Your driveway can be so much more than a slab of plain, gray concrete. Stamped concrete driveways are rapidly gaining popularity. There are so many attractive choices that make a real statement.
Popular Stamped Concrete Patterns to Consider
Starting with concrete is a smart choice in terms of durability and maintenance. But from there Crescent Homes can help you select from a variety of stamped concrete patterns, textures, and colors that compliment the style of your home and landscaping. These stamped concrete patterns can create the look of:
- Slate
- Flagstone
- Fieldstone
- Brick
- Cobblestone
- Woodgrain
In addition to their realistic appearance, stamped concrete driveways cost considerably less than the materials they are designed to mimic.
Many homeowners choose to include a contrasting border as part of the project’s stamped design. There are also seamless stamps that provide texture without joint patterns. Adding texture can be especially helpful for adding traction to a steep driveway.
We are happy to share our portfolio of finished projects to help you envision how these various styles will work with the style of your home.
Color Options for Your Stamped Concrete Driveway
In addition to pattern and texture, you can also customize your driveway with the addition of permanent coloring agents. As with stamped concrete, the colors can duplicate the look of natural materials. They can also be used to create a bold design with multiple hues.
The team at Crescent Homes can offer several different types of coloring agents for stamped concrete driveways. These include:
- Integral color: This popular agent is added to the concrete at the plant. It provides a uniform color that extends throughout the finished concrete. Accidental chipping or scratching won’t reveal any uncolored concrete.
- Dry-shake color hardeners: Dry-shake color is cast onto the fresh cement and then floats up to the surface. The hardeners produce brighter hues than the integral agents. They come in a broad color palette.
- Powdered or liquid release agents: These agents can be used to prevent the stamping tools from sticking to the concrete and spoiling the texture. They are sometimes used in combination with integral or dry-shake color to create an antique finish.
- Stains: Stains react chemically with the concrete to achieve a mottled effect that is very realistic.
Concrete: An Investment that Lasts
If you need another reason to choose stamped concrete, consider that building a driveway out of paving stones is more labor-intensive. This is because the pavers must be individually placed. They can also shift over time and allow weeds to grow through the joints. With stamped concrete, you achieve a similar look without the cost and maintenance issues of pavers.
As with pavers, asphalt driveways require more maintenance than stamped concrete. They are less durable and won’t give you the tremendous design options offered by stamped concrete.
No Cutting Corners
While you want a driveway that is both functional and attractive, proper site preparation is the first order. Our skilled concrete team understands how to design and engineer your project to accommodate any slope. Next comes the installation of a substantial gravel sub-layer. This prevents any cracking and sinking.
After the concrete is poured and stamped come the critical steps of curing and sealing. This helps assure the final appearance and durability of the driveway. The top of a freshly installed concrete project dries faster than the bottom portion. This leads to shrinkage and can cause problems later down the road. To avoid this, our team keeps the top layer of the cement moist by periodically misting the concrete with water. Other options include placing wet burlap on top or applying chemicals to slow the evaporation.
After the driveway is completely dry, an acrylic sealer is applied. This sealer will give the concrete protection from UV rays and a high-gloss finish.
Crescent Homes’ skilled team of concrete professionals can design and build a stamped concrete driveway that will make you smile every time you pull up to your home. Call us today and let’s get started.