Decorative Concrete Has Many Possible Uses

Decorative concrete is used for driveways, parking lots and garage floors as well as other utilitarian applications. There are also decorative concrete applications that are often used. Some of these are stamped, stained, colored and polished. These methods combine the pretty with the practical.

When textured and stamped, it will appear to be flagstone, brick, tile or wood. It can lend an attractive touch to the driveway, courtyard or patio. It is popular because it can be used in the color of choice. It creates the look of the more expensive materials without adding the higher cost.

When a small area is given one of these custom finishes, it can provide a wonderful contrast to the larger area it enhances. The narrow border of simulated brick looks fantastic around any flower garden or along the side of any walkway. Color it to match or complement each adjoining area. Sometimes a stark contrast is even more effective.

The same is true of a patio. There can be a pale green patio with a simulated brick border around it in a darker green. It gives the entire patio a designer look. The narrow border also works well in front of any garden located against the house. When it is color matched to the house itself, the entire yard is made more beautiful. The landscaping is greatly enhanced by the addition of this narrow strip separating the lawn from the flower garden.

On the inside of the house the uses are endless. Surrounding a fireplace it is attractive in fieldstone or brick in a neutral color. The floor can be simulated marble or even wood. Use it for flooring in a bathroom to look like tile with a matching countertop on the vanity. Any basement or garage floor can be attractive as well as practical and durable.

Imagine using a simulated brick concrete around the fireplace. Match the fireplace surround to the color of the floor, or coordinate it in a lighter or darker shade. Get that high priced look using decorative concrete, without the matching price tag. All are both beautiful and durable.

Learn more about how Decorative Concrete can help improve the look of your facility. See our portfolio of Decorative Concrete in Louisville, KY and what it can do for you.

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Decorative Concrete Has Many Possible Uses



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Stained Concrete Can Be Unique

One characteristic of stained concrete is that each project will have a different result. The differences may not be blatant, but no two surfaces react in exactly the same way. A homeowner, with the advice of a contractor can design a project using one of the application methods that are available. The porous material absorbs the staining in a different yet similar way.

Staining offers two methods, the acid based treatment and the water based treatment. Each can result in earthy tones forming swirling patterns that appear to float on the surface. They can be very faint. The look is beautiful when used to create any outdoor setting such as a patio or garden walk. When a driveway or front sidewalk is stained, it shows off the home perfectly.

The contractor may recommend the acid based solution, which is a mixture of water, hydrochloric acid and soluble metallic salts. It is absorbed into the surface and a chemical reaction to the hydrated lime will take place. The permanent result will never peel off or chip away. It will show beautiful fluid lines in a pattern that cannot be replicated.

This is different from pigment or dye based processes that add color. The chemical reaction results in a lovely, translucent finish. It takes around four hours to set. The change will be permanent.

There are also water based acid stains that have a different result. It looks the same with the translucent beauty. However, it is not the result of a chemical reaction and change. This method causes the acid stain to bond with the surface. It can contain polymer, epoxy or acrylic.

Both acid based and water based methods of producing stained concrete have a translucent surface and the pattern appears to float on that surface. No two applications are ever exactly the same. They are, however, usually quite similar. One patio cannot be replicated due to the inevitable variations. Each individualized project is unique and each is equally beautiful and durable as well.

Want to find a Stained Concrete contractor, then visit Creative Concrete Solutions site and view our portfolio of Stained Concrete in Louisville, KY.

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Stained Concrete Can Be Unique



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