Authentic English clay cobbles mmm everybody wants them but few can have them. For the people by the people then come back and reaLLY BUY THE PEOPLE.  I was getting requests to import authentic English Clay cobbles, man-o-man are they pricey and they take for ever to get, but I have some, about 400 pieces. Thats just enough to create a new concrete cobble series by Arto. That's not all, you can get them with these beautiful matching decos, great for borders and trim. Arto's Old English cobbles are available in every color and are also the first cobble to cross over into the stone porphyry genre, measuring 4"x4"x2.5". Yes this new cross over hybrid not only uses catchy and trendy vocabulary but can give your next project the appearance of an Argenteen Porphyry or and English Clay Cobble look. Think about it man. You can get these in two color tones and create beautiful patterns like the streets or Brazil or Portugal. You can get them in dark earth tones and they would look like granite cobbles used all over the world. The options are endless, once again. Your imagination will not be damaged but your designs will be heightened

This is Durango, one of Arto's oldest shapes. We have been making 11"x14" Durango's at 3/4" thickness for over twenty years. Like all other Arto products it can come in any color and with no minimum quantity. Now Arto makes Durango Pavers in 2" thickness and 2.5" thickness. These are ok for a domestic use  or commercial vehicle traffic.Why Durango why not Jalisco or Oaxaca, why not? Well Arto Brick was founded in beautiful Los Angeles near Culver City to be more exact. After growing out of two locations in that area, he moved to West Los Angeles and the name of the street we were on was Durango, good ol' 90034. So in conclusion or in confusion let me say the Durango comes in thin tile a large 11x14 or the mini 3x4 and now comes in two new sizes for the sand set application 8x 6 and 13 x8 ask one of our distributors for a sample. yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah-the people have spoken and we have the answer.  

Ahhh the decorative pervious paver. These are available for a sand set application that may incorporate  small pebbles, grass or just left open. I think these would look great inserted as a deco into a large area that has smooth Roman Pavers or also used as an exterior entry area in rural setting where shoe soles may need to be cleaned. These are still prototypes but with the help of  public's interest this may evolve into many types of designs and may even be used as a screen wall where light can be manipulated to create an atmosphere like no other

Sliced Veneer, wow , this is available in many sizes and colors. The idea is to create a modern look but  with a natural appeal.  You have a contemporary shape and texture and with the exposed aggregate you will still have a very organic presence.I imagine this with either a high gloss or a matte look.

Yup thats right another example of how cut throat the tile industry can be.  People see one good idea, they go around the world and see who can do it cheaper. Well thats it I ain't takin' this no more!!  Can you see what they are doing to me?  Ilike carobs!

Yes, the New Year has arrived and it is almost done already. You can't blame time, we can only blame ourselves.  Here are two pictures that bring in the new year, pure beauty and utter disaster.  Early Winter Wonderland and a car burning at 7-11 ooops 

Not much to say but good buy to the OLD YEAR. Here comes the New One.

very colorful, hometown comfort,my old fishing hole,the jetty,ice cold water,high adrenaline,secret spot
peaceful, an urban oasis, so cal. beauty,winter in paradise, cool breeze, tickling palm trees, redondo breakwater, El Porto, 55 degree water, blue toes, numb feet, hungry bellies, hot hearts, happy souls, joy,hard work, fun, 8 am, abandon ship, freedom, silence, train of thought, chain of thought, chain gang of thought, flat tire, slippery sand, fox hill players, scamps, family time, if its almost winter that means its almost summer, older we get faster it goes, life is short its even shorter when your 87, fresh air, clean water, honest life, big steaks, romantic love, music music music, friends , a nice drink, intimate smoke , fire, exercise, meditation, inspiration,faith,hope, finish,over,done

here are some pictures from a thanksgiving bike ride I'd like to share

These are some mantles/window sills or what ever you want to call them. Some one called and said they are designing a hearth and wall with Arto's products and asked if we make mantles. Yes we do and yes we make many different styles of "fireplace" sets.  The catch is we don't have them in one section of our catalog like a "fireplace section."  I would say soon we will have one but its not a priority at this time.  People have been making fireplaces with Arto products for so long, no kiddin'.  People would ask Arto to sign them.  Thats right he would finish an installation of a fireplace an archway and the clients would ask him to sign his work. I think thats a pretty impressive compliment.  Arto has been doing fireplaces and hearths so long...how long has he been doing it? He's been doing it so long that they used to be just  hearths with a cast iron pot belly stove on top.  That was the style then, I guess?



Here are some pictures I have been wanting to post. Its not much but it shows two buildings in my neighborhood that have interesting concrete precast panels. If you like them, they are just examples of what Arto can do for you. We can make large format precast panels with almost any geometric pattern.
 
