Decorative Concrete Variations for a Patio

If you're looking for a way to enhance your patio, you might consider installing attractive paving. One possibility is decorative concreting. Here are several variations that might suit your backyard.

Saw-Cut Concrete

Installing saw-cut concrete is a way to mimic stone pavers. The contractors will pour the slab on your patio and leave it for a few days. After that, they'll come back and saw-cut squares or rectangles into the concrete, which will give the impression that you've spread pavers over the flooring. If you want to create a spacious feel, carve large squares to provide the look of expansive pavers.

Saw-cut concrete can be combined with other treatments. For example, you could lay exposed aggregate concrete, which can be saw cut as well. That way, you'll combine the texture of stones with the pattern of faux pavers. Another simple but smart look is to pigment the concrete in a dark charcoal shade before carving it into shapes. Bear in mind, though, that lighter paving will make an area feel bigger, while darker colours can give the sense of a smaller patio area.

Exposed Aggregate

Exposed aggregate brings the beauty of natural rock to paving. This concrete is filled with stones and pebbles, which peek out from the top of the cement, giving it a textured look and feel. Pigments can be added to the cement mix, and you can select specific coloured stones to create different palettes. For example, dye the concrete a dark grey and fill it with similar charcoal stones with little white pebbles that will stand out. Tiny pieces of glass, either coloured or transparent, can also be added to give the paving a sparkling look.

Stamped Concrete

Another way to enhance concrete is to have it stamped. After the concrete slab is laid, moulds are stamped into the surface, creating indents and grooves. Different mould shapes are available, many of which imitate natural stone pavers. But you can also choose stamps that mimic timber planks, porcelain tiles, and other materials. Colouring techniques can mimic the natural variances of these substances.

Stamped concrete looks like pavers, but it won't have the problems of actual pavers. For example, you won't have to deal with weeds sprouting in between pavers. Plus, you won't have the issue of some pavers sinking, which is called subsistence. A concrete surface is also much easier to place chairs and tables on. On separate pavers, the furniture legs can get stuck in the gaps and possibly even cause an accident.


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