Using Concrete Overlays In Aquariums And Zoos: 4 Great Benefits

Concrete overlays aren’t just for enhancing your home or business. Their ability to look just like other natural materials and to upgrade formerly bland concrete surfaces makes them wonderful for adding that extra touch to make aquariums and zoos all the more colorful and unique. They can bring old exhibits back to life and provide versatile design options throughout the space. 

aquariums and zoos concrete overlays

Here’s what you need to know about some of the ways concrete overlays can be used in aquariums and zoos.

#1. Add Dimension To Exhibits

One of the greatest appeals of concrete overlay is that it can be stamped and made to look like all sorts of different materials. A concrete overlay can look like cobblestones, natural stone formations, wood, cracked earth, and many other natural textures. This adds dimension to exhibits. 

A jungle exhibit can have a concrete overlay laid over the floor to look like the cracked earthen floor you’d find in a jungle. A vertical concrete overlay can make walls and parts of exhibits look like real stone. Creating a boardwalk-type pattern around water exhibits, like to see seals, brings that beachy vibe to your aquariums and zoos without needing to worry about all of the maintenance real wood necessitates.

#2. Create More Natural Environments 

Many aquariums and zoos have features in their various exhibits that are designed to look like pieces of the animals’ natural habitat. From rocks for penguins to rest on to staircases made to look like they’ve been carved from stone, aquariums and zoos strive to make their animals’ homes the best they can be.

Sometimes, these parts of the environments are clearly fake. Instead of a rock pile, it’s clearly a lump with some pieces on it that make it look more rock-like. These parts of the environment can be revitalized with concrete overlays to create a more natural environment for the animals and those walking through the exhibit.

Concrete overlay can be used for many different environments you find in aquariums and zoos, such as:

  • Artificial streams
  • Rock pools
  • River banks
  • Artificial boulders
  • Caves
  • Rock walls
  • Stamped decking
  • And more

Just like you can use concrete overlay to make parts of your home or business look like a piece of nature without the cost of actually incorporating that piece of natural, so too can concrete overlay be used in aquariums and zoos.

#3. Floors To Stand Up To Wear And Tear

Concrete overlay gives you a way to enjoy beautiful floors throughout aquariums and zoos that can stand up to the wear and tear these places see. Concrete overlay, when well-maintained, typically lasts as long as the substrate it was installed on. Custom designs can add interest to the floors and take aquariums and zoos to the next level.

Concrete Overlay

#4. Applicable For Many Different Surfaces

Throughout aquariums and zoos, there are many different types of surfaces. A concrete overlay can be applied on almost any surface, as long as it does not have oils or tars or the like. It can be applied over concrete, tile, brick, wood, stucco, drywall, sheetrock, and more. They can also withstand being submerged underwater, and are used by commercial aquariums and zoos to create underwater rock formations and water features. 

Stone Edge Surfaces provides high-quality concrete overlays for all sorts of different applications. Our overlays have been used in the Living Planet Aquarium, as well as in many homes and businesses. They can be made more durable and water-resistant with our deck seals. To learn more about our concrete overlay products or any of the other products that we have available, don’t hesitate to contact us today!

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