Installing stone or concrete outdoor features is one of the best and easiest ways to make your yard more useful and appealing. These features will improve the appearance of your home and provide outdoor spaces for your family to enjoy the great outdoors.
The driveway is now ready to be concrete poured. A crew of several people will work quickly to fill in the forms with the concrete. In order to ensure the slab's ability to shift and fracture at controlled locations, the finishing crew should make sure there are enough expansion joints--grooves dotted across the surface. Natural settling and shifting can cause slab fragmentation.
Concrete and asphalt are the most common types of driveways, depending on your location. Concrete driveways are very popular due to their cost-effectiveness and long life expectancy. Check out these concrete options if you are trying to budget for concrete driveways.
Sealing your concrete driveway will help keep it in good shape longer. It will prevent cracks and protect your driveway from chemical de-icing chemicals. Some contractors will include it in their quote automatically. If you are unsure, ask. Sealing a driveway will cost you between $0.50 and $2.50 on average. Sealing a driveway with a specialty stain is required to protect the color.
Homeowners who want a stone or wooden look but don't have the budget or practicality of using unsuitable materials can stamp their driveways. Contractors can stamp the concrete in any desired pattern for $8-$15 per square foot. For a more attractive concrete driveway, choose from paving stones designs, inlaid or wood planks.
There are many design options, but most homeowners prefer either pavers, slabs, or stamped concrete. So many people wonder which one is better: stamped concrete or pavers and slabs.
When installed properly, stamped concrete is resistant to cracking. Even if there is minor cracking in stamped concrete, they are difficult to identify because they often blend with the pattern lines and joint lines. There are ways you can hide cracks from the eyes if they become a problem. Look at Why Concrete Cracks to see the most basic steps that you can take in order to minimize cracking, and still ensure high performance.
Concrete driveways are often viewed as virtually maintenance-free. But it pays to keep them clean and sealed to prolong their life. The concrete sealer will provide protection and will be applied with a stiff brush and a hose. Sealer should always be applied at the least once a calendar year. The best time to seal driveways is in fall if you live in snowy areas. This ensures that slabs will resist salts and winter weather.
Find local contractors who specialize in stamped concrete and find out more tips on hiring a contractor for exterior concrete work.
Stamped concrete has a texture that makes it more slippery than regular concrete. It can slip, however, if it is wet or has had a film-forming sealer applied. There are several things you can do to improve the slip resistance of stamped concrete, such as adding non-skid additives or a heavier texture. If you have any concerns, talk to your contractor.
Wait at most a week before driving down the driveway. Also, wait at minimum a month before parking any heavy vehicles. Allow concrete to dry for at least one month before sealing it.
Add a border around the edges to enhance a concrete driveway. For a more elegant look, you can add a border using bricks or paving stone. To add a brick or stone boundary to your concrete driveway, you can expect to pay $6 to $15 per foot. Most driveway contractors are capable of installing these borders or will subcontract the task to a bricklayer.
When the term "concrete driveway” is used, a standard, plain-gray driveway is what comes to mind. This is the most affordable concrete driveway cost option, at an average of $4-$7 per square foot. Although the labor and materials cost almost equally, the price will rise depending on the size and shape of your driveway.
You can also combine stamped concrete with other decorative concrete elements, such as acid staining or exposed aggregate.