so much has been invested in achieving desired ambience.
To this end, when the aim is for exquisite exterior, consumers have to cautiously and adroitly make choices in terms of exterior designers, with innate exposure in planning, researching, coordinating and managing such projects to achieve, desired objectives.
While most Nigerians needing exterior consultants and with deep pockets still hop abroad for classical expertise in that direction, with attending high foreign exchange lost and cost, a Nigerian company, Sidmustad has birthed the requisite technology and expertise, required for global standard exterior designs.
While interacting with customers and artisans in the field in a recent workshop, Managing Director/CEO, Sidmustad, Mr. Ogbonnaya Aja , trained in the United Kingdom, while positioning the company and its offerings in the Nigerian exterior space said the company is established to render interior design consultation, manufacturing of state-of-the art modern furniture, custom stones tiles that can match any décor colour, installation of patterned imprinted stamped concrete or paving system which is an innovation to the commonly used interlocking system now going extinct.
Justifying the need for quality exterior designs and installation, Aja said Sidmustad advantage is hinged on its custom made stone tiles derived from an American technology which utilizes tested cast iron additives and sealer providing the user with anti-slippery and alluring looks that does not fade and virtually last for a life time.
“ We also offer modern variety of paving styles including York stone, slate, cable stone, brick and timber decking with authentic texture and sliding” he emphasized.
He further said that in handling clients brief professionally, interior design will proceed with design consulting services while also offering unique components after coming up with suitable design concepts.
With the coming onboard of Sidmustad, just like in any other clime, the Nigerian exterior space is heading towards revolution which will stimulate high labour demand and help in shrinking the unemployment ratio, now hitting high roofs.
In preparing for the revolution, Sidmustad in its kitty parades world class machinery with experts trained locally and abroad to ensure customer’s demand are met timely without reduction in anticipated value for money. Some of its products revolve around the following;
Stamped Concrete: Also known as patterned or imprinted concrete is concrete with colour design options poured and textured or embossed to resemble brick ,slate, tile or even wood.It is intalled on walkways, driveways, patios, pool surrounds etc. Stamped concrete gives character to a home and comes with permanent positive texture and colour. It is weed free and cost effective. The maintenance cost is low and it adds more value to any property.
Layout & Design: The layout, colour, design and finishing is discussed and agreed with client prior to starting the preparation. All water run off points is designed well in advance and thought must be given to crack control joints, where they are to be placed and how they can be incorporated into the overall design
Step By Step Over View: The slab must be well compacted to prevent drainage or soil erosion under the concrete. Forms eg wood or plastic is sound and set to the correct levels. If using wood, treat with release agent.
Reinforcement is installed using rod or welded wire mesh for providing support in the slab. The ready mixed concrete to be installed will have proper slump and mix design.
Concrete Rake: is used to pull the concrete roughly into position and then screeded to levels while The “Roller Bug” is now used to depress the aggregate into the concrete and pull fats to the surface. Slab is now ready for troweling.
The Magnesium Bull Float: is used in preparation for the first application of colour hardener.
Colour Hardener: is applied by the broadcast method similar to applying grass seed by hand. The colour hardener is applied as evenly as possible across the slab.
The Magnesium Bull Float Trowel: is used for the first application mixing into the surface fat, the edge of the slab is treated with Edging Trowel. Colour hardener may be required to fill in any tearing of edge surface
The surface is ‘close” using Blue Steel Trowel. This will remove trowel marks and leave a uniform surface in preparation for printing
Printing Or Stamping: The slab is tested for its degree of ‘set’, when firm to finger pressure, the slab is ready for printing or stamping. Applying even coat of Antique Release Agent is important.
The first placement of mat is critical and should have been planned prior to the arrival of the concrete. Using reference, begin placing subsequent mats. Keep mat tight to each other to keep bond lines straight and amount of hand finishing to the barest minimum.
Floppy Mats: should be used for corners with the adjacent Rigid Mat still in
place.