Another picture is of a Los Angeles County Sewage treatment building thats on the beach.  We made a custom color and  custom size corners to match an existing 50 year old building. Not too tough because the type of slump stone block they needed to match was already something Arto has been producing. We only had to develop the right size corners and color and produce the material in a timely and economic manner-and we did

My new favorite by anonymous local artist 

Yes shells, these are exposed aggregate pavers incorporated with white beach shells and small assorted pearl colored shells. This is a cool moulding piece we made for an outdoor firplace. The moulding has radius to match and  the client used some of our mantle pieces to use above the decorative mouldings. The same client used 4000sqft of Cotto Gold Vitage for an exterior application and Los Angeles Red with Malibu tile decos for the stairs. It sounds pretty nice, I'd like to see those pictures in next edition of the "Big"

Here in the red is our Mini Hex. It's something new that we will probably introduce to the market real soon. A couple of showrooms used it in Tuscan Mustard. I like it in a gray gold color with a lite acid wash. It reminds me of the old YMCA or the Park's bathroom with its beige worn look. Not that those are desirable or exotic locations its just thats what the colors reminded me of. Another thing about these mini hexes is the price. Your looking for around 4$ a sqft retail how much is something similar in ceramic/porcelean cost 12$ and up. These are 1" hexes

Pictured above the mini hex is another shot of the new Mushroom in Charcoal Gray with a black grout. My friend Hector said it would of looked better with a neutral gray colored grout. I told him he is completley wrong. He also said we should call the shape "Fan" I said your blind.

Next to the "Fan" is the Mini Pata Grande arranged by my other friend Ramon. It reminded me of some motorcycle club's flames. Mini Pata Grandes have been very popular this year and are available in all of Arto's colors. The most popular colors that we have been making the Mini Pata Grande is Bone.Hacienda and Hacienda Flash. We have been making the larger 11x11 Pata Grande for over twenty yerars and has been widely used aswellHere pictured is 2x8 Antik Used Red in a Vintage California Craftsmen. Right above it to the right is a 10 year old job using the exclusive 14x14 Artillo Cafe and Cotto Gold Limestone. These colors don't bleed!
Hey everybody have fun! Life is short and be responsible. If you want to spend the night it will be alright. We can have fun all night!

These two pictures represent a very common scenario that happens very often in the tile and flooring world. People add on to an existing job that was installed 50 years ago or they bought something recently that has been discontinued and they need more of it. Well, well, well.....Arto to the rescue! Thats right ladies and gentlmen we have been matching tiles and colors as long as we have been making them. There are other companies that make tile, that make concrete tile but I dare you to find a factory that will make you a custom match of a small quantity at a reasonable price. I guess it all started because Arto's company started in one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. A place were there as many styles as there are palm trees, a place that I love very much, Los Angeles. I guess it started when Arto was doing restoration work for the California missions or when Arto began to bring his old world traditions and styles to his craft. It is extremely rare I think and if you know of another bussiness that is similar please let me know. I would love to meet them.

One time my good friend Ryan who is a high end designer in this Los Angeles area gave me a call. He was working on a 1930's restoration and he needed some straight yellow tiles and then some variations on that theme. He said its not much maybe 2, 3 thousand square feet. I told him its our pleasure and he thought I was joking. I told him I'm sincere I love this kind of work he still thought I was joking. I'm not joking when I get excited about doing color matches or restoration jobs no matter the quantity, its just a    
fun challenge for a region that I feel connected to. I don't mind doing other restortions in other parts of the country. In fact people send Arto terracotta tiles from all over the world that they would like to match, and we do.

The pictures below are of a group of tiles in which two are over 50 years old belonging to a retired American who volenteers his time to the boyscouts of America

Trustworthy,

Loyal,

Helpful,

Friendly,

Courteous,

Kind,

Obedient,

Cheerful,

Thrifty,

Brave,

Clean,

and Reverent. Can you choose which ones are the originals. I bet you can.

Arto takes a lot of time making fine handcrafted products. So it is our pleasure to pack them in poorly designed units for transportation. Our number one goal is to make sure all of the product you receive is completely unusable. We have been shipping unusable products coast to coast for 40 years, we must be doing something right!

Hi, how's everybody doin? You must be ok if your reading this, right? What can be wrong?

One of my favorite future stars at Arto is my friend Daniel. He is a tall, long haired indigenous tattooed mother flower who is probably always misunderstood. I tell him its not fair but in this world people judge and then I proceed to tell him PRESENTATION PRESENATION PRESENTATION, I say it loUd, I say it three times and I say it with caps lock on. I say we work hard to make the finest products. I say the boss works hard to design the finest product so when the people receive their order let it be obvious that they purchased the right product for the right job.

