A great entryway or back garden is a fantastic way to improve your home’s appearance. Your hardscaping is as much a part of a beautiful property as a wonderful paint job or interior decoration. There are many great materials to choose from for these surfaces, but imprinted concrete offers many advantages while also beautifying these functional spaces..
Concrete sounds so boring. Sure, it’s durable. But there are also many forms of decorative concrete that enhance the appearance. Among them, imprinted concrete is a great choice when you want a functional surface that also adds to the overall great look of your home.
What Is Imprinted Concrete?
The answer to this question is quite obvious. Also known as stamped concrete, imprinted concrete is simply poured concrete that has a design pressed into it. The concrete is coloured with a dye that’s cast onto it. Then, as the concrete begins to dry, large stamps are used to create the design.
The stamps create a surface with real depth. It’s not simply an image on the surface. You’ll actually have a textured surface and depth to the finished product!
This type of work was pioneered about 50 years ago. It continues to grow in popularity throughout the world. You’ve surely encountered it often without realizing it. That’s because the final product doesn’t appear to be concrete at all. Instead, the slab has the appearance of other materials like hewn stone, brick, cobblestone, or even wood.
Advantages Of Imprinted Concrete
You could choose from various materials for your driveway, pathway, or patio. Each has its strengths and all can serve well. However, we’d like to look here at the particular advantages of imprinted concrete so that you can make an informed choice.
Durability
If you choose imprinted concrete, you get all the strength of concrete that you’d expect. This surface is going to hold up for decades with a minimum of care.
Of course, misuse can cause issues. For instance, parking a heavy vehicle on any surface not designed to support the weight will cause cracking. Dragging sharp tools across it can cause scratching. But those issues will happen with any material. A little common sense and precaution can prevent such issues.
Many people also ask about cracking. It’s true that this will occur in any concrete surface. However, a well-poured slab of concrete will have stress lines in it that help control it. With a quality job, normally only hairline cracks develop that are only noticeable under close inspection. And if you reseal your patio regularly, these won’t spread enough to become noticeable.
Variety
With this material, you’ll also find a wide variety of designs to choose from.
Contractors have developed a wide variety of stamps and dyes that you can choose from for your space. From classics like cobblestone to modern styles like a stacked bond, you’ll be able to find something that matches your home’s architecture and your taste.
That means you can choose imprinted concrete for all its positives without compromising about the appearance you want. You can have the best of both worlds!
Ease Of Maintenance
The maintenance of imprinted concrete is another factor that makes it an attractive option. It’s incredibly simple to take care of!
The only “major” maintenance required is resealing the surface. This only needs to be done every two to three years. It’s not too expensive to have it done by a contractor, but you could choose to do it yourself.
The sealer used on imprinted concrete helps keep moisture from seeping into the concrete. This helps preserve the vibrant colors of the material. It also helps prevent cracking, since water will expand and contract based on the temperature. This is normally only an issue in areas where temperatures dropping below freezing. Still, proper sealing will help your concrete last longer even in milder climates.
Cleaning is simple and can be done with a broom or mop. If you want, you can use a power washer on the concrete without problems. In the case of stains, a mild detergent usually does the job.
Also, there’s no need to have to re-set pieces that work loose. With real stone or even pavers, you may sometimes have to worry about individual pieces working loose and becoming uneven. With imprinted concrete, though, you have a single solid slab. Unless you have an earthquake or severe ground settling, it will stay even.
Price
Finally, the cost has to be considered. Obviously, it takes a bit more work to install imprinted concrete than its plain alternative. More labor is involved as well as some extra materials like the dyes. It’s also more expensive than asphalt.
However, imprinted concrete prices are normally about the same level as concrete pavers. And that’s below the price of many other decorative choices such as real stone. You can have all the great looks without the hefty price tag!
Conclusion
From driveways to patios, you have a lot of options for materials. Imprinted concrete should be among your considerations. It’s long-lasting, easy to care for, and affordable. And you’ll definitely find a colour and pattern that fit in with the look you’d like to match the style of your home!
About the Author
Bill Michaels works for Patterned Concrete of Ontario, Canada. Since 1972, they’ve been a leader in the stamped concrete industry. From its roots in the Toronto area, it’s grown to have franchises across North America. If you’re a contractor interested in becoming part of our family, get in touch through our website!