Most home improvement projects come with their share of hassles, from permitting to disrupting daily routines. For this reason, homeowners often put them off. However, New Castle Artisan has a better way.

Family-owned and -operated, New Castle Artisan is helmed by Gwen Kunkel and her brother Paul Randall, who have 30 years of experience in the industry. Its core business is concrete resurfacing, a technique that can breathe new life into almost any existing concrete surface, whether it’s your driveway, pool deck or patio. To ensure the project is the right fit for the process, the company offers a free inspection and estimate. 

Concrete projects can be invasive on a property, and pouring new concrete doesn’t guarantee the same problems won’t occur down the line. “Instead  o f the usual repairs made to cracks, pitting and other issues, our resurfacing allows us to hide all of the repairs in a beautiful, custom upgrade,” Kunkel says. “You avoid all the hassle and mess of the demolition and repouring. With resurfacing, we add designs and carve the cracks into the existing pattern after we repair them, so you’ve got something that is more valuable financially and aesthetically.”

Projects typically take three days to complete and don’t require township permits—another  headache avoided. Kunkel also says one day of bad weather won’t set the project back either. “Each day is independent of each other, so if it rains one day, we extend the project one day. We don’t need three consecutive sunny days.”

Resurfacing has been used since the 1960s, and  if applied properly, it will last a lifetime with some routine resealing maintenance. “We use polymer cements because they resist erosion. They are absorbed into the existing concrete, grow spines that expand, creating  a new cement surface that is incredibly durable, as well as stain and chemical resistant,” says Kunkel. 

One of the most important  aspects of the product used by New Castle Artisan is that it’s naturally textured to be slip resistant, making it an ideal choice for pool decks.  Resurfacing a pool deck also comes with significant cost savings. “Pool decks, as they age, can have movement, creating cracks and unlevel pads. The heavy equipment required to bring new concrete into a backyard is labor intensive, which makes the cost higher,” she says. “On top of that, your  landscaping and grass are damaged, your fence has to be taken down—our process is no mess. We use small pieces of hand equipment that can be carried in and out, causing no impact to your landscaping.”

There is also a level of artistry with resurfacing. “Our products are applied by hand for a look that can be customized however you would like. We can add colors and sealants to make it look appealing,” says Kunkel. “We utilize design to incorporate the repaired cracks into a pattern that can be managed. Should cracks reappear, they are blended within the design. If you try to repair other products, like stamped concrete, you’ll never be able to match the color after five years. ...We’ve perfected this method, not only providing quality installation, but an investment that can always be remedied or managed.”

New Castle Artisan
Blackwood, N.J. | (856) 725-3333
NewCastleArtisan.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 21, Issue 6 (January/February 2021). 
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