The 6-day Pinnacle Concrete Camp features our premiere topics from trainers Brandon Gore, Dusty Baker, and Jon Schuler, but also places an emphasis on camaraderie with our concrete compeers. Time is set aside for socializing around fire pits in the evening, as the lifelong friendships formed in our classes are as valuable as the training itself. The next Pinnacle Concrete Camp is scheduled for:

• PINNACLE CONCRETE CAMP / SPRING 2023: Date to be announced soon! sign-up for email updates on the homepage to be notified.

Additionally, we have increased the training discount for Alumni to 50% OFF! We value our past attendees and love seeing them again, so this is our way of saying ‘thank you’ and offering increased value to the CDS family.

WORKSHOP DETAILS AND SCHEDULE:

DAY 1 & 2

FABRIC-FORMING CONCRETE SINK + GFRC WORKSHOP

INSTRUCTOR: BRANDON GORE

THIS IS IT, the World Famous Fabric-Forming Concrete Sink + GFRC Workshop! Over the last 14 years we have taught, asked and listened to students, then refined and repeated countless times. All of that experience has led to this, the absolute best Fabric-Forming + GFRC Workshop that has ever been offered in the history of man. We should know, we have been teaching both subjects longer than anyone else!

Every student will receive a full-color 36 page course guide, packed with invaluable information and never-seen-before photographs! This course guide is not available for purchase to the general public. It is only available to students who enroll in this workshop.

Fabric-forming is the future of concrete, now. It is an amazing method that can be employed in the creation of custom sinks, planters, wall panels, fireplace surrounds, etc. There is much rationale backing fabric as the optimal material for creating forms, with the primary being that it creates a natural shape, a form that cannot be created any other way. We spend the first two days of your workshop creating a fabric-form from scratch. All processes are covered with a concentration on the nuances that can only be gained from years of experience. 

Once the form is completed, we continue on day two with GFRC (glass-fiber reinforced concrete). We cover GFRC tools and equipment, materials, mix design, proper mix protocol, and most importantly, how we cast GFRC. In the evening the mould is removed and the piece created is revealed! At that point we finish the concrete, repair any imperfections, and discuss sealers and application methods. 

GFRC (glass-fiber reinforced concrete) is the medium we choose to create our work with for several reasons. It is easier to manipulate than traditional concrete, it is lighter, and ultimately, GFRC creates a stronger finished piece. However, it is important to note that GFRC is not new, it has been used in exterior commercial pre-cast applications for nearly 50 years in some of the harshest climates known to man. The material is sound. It is proven. 

Anything can be made more difficult than it needs to be, and left up to engineers, it is. We have striven to reduce our mix designs and techniques to be simple, repeatable and reliable so you can focus on the heart of the matter, and the reason you are interested in concrete; art, design, expanding horizons, and to shape the world around us with our own two hands.

We were the first company to train both fabric-forming and GFRC and are the long-leading experts in this emerging market segment. Our training is often imitated, but never duplicated; the pieces our attendees create are in a league of their own. You will not find cliche college’esque course numbers, bloated egos or erroneous claims of practical knowledge here. What you will find is the most passionate, creative and thorough training of fabric-forming and GFRC available anywhere - if this is what you’re looking for, welcome to your workshop.

DAY 3 & 4

DUSTY-CRETE WORKSHOP

INSTRUCTOR: DUSTY BAKER

Students attending my workshop will gain extensive knowledge turning regular concrete into a beautifully marbleized natural piece of art. We will be demonstrating a casting technique I have developed and perfected over the last 13 years. Our custom look uses the imperfections as part of the details that we call “Dusty-Crete.” During the workshop students will learn in-depth instruction on how to marbleize and vein concrete. Instruction on how to form concrete for unique edgings including carved and tooled. In addition, we will be teaching various finishing techniques such as slurrying, scrubbing, and buffing. Last but not least, our latest uses for color enhancement using water-based stain products and how to properly seal with the ICT sealing system.

With the techniques that are taught by our artisans, students will be able to create a uniquely custom concrete product with a modern or rustic look. If you want something different, unique, and individualized to each piece of concrete, look no further than attending a workshop with the artisans of Stone-Crete. 

DAY 5 & 6

ADVANCED FINISHES + UPRIGHT CASTING WORKSHOP

INSTRUCTOR: JON SCHULER

In today’s modern age of casting most concrete artisans have forgotten, or worse yet, never learned the fundamentals of manipulating concrete using simple hand tools to control the very nature of the material, hereinafter referred to as 'Upright Casting'. Upright Casting plainly explained is the process of crafting and processing concrete goods right-side-up, in it's final state, instead of upside-down against a form. This difference allows an infinite variety of creative options not available with common casting methods. These techniques date back more than 2,000 years and were utilized by the Romans in the creation of their masterpieces. Modern technologies have blinded the current craftsman to the inherent beauty that makes concrete "concrete", the 'soul of the substance' if you will. A simple and subtle shift in finishing techniques can yield drastically different aesthetics ranging from modern to rustic. 

In this workshop Jon Schuler will teach you how to produce multiple finishes, embodying each piece with the mark of it's maker, in the truest sense. You will learn how every aspect of the mix, from design, to casting and curing, impress a signature on the final surface. We will meld ancient tooling and casting techniques with the worlds most technically advanced concrete mix designs. Upright Casting, using the most rudimentary of tools, offers your customers a myriad of finishes that will not only increase the demand for your products, but the value as well. We will demystify the process, simplify the complexities, and teach you how to take command of your medium. 

Workshop Topics will include:

• Form building from an Upright Casting point of view

• ICT Reactive Sealer application

• Acid washing concrete

• Use of orbital sanding techniques to achieve and finesse final finishes

• Proper methods of grinding and sanding utilizing dry diamonds

Attendees of this class will craft a minimum of 3 distinctive finishes. The workshop format is exploratory, allowing each individual to find their own design voice - aesthetics that resonate with them and their demographic. The simple hand tools employed include floats, trowels, and even your own hands! The sequence and manipulation of these tools and techniques are the secret sauce needed to boost your confidence, advance your offerings, and expand your earnings. Join us for knowledge, inspiration, and the most fun you can have while mastering a lost art!

Workshop Dates

• Pinnacle Concrete Camp / No dates currently scheduled, please register for our email newsletters to be notified when we schedule new classes.

SESSION TIME AND CAPACITY

• 6 full days of training at Concrete Design School.

• These sessions are limited to 30 participants to ensure hands-on learning and class participation

Cost

• First-time Students: $4500

• Alumni: $2250

You may be asking yourself, which ticket type should I purchase? If this is your first time attending a Concrete Design School Workshop you should choose the 'First Time Student' ticket. If you have previously taken part in a Concrete Design School class you should choose the 'Alumni' ticket, as we offer special reduced pricing to returning attendees as way of saying thank you for your continued support.

PURCHASE TICKETS NOW

WORKSHOP LOCATION AND TRAVEL DETAILS

Concrete Design School is located at:

45 Bear Ridge Rd., Eureka Springs, AR 72631

GPS Coordinates: 36.421726, -93.789226

InstructorS

Brandon Gore

Dusty Baker

Jon Schuler

The Fine Print

If you need to cancel, the course fee will not be refunded but the amount can be used towards a future Concrete Design School workshop. 

All participants will be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with penalties for unauthorized disclosure of material. The methods and formulas taught during the class may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form. 

Concrete Design School reserves the right to change, modify or cancel the class schedule at any time.