Arto packages all our products on Arto's signature pallets and wraps them in post consumer recycled stretch film that can be recycled again and then we put a band of Red Arto Signature tape to seal the package. If your package arrives with the tape broken or its not on an Arto pallet then most likely your products have been tampered with, I am sorry.

Take a look at the pictures below to see how a typical Arto order is wrapped and presented
Thank you for your time and come again often

Hey all you,
How we doin'?
Hope all is well? If your reading this what can really be wrong?
Here are two pictures of Pervious Pavers. People are crazy for this. It is such a hot topic, I don't know why.
May be because some knuckleheads said its "green". I guess it is because there will be less run off water but it all ends up in the same place right?

 

 

 

                                                                                                              

HI Everybody, you see the pictures up above?

Well, time flies as we all know and 2009 is coming to an end. So I thought I would look back a little and share some new products Arto is making in an informal way.
Up above you see some pictures that I will describe  from top to bottom
. If there are any questions about anything just call our office 310 768 8500 and ask for me , Vod.
WAll behind grass and flowers- well Arto is very proud to produce unique and exclusive designs for the Forest LAwn family of cemeteries. One of the items is a unique wall assembly using split concrete block with 6 different sizes.

6x6x2 Roman Paver-yes that is right 6x6x2 Roman paver with all the Roman goodness inside. Also available in 1" thickness and all the traditional Roman trimmings for your holiday feast.

California Paver 3x18x4- this is a great paver that can be used in almost any application. Great for commercial or residential designs that want a narrow modular appearance. These in the picture also have a heavy sandblast finish.

Wall Fountain- you see the lion, yeah thats our Lion#2 with PC-5 moulding around it and Roman/Italian curbings used for the basin surround. These are not new, we have been making them for over twenty years and have many more Lion Heads and Mouldings to choose from.

VAn Gogh's Ear- a very cool and unique shape and size. Measuring about 16 inches in length it is meant to be spaced in a random manner and filled and accented with either stone or glass. I have heard some clients fill it with other Arto colors too!

Roman Rounds-available in 12",18" and 24" & 2" thick for a sand set installation method. These circles are classic precast items brought back to life with Arto's wide variety of colors and textures. It reminds me of one restaurant job we did a FEW YEARS AGO-NOTHING BUT CIRcles. We looked at everything around the factory for round objects that we can use as a mold and we found a ton. So the floor was covered in circles from 3" to 24"

MAgic Mushroom- also known as the anchor, the scallop or the seashell. Honestly the title is undecided, I prefer the mushroom.

New Green Blend- a nice gal from the good 'ol San Fernando Valley wanted her kitchen floor to match a picture she had from a 1960's Sunset magazine. Well Arto has been in many Sunset magazine stories from the beginning, this was not one of them though.  So we made a few shades of green with a few different textures. She of course just choose one but when we laid them all out we thought it look great so we made a few display boards and here is the one exclusive picture. Its many shades of green with Charcoal accents with all the vintage textures.

Exposed aggregate-  whats the big deal? concrete has been made with exposed aggregate for generations. Well the big deal is now you can get it with the combination of Arto colors. Also think about the possibilities with other types of aggregates; black pebbles on green concrete, glass on a black concrete, white stone on a brown concrete. You're the designer we just make your ideas possible.

12x24 Stripes- this was made for my good friend Greg. He has a customer who was bringing huge 4'x8' sheets of stone from Hungary that has these characteristics and we reproduced it for him.


In Conclusion: Arto makes new products and colors everyday-Yes everyday-let us see if I can keep all you nice folks updated. If there is something that you are imagining just let me know and we can make some concrete harmony!!
Hey thanks for your time.

On Friday September 18 ARTO hosted a contractor lunch at Resource Building Materials in Huntington Beach.  A good time was had by all and thanks to our hosts at Resource for skillful grilling and getting the word out. 

All contractors and design professionals are invited to Larry's Building Materials in Costa Mesa to learn more about ARTO and our products on Tuesday October 13 from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM.  We look forward to seeing you there!

ARTO Contractor Lunch
Date: Tuesday October 13, 2009
Location: Larry's Building Materials - Costa Mesa
Address: 1151 Baker Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (714-545-0448)
Questions: Sarah Tague, ARTO 714-507-6387
Map/Directions

All contractors and design professionals are invited to Resource Building Materials in Huntington Beach to learn more about ARTO and our products on Friday, September 18 from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM.  We look forward to seeing you there!

