We get excited when we get to incorporate this design element. We had an opportunity to use board formed concrete in a home we deigned that has a mix of styles incorporating both modern and traditional elements. In this project we thought board formed concrete would be the perfect fireplace surround. We wanted this surround to be smooth while still showing that beautiful grain effect. We could have varied this look by how the boards were spaced when forming the surround. Boards that are widely spaced create a rough raised effect whereas boards that are tightly spaced create a smoother look. Below are some photos showing examples of smooth versus a rough board formed concrete.