Concrete is an excellent material to use if you are looking for a patio with a real wow factor. The versatility of concrete means that it will bring a range of potential design options and finishes to the table to meet any taste or style.
Add to that concrete’s famous durability and hard wearing nature and you will have a stylish patio that will look great for years to come.
What is it?
Patio’s, pool decks or paths – if you are looking to install an outstanding and long lasting feature in your yard then concrete can help you to achieve these goals.
From simple slabs to full on poured concrete installations, there will be a form of concrete to meet your budget and design.
What are the Advantages?
If you are looking to make an eye catching yet long lasting addition to your back yard then a concrete patio is an excellent investment.
Concrete is a medium that provides superb versatility. Stamped concrete, for example, can be installed with a vast range of finished stamp designs and colors. This allows us to mimic near any material or finish you may have in mind for your patio, whether this is natural stone, brick or tile patterns.
The durability of concrete also makes it a great material for patio building. Bearing in mind that a patio can see heavier use than you may consider – such as furniture being dragged over it, heavy loads of foot traffic and the fact it is always exposed to the elements – using concrete will provide a patio that will continue to look great for years to come.
What is Available?
There are a range of concrete products that can be used to build a patio. If you are considering a very small patio then there are a selection of pre formed slabs available in a range of colors and stamped finishes.
For a larger, more involved installation then, similar to a driveway there are two main types of concrete installation available:
Concrete Block Paving (CBP) this technique for driveway installation first came about in the 1970’s and remain popular today, and with good reason. Whereas in the old days CBP only came with a few choices of style and color finish, today there are literally dozens of pre-stamped and pre-colored CBP designs for you to choose from. As this method makes use of precast concrete, installation can be a more straightforward but also more time consuming.
Pattern Imprinted Concrete (PIC) Unlike CBP, this method consists of a liquid concrete layer poured atop a suitable sub-base. The benefit of this system is that it provides a true blank canvas, with various colors and stamped designs added before the concrete dries. If you are looking for a truly bespoke design experience with your patio then PIC could be the choice for you. However, whilst the installation is usually much faster than CBP it is also more complicated.
There is also the option of Exposed Aggregate Concrete, whereby the top layer of cement is treated and removed, leaving the aggregate (small stones and crushed rocks) behind. The exposed aggregate helps to create an excellent anti-slip surface. This method of finishing therefore can be particularly suitable for patios that are to be installed near back yard swimming pools – or even for pool decks themselves.
We supply the full range of services, from slabs and materials for do it your self construction projects through full design and installation of large scale patios.
So whatever you decide, or even if you’re unsure what is the best option for you, please feel free to contact us for a quote or even just a friendly chat to discuss your options.