ARTO Contractor Lunch
Date: Friday, September 18, 2009
Location: Resource Building Materials - Huntington Beach
Address: 7502 Warner Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 (714-842-1500)
Questions: Sarah Tague, ARTO 714-507-6387
Map/Directions

As seen on TV: Ryan Brown of 'Flipping Out' puts down roots

Designer Ryan Brown has a fan and friend of ARTO for many years now.  Recently his home was featured in the Los Angeles Times along with the ARTO Roman Pavers in Early Gray that make up his garden path and pool coping. 


(Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)

Interior designer Ryan Brown, known as the voice of reason on the Bravo reality series  "Flipping Out,"  has made a living buying ugly duckling properties, turning them into beauties and selling them for profit. But as fans of "Flipping Out" know, Brown and his domestic partner, chef Dale Monchamp, had a daughter through a surrogate and wanted to put down roots. Two years ago they bought a 1942 two-story stucco house in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles

We have nothing to do with it but the website for the ARTO ART FAIR BUSAN caught our eye.

If you happen to be in Busan, Korea next week let them know what ARTO is really all about.

ARTO looks forward to attending the NPCA 44th Annual Convention Oct. 1-5, at the Marriott Hilton Head Beach and Golf Resort in Hilton Head, S.C.

The National Precast Concrete Association (NPCA) represents manufacturers of plant produced precast concrete products and companies that provide the equipment, supplies and services to make these products.

Founded in 1965, NPCA connects leaders in the manufactured concrete industry through educational, leadership and networking opportunities. The association currently represents more than 1,100 companies that are committed to expanding the use of quality precast concrete.

NPCA also provides technical and production information through eight product committees, which consist of members who concentrate on specific product lines within the precast industry.  ARTO is proud to be a member of the NPCA and serves on the Building Product Committee.  In addition, ARTO is helping to expand the NPCA's industry leading plant certification program to cover manufacturers of decorative concrete products.

ARTO is providing custom panels for the new Mariachi Station for the Metro Gold Line Extension.  Of the eight new stations Mariachi Station is one of only two located underground. 

The centerpiece of the adjacent Mariachi Plaza is a grand gazebo carved from cantera store that was donated in 1998 by the Mexican state of Jalisco to honor the contributions of the mariachi musicians who congregate in the plaza.



ARTO produced custom concrete panels for the canopies for the stairs down to the underground station.  The panels were designed to match the cantera stone on the gazebo to allow for a seamless transtion between the existing plaza and the new station.

About The Metro Gold Line Extension
The Metro Gold Line arrives in East LA. With eight new stations serving diverse LA neighborhoods, such as the Arts District, Little Tokyo and Boyle Heights, this eagerly awaited extension will connect the Eastside by rail to Downtown LA, Pasadena, San Fernando Valley, South Bay, Long Beach and dozens of points in between.

ARTO's new brochure, known internally as "BIG" is now available in hard copy or electronic format on www.artobrick.com.   Actually "BIG" is better described as a design guide or idea book, thanks to its vast array of jobsite images and comprehensive color and surface texture chart.

The cover features mar'sel, the centerpiece restaurant of the newly opened Terranea Resort & Spa in Palos Verdes.   12x12 Artillo tiles in a custom Hermosa blend add a touch of ARTO's signature rustic elegance to this luxurious new dining establishment.  Patrons on the patio enjoy unparalleled views of the Pacific while  relaxing on the Roman Wall Caps crowning the seat walls and fire pit.  Roman Wall Caps, Pool Coping, and Custom Stairtreads were used for the restaurant, pool, and other areas and feature a custom textured surface specified by the project owner.

"BIG" can be downloaded at www.artobrick.com or you can request a hard copy via mail at info@artobrick.com.

The courtyard of this La Jolla home has been a favorite of ours ever since we first laid eyes on these photos.  The pattern features a various sizes of Artillo tile arranged in a truly random pattern.   The colors, Cotto Gold and Artillo, go together quite nicely and are complemented by occassional inserts of brightly colored ceramic tiles.

Artillo series tile features variations in sizes and surfaces characteristic of tiles from a bygone era.  Notice the dramatic effect of the irregular grout joints.  While the effect is somewhat exaggerated due to the wild pattern it nonetheless highlights the individual personality and lively variation that make Artillo tiles unique. 

Use these photos as inspirations to concoct your own one-of-a-kind blend of colors, sizes, shapes and create distinctive patterns.

Every Artillo tile is designed and handcrafted in Southern California and all sizes, shapes, decos, and accessories can be ordered in any of the wide range of colors offered by ARTO.

