Two Decorative Concrete Ideas for Your Driveway

Decorative concrete provides plenty of options for a driveway. Contractors can add textures, patterns, and colours to create the look you want. However, the hard part is deciding on the best appearance for your home. Do you want a subtle look that's a bit different? If so, here are two decorative concrete ideas to consider.

Checkerboard

One option is to create a checkerboard effect on the driveway. To do this, contractors can press moulded stamps onto the concrete before it sets. Alternatively, they can cut hardened concrete into squares using special saws.

If you have a long curved driveway, you could opt for large square shapes, which will leave fewer join lines and a cleaner effect. You might simply use lighter and darker shades of soft grey to create the checkerboard pattern. Contractors can mix the colour into the cement before pouring, a process termed "integrally coloured concrete." And they can apply colour topically to specific sections. They can create dramatic contrasts as well, if you wish.

Exposed Aggregate and Smooth Concrete

You've probably seen exposed aggregate on many driveways. This paving has extra aggregates added, usually pebbles and crushed stones. The contractors then wait for the cement to set slightly before washing away the cement on top, thus revealing the rocks. Typically, after pouring the concrete, they apply a retardant product to provide a wider timeframe before it completely cures. The exposed aggregate gives a speckled look that varies depending on the amount and colour of your chosen pebbles.

Concrete services can also blend this decorative paving with smooth concrete to make patterns. For example, what about an exposed aggregate driveway with a border of smooth concrete on either side? The contractors could also lay a smooth strip of concrete running vertically up the centre to form a series of squares for more elaborate paving. They could then finish the pattern with horizontal strips of smooth concrete. Depending on the driveway length, this will break up the exposed aggregate into 4, 6, 8, or more large square areas.

You could feature mid-grey speckled aggregate and light grey smooth areas for a simple look. But you can choose any colour combination to match your front garden. Pebbles and stones come in reds, yellows, blues, creams, and many other shades. The contrast between texture and smoothness can create many diverse designs. For example, you could form flowing bands of each concrete rather than a geometric pattern.


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