If you are looking to increase the curb appeal of our home without having to engage in costly renovations, you could consider decorative concrete driveways. Generally, a regular concrete driveway does not have much aesthetic appeal, as it is exclusively functional. However, this does not mean that you cannot opt for decorative concrete to enhance the overall appearance of the exterior of your home.
There is a range of options to choose from when it comes to decorative driveways, as the concrete can be stained, arranged in intricate patterns, textured and more. Here are some of the different options that you can consider:
Stamped concrete driveways
As the name suggests, the decorative design is conceived through stamping. Before the surface of the concrete has become cured, the contractors will imprint a pattern on it so that it can dry as the concrete dries. You have a range of options to select from when it comes to determining what pattern would best suit your residence, such as slate imprints, cobblestone patterns, brick patterns and more.
Once the concrete has cured, you could opt to make it appear more authentic to its design by having it stained. For instance, if you opted for brick imprints, the contractor can stain them a brownish red hue to make them look like real bricks.
Aggregate concrete driveways
With this type of decorative driveway, aggregate pebbles are incorporated into the concrete mixture. Prior to the pouring of the concrete, different coloured pebbles are mixed into it. For a rustic appearance, you should opt for pebbles of different sizes too. Once these are added, the concrete is poured and the pebbles will stick out.
To make them exposed, the pebbles are then either sandblasted or wiped off with chemicals that will eliminate the concrete paste before it dries. This type of decorative driveway is not only attractive, but functional too as the texture from the exposed aggregate provides additional traction for vehicles. This prevents any skidding on your property.
Concrete pavers
These comprise of individual concrete slabs that are connected together to form a pattern. Since they come in a range of colours, sizes and textures, you are free to customize your driveway as you see fit. Additionally, you can opt to have the pavers cut into specific shapes, making them quite convenient when it comes to custom decorative patterns. One of the advantages of concrete pavers is that they are quite easy to repair. For instance, if any of the pavers sustain damage, you are not required to redo the entire driveway as they can easily be individually replaced.
To learn more, try contacting a company such as Panorama Concrete Paving with any questions or concerns you have.
Share15 July 2015
Concrete may seem boring to the uninitiated, but as the wife of a concrete contractor, I have learned, over the years, that it is anything but boring. Contemporary concrete can be used in a range of applications from functional sound walls to decorative koi ponds, and it can be left gray, stamped or acid stained. If you are getting ready to do a project, you have come to the right place. In this blog, I am going to post a myriad of information about concrete with an emphasis on project ideas and the different uses of concrete. By the end, I hope you find concrete as exciting as I do!
