Concrete Studio School
AUSTRALIA'S COMPREHENSIVE GFRC TRAINING COURSES
Master the art of concrete with our GFRC Training Courses
Concrete is hard.
Learning it shouldn't be.
Create stunning and durable concrete products from scratch and unlock your creative potential. Whether you want to start your own business, learn about concrete or expand your skills, Concrete Studio’s GFRC Courses will demonstrate the complete process of making beautiful concrete pieces, from building the mould to casting your coloured mixture, and finally how to detail and seal your pieces.
Built upon years of expertise and the ongoing success of our in-person training (since 2015) our courses will teach you all the details of spray-up concrete (GFRC) fabrication, exactly as we make it ourselves.
Choose your course
Introduction to GFRC
Learn specific GFRC skills while making vanity tops with cast-in sinks
15 & 16 May '25
All Day Thursday and Friday
4 places remaining
4 places remaining
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Make and keep a vanity top with sink. (Shipping available Australia wide). Value $2990
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*BONUS* Make and keep a coffee table top. Value $560
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*BONUS* All attendees get free access to our new online course
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All day Thursday and Friday. Lunches included.
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Taught in Fremantle, Western Australia
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Tax deductible training (in most cases)
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Hands-on practical courses: you do all the making
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We provide the tools, material & equipment
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Detailed colour training manual to keep
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Instant booking confirmation
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Makes a perfect gift: ask us about vouchers.
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$2200 inc GST
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Apple Pay, Google Pay, or installments with Afterpay
BOOK NOW
or join the stand-by list below for future dates + discounts
SOLD OUT
Introduction to GFRC
Learn specific GFRC skills while making vanity tops with cast-in sinks
17 & 18 May '25
All Day Saturday and Sunday
3 places remaining
3 places remaining
-
Make and keep a vanity top with sink. (Shipping available Australia wide). Value $2990
-
*BONUS* Make and keep a coffee table top. Value $560
-
*BONUS* All attendees get free access to our new online course
-
All day Saturday and Sunday. Lunches included.
-
Taught in Fremantle, Western Australia
-
Tax deductible training (in most cases)
-
Hands-on practical courses: you do all the making
-
We provide the tools, material & equipment
-
Detailed colour training manual to keep
-
Instant booking confirmation
-
Makes a perfect gift: ask us about vouchers.
-
$2200 inc GST
-
Apple Pay, Google Pay, or installments with Afterpay
BOOK NOW
or join the stand-by list below for future dates + discounts
WEEKEND
One Minute Testimonal.
We know our courses are great, but don’t just take our word for it… hear from one of our successful Concrete Studio School graduates form our last course in 2024.
Learn the endless design possibilities
What is GFRC?
GFRC stands for glass fibre reinforced concrete. It’s a composite material that combines cement, fine aggregates, water, polymers and alkali-resistant glass fibres to create a strong and lightweight concrete product. GFRC is commonly used in architectural and construction applications due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, durability and versatility. The glass fibres in GFRC provide reinforcement and improve the tensile strength of the concrete, making it less prone to cracking and more resistant to impact and flexural loads. The fibres also help to distribute stress throughout the material, enhancing its overall performance.
Learn to make what we make.
At Concrete Studio we mould GFRC into various shapes, textures and finishes, allowing for a wide range of design possibilities. We make architectural cladding, facades, decorative panels, countertops, sinks, furniture and many other architectural elements.
In addition to its structural properties, GFRC offers other advantages such as fire resistance, weather resistance and low maintenance requirements. It can be pigmented or stained to achieve different colors and a skilled maker can form it into intricate designs.
'GFRC Course Schedules'
Course outlines - What you will learn
Supplies & Tools
Module 01.
- Where and when to use GFRC in a project to get the best results.
- Benefits and challenges of working with GFRC.
- The differences in formwork and casting.
- Essential equipment and what you need to start making. We teach the whole course with items from any well equipped hardware store.
- How and where to source GFRC additives.
- How to find your own additives if commercial GFRC additives aren’t available locally to you.
- How to make and modify GFRC spray guns.
Mould & Form Making
Module 02.
- Types of materials used for form works to get the best results.
- Moulding set up: tricks and techniques that will save you hours later in the process.
- Assembling and preparing bench top and table moulds. Again, heaps of time saving measures that we have perfected over the years.
- How to seal your mould with silicone to give your finished pieces perfect edges.
- How to prepare to make integrated sinks (Introduction Course).