The Precast Show to debut in 2009

Precasters and Pipe producers will meet in Houston

The precast and pipe industry will head to Houston in February 2009 for the launch of a new trade show featuring products, services, education and a host of other events designed specifically for precast concrete and concrete pipe manufacturers.

The National Precast Concrete Association and American Concrete Pipe Association will sponsor the new trade show, which will bring together precast manufacturers with suppliers to the industry. The Precast Show will debut Feb. 20-22, 2009, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Future shows are scheduled in Phoenix in 2010, Charlotte, N.C. in 2011 and Orlando in 2012. NPCA and ACPA will hold a variety of additional meetings, special events and training for their members in conjunction with the trade show.

Developed by leading precast and pipe suppliers and manufacturers in the industry, The Precast Show will feature the latest equipment, products and services. In addition to an expansive trade show floor, the event will include technical education programming, plant tours, networking events and much more.

Board members of NPCA and ACPA said the new trade show will be specially tailored to precast and concrete pipe producers in a growing industry that includes hundreds of products for both underground and above-ground construction.

A leading designer of mechanical systems has challenged a study by the New Buildings Institute and USGBC claiming that LEED-certified buildings are 25% to 30% more energy-efficient than the national average.  Henry Gifford's alternative interpretation of the data claims that LEED buildings are actually 29% less efficient than the average building.  Visit the link below for details and a summary of the data in question:


http://www.buildinggreen.com/live/index.cfm/2008/9/2/Lies-Damn-Lies-and-Are-LEED-Buildings-iLessi-Efficient-Than-Regular-Buildings

Did you know that Arto donates products to Habitat for Humanity?  Almost all Arto products are made to order to minimize waste but we occassionally have extra materials due to production overruns or the odd return.   

Arto is proud to support Habitat for Humanity by donating this material for use in their construction projects or to be sold by their retail stores.

To learn more about Habitat for Humanity visit their website http://www.habitat.org/

PCBC aka Pacific Coast Builders Conference

This past week Arto was at PCBC held at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco.  A first for this generation: a trade show so far from home base. I think Arto himself did a trade show in Vegas, once.

This first pic was taken on the roof of Moscone. The convention hall is subterranean, very cool.

These pics are of our booth and crew.  The crew all did an awesome job.  Left to right; Stephanie, Sarah, Will & Sam   (I am in the third one down, far right). These pics were taken at 2:59 PM on Friday, the show ended at 3PM. The booth was well used, but everything  still looks great doesn’t it?

These are pics of our (convention hall) neighbors. The last ones are a series & one of them was having fun.

PCBC aka Pacific Coast Builders Conference

This past week Arto was at PCBC held at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco.  A first for this generation: a trade show so far from home base. I think Arto himself did a trade show in Vegas, once.

This first pic was taken on the roof of Moscone. The convention hall is subterranean, very cool.

These pics are of our booth and crew.  The crew all did an awesome job.  Left to right; Stephanie, Sarah, Will & Sam   (I am in the third one down, far right). These pics were taken at 2:59 PM on Friday, the show ended at 3PM. The booth was well used, but everything  still looks great doesn’t it?

These are pics of our (convention hall) neighbors. The last ones are a series & one of them was having fun.

Within the LEED rating system heat islands are defined as “thermal gradient differences between developed and undeveloped areas.” Put simply, urban areas retain heat much more than rural areas.  Concrete can provide reflective surfaces that reduce the heat island effect to provide a more comfortable living environment and decrease energy consumption.

 

 

 

 

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The temperature of a surface is dependent on the reflectance and emittance of the surface and the influence of solar radiation.  To determine these qualities the USGBC employs the Solar Reflectance Index (SRI), which is a composite index calculated in accordance with ASTM E 1980.  Baseline SRI values range from 100 for a standard white surface to 0 for a black surface.  Ordinary concrete made with Portland cement has an SRI ranging from 38 to 52 which can then be further increased by specifying light colors or using white cement.

Within the LEED rating system heat islands are defined as “thermal gradient differences between developed and undeveloped areas.” Put simply, urban areas retain heat much more than rural areas.  Concrete can provide reflective surfaces that reduce the heat island effect to provide a more comfortable living environment and decrease energy consumption.

 

 

 

 

---

The temperature of a surface is dependent on the reflectance and emittance of the surface and the influence of solar radiation.  To determine these qualities the USGBC employs the Solar Reflectance Index (SRI), which is a composite index calculated in accordance with ASTM E 1980.  Baseline SRI values range from 100 for a standard white surface to 0 for a black surface.  Ordinary concrete made with Portland cement has an SRI ranging from 38 to 52 which can then be further increased by specifying light colors or using white cement.