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Connor's Guide to Concrete Welcome to my new blog! My name is Connor and this my concrete blog. Concrete may seem like a pretty boring subject. But it is only boring if you do not understand the incredible possibilities. When the interior designer I was working with suggested that I install some concrete inside my home I thought he was crazy. I thought concrete was only used for the floor of your garage, your carport or for a patio area. However, when I saw the possibilities that polished concrete offered me in terms of looks and functionality, I was sold! I hope you like my blog.

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Benefits Of Exposed Aggregate For Your Driveway Paving

There's no need to install plain grey concrete in your driveway. Exposed aggregate also lasts for many years but at the same time, creates a beautiful approach to your home which varies depending on the specific aggregates.

Provides A Range Of Design Options

Natural stones, glass pieces and seashells are the types of elements that combine with cement mix to construct exposed aggregate. All of these decorative bits show through the surface to produce a driveway that is rich with texture, pattern and character. One advantage of this type of ground is that you can choose the particular elements you want to add so that you can devise a personalised approach to your home. It is not like flat concrete, where you don't have many alternatives. Rather, choosing which aggregates to include will significantly affect the overall look as they vary widely in type and colour.

Different kinds of natural stones can combine within the concrete. Quartz aggregates bring tones of white, pink, rose, yellow or green. Or incorporating clear quartz creates touches of glimmer within the driveway. Limestone tones include grey, white or pink, and granite shades contain black, blue or red. Additionally, stained glass and shells deliver further variety to the aggregate mix. Even gravel mixes bring reddish browns or yellow accents.

When designing the driveway, you control not only the types of aggregates but also the overall amount. The cement mix can be densely populated with aggregates so that not much of the background cement colour shows through, or else the stones and decorations could feature sparsely within the driveway which creates a different look. So you need to decide how much cement you want to show through, which itself often includes pigments that complement the stones or gravel.

Is A Durable And Practical Surface

Anything that has cars driving over it continually needs to be tough. And exposed aggregate is durable and long-lasting, just like concrete. Its strength, though, depends on the specific aggregates within the cement. Granite pieces are particularly hard and durable, for example and thus will toughen the surface overall.

Also, when jumping out of your car and rushing inside during heavy rain, you don't want a surface that will cause you to slip and slide all over the place. An exposed aggregate driveway paving surface can be non-skid, with special techniques, such as sandblasting or acid etching, roughening the surface. Thus, you can feel secure underfoot, no matter what the weather. Talk with driveway contractors about which type of aggregate would be best for your driveway. 

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