- How to make perfect blockouts for sinks, stoves and taps. (Kitchens Course)
Mixing & Casting
Module 03.
- The exact mix design and method that we use every day.
- How to mix the perfect face and backer coats.
- Techniques for spraying GFRC. We show you how to avoid common problems like crumbly edges and pinholes.
- Applying reinforcements.
- Creating weight-saving voids on large pieces.
- Making GFRC in different temperature environments, hot, cold, dry and humid. Learn about the chemistry of concrete.
Curing & Demoulding
Module 04.
- Preparing for the demould process so that pieces are undamaged at this critical time.
- Learn the importance of timing: how long to leave a piece in the mould to avoid twisting, warping or curling.
- Tips on lifting, using slings and lifting gear, or just elbow grease.
- Grinding and polishing the underside and removing blockouts.
Polishing & Sealing
Module 05.
- Preparing your pieces for sealing.
- Pros and cons of different types of sealer (penetrating and topical).
- Laying on your sealer primer.
- Grouting the piece to fill airholes.
- Polishing and cleaning in preparation for final sealer.
- Laying on the top coat of sealer.
- Final inspection and ensuring your project is ready for installation and total satisfaction of the end user.
Who is this course for?
Architects & Designers: Professionals who want to explore the possibilities of integrating GFRC into their architectural designs, such as facades, cladding, and decorative elements.
Contractors & Builders: Individuals involved in the construction industry who want to expand their skills and offer GFRC as a specialty service. This includes contractors working on both residential and commercial projects.
Artisans & Craftspeople: Those with a passion for creating unique and artistic concrete pieces, such as countertops, furniture, sculptures, and other decorative items using GFRC techniques.
DIY Enthusiasts: Hobbyists and homeowners who enjoy hands-on projects and want to learn GFRC techniques for personal home improvement, DIY furniture, or garden installations.
Construction Students & Educators: Students studying architecture, construction management, or related disciplines who wish to gain practical knowledge of GFRC for their academic or professional growth.
Professionals Seeking Continuing Education: Individuals already working in the construction industry, such as engineers or project managers, who want to expand their knowledge base and stay updated with the latest advancements in GFRC technology and applications.
FAQs
Who will be the teacher?
Introduction to GFRC is presented and taught by Phil: Concrete Studio’s founder and owner. He started his concrete career in 2005 working in heritage apartment conversions in London.
After a move to Australia in 2010 he set up Concrete Studio to bring GFRC to Australia: the Studio was one of the first GFRC furniture companies in the country.
Phil has been teaching concrete courses since 2015 and has welcomed students from all over the world.
As a course alumnus you also receive ongoing advice and support in your projects.
Do I need a lot of equipment?
This depends on how often you want to fabricate, but you will need the following:
- Workshop / Garage
- Strong, flat worktable
- Compressor
- GFRC spray guns (we show you where to buy them / make them)
- Hand tools for mould making
- You may need a polisher depending on the finish you want. Typically we don’t use them
- The course goes into detail on all the equipment
Read our Google reviews
Attended the course a few weeks ago. It was an amazing course, well run, informative and very hands on. Thrilled with the new skills I have learnt.
Thoroughly enjoyed it, it was well run, extremely easy for any level of experience to keep up with the well structured, step by step course, but way harder than initially thought to get the desired outcome!
Great teacher and fantastic lunches, thanks again. Will definitely be going to another course in the future!
On a whim, I flew over from the coastal Victoria to Perth to participate in the workshop at Concrete Studio learning how to make concrete basins and bench tops. A hands on course, very inspiring. I'm looking forward to seeing what evolves from what I learnt. Great team, led by owner Phil. A big thank you to his wife Orla too who spoilt us all with the most sensational lunches and morning teas! thanks too for recommendations down Margaret River way, I loved it! Best wishes for the continued success of Concrete Studio, great products.
Really glad I did this course, Phil has an extensive knowledge of concrete and it's properties. Jason and the boys in the workshop know their stuff, all done in a relaxed environment made it an enjoyable experience. Highly recommend this course to anyone. Phil's wife's lunches were amazing too! Cheers Paul.
Completed the 3 day course and was very impressed with the amount we covered in such a short time and the quality of the products we produced, would highly recommend this course to anyone interested.
Huge thanks to Phil and Ilka for the brilliant GFRC course I did recently. More informative, more professional, and a much simpler process than one I did on the east coast a few years ago! Phil's support since the course has also been awesome.
