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What Are Some Top Questions You Need to Ask About Decorative Concrete Driveways?

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Jessica Curry
What Are Some Top Questions You Need to Ask About Decorative Concrete Driveways?

A decorative concrete driveway is something that adds to the beauty of your house by enhancing the driveway of your house. They say, “First impression is the last impression,” which can be true in case of your decorated concrete driveway to the house. You need to have a proper plan in place if you want to have a fantastic driveway. It is important for you to have a proper understanding of what this kind of project can entail, so that you can understand what to expect. These are some important questions that you need to ask about decorative concrete driveways, so that you can have a proper idea about this kind of paving method.

What Is Decorative Concrete Driveway?

It is a special kind of technique in which coloured and specially mixed concrete is poured by a paving contractor, while treating it with the help of tools and or types of mould - which can offer a textured appearance to the concrete.

This appearance can look like almost anything, such as:

  • Aggregate cobblestone
  • Pavers or
  • Slate

There are various benefits of this kind of paving technique - given that it has outstanding strength, weatherproof quality, the ability to match any kind of shape and the chance to last for more time than regular materials.

How Much Does a Decorative Concrete Driveway Cost?

Decorative concrete is a wonderful economical substitute for brick slate stones or pavers. For a slightly higher cost than that of standard concrete, you can get the advantages and wonderful appearance of decorative concrete driveways. The value can be worth your investment because you can get all the benefits of concrete as a paving material.

Is It Tough to Maintain a Decorative Concrete Driveway?

It is not the case, if you wash any dirt or debris from the surface as soon as possible. Once expert pavement installers leave after doing the job, you can have almost maintenance free concrete driveways. You can make your driveway look beautiful with basic washing and sweeping occasionally.

If you want to maintain the original lustre of your driveway, it is advisable that you use protective sealer to coat the concrete surface after every 3 to 4 years. You need to get the necessary aftercare and maintenance instructions for your driveways from your paving contractor.

Is It Necessary to Seal a Driveway?

You have to apply a sealer of high quality to your decorative concrete driveways, given that a sealer can be useful in keeping the concrete surface protected from stains, oils, grease, moisture absorption and chemical exposure. When applying on the surface of decorative coloured concrete, there can be an improvement in colour due to the sealer. Regardless of the sealer that you plan to use, you have to ensure that it is applied according to the instructions of the manufacturer.

What If the Colour on The Final Project Is Not According to Expectations?

It might be slightly impractical to expect that your paving contractor can make the colour of your concrete driveways match exactly the colour of the sample shown to you in the showroom or an image from a brochure or even a decorative concrete driveway in the home of a neighbour.

Some variations in colour might be exhibited even by plain concrete surface especially in case the placement of different days or multiples load of concretes is needed for the project. Most of these variations are quite negligible and generally fades over a period.

How Do Decorative Driveways Compare to Natural Stone Driveways?

Decorative concrete is affordable as well as more long-lasting as compared to natural stone. This is due to the fact that grout joints cannot be penetrated by water, and these cannot get loose or frozen due to the same. Upon exposure to ultraviolet rays, flaking can be found in almost all natural stone driveways. The sealing for decorative concrete driveways surfaces can also last for almost 3 times more than when an acrylic sealer is used, which is impossible to use on natural stone driveways.

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