concretedetail

concretedetail

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Rich Holschuh is a reformed carpenter, having worked in new construction and remodeling in Vermont for over 20 years, before hanging up his hammer 5 years ago in favor of a concrete mixer and unusual facial hair. He is founder of Concrete Detail, an artisan concrete studio crafting countertops, sinks, surrounds and other architectural surfaces in Brattleboro, VT.

The bumper sticker on Rich's truck reads "I Love Concrete" and a conversation with him confirms that startling observation, revealing his passion and commitment to this newfound use for a formerly mundane material. He also enjoys slinging a pen and messing with words. His website can be found at http://www.concretedetail.com.

Home page: http://www.concretedetail.com

Posts by concretedetail
image by b

Richard Holschuh :: Building with Toothpicks

4
June 29, 2010
by concretedetail in , ,
The building of a house is a series of steps within steps, endlessly broken down into sub procedures and decisions. And these separate parts, such as the building shell, the insulation envelope, the HVAC, the surface finish, the orientation, etc. are all interrelated and in the best examples, fully integrated and cohesive. The systems, each complex in their own right, form a system of systems. This does not happen accidentally or as the result of reading a book. It's the result of awareness, choosing to care, and maintaining focus on the things that matter, all the while keeping peripheral vision scanning the corners. Noticing interactions, relationships, details.From the tree to the toothpick, it's all there, if you look for it. Keep your eyes clear, go beyond the surface, squint a little, see the shape of what lurks within the obvious. Hone this ability - let it become second nature. What lies beneath is a never-ending fascination. [ . . . ]
butterfly

Richard Holschuh :: Upside Down and Backwards: How to Start at the Beginning

3
June 23, 2010
by concretedetail in , ,
Note for the hosts: Please take ten minutes to read this essay, then take 5 minutes to think how it might apply to what you do. Thank you. Once there is an awareness of the basic process of process, which is doublespeak for having a clue, any problem or situation can be tackled. It may be a simple task such as hanging a picture or a complex one such as siting a house on a lot. In my mind, it is akin to having a backward perspective: knowing where you want to end up and then stepping backward from there, 'til the beginning is found. Exactly what those steps may be doesn't really matter at this point. They will fill in on their own, in a series of mini-analyses re-enacting the basic premise on a smaller scale. It is beginning properly which matters most. [ . . . ]
Rich Holschuh @concretedetail

Richard Holschuh :: Finding Your Bearings (On Process)

7
June 14, 2010
by concretedetail in , ,
I call this getting your bearings; finding the reference point from which all subsequent decisions will unfold and point back, as a virtual True North of the journey-man. If a mistake is made at this point, there will be a great deal of wasted time, retracing of steps, and the desired destination may never be attained successfully, much less satisfactorily; certainly not a profitable business model and a helluva way to run a railroad. This is a skill worth recognizing, honing, and rewarding. [ . . . ]
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  • Best of the Bacon

    the girls and the infamous cat flap, which. . . I need to replace

    Tom & Jerry :: cats, a mouse, and the old house

    By jb on January 8, 2009

    On an interior wall, possibly already probed with a stud finder, I guess I’d probably grab a drill. Having removed the shoe molding and being careful not to damage the floor, I would drill two, I don’t know, 1″ holes where the baseboard meets the floor. These holes would be spaced maybe 3 1/2 apart – and they would represent the base of my arch.

    I would then probably grab my compass (remember from geometry). After finding the center point between the outside of edges of both holes, and holding the fixed point off of the floor slightly, I would scribe the arch in a dark pencil line. [ . . . ]

    Category: ,

    Plumber's Crack Cartoon via Paul Lesieur

    Paul Lesieur :: Is There a Science to Remodeling?

    By Paul Lesieur on August 18, 2010

    Science being quick to offer speculative theories has had no success explaining the relationship, if any, between The Plumbers Crack and the Mariana Trench. Both sizable fissures that have denied explorers for the last century. The Mariana Trench has recently been photographed and been found to contain undiscovered species of deep water fish; the Plumbers Crack however has not been proven to support life and further study is hampered by a lack of volunteers. Studies of the Plumbers Crack will continue when technology catches up to the demands of science and an unmanned vehicle can be employed for these explorations. [ . . . ]

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