Cemcrete Answers Your Burning Questions

As the winter months become more prominent in South Africa, we naturally gravitate to elements that provide warmth and comfort during the colder temperatures. Fireplaces and fire pits are a great way to add warmth and ambiance to your living space. Free-standing or incorporated into your design, fireplaces and fire pits have become a very popular addition to any room in or outside your home. Today we answer some of your ‘burning’ questions about how to incorporate Cemcrete finishes into your cosy corners…

Q: What benefits do Cemcrete’s finishes have in winter months?

A: Cemcrete’s finishes are cement-based and are excellent at retaining heat. When exposed to a heat source, cement actually absorbs and stores the heat to gradually release it throughout the day. Q: I’d like to have a Cemcrete finish on my fire pit and built-in seating area outside, do you have any products that would be suitable for this?

A: Yes, Cemcrete offers an array of products for external use, available in various smooth finishes such as CemPlaster and CemCote smooth trowelled, as well as textured finishes such as CemWash and DecoCrete. Their natural mottling and imperfect finish create truly beautiful outdoor features that we have come to know and love about Cemcrete. Q: What considerations should be taken into account when using Cemcrete’s products on fire pits & fireplaces?

A: Always remember that the finish you’ve chosen can’t come into direct contact with the flames from the fire pit/fireplace. They are durable enough to withstand radiating heat, so they can be used on the surrounds, but cannot withstand direct flame. Q: We have Cemcrete floors in our house and want to install a fireplace, will the heat from the fireplace effect our floor finish?

A: Cemcrete’s floor finishes can handle the radiating heat from a fireplace, but try to avoid dropping hot items like glowing coal and ash onto the floor as it could potentially damage your finish. Q: I’d like to create a feature using Cemcrete’s SatinCrete or CemPlaster on the decorative surrounds of my indoor fireplace. What guidance can you give me?

A: A big trend that we’re seeing nowadays is faux off-shutter, and SatinCrete or CemPlaster are both great for creating a feature piece for your fireplace.