KIJIJI

[NS'Creter]

I know that I keep mentioning this advertising medium and I'm sure it's popularity and effectiveness varies from region to region. I just wanted to let you all know that I continue to get responses from my free ads. In fact, I sold 2 of those hearth pads that I make this week. They were just laying arounf collecting dust and I need room...so away they went.

[NS'Creter]

Orders have been coming in for more hearth pads. At $200-250.00 a pop the markup is great. Lotsa inquiries for floors and stuff too from my ads on Kijiji. No actual work yet, but lotsa inquiries and site-unseen estimates....that does save a lot of time wasted on tire-kickers I've found.

[Lindy]

Hearth pads? How about also pads for use under BBQ's that sometimes drip/leak/spatter grease/animal fats on patios of wood/concrete/etc.

Are you applying so type of modified cementitous overlayment, then adorning with stain/texture/pattern or design/sealer, over perhaps sheet metal? Can you give me a little more insight?

You know, besides the norm, around hear might be an idea to do so with football team logos (I wonder if that is legal); such as, Baylor University Baylor Bears (Waco, TX where I live), Texas A&M, and Texas Tech; along with maybe the Dallas Cowboys, since they ALL have a termendous following in my local area.

Lindy

Lindy

[NS'Creter]

I form the hearth pads and pour 'em as solid 2" concrete...with reinforcing mesh of course. They are becoming quite a popular item for me. A matching panel could also be made to stand vertically behind the stove as a decorative wall pad. I haven't been able to sell one of those yet...but there has been interest. I would think a person would run into licensing issues with those logos if the proper permissions weren't obtained. That being said, I have done the "likeness" of the Chevrolet "Bowtie" emblem and a couple others without license. Sssshhhh.



I'll check the preview to find out if that pic worked. It's one of the pads I've made and sold.
Yep! It worked, obviously , sorry about the size but my resize efforts never seem to work.

[Lindy]

Wow ... way cool. I would think they would really sell, especially for those that have a free standing wood burning fireplace.

Have you thought about also making a thinner alternative, using a piece of plate steel as a base/substrate that has been profiled, then applying one of the modified cementitious overlayments, adorning, and sealing it ... which would be more of a fireshield mat than thick hearth 2" ones (although your hearth one really looks terrific). We have a hearth mat (thin factory manufactured one that we brought a Lowes under our freestanding cast iron wood fireplace in our cabin out in the country ... I never thought about making them either thick (as you have done) or thin with an overlayment material over steel. You now have my wheels of thought moving on this.

Everywhere you go around here, even the flea markets, there are items that people have made (mailboxes, stepping stones, furniture, etc.) that are using Baylor colors (Green & Gold) and either say Baylor or have the Baylor Bear emblem on them; Texas Tech (with the orange longhorn head); or Texas A & M (in their maroon color). All these items seem to sell like hotcakes to fans of these college teams ... or course, I would think that typical brick, tile, or other customs designs/etc would as well when it comes to the 2" or perhaps a thinner version (overlayment on metal). I don't know why these team logos on various items don't ruffle any licensing feathers of these colleges ... but everyone does it (on all sorts of items); on the other hand, if they wanted to make an example out of someone it would probably be me.

You know, they/these teams, make various decals, flags, etc. I bet, if I purchased them; then after applying a smooth overlayment or self-leveling microtopping over metal (integral coloring and/or staining/dying the cementitious material), followed by rolling a coat of 100% solids epoxy over the panel, placing the flag/decal/etc of the sports team onto the wet epoxy (making sure there were no wrinkles), then applying 2 coats of my high heat (300F), maximum wear/abrasion resistant, Diamond Shield over the entire surface ...result would be tuff, durable, hearth mats, using the purchased team/logo items (flags, decals, etc.) and then there would not be licensing use problem (I would have just applied what I purchased onto/into the hearth mats). College team fans around here (Baylor, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M... all of which are either in my own back yard or less than 100 miles away ... will buy about anything having their team logos on them (and of course, doing so by the means I stated above would be perfectly legal).

I had a guy once that wanted a Texas Tech flag as part of his floor. I simply stained the concrete floor, applied a coat of epoxy, laid the flag flat into the epoxy on the floor, then applied 2 more coats of epoxy over it. I got this idea from someone else, as to laying items like this into floors, and it really works great ... fireplace hearths wouldn't be any different (accept that I feel that a high heat resistant polyurea sealer should be used instead of epoxy.

Lindy

[alexwright]

Here in town we have a Granicrete distributor and I just attended their countertop class. Awesome. You just can't get any closer to looking like Granite. So many people think its the real thing.

[alexwright]

Plus you can do stuff for the fireplaces mount it to walls, make furniture.

[Lindy]

Can you please email me a photo of this hearth pads? [e-mail] or [e-mail]. Thank you!

I was talking to a friend of mine about these. He and I believe that we could market them to a small chain of fireside shops in the area that sell various models of freestanding fireplaces (being both the wood burning, as well as those that actually use gas/with artificial woodlike logs). This is exciting, especially with winter on the horizon.

Lindy

[alexwright]

Hey Scotia, look up the Granicrete web site. I think you could get a lot of use from at least their stains. They have some stains that will dot (effortlessly). Plus some disbersion ones, anyhow they do great and really look like granite. Once all done then seal with Epoxy. Their texture material sticks to MDX board and anyhow everyone thinks its granite. The kit (if you will) costs about $500 and then you just charge your labor price. I believe this covers 60 sq ft.

[NS'Creter]

Your wheels are turnin' with this one! Cool. I thought about trying a thinner version in the manner you suggest Lindy...just didn't get it done yet, but I'll bet it would work well. I think you may have a way around that licensing issue also. I love making stuff like this. Folks will spend the money on it too. Much quicker, it seems, than they will for their floors, driveways and stuff like that. It's funny 'cause if you considered the square foot price comparison, the pads and products like that are waaaay more expensive. Jim Morrison was right. People are strange. I hope that you guys can run with this and sell millions of 'em.

I will check out that supplier too Alex, thanx. Shipping has always been my problem for supplies, though. It's even worse with this fuel situation. It almost has me in a "holding pattern" for now.

[Lindy]

I like the look of your approximately 2" thick hearth pads, since they are comparable in thickness to a real hearth (brick/etc.). On the other hand, there is the weight issue when going this thick; but, once they were put in place it is not like anyone is going to pick them up like a rug and clean under them

On the other hand, if one of the acrylic/polymer modified cementitious 1/4 overlayment materials were placed over a strong composite (such as sheet metal that was profiled on the bonding side), they would be much easier on the back to deal with as to transporting/delivering.

I'm going to do one of each. Will post photos when done.

Lindy

[NS'Creter]

Cool...can't wait to see your creations. When I considered making the thinner/lighter version my thoughts went to cement board and plywood. I did consider using a metal but with the price nearly doubling over the last year-year and a half I figured on the other options.
I'll be glad to get back into my shop and make some more stuff. Soon, I hope.

[Lindy]

My husband has an "in" with local metal supplier since he buys so much of it ... although, plywood and cement board would be an option.

Lindy

[NS'Creter]

Cool! Good break on the steel source. So you'll try a straight on overlay? Here's a thought...steel for your base with angle iron welded around the perimetre...the angle would not only be the form, but it would stay in place as the edge. You could go with the traditional flat black or any color under the sun on that edge. It's just a thought...it does add material and a step with the welding. It just popped into my pea brain.