Consistent results, concrete services.

The principles that guide


how we work with every client

Smarter concrete decisions before, during, and after the project.

01

Concrete Design

Mix designs, admixtures, materials, and performance strategy.

Our approach is practical: we look at how the mix needs to perform in the field, not just how it looks on paper. Workability, finishability, strength, durability, shrinkage, curing behavior, polishability, and long-term surface performance all matter.

Concrete Design

Mix Design Consulting

We help review, develop, and optimize concrete mix designs based on the needs of the project. This may include standard ready-mix concrete, polished concrete slabs, specialty floor mixes, low-shrinkage mixes, high-performance mixes, repair mortars, overlays, or eco-conscious concrete systems.

• Cement and SCM selection
• Water-to-cementitious ratio review
• Aggregate gradation and packing
• Workability and finishability
• Strength and durability targets
• Shrinkage and cracking risk
• Surface performance for polished/exposed concrete
• Cost and performance tradeoffs

Concrete Design

Specialty Admixtures

Admixtures can make or break a concrete system. CIA helps evaluate admixture packages for real-world performance, compatibility, dosage, sequencing, and jobsite behavior.

The goal is not simply to add more chemicals, but to build a smarter system that is easier to place and finish, more consistent, and better suited to the final use.

• Water reducers & high-range water reducers
• Set control admixtures
• Air-entraining systems
• Shrinkage-reducing admixtures
• Fibers and reinforcement additives
• Densifiers and surface-reactive treatments
• Nano-silica and performance additives
• Admixture strategies for low-carbon or SCM-heavy mixes

Concrete Design

Eco-Conscious Materials

CIA also consults on emerging and alternative concrete materials, including SCMs, calcined clay, metakaolin, geopolymer systems, and other lower-carbon or performance-focused technologies.

• Material feasibility
• Performance expectations
• Application fit
• Field-trial strategy
• Cost and supply considerations
• Specification language
• Risk before full-scale adoption

02

Concrete Systems

Procedures, specifications, standards, and execution strategy.

Great concrete does not come from the mix alone. It comes from the full system: design, specification, batching, placement, finishing, curing, protection, maintenance, and accountability.

CIA helps clients create better concrete systems so projects are more predictable and problems are easier to prevent. This includes the written documents, jobsite procedures, quality-control checkpoints, and technical expectations that guide the work from start to finish.

Concrete Systems

Specification Consulting

Specifications often determine whether a concrete project succeeds or fails before anyone starts placing material. CIA helps review, write, and improve specifications so they are clear, practical, enforceable, and aligned with the intended outcome.

• Polished concrete specifications
• Slab and floor system specifications
• Surface preparation requirements
• Densifier, sealer, and coating requirements
• Mix design performance requirements
• Curing and protection requirements
• Jointing and repair standards
• Quality-control and mockup requirements
• Maintenance expectations

Concrete Systems

Procedures

CIA helps develop procedures that make concrete work more consistent and easier to manage. These procedures can be used by owners, contractors, producers, installers, facility teams, or manufacturers introducing new systems.

• Placement and finishing procedures
• Polishing and surface refinement procedures
• Curing and protection plans
• Cleaning and maintenance programs
• Mockup and field-trial protocols
• Product installation guidelines
• Repair and remediation methods
• Quality-control checklists
• Training documents for crews or facility team

Concrete Systems

Problem Solving

When concrete does not perform as expected, CIA helps identify what went wrong and what to do next. We look at the system as a whole instead of blaming one product, trade, or step too quickly.

• Dusting or weak surfaces
• Cracking and curling
• Scaling or surface deterioration
• Poor polish results
• Staining or discoloration
• Coating failure
• Moisture-related issues
• Inconsistent finish quality
• Maintenance problems
• Product compatibility issues

Boutique execution for high-performance concrete projects.

01

Turn-Key Contracting

Mix designs, admixtures, materials, and performance strategy.

Our approach is practical: we look at how the mix needs to perform in the field, not just how it looks on paper. Workability, finishability, strength, durability, shrinkage, curing behavior, polishability, and long-term surface performance all matter.

Contracting

Polished Concrete

CIA provides turn-key polished concrete systems that begin before the grinder touches the floor. We evaluate the slab, define the desired appearance and performance, select the right refinement process, and execute the installation with the finished result in mind.

• Existing slab evaluation
• New slab polishing strategy
• Aggregate exposure planning
• Densifier and guard selection
• Grinding and polishing sequence
• Joint, crack, and repair treatment
• Final protection and maintenance planning

Contracting

Coatings

CIA provides turn-key coating systems for commercial, industrial, and specialty environments where surface preparation, product selection, and installation details are critical.



We evaluate the substrate, use conditions, exposure risks, and maintenance expectations before recommending and installing the coating system.

• Surface preparation
• Moisture and substrate review
• Epoxy, urethane, or polyaspartic systems
• Specialty protective coatings
• Chemical, stain, or wear-resistant systems
• Repair and recoating strategies
• Final maintenance recommendations

Contracting

Terrazzo

CIA provides turn-key terrazzo systems for select projects that require careful planning, material coordination, installation, grinding, grouting, polishing, and protection.



Terrazzo is a technical flooring system, not just a decorative finish. CIA helps manage the details that determine performance and appearance.

• Terrazzo system planning
• Aggregate and matrix selection
• Divider strip coordination
• Substrate preparation
• Moisture and condition review
• Placement and finishing
• Grinding, grouting, and polishing
• Sealing and maintenance planning

Contracting

Maintenance

CIA provides turn-key concrete maintenance systems for owners and facilities that want floors to keep performing after installation. Maintenance is often the difference between a floor that lasts and a floor that slowly fails.



