Concrete Picture Frame

[ConcretePicture]

Has anyone ever heard of framing their work in concrete?

I started making concrete picture frames for my diploma and then for standard size prints. I have made custom shapes and sizes since then and have lately been looking around for any feedback or new ideas.

Here is an example of what a 5x7 frame looks like:



Thanks for looking and for any comments.

 

[rallysman]

How heavy is that?

 

[c.cloudwalker]

I love this idea. :thumbup:

Very creative, and concrete can be a middle gray which is the best for showing images. Not only that but concrete can be poured in whatever shape you want making it an amazing material for creative framing.

I will be stealing your idea for myself but I will not reveal any concrete secrets to make it easy for someone else to do it... let them figure it out.

Best of luck with this. Very nice idea.

By the way, what kind of diploma are you talking about?

 

[arios23]

I love this idea. :thumbup:

I will be stealing your idea for myself but I will not reveal any concrete secrets to make it easy for someone else to do it... let them figure it out.

You are stolen someone´s else idea and you do not want to share yours. NICE.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

I love this idea. :thumbup:

I will be stealing your idea for myself but I will not reveal any concrete secrets to make it easy for someone else to do it... let them figure it out.

You are stolen someone´s else idea and you do not want to share yours. NICE.

So?

I can steal his idea for myself because I understand concrete. Does that mean I should tell everyone how to do the same?

Go learn about concrete.

 

[Taylor510ce]

Precast concrete sucks, be a real man and work in ready-mix. Just kidding. Nice frame idea. Heve you tried it with colored concrete? Have you seen the new concrete cloth product that will eventually be coming out? Its in sheets and can be molded in pretty much any shape that a cloth could be. Once you wet it, it hardens. I saw a structure where they just made domes out of it ( like a long green house ) and supported it until it dried and presto, self supporting concrete building.

I love this idea. :thumbup:

I will be stealing your idea for myself but I will not reveal any concrete secrets to make it easy for someone else to do it... let them figure it out.

You are stolen someone´s else idea and you do not want to share yours. NICE.

So?

I can steal his idea for myself because I understand concrete. Does that mean I should tell everyone how to do the same?

Go learn about concrete.

Not much to understand unless you are mixing it yourself and want different compression strengths. Its pretty basic if its not very structural. build a mold, pour some mud, let cure, presto.

 

[ConcretePicture]

All right guys, thanks for your questions and comments. Let me try to answer some questions:

The 4x6 weighs about 1.5 lbs.
The 5x7 weighs about 5.5 lbs.
The 8x10 weighs about 7.75 lbs.

My diploma (BSCE) was 17x14 and the frame resembles a cross-section of a bridge box beam with projecting rebar and prestress strand. It hangs on my office wall and weighs 55 lbs.

I use my own mix with compression strength of over 8000psi. I am a structural engineer and work for a concrete bridge fabricator. My last 4x8 cylinder test with my mix was 8479 psi. I don't see any need to improve that. Ready-mix can't touch that :razz:. I also use fiber reinforcement and super P. The stronger the mix, the less mass you need for strength. That is how I keep the weights reasonable.

I have used colored cement, rock and sand. I will be playing with additional pigments and stains soon. I have not heard much about the cloth, but it sounds like a great development.

I don't mind others making their own. My boss and I came up with the idea because I was too cheap to buy a $200+ wood frame for my diploma. If muddy messes are not for you, I sell them online and do custom work at concretepicture.wordpress.com.

 

[syphlix]

it's kinda cool... not really my thing though... but not everything is...

i gotta ask... is this a thinly veiled marketing attempt?

 

[c.cloudwalker]

My diploma (BSCE) was 17x14 and the frame resembles a cross-section of a bridge box beam with projecting rebar and prestress strand. It hangs on my office wall and weighs 55 lbs.

I use my own mix with compression strength of over 8000psi. I am a structural engineer and work for a concrete bridge fabricator. My last 4x8 cylinder test with my mix was 8479 psi. I don't see any need to improve that. Ready-mix can't touch that :razz:. I also use fiber reinforcement and super P. The stronger the mix, the less mass you need for strength. That is how I keep the weights reasonable.

I have used colored cement, rock and sand. I will be playing with additional pigments and stains soon. I have not heard much about the cloth, but it sounds like a great development.

I don't mind others making their own. My boss and I came up with the idea because I was too cheap to buy a $200+ wood frame for my diploma. If muddy messes are not for you, I sell them online and do custom work at concretepicture.wordpress.com.

First, thank for not minding me using your idea. And I like the idea of the projecting rebars. You did give me an idea for a series of photos to go with the frames.

Second, thanks for telling us where you come from. Profession wise that is. I tried to talk to a friend of mine today who works for a concrete plant and I can't wait for his return call. I find this idea very exciting.

Have you thought of advertising your frames in one (I only know one but I imagine there's more) of the industry magazines? You should.

 

[ConcretePicture]

I would be interested in hearing what your friend has to say.
I have not done much marketing, but have just tried to get more ideas.
This is what my diploma frame looks like:

 

[pbelarge]

I also like this idea. The frame design can be well varied. The higher PSI is also clever, I do not know how an average individual can get that type of mix though.
What about using a thin wire mesh to help make them smaller with less weight?

 

[ConcretePicture]

Pierre, the wire mesh is a good idea. It would strengthen the frame. I have done a bit of research into fiber reinforcement where I work and another possibility is steel wire fibers. The 5x7 frame is only 3/4" thick. I get a lot of comments about the picture of my family sitting on my desk framed in concrete.
Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[NWK04]

Go learn about concrete.

:lmao:

 

[pbelarge]

Pierre, the wire mesh is a good idea. It would strengthen the frame. I have done a bit of research into fiber reinforcement where I work and another possibility is steel wire fibers. The 5x7 frame is only 3/4" thick. I get a lot of comments about the picture of my family sitting on my desk framed in concrete.
Thanks for our thoughts.

You are welcome.

 

[benlonghair]

Pierre, the wire mesh is a good idea.

I work with the plaster and drywall trades. I somehow end up with concrete trade catalogs (mostly because they also contain drywall and plaster tools) and I've seen a product that's just loose fiberglass fibers about 4" long. Supposedly you add it to concrete for walkways and such to strengthen it. That might work and not add the weight that steel would.