Concrete Canvas is a pretty amazing material!
For our Ciencia Pública: Agua parklet we wanted to create comfortable and robust benches that integrated with the flowing lines of the structure, but with a material that was quicker and less labor intensive than custom woodwork. After some quick prototypes, we decided to use 8mm thick Concrete Canvas for the space's 4 benches. We taped out intended locations and transferred the dimensions to the unrolled stock. Shapes were cut out using a (frequently-dulled and often-replaced) utility blade and someone else's scissors. We then tacked the cloth and hydrated in place, paying special attention to absorb or catch the initial murky runoff. The key here is to saturate, but avoid high-pressure hoses that would blast the concrete away. Once fully cured, trimmed (diamond cutoff wheel), and painted, we attached matching grey HDPE caps that were CNC'd to match each ribs' curve.
We look forward to seeing how they hold up to exposure and daily sidewalk abuse!
