Concrete is commonly used outside for sidewalks, patios, and other spaces where a durable surface is needed, but it doesn't always look great in those areas. Decorative concrete services are available from concrete contractors that can dress up the surface of the concrete and create an entirely different look, and the options available may surprise you. 

New Life For Old Concrete

Decorative concrete services can have a huge impact on your outdoor living spaces, and you don't always have to replace your concrete walkways or patios to take advantage of these services. A contractor can add a new decorative surface over your existing concrete, and the process does not take long when you hire a contractor that is familiar with the process and has the right tools for the job. 

Adding a decorative surface to the top of an aging walkway is an excellent way to cover cracks, seal the concrete, and level it while making it look new or changing the look. The drab concrete can quickly become bricks, tiles, or stones; all it takes is a skim coat of concrete, some stamps, and some coloring agents applied to the material.

You could spend the money to remove a walkway and then install bricks or tiles in its place, but adding a decorative top coat is faster, looks great, and is much cheaper than starting over with new materials. Decorative concrete can be used on driveways, patios, walkways, and just about anywhere you have a concrete surface that you want to dress up. In some cases, even the basement or garage floor can have a decorative finish added to it to achieve a specific style.

New Concrete

If you are pouring new concrete and want to apply a decorative look to it, let your contractor know before the pour begins. Often decorative concrete services use stamps on the surface of the concrete before it cures to add a specific look.

When stamping new concrete, the decorative finish becomes part of the slab or pad, so the dimensions of the concrete do not change, and the decorative layer can not chip or break off later. The contractor can also tint the new concrete during the process, so a brick stamp will have a color that makes it look realistic.

A good concrete contractor can mix and match colors and tint materials to achieve a specific look like stone, brick, block, or tile, and once the tint is added, it becomes a part of the surface, so it will not wear off over time. If you want to change the look later, the surface can be ground down and smoothed, and a new top coat added. But it is better to pick a design that you will keep for many years to minimize any chance of damaging the concrete by altering it to change its appearance.

Contact a local decorative concrete service to learn more.