We help create and execute maintenance programs for polished concrete, coated floors, terrazzo, and other high-performance concrete surfaces.

• Cleaning process recommendations
• Maintenance schedule development
• Surface refresh programs
• Stain and wear protection
• Periodic re-guarding or resealing
• Floor condition assessments
• Long-term lifecycle planning

02

CIA Specification Contracting

We build to a better standard.

CIA's Specification Contracting gives clients a clear technical roadmap before installation begins. The specification outlines the materials, procedures, expectations, quality-control points, and finished result. CIA then contracts the work based on that specification, helping reduce confusion, missed details, and mismatched expectations.

This is ideal for owners, architects, contractors, and project teams that want the work performed by a team that understands the system behind the specification.

Contracting

Polished Concrete

CIA can develop and execute polished concrete specifications that define the desired exposure, gloss, refinement level, densification strategy, protection system, repair expectations, and maintenance requirements.

• Finish expectations
• Aggregate exposure level
• Grinding and polishing sequence
• Densifier requirements
• Guard or stain protection
• Joint and repair standards
• Mockup requirements
• Final maintenance plan

Contracting

Coatings

CIA can develop and execute coating specifications that match the floor system to the real use of the space. This helps avoid product mismatches, poor preparation, adhesion failures, and unrealistic expectations.

• Substrate preparation requirements
• Moisture testing expectations
• Product system selection
• Primer, base coat, broadcast, and topcoat requirements
• Mil thickness targets
• Cure time and return-to-service requirements
• Slip resistance
• Maintenance recommendations

Contracting

Terrazzo

CIA can develop and execute terrazzo specifications that define the system before installation begins. This helps align design intent, material selection, installation requirements, and final finish expectations.

• Terrazzo system type
• Aggregate and matrix selection
• Divider strip layout
• Substrate preparation
• Moisture requirements
• Placement procedures
• Grinding and grouting process
• Polish level and finish expectations
• Sealer and maintenance requirements

Contracting

Maintenance

CIA can develop and execute maintenance specifications for polished concrete, coated floors, terrazzo, and specialty concrete surfaces.

This gives owners and facility teams a clear plan for how the floor should be cleaned, protected, refreshed, and maintained over time.

• Cleaning methods
• Equipment recommendations
• Chemical compatibility
• Maintenance frequency
• Re-guarding, resealing, or refresh schedules
• Stain prevention
• Wear monitoring
• Long-term floor care procedures

Developing better concrete technologies, to implement in the field.

Research Partners

Field-focused development for concrete products and systems.

Concrete Intelligence Agency works at the intersection of material science, field execution, and practical construction needs. Our R&D and materials work focuses on developing new concrete technologies, testing better systems, and finding ways to move promising ideas from the lab into real projects.

The goal is not research for research’s sake. CIA uses R&D to strengthen our consulting and contracting work. When we test a new admixture, surface system, mix design, polishing process, coating, terrazzo matrix, or eco-conscious binder, we are looking for practical systems that can eventually be integrated into specifications, field procedures, and high-performance installations.

Research

Specification Consulting

• Product evaluation and field testing
• Admixture and additive performance review
• Mix design compatibility testing
• Surface system testing
• Coating, densifier, and sealer evaluation
• Polished concrete and terrazzo system trials
• Mockups and pilot installations
• Product installation procedures
• Specification language
• Contractor-facing technical documentation
• Feedback from real jobsite conditions

Research

Universities

• Applied material testing
• Field-trial support
• Commercialization strategy
• Practical constructability feedback
• Mix design and system evaluation
• Concrete surface performance testing
• Pilot project planning
• Industry partner coordination
• Specification and implementation planning
• Translation of research into contractor-ready procedures

Research

Designers

• Material and system selection
• Polished concrete design guidance
• Terrazzo system development
• Decorative concrete concepts
• Coating and surface protection strategies
• Eco-conscious concrete options
• Mockup planning
• Performance-based specifications
• Finish expectations and sample standards
• Maintenance and lifecycle planning
• Coordination between design intent and field execution

02

Technology & System Development

From idea to specification to installation.

CIA’s R&D process is designed to create a feedback loop between research, consulting, and contracting. New technologies are evaluated, tested, refined, and then translated into practical systems that can be used in real projects.

Research

Development Focus

A material may begin as a manufacturer’s product, a university research concept, or a designer’s idea. CIA helps test whether it can become a real system: something that can be specified, installed, maintained, and trusted.

• Eco-conscious concrete materials
• Low-carbon and SCM-based concrete systems
• Calcined clay, metakaolin, and geopolymer systems
• Specialty admixtures and additives
• Internal curing and shrinkage-control systems
• Optimized aggregate gradation
• Nano-silica and advanced densification
• Polished concrete systems
• Coatings and surface protection
• Terrazzo binders and grouts
• Repair materials
• Maintenance and lifecycle systems

Research

Integration

CIA’s R&D work directly supports our consulting and contracting services. When we develop or validate a better material system, it can become part of a CIA consulting recommendation, a CIA Built Specification, or a turn-key installation.

• New technologies become consulting recommendations
• Tested systems become specification language
• Field trials become case studies
• Product knowledge improves installation procedures
• Contractor feedback improves material development
• In-house installation validates performance
• Lessons from projects guide future research

Better concrete starts with better decisions.

CIA consulting helps bridge the gap between design intent, material performance, field execution, and long-term results. From mix design to specifications, from admixtures to procedures, and from problem-solving to innovation, we help clients create concrete systems that perform with